We scored an exclusive interview with health expert and author Liz Vaccariello on her breakthrough book “The Digest Diet” about the best foods for permanent weight loss and how we can shift our fat-loss mindset to drop pounds and get inspired to live a much healthier and more balanced life. No hunger, no sugary cravings, just great sensible eating tips.
Organic Spa: You’ve been covering clinical health and fitness research for a decade. What’s the biggest surprise about longevity?
Liz Vaccariello: We now know that sitting — being sedentary — is bad for our hearts, but newer studies prove that people who take plenty of short stretch or walk breaks throughout the day, exercise and then even those people who just fidget, had smaller waistlines and lower levels of a protein that signals inflammation in the body. Washing your car, walking the dogs, chopping veggies by hand… all of these movements, at the end of the day, boost your longevity.
OS: Your new book offers direct research between sleep deprivation and weight loss. How important is getting a full eight hours?
LV: A body of research shows that getting fewer then seven or eight hours of sleep per night will increase appetite, and increase belly fat. Sleep deprivation over time will heighten cortisol levels, levels of unhealthy stress hormones. Finally, the next day when you’re sleep deprived and irritable, you become more likely to overeat.
OS: After all the nutrition studies you sifted through, what’s the secret weapon for staying sleek this summer?
LV: First, I’d say drink your milk because calcium is good for your bones but it’s also effective at controlling hunger. In one study out of the University of Tennessee, researchers found that eating three servings of dairy products per day significantly reduced body fat in obese patients.
Secondly, I found that people naturally eat more when they feel depressed so it pays to be happy and joyful. Balanced eating comes from feeling satisfied and more mindful about your whole life, not just what you eat.”