The efficacy of weight loss strategies has long been debated, but insights suggest nutrition plays a more important role than exercise in individuals carrying excess weight.
Steve Bennett found this to be true while embarking on a weight loss journey which began soon after his parents were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Extensive research helped Steve transform his own health and shed a significant amount of weight in the process.
The 58-year-old, from Warwickshire, now advocates for an 80/20 rule where 80 per cent of weight loss efforts focus on diet, while the remaining 20 per cent focus on exercise.
Steve spent 30 years trying to lose weight
Steve Bennett
He has since culminated his research into a 1,000-page publication titled Fibre First, which covers various topics from the human body to food production.
When asked whether nutrition and exercise were equally important to his weight loss journey, Steve explained: “When you’re quite out of shape, carrying a lot of excess weight most of the work is done with nutrition.
“I’ve discovered that it is 80 per cent what happens and only 20 per cent what happens in the gym.
“That said, once you get in reasonable shape, then exercise definitely adds that finishing touch.
“What I’ve discovered over the years, but certainly past 50 years old, becomes a 50-50 scenario. 50 per cent nutrition and 50 per cent exercise.”
Key habits that helped Steve lose weight
Often, slimmers who put in the most arduous efforts see their hard work go to waste because their hormones are unbalanced.
Having high insulin levels due to insulin resistance is sometimes found to be the root cause of these problems.
“Insulin is the hormone that locks your body in fat storage mode, therefore I cut down my sugar intake dramatically and removed things that turn into sugar from the diet,” said Steve.
By cutting out bread, pasta, rice and potatoes et cetera, he effectively adhered to what is known as a low-carb diet.
“For example for 30 years whenever I was trying to lose weight, I thought a jacket potato was a dietary friend,” he shared.
“However, I learnt that a potato, even before you put anything on it, turns into the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar inside the body locking you into fat-storing mode. Likewise, I also thought pasta was a healthy choice.
“I removed all carbohydrates other than those in leafy greens. So bread, pasta, rice and potatoes were off the menu, other than the occasional treat on Christmas day.”
Foods Steve ate to lose more weight
Ana Reisdorf, registered dietitian and founder of The Food Trends notes that the carbohydrates that hinder weight loss are those high in sugar and low in fibre.
“These carbs cause quick spikes in blood sugar and insulin, which can lead to increased fat storage and hunger,” she told GB News.
Conversely, foods like oats, quinoa and barley, alongside other non-starchy vegetables, help manage insulin levels and reduce belly fat by keeping hunger in check.
Steve discovered that upping his intake of these foods had a favourable effect on his satiety.
“Early on I discovered how fibrous foods slow down gastric emptying therefore making you feel full for longer,” he explained.
“Forget GLP-1 drugs, fibre is the same thing without the negative side effects, so eating fibrous foods such as leafy greens, avocados, seeds and nuts became a daily choice.”
One of the key challenges for the slimmer was juggling his lifestyle changes with the demands of a high-intensity job.
“Because I was travelling the world with my work, you’d really have to plan in advance because airports and railway stations rarely have anything other than high-carb meals and snacks,” said Steve. “Packing peanuts in my briefcase became a daily routine.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Steve’s waist circumference dropped eight inches
Steve Bennett
Steve’s biggest lessons
While Steve’s insight offers practical advice for individuals hoping to lose weight, it’s imperative to understand what each body needs to succeed.
“I had spent 30 years trying to lose weight, running most mornings and hitting the gym most evenings, but no matter what I tried, the weight continued to increase,” said Steve.
“I think the biggest lesson of all is making sure that you get a good understanding of food, and realising that it is not about counting calories but understanding how to manage hormones, in particular insulin.
“Is is the level of insulin that flicks the switch between fat-storing mode and fat-burning mode.
“You have to try to turn your body into a fat-burning machine and to do that, you have to avoid anything that increases your insulin levels. Avoid all sugars and keep carbohydrates to a minimum while trying to lose weight.”
