DOCTOR'S GUIDE TO NATURAL WEIGHT LOSS
Contents What Are The Health Risks Of Being Overweight? So, Are You Overweight (Over-Fat)? What Makes People Overweight? Here Are Some Weight Loss Dieting Myths To Get Started With. Lessons From Those Successful At Losing Weight How Did They Lose The Excess Body Fat? Setting A Goal Look At What You Eat Now Start With Small Changes Control Portion Sizes Know Your Fats Make Choices That Are Lean, Low-Fat, Or Fat-Free Focus On Fresh Fruit Eat Your Veggies Eat Your Grains Whole Lower Sodium And Increase Potassium Limit Added Sugars More Weight Loss Nutrition Tips Dietary Supplement Weight Loss Aids Guidelines For Personal Exercise Programs Making A Commitment Checking Your Health Defining Fitness Knowing The Basics A Workout Schedule Measuring Your Heart Rate Controlling Your Weight Clothing When To Exercise Exercise Made Easy. Be Good To Yourself
More Exercise And Physical Activity Tips ATTENTION. This Doctor’s Guide to Natural Weight Loss provides information and guidelines that may help you to improve your weight loss and weight management. The following list of precautions and guidelines must be followed carefully: Read the entire guide. Have your physician monitor your health on a regular basis. This guide is not intended to be used by infants, children, adolescents or by pregnant or lactating women or people who are taking medication or have a health problem. The information presented herein are in no way a substitute for medical or other professional counseling. Each individual may respond differently to the guidelines and therefore they may not be appropriate for everyone. Neither the publisher nor author is engaged in rendering professional medical advice or services to the individual reader. The ideas, procedures, and suggestions contained in this guide are not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician or other health professional. All matters regarding your health require medical supervision. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be liable for any loss, injury, or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestion in this guide.
DOCTOR’S GUIDE TO NATURAL WEIGHT LOSS
An important part of being healthy is being fit and trim. As you learned from reading Dr. Silverman’s Natural Cure book, the food and supplements you ingest are your foundation of good health. In addition to Dr. Silverman.s section about Anti-Aging Nutrition Secrets of his Natural Cures book, this guide is intended to provide additional information and tips on nutrition and exercise to assist you in your quest for health weight maintenance and healthy weight loss.
What Are The Health Risks Of Being Overweight? While most people are inclined to lose weight to look and feel better, many people are instructed by their doctors to lose weight because they are at risk for developing a disease. Or may already have developed a disease and their doctor wants to stop the progression of the overweight related disease and perhaps even cure it. Extra weight can put you at higher risk for:
type 2 diabetes (high blood sugar) high blood pressure heart disease and stroke some types of cancer sleep apnea (when breathing stops for short periods during sleep) osteoarthritis (wearing away of the joints) gallbladder disease irregular periods problems with pregnancy such as high blood pressure or increased risk for cesarean section (c-section)
So, Are You Overweight (Over-Fat)? Overweight refers to an excess of body weight, but not necessarily body fat. Obesity means an excessively high proportion of body fat. Health professionals use a measurement called body mass index (BMI) to classify an adult’s weight as healthy, overweight, or obese. BMI describes body weight relative to height and is correlated with total body fat content in most adults. But an easy way to determine if you are over-fat is to see how much body fat you have by pinching your skin fold. If you can pinch more than an inch of abdominal body fat, chances are you have too much body fat, and need to lose some. Also note that for people who are athletic with more muscle, especially people who lift weights (resistance training), the BMI will probably overestimate your level of fatness. It is best to get your body fat determined by a training individual for best results.
To get your approximate BMI, multiply your weight in pounds by 703, then divide the result by your height in inches, and divide that result by your height in inches a second time. A BMI from 18.5 up to 25 is considered in the healthy range, from 25 up to 30 is overweight, and 30 or higher is obese. Generally, the higher a person’s BMI, the greater the risk for health problems, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). However, there are some exceptions.
