Here we go again. I know you have the best intentions. This year is going to be different. It’s barely one week into the new year so how you doing with that diet so far?
About 65% of us are at least overweight and over 30% of us are obese, that is having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more. (Go to http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ to calculate your BMI) Fifty million people go on diets every year, spending millions of dollars on programs, pills and other diet aides. Only 5% will be successful. Why, why, why do we do it? Because losing weight is good for you? Or because you really, really want to get into those smaller size jeans you wore 5 years ago? Probably a little of both. Most of us know that losing weight is beneficial to our health. We know that being obese puts us at high risk for high blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes, breast cancer and other cancers, gall bladder problems and a host of other ailments. But still diets don’t seem to work. Why not? Obesity at its core is very simple but fixing the problem is very complicated. We are obese because we are taking in more calories than we are using. The surplus is stored as fat. Researchers are finding that the reason we are staying fat is complex. It seems that lousy food actually changes our physiology. Over consumption of nutrients changes chemicals and hormones in our body reducing our ability to recognize when we are full. It causes something called leptin resistance. Leptin resistance also causes cravings, and interfers with our body metabolism. The fatter you are the harder it is to lose weight but the more important it is to lose weight. In other words, getting fat changes our chemistry and then our chemistry keeps us fat. But don”t despair. There is good news. Science has identified some things that will increase your chances of success with weight loss. Here they are:
1. Doesn’t matter what kind of eating program you use. Atkins, Weight Watchers, South Beach, low carb, high carb, high protein- all will cause weight loss. As long as the calorie intake is controlled. The key is sticking with it. Find something you can do and live with long term-like the rest of your life! Very strict fad diets that you can’t stick with don’t work. You go off the diet and gain back the weight.
2. Get regular moderate activity like vigourous walking for at least 150-175 minutes per week. That is about 25 min per day or 30 minutes 5 days a week. Got to, got to, got to keep moving.
3. Use portion control for meals. Learn what a normal portion is. Meal replacements such as Lean Cuisine or Weight Watcher- type meals have been found to be effective for this. It teaches you what 300 calories looks like and it is all portioned out for you, reducing the temptation to eat more. To learn more about normal food portions go to http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/portion/
4. Start with a modest and realistic goal. Studies have found that even small amounts of weight loss can have dramatic effects on reducing your risk for disease. As little as a 6-7% weight loss makes a differnce. That means if you weigh 200 lbs even a 12 lb loss is important. Fitting into those jeans may be nice but don’t be discouraged if you don’t get there. As far as I’m concerned this is not about fashion, this is all about your health.
5. Monitor your intake of food. Writing down what you eat has been proven to be effective. Everything that goes in your mouth. It truly raises your awareness.
6. Include behavior modification as part of your plan. You must change your habits if you are to be successful. That includes how you think about food, manage your stress and how you shop for food. Also includes getting social support through a program, friends or family and getting educated about nutrition. Go on line, talk to your health care clinician, find out about community resources and programs.
There are numerous other tips and tricks that can help with weight management. I am sure that many of the readers can share some that have worked for them. Also keep in mind that some medications contribute to weight gain and hinder weight loss. Be sure to talk to your health care provider about your weight loss goals and what options you may have for changes in current medications. If you have been attempting weight loss for at least 6 months without success, this may be a good time to talk about whether you are a candidate for weight loss medication or surgery. And if you live in the Detroit metro area, be sure to check out our Menopause Support group meetings this month for more support in reaching your health goals. Finally, have a happy healthy 2010.
January 19th, 2010 at 4:09 am
Hi Deborah – This is such a useful post, because you’re right, weight loss doesn’t rely on one thing, it’s about making a lot of changes to what we eat and how active we are, and then sticking to them.
For me, this gets easier as more research appears on the horrors of processed, junk foods, which makes me want to avoid them. The latest big story here in the UK is that doctors are demanding a ban on trans fats, the hydrogenated fats and oils which are everywhere in cakes, pastries, fries and fast foods, and are far more damaging to the heart than saturated fats.
If governments won’t step in and ban these harmful substances, we owe it to ourselves to get educated and wean ourselves off them – and it’s even more important for those of us who are responsible for feeding our families.
Elizabeth
Beat Menopause Weight Gain