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Can’t shift those pounds? How mitochondrial ‘gridlock’ could be STOPPING you lose weight – and how to combat it
If you enjoy a lie-in at the weekend or eat too many carbs, your mitochondria may be unhappy
GAINED some extra wobble over the summer months? You're certainly not alone.
Before embarking on a strict calories in versus calories out diet, why not consider if mitochondrial gridlock could be making it hard to shift that stubborn fat?
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We now know that there’s a complex combination of factors at play when it comes to keeping weight stable.
Perhaps most surprisingly, it’s not just what you’re piling onto your plate that makes a difference to your waistline.
You might not be familiar with ‘the mitochondria’, but according to health experts, these little cell components could be the secret to fighting extra summer holiday weight.
Our bodies are made up of trillions of cells which power all the chemical reactions that keep us alive.
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The mitochondria live deep inside these cells where they create energy known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
The rate of energy that they produce helps to keep the metabolism firing so that you can keep a better handle of your weight.
Dr Sarah Jenkins, a women’s health expert, says: "Mitochondria indirectly affect weight gain and loss.
“They are part of a complex energy production process and if any step in this process malfunctions our cells will not get the quality of energy we need.”
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Eating the wrong foods can cause the mitochondria to become gridlocked - congested and sluggish.
Research published in the journal Nature Metabolism highlighted that when we are overweight it actually changes the structure of the mitochondria, reducing the capacity for fat burning.
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Here are some of the best ways to turbocharge these tiny cellular structures to help work your way to your best ever summer body.
1. Streamline your macros
Eating too much of one food is never a good thing, so keeping your mitochondria functioning properly relies on building a balanced plate.
If we consume too much of one macronutrient, (carbs, fat, protein), rather than a balanced diet, this can cause mitochondrial gridlock.
Balancing your macronutrient intake means that the mitochondria can pick and choose how much and which macronutrient they utilise, but when our diet goes off whack, our mitochondria can’t fire up as usual.
Fasting helps to clear out your system and use up all stored energy so can be really beneficial.
Dr Sarah Jenkins
Dr Jenkins says: “We then eat more sugary foods or carbohydrates to try and balance our energy levels, this overwhelms our system with the wrong type of energy.
“Divide your plate up into one quarter lean protein such as tofu, eggs or chicken, one quarter complex carbohydrates like wholemeal bread, brown rice or brown pasta, and healthy fats such as avocado or olive oil.
“Dedicate the remaining half to non-starchy veg including broccoli, cauliflower and kale to maximise your mitochondrial power.”
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2. Schedule a pre-breakfast workout
Exercise is key to creating higher levels of mitochondrial activity, so keep moving - but make sure you’re doing it right.
Studies show that exercising in a fasted state can help your mitochondria as it triggers your body to switch from burning glucose to burning fat efficiently.
The easiest way around this is to get moving before breakfast, if you can stomach it!
High-intensity exercise is actually more effective to jumpstart mitochondrial activity than low or moderate-intensity exercise, according to a 2019 study by Australian scientists.
3. Time your meals
Time-restricted eating, where you eat according to a specific window, (e.g the 16:8; consuming all your meals within eight hours) is one way to help spur your mitochondria into action.
One study published in the journal PLoS One showed that time-controlled fasting helps to slow down mitochondrial ageing.
Dr Jenkins says: “Fasting helps to clear out your system and use up all stored energy so can be really beneficial.”
There are many different methods but consuming your three main meals between 10am and 6pm is the most achievable for many people.
This way you start with a later breakfast, an early afternoon lunch and an early dinner.
Doing this allows your body ample time for digestion and prompts your body into fat-burning mode.
4. Ditch lazy mornings
You might love a lazy weekend watching Saturday Kitchen in bed, but your mitochondria doesn’t!
Our bodies run off a circadian rhythm - an internal 24-hour cycle which powers various metabolic and hormonal activities.
When this is off kilter our mitochondria can turn sluggish, so it’s a good idea to re-think your daily routine.
Try to go to bed no later than 10pm and wake up by 7am to get your body in sync with a healthy daily rhythm.
5. Load up on CoQ10
When it comes to super-nutrients, CoQ10 ranks high up on the list.
Concentrated levels of this vitamin-like compound are found in the mitochondria where it helps to power energy production.
“Mitochondrial support requires high quality CoQ10, which gives the right kind of energy to the mitochondria,” adds Dr Jenkins.
It’s found in food - and liver is thought to be the richest source.
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But if you’re not a fan of organ meats, (we don’t blame you), then beet, poultry, legumes and soy products are good sources.
And if you want an extra top up, a CoQ10 supplement might be the way forward.
How bad sleep affects weight
Previously in The Sun, experts explained how sleep is closely linked with weight.
Disrupts hunger hormones
Ghrelin is a hormone released after the brain signals the stomach is empty, while leptin is released from fat cells to suppress hunger - and tell the brain it's full.
Studies have shown that when you don't get enough shut-eye, the body makes more ghrelin and less leptin - leaving you more hungry.
One study of 12 men led by University of Chicago showed two days of sleep deprivation drove leptin levels in the blood down by 18 per cent, while increasing ghrelin by 28 per cent.
The men reported a 24 per cent increase in their hunger and appetite compared to when they were given two restful nights.
More time to eat
The less you are asleep, the more you are awake. This gives more of an opportunity to eat.
In the modern day world, people are awake for up to 17 hours at a time - 7am till 12pm. It leaves a huge window for being awake and eating.
If you're struggling with both your weight and sleep, try finishing your meals three to four hours before bed time. That might mean limiting your eating window from 9am until 6pm.
Reach for takeaways
If you have a weird sleeping pattern, chances are your eating schedule is also off-whack.
Struggling to sleep can see us turn to convenience - takeaways, ready meals, oven foods and more, whi;e being energised gives us more motivation to cook healthily.
Eat more calories than normal
Studies suggest that the less sleep you get, the more calorie-dense food you choose to eat.
One study in Chicago found that men ate more food at a buffet after four consecutive night’s of rough sleep compared with when they were rested.
They consumed around 340 calories more, mostly because they ate more snacks and carbohydrate-rich food.
Researchers from King’s College London also found that adults consumed an additional 385 calories – the equivalent of one and a half Mars Bars – on days after they were deprived of kip by combining the results of 11 previous studies.
More desire for food
Foods, especially those high in calories, are more appetising when we are sleep deprived because we subconsciously know they will boost our energy.
A German study showed the lengths sleepy people would go to for calorific snacks using 32 healthy men.
After a normal dinner and either a restful or restless night’s sleep, the men were given three Euros to spend on snacks and told to bid the maximum amount they were willing to spend on each item.
When sleep deprived. participants were willing to pay extra for the junk food items - which they were allowed to eat afterwards - suggesting a stronger desire.
Fat storage more likely
Scientists have warned that not getting enough sleep changes how the body deals with food, which could then lead to weight gain.
One study showed that men who ate a large bowl of chilli mac and cheese after four nights of bad sleep reacted differently to the food than those who were well-rested.
Researchers at Pennsylvania State University said blood tests showed lipids (fats) from foods were cleared faster, suggesting they were being stored almost instantly.
The process did not spring back to its normal rate even after the men were given a long night’s sleep.
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