For example, very muscular people, like body builders, may have a BMI greater than 25 or even 30, but this reflects increased muscle rather than fat. It is excess body fat that leads to the health problems such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. In addition to a high BMI, having excess abdominal body fat is a health risk. Men with a waist of more than 40 inches around and women with a waist of 35 inches or more are at risk for health problems.
Healthy Weight: BMI from 18.5 up to 25 refers to healthy weight. Overweight: BMI from 25 up to 30 refers to overweight. Obese: BMI 30 or higher refers to obesity. Obese persons are also overweight.
What Makes People Overweight? People gain weight when the number of calories they eat is more than the number of calories their bodies use. Many factors can play a part in weight gain.
Habits. Eating too many calories can become a habit. So can choosing activities like watching TV instead of being physically active; so over time, these habits can lead to weight gain. Genes. Overweight and obesity tend to run in families. Although families often share diet and physical activity habits that can play a role in obesity, their shared genes increase the chance that family members will be overweight. Illness. Some diseases can lead to weight gain or obesity. These include hypothyroidism, Cushing’s syndrome, and depression. Talk to your health care provider if you think you have a health problem that could be causing you to gain weight. Medicine. Some medicines can lead to weight gain. Ask your health care provider or pharmacist about the side effects of any medication you are taking. The world around you. You can find food and messages about food at home, at work, at shopping centers, on TV, and at family and social events. People may eat too much just because food is always there. On top of that, our modern world. remote controlled televisions, drive-in banks, and escalators. it easy to be physically inactive. Emotions. Many people eat when they are bored, sad, angry, or stressed, even when they are not hungry.
Here Are Some Weight Loss Dieting Myths To Get Started With.
Myth: Fad diets work for permanent weight loss.
Fact: Fad diets are not the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Fad diets often promise quick weight loss or tell you to cut certain foods out of your diet. You may lose weight at first on one of these diets. But diets that strictly limit calories or food choices are hard to follow. Most people quickly get tired of them and regain any lost weight. Fad diets may be unhealthy because they may not provide all of the nutrients your body needs. Also, losing weight at a very rapid rate (more than 3 pounds a week after the first couple weeks) may increase your risk for developing gallstones (clusters of solid material in the gallbladder that can be painful).
Tip: Research suggests that losing ½ to 2 pounds a week by making healthy food choices, eating moderate portions, and building physical activity into your daily life is the best way to lose weight and keep it off. By adopting healthy eating and physical activity habits, you may also lower your risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
Myth: High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are a healthy way to lose weight. Fact: The long-term health effects of a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet are unknown. But getting most of your daily calories from high-protein foods like meat, eggs, and cheese is not a balanced eating plan. You may be eating too much fat and cholesterol, which may raise heart disease risk. You may be eating too few fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which may lead to constipation due to lack of dietary fiber. Following a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet may also make you feel nauseous, tired, and weak. Eating fewer than 130 grams of carbohydrate a day can lead to the buildup of ketones (partially broken-down fats) in your blood. A buildup of ketones in your blood (called ketosis) can cause your body to produce high levels of uric acid, which is a risk factor for gout (a painful swelling of the joints) and kidney stones. Ketosis may be especially risky for pregnant women and people with diabetes or kidney disease.
Tip: High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are often low in calories because food choices are strictly limited, so they may cause short-term weight loss. But a reduced-calorie eating plan that includes recommended amounts of carbohydrate, protein, and fat will also allow you to lose weight. By following a balanced eating plan, you will not have to stop eating whole classes of foods, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.and miss the key nutrients they contain. You may also find it easier to stick with a diet or eating plan that includes a greater variety of foods. Medical studies show that a diet with extra protein and a low fat can help improve your weight loss success and appetite control. However, adequate carbohydrate consumption is vital to help maintain good health and energy levels along with good protein intake and reduced fat intake.
Myth: Starches are fattening and should be limited when trying to lose weight.
