Is Your HEC in Check???????
Are you wondering what in the world is HEC?
HEC is an acronym coined by Dr. Jade Teta, a naturopath who is world-renowned for his expertise on fitness and hormones. HEC stands for hunger, energy, and cravings. As Thanksgiving and Christmas loom, many of us are resigned to the obligatory holiday weight gain, but what if that does not have to be the case this year?
Calories Vs. Hormones
When it comes to weight, both calories and hormones matter. From my perspective, hormones matter more. When your hormones are in balance, your metabolism is positively impacted. Research shows that 66% of people who use the popular calorie driven mantra of “eat less, exercise more” end up fatter two years later than before they started. Your hormones dramatically influence your hunger, cravings, and energy levels (HEC) which is why it may be more helpful for you to focus on hormones first, then calories. You can’t conquer the way your body works by will power; this tactic is a poor strategy for success.
Typically weight loss approaches rely on willpower. Instead, it is important to focus on a “fat loss” approach and remove willpower from the equation. With fat loss attempts, the outcomes are:
· Fat loss (FL)
· Fat gain (FG)
· Weight loss without fat loss (WL)
· No change (NC)
A body fat scale or skinfold caliper is more useful for monitoring fat loss than tracking your body weight alone. Other simple ways to access fat loss include measuring inches or centimeters lost from your waist and hips and noting any changes in how your clothes fit around your waist. People mistakenly believe that willpower alone is enough to keep them on the right track. It isn't. In fact, studies show that relying on willpower alone is a poor way to achieve weight loss goals. If you have ever tried to lose weight or maintain your ideal weight after reaching it, you know how challenging it can be.
How to Decipher HEC
Hunger
Hunger is felt in the gut. It is impacted by multiple hormones and many factors. Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar can cause hunger. Imbalanced insulin and leptin can also trigger hunger. Intestinal health also influences hunger.
Energy
Just like blood sugar influences hunger, it also can have a major impact on energy levels (think of the post-lunch slump). You may be experiencing poor blood glucose regulation even if your glucose, hemoglobin A1c, and fasting insulin are within the normal range. If your cravings and hunger are stable, but you struggle with fatigue or lethargy, ruling out anemia, thyroid, adrenal, and other factors may be appropriate.
Cravings
Cravings are different from hunger. A craving is driven by your brain or thoughts in your head. Examples include when you desire something sweet after meals or struggle with emotional or boredom eating. Cravings are driven by stress hormones and brain chemistry (think neurotransmitters). Over-exercise and sleep deprivation can often stimulate cravings. Another hormone called ghrelin is involved with cravings.
Strategies to Get Your HEC in Check
1. Hunger: the goal is to slow down digestion. You can do this by increasing water, fiber, and protein. Ideally you should drink about ½ your body weight in oz daily (see my recent blog on hydration for more guidance). For most adults I recommend at least 35 grams of fiber daily. For most adults I recommend 60-100 grams of protein and recently learned that if you are doing strength training, you probably need even more than this which is difficult on a plant-based diet.
2. Cravings: check your lifestyle. How is your stress management? Are you getting enough and high-quality sleep? (Fitness trackers can be helpful for monitoring your sleep quantity and quality; when I purchased my FitBit Sense in February it was a real eye-opener). Are you getting too much exercise? (For most of my patients, the answer is a resounding no, but still worth asking yourself). These three factors can adversely affect your neurochemistry.
3. Energy: focus on blood sugar stabilization which means fat, fiber, and protein at every meal. Meal spacing and eating regularly are also important. If you are doing this and still struggle with fatigue/lethargy, it is time to have a thorough evaluation by me to rule out anemia, thyroid, and/or adrenal issues.
How do you evaluate HEC?
I recommend you should assess your HEC weekly. Rank each component on a 1-10 scale with 10 being high and 1 being low. The goal is <5 for hunger and cravings and >6 for energy. If your numbers do not fall within these targets, you are relying too heavily on willpower and need to adjust your approach.
Additionally, measure your fat loss weekly. Did you gain fat (FG), lose fat (FL), lose weight (WL), or have no change (NC)?
The goal is to balance both HEC and FL. If you have accomplished both these measure, you are on the right track. If you get your HEC in check, you have eliminated will power and are losing fat. This accomplishment creates sustainability and bodes well for long-term success for improving and maintaining optimal body composition.
Here’s to changing your holiday paradigm this year!
Rachel Oppitz, ND
P.S. You can read my book reviews on Dr. Teta’s HEC books here
