Turkey Dinner Nutrition Facts

One cup of eggnog = 345 calories

6 ounces of turkey = 450 calories

1/4 cup of canned cranberry sauce = 100 calories

1/2 cup of home style stuffing = 190 calories

One cup of mashed potatoes = 350 calories

1/2 cup of giblet gravy = 150 calories

1/2 cup of english peas with butter = 75 calories

1 roll with butter = 150 calories

Three all butter shortbread cookies = 240 calories

Grand total = 2050 calories

According to an article by the New York Times, most of us tend to gain only one to two pounds during the holiday season,  even though many media outlets report much greater gains, ranging upwards from 5 to 7lbs. However, these couple of pounds can accumulate and lead to age-related weight gain over our lifetime. There is no doubt that the holidays is a high risk season for weight gain. High-carb holiday treats and overstuffed plates quickly lead to a bulging waistline.  In addition to kicking-up your workout frequency, you can do more damage control by using a few simple tricks to lower the glycemic impact of your meal. Believe it or not, this is the secret to staying slim.  The term “glycemic” refers to the presence of sugar in the blood. The glycemic index is a measure of how quickly a food type raises blood sugars after consumption. High glycemic foods such as rice, pasta, bread, cookies and candy release glucose more rapidly into our blood stream. More sugar stimulates a greater surge of insulin, the only hormone that instructs our body to store energy as fat. An insulin surge increases our cravings for mid-afternoon sweets and can cause us to eat 60 to 70 percent more calories at the next meal.  The good news is, by applying a few tips and tricks to your meal, you can reduce the overall impact it has on your blood sugar … and ultimately your waistline.

 “Whey” less. Protein slows the release of sugar into our blood stream, which leads to less insulin release. So the trick to blunting the effect of your high-carb treats is bumping up your protein. For best results, eat equal amounts of protein and carbohydrates during meal times (like 20 to 25 grams of both protein and carb).  Enjoying a protein shake for breakfast and a second as a mid afternoon snack can give you a quick source of nutrients without promoting weight gain.  Here’s a simple recipe: blend one serving of whey protein isolate, half a cup of frozen berries, a tablespoon of almond butter, a tablespoon of ground flax or chia seeds and water. Another benefit of this drink is that protein tends to keep you full longer. And for better appetite control at meal times, try consuming your protein first, your veggies second and your starchy carbohydrates last.

Stay steady. Eat every three to four hours to maintain blood sugar levels, prevent overeating and avoid excessive cravings. Skipping meals, irregular meal times and excessive caloric restriction will only lead to increased risk of binging later in the day. Before attending your next holiday dinner or party, try to have a snack such as a handful of walnuts or a few olives. The healthy fats in these foods can help cut belly fat and reduce the tendency to overeat. Finally, travel with snacks such as a piece of string cheese, raw almonds or cashews, or a balanced protein bar like The Simply Bar.

Dress up your salad. Studies show that a few teaspoons of vinegar added to a meal lowers the glycemic index by 20 to 40 perecent. Vinegar (along with foods such as pickled cucumber) also help to lower the insulin response to a starchy meal, possibly by slowing the rate at which the meal leaves your stomach. Vinaigrette dressing (one tablespoon of vinegar and two teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil) works just as well. You can also use lemon juice if you prefer or try using a supplement of apple cider vinegar in capsule form.

Add a little roughage. Consuming more fibre is another secret weapon in your arsenal against holiday weight gain. Fibre causes our stomach to stretch and increases the amount of time it takes for food to pass through the digestive tract. Both of these lead to better appetite control and make us less likely to keep munching away. While most people take in 10 to 15g of fibre per day, the amount that is required for optimal weight management and bowel health is 25 to 35g. Like protein, fibre also slows the flow of sugar into our bloodstream, which causes less insulin release yet still provides us with a steady supply of energy. Fibre also aids the removal of toxic estrogen from the body. In men and women, too much estrogen, a condition called “estrogen dominance”, causes toxic fat gain, water retention, bloating and a host of other health issues. The easiest way to increase your fibre is to add ground chia or flax seeds to your meals and protein shakes.

Walk it off. Even a short stroll can be a simple and highly beneficial way to avoid cheating, falling off track with your diet and minimizing the harmful effects those high-carb foods on your body. Studies prove that walking after an unhealthy meal can curb the effects of metabolic stress by reducing the amounts of fatty acids, sugars and stress hormones that are released into the bloodstream and subsequently stored as fat.

Start the day off right. Your first meal often sets the pace for the rest of the day. Cereals which are marketed as “healthy choices” may contain more vitamins and minerals than other cereals, but they also contain a ton of hidden sugar. Choose thick, dehulled oat flakes to make your oatmeal – these have a lower glycemic index than rolled oats or one-minute oats. Top with berries, one of the lower GI fruits, rather than a banana, a fruit with a higher GI, and toss a few nuts or seeds over the oatmeal. Finally, sprinkle a little cinnamon over your oatmeal. Recent studies have found that compounds in cinnamon can lower insulin within just 30 days.

Budget your carbs at Christmas Time. You may do this for your bank account, however it’s important to budget your carb and sugar intake to avoid putting on excess belly fat.  if you are going to a party at night, save them up. I will opt to skip my starch at dinner so I can have a glass of wine.