Fact: Many foods high in starch, like bread, rice, pasta, cereals, beans, fruits, and some vegetables (like potatoes and yams) are low in fat and calories. They become high in fat and calories when eaten in large portion sizes or when covered with high-fat toppings like butter, sour cream, or mayonnaise. Foods high in starch (also called complex carbohydrates) are an important source of energy for your body.
Tip: A healthy eating plan is one that: Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products. Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts. Is low in saturated fats, trans fat, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
Myth: I can lose weight while eating whatever I want. Fact: To lose weight, you need to use more calories than you eat. It is possible to eat any kind of food you want and lose weight. You need to limit the number of calories you eat every day and/or increase your daily physical activity. Portion control is the key. Try eating smaller amounts of food and choosing foods that are low in calories.
Tip: When trying to lose weight, you can still eat your favorite foods as long as you pay attention to the total number of calories that you eat, and include more healthy foods in your diet.
Myth: Low-fat or nonfat means no calories.
Fact: A low-fat or nonfat food is often lower in calories than the same size portion of the full-fat product. But many processed low-fat or nonfat foods have just as many calories as the full-fat version of the same food or even more calories. They may contain added sugar, flour, or starch thickeners to improve flavor and texture after fat is removed. These ingredients add calories.
Tip: Read the Nutrition Facts Panel on a food package to find out how many calories are in a serving. Check the serving size too it may be less than you are used to eating.
Myth: Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight.
Fact: Studies show that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer times during the day tend to be heavier than people who eat a healthy breakfast and eat four or five times a day. This may be because people who skip meals tend to feel hungrier later on, and eat more than they normally would. It may also be that eating many small meals throughout the day helps people control their appetites.
Tip: Eat small meals throughout the day that include a variety of healthy, low-fat, low-calorie foods.
Myth: Lifting weights is not good to do if you want to lose weight, because it will make you "bulk up."
Fact: Lifting weights or doing strengthening activities like push-ups and crunches on a regular basis can actually help you maintain or lose weight. These activities can help you build muscle, and muscle burns more calories than body fat. So if you have more muscle, you burn more calories even sitting still. Doing strengthening activities 2 or 3 days a week will not "bulk you up." Only intense strength training, combined with a certain genetic background, can build very large muscles.
Tip: In addition to doing at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (like walking 2 miles in 30 minutes) on most days of the week, try to do strengthening activities 2 to 3 days a week. You can lift weights, use large rubber bands (resistance bands), do push-ups or sit-ups, or do household or garden tasks that make you lift or dig.
Myth: Nuts are fattening and you should not eat them if you want to lose weight. Fact: In small amounts, nuts can be part of a healthy weight-loss program. Nuts are high in calories and fat. However, most nuts contain healthy fats that do not clog arteries. Nuts are also good sources of protein, dietary fiber, and minerals including magnesium and copper.
Tip: Enjoy small portions of nuts, as they are calorie dense and you need to make sure not to over eat them.
Myth: Eating red meat is bad for your health and makes it harder to lose weight.
Fact: Eating lean meat in small amounts can be part of a healthy weight-loss plan. Red meat, pork, chicken, and fish contain some cholesterol and saturated fat (the least healthy kind of fat). But, they also contain healthy essential nutrients like protein, iron, and zinc.
Tip: Choose cuts of meat that are lower in fat and trim all visible fat. Lower fat meats include pork tenderloin and beef round steak, tenderloin, sirloin tip, flank steak, and extra lean ground beef. Also, pay attention to portion size. Three ounces of meat or poultry is the size of a deck of cards.
Myth: Dairy products are fattening and unhealthy.
Fact: Low-fat and nonfat milk, yogurt, and cheese are just as nutritious as whole milk dairy products, but they are lower in fat and calories. Dairy products have many nutrients your body needs. They offer protein to build muscles and help organs work properly, and calcium to strengthen bones. Most milk and some yogurt