How Adele lost 100 pounds without cutting out wine and chocolate
Those who follow singer Adele know that she has been in the
process of losing weight since 2017. But what caught the attention of her fans
is the diet that helped her lose 45kg without restricting the consumption of
wine and chocolate.
The diet followed by Adele, known as Sirtfood Diet, is an eating
plan that proposes following a diet that activates the same genes linked to
weight loss, which, in general, are stimulated when fasting or exercising.
What activates these genes are polyphenols, which are natural
antioxidants present in certain types of food. This is what the creators of the
method, British nutritionists Glen Matten and Aidan Goggins, explain.
This is the case of resveratrol, a substance present in red wine
that promotes other health benefits besides losing weight. But it is worth
remembering that consuming low-calorie foods is also part of the program.
What is Sirtfood Diet?
The Sirtfood Diet is an eating plan developed by British
nutritionists Glen Matten and Aidan Goggins. The plan's idea is to follow a
diet that activates the same genes linked to weight loss stimulated when one
fast or exercises.
The two experts claim that polyphenols are the nutrients
responsible for this gene activation, which benefits the body.
How the Sirtfood Diet Works
The Sirtfood Diet
divided into two phases:
Phase 1
The 1st phase is the time when the most weight loss will occur.
This stage lasts seven days and divided into two approaches:
In the first three days, the person consumes three green juices
and a meal rich in SIRT foods, totaling 1,000 calories.
In the last four days, the indicated consumption is two green juices
and two meals with SIRT foods, totaling 1,500 calories.
Phase 2
This 2nd phase is another 14-day maintenance phase, which will
help stabilize weight loss. In this phase, consuming one green juice a day and
three meals rich in SIRT foods is recommended.
The juices usually include matcha (a way of preparing the green tea plant that makes it more concentrated), lovage grass, and buckwheat.
In the meals, they indicate some examples of dishes:
Breakfast: yogurt mixed with red
fruits, chopped nuts, and semi-sweet chocolate or an omelet made with bacon,
red chicory, and parsley.
Lunch: Salads contain SIRT foods and whole wheat pita bread with
turkey breast, cheese, or hummus.
Dinner: shrimp with kale and buckwheat noodles or pizza made with SIRT
foods.
What's Next?
After these two phases, which can be repeated whenever the
person feels the need, the diet creators recommend that people continue eating
meals rich in SIRT foods, transforming their favorite everyday dishes with the
foods indicated by the diet.
Foods Allowed in The Sirtfood Diet
- Red wine
- Semi-sweet chocolate
- Dates
- Green tea
- Coffee
- Red fruit
- Buckwheat
- Soybeans
- Olive oil
- Oilseeds
- Kale
- Lemon
- Onion
- Rocket
- Arugula
Sirtfood Diet Foods
For the creators of the diet, SIRT foods are all those rich in
polyphenols. See the examples below and what polyphenols and benefits they
bring:
Red Wine
It is rich in resveratrol, an antioxidant known for its
anti-inflammatory and heart-health benefits. It also helps fight cancer and
cell mutations. Wine also contains piceatannol, which has similar properties.
Green Tea, Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Dates, And Oilseeds
These foods are rich in catechins, antioxidants that reduce
atherosclerosis (by inhibiting the oxidation of LDL cholesterol) and fight free
radicals.
Purple Onion, Lemon, Arugula, Parsley, And Cabbage
These foods are a source of quercetin, as is apple. It has an
anti-inflammatory role in the body and reduces histamine circulation, which
could reduce allergy symptoms. Besides, it may be interesting for people with
rheumatoid arthritis, people with hypertension, people at higher risk of
cancer, and others...
Red Fruits
Besides containing quercetin, they also have phytosterol
fisetin, which has been studied for long-term memory benefits.
Coffee and Lovage Herb
These two foods feature the antioxidants caffeic acid and
chlorogenic acid. The former has anti-inflammatory properties and reduces
oxidative damage caused by alcohol. Chlorogenic acid (which is not present in
roasted coffee), on the other hand, seems to help people who have higher blood
pressure.
Turmeric
Curcumin, a powerful antioxidant that fights the action of free
radicals in the body. Turmeric also works well for indigestion (reduces
bloating and gas), ulcerative colitis, stomach ulcers, osteoarthritis, heart
disease, cancer, infections, and neurodegenerative diseases.
Soy
The food contains the nutrients daidzein and formononetin, which
have estrogenic activity and can treat menopausal symptoms.
Olive oil
It contains the flavonoids hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein, among
others. These nutrients are noted for reducing blood pressure and lowering the
risk of cardiovascular disease.
Buckwheat
Buckwheat carries rutin, an antioxidant nutrient that also helps
heart health.
Why Does It Help to
Lose Weight?
The basis of the Sirtfood Diet is the relationship between polyphenols and weight loss. Scientific studies relate the consumption of polyphenols, especially resveratrol, with the imitation of calorie restriction.
However, the studies so far have been done on rats: the resveratrol-fed animals
showed a reduction in the signs of aging, including an improvement in
cardiovascular health, better motor coordination, reduced cataract formation,
and preservation of bone density.
This theoretically occurs due to activation of sirtuins, enzymes
that appear linked to longevity, cancer reduction, weight loss, fighting
inflammation and neurodegeneration, and stimulating muscle mass formation. As
recent studies indicate, they preserve the longevity of the body's cells and
tissues.
Sirtuins are also known to modulate the metabolism of fatty
tissue (where fat deposition occurs). They link to a gene called SIRT, which is
much more widely expressed in thin people. Studies on rats have shown that the
expression of SIRT 1 causes a reduction in fat mass and the transformation of
white fat into brown fat, which is more thermogenic.
However, these mechanisms are not yet completely known, making
the diet something without much scientific basis.
Moreover, the Sirtfood Diet also follows a low-calorie eating
plan, which naturally helps you lose weight even more if a subsequent dietary
re-education follows it.
Advantages of the
Sirtfood Diet
The most significant advantage of the SIRT diet is that it is
rich in a polyphenols source. Even though the relationship between them and
weight loss is not proven, it is known that these nutrients are essential for
preventing the appearance of chronic and degenerative diseases.
Disadvantages and Risks of
The Sirtfood Diet
The Sirtfood Diet has the same calorie target for all its practitioners, especially in Phase 1, which may not bring the same weight loss for everyone.
The adjustment of calorie goals should depend on other factors,
such as regular physical activity, body composition, etc. Not taking these
factors into account may cause a reduction in metabolism. Moreover, this may
lead to nutritional deficiencies.
Sirtfood Diet's main phases also have food restrictions, making
it a little more challenging to follow. It also doesn't encourage a dietary
re-education: that is, when the person goes back to his or her previous diet,
he or she may end up exaggerating and gaining weight again.
Finally, many Sirtfood Diet foods are not very common, such as
lovage, buckwheat, dates, and some berries. The ideal would be a diet that
privileges more natural foods from here, more accessible, and richer in good
nutrients.
Recommendation
"Some studies involving sirtuins encourage us to use foods rich in polyphenols, but I particularly use these foods in the prescription of neurotherapy based on eating habits. Low-calorie diets (of whatever type) should almost always result in weight loss, but other factors need to be taken into account for long-term results. In other words, I use foods rich in polyphenols, but not the Sirtfood Diet" Isolda Prado, neurologist physician of the Brazilian Association of Neurology (ABRAN).