Avoid high carb drinks. Don’t waste your carbs on drinks like egg nog. Instead, save it for a small slice of pumpkin pie or a serving of mashed potatoes.
Earn your carbs – if you indulge – add 20 mins of cardio next day first thing on an empty stomach. When you wake up in the morning after an overnight 8-12 hour fast, your body’s stores of glycogen are somewhat depleted. Doing cardio in this state causes your body to mobilize more fat because of the unavailability of glycogen. I don’t recommend doing your strength training on an empty stomach because you require ‘fuel’ (food) in order to do an intense, resistance training session as well as repair muscle post workout.
A older study performed at Kansas State University and published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (1985) showed that a kilogram of fat is burned sooner when exercise is done in the fasted state in the morning than when it’s done later in the day. The scientists measured respiratory gas exchange, caloric expenditure and carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism, and found that the amount of fat burned during aerobic exercise amounted to 67% of the total energy expenditure in the morning after a 12 hour fast. This is substantially higher than the 50% expenditure achieved when the same exercise was done later in the day or after eating.

Further Supplement Recommendations:

Boost Your Fish Oil to Beat Belly Fat. Since each and every cell membrane in our body is made of fat, our dietary fatty acid intake determines the healthy composition of all our cells. When we eat fatty acids such as those in fish oils—eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)—our cell membranes become more fluid and more receptive to insulin. The more insulin receptors we have on the surface of our cells, the lower our insulin levels. According to a study in the February 2007 edition of The British Journal of Nutrition, the EPA component of fish oils is also important for improving insulin resistance and aiding fat loss. The insulin-sensitizing ability of DHA, the anti-inflammatory benefits of EPA and the adiponectin-boosting benefits of both make choosing a supplement containing significant amounts of each a great idea through the holidays and beyond. I recommend 2-4 omega-3 fish oil capsules twice daily with meals.

Vitamin D Impacts Your Waistline. The sunshine vitamin not only boosts your mood, but can decrease your dress size. A study led by Dr. Helen MacDonald, from Aberdeen University’s department of medicine and therapeutics found that adequate levels of sunlight can significantly reduce obesity. They discovered that women who had the highest BMI had the lowest vitamin D in their blood. Similarly, researchers at Tufts University in Massachusetts showed that obesity increases a person's chances of having low vitamin D levels. A possible explanation is that body fat absorbs available vitamin D so that it is not readily available to be used by the body. It’s a catch 22 for those who are overweight, but all the more reason to embark on a healthy eating plan, such as the one outlined in The Supercharged Hormone Diet with vitamin D supplements in hand. I recommend that you consume 4,000iu - 5,000iu of vitamin D3 daily.

Glyci-Med Forte – Insulin balancing Formula. This is Dr. Turner’s blend of a rich source of antioxidants and monounsaturated oils, including olive and avocado oils, to assist with fat loss. Recent studies have shown olive oil improves insulin balance, shrinks the size of fat cells, reduces the harmful effects of high carbohydrate intake and increases weight loss, especially when consumed at breakfast. The British Journal of Nutrition (December 2003) revealed another amazing tidbit about olive oil: Besides helping us lose weight, balance our hormones, reduce inflammation and keep insulin under control, olive oil also breaks down the fat cells we already have! A diet rich in olive oil not only aids appetite control and prevents belly fat accumulation, but also guards against the insulin resistance. According to a study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition (October 2007), consuming olive oil at breakfast is especially effective in this regard. Almost every patient reports that Glyci-Med Forte cuts their cravings and helps to shrink belly fat! I recommend taking 2 capsules with breakfast daily.

Add a Dose of Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA). This supplement improves our cellular response to insulin. It has favourable effects on blood sugar balance, abdominal fat, aging and all of the complications of metabolic syndrome. ALA is a potent antioxidant capable of enhancing the activity of other antioxidants including vitamin C, vitamin E, glutathione and coenzyme Q10. ALA is known to assist with diabetes, blood sugar control and cellular energy. Often referred to as R+ lipoic acid, ALA plays a key role in the processing of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. It also influences the balancing of blood sugar levels by enhancing glucose uptake. A study published in Hypertension (2002) investigated the effects of ALA on insulin resistance, hypertension and free radical stress. Researchers found that ALA reduced blood pressure and prevented insulin resistance in rats who were fed sugar water by preventing an increase in oxidative stress (which is a typical after a high-sugar or -carb meal). Another study from the Shiraz University of Medical Science reported that alpha lipoic acid supports normal blood sugar metabolism in diabetic patients. Fifty-seven subjects with suboptimal blood sugar metabolism were supplemented with 300 mg alpha lipoic acid per day or a placebo for 2 months duration. The study found that alpha lipoic acid supplementation enhanced normal blood sugar metabolism and significantly improved insulin sensitivity. Take 200 mg 1 to 3 times daily, with or without food.

In fact, just recently we had someone contact us after hitting a plateau at her current weight for over three months. She began using fish oil, vitamin D, Glyci-Med Forte every morning (2 pills) and R-ALA daily (1 pill twice daily with meals) and sent us this note:

“I wanted to touch base and let you know as of today I am down another 10 lbs! YIPPPPPEEEEEE YAHOOOOEEEEE! I weighed myself at the gym this morning and was 142 less than 3 weeks after starting the new supplement protocol.  I was 152 the last time I weighed myself there which was when I can to see you Nov. 24th so that was a great surprise.  I knew I was down but didn't think it was that much.  Gotta love when your jeans are too big!” – Amy (Age 42)

All supplement recommendations can be purchased off of Dr. Turner’s website at www.thehormonediet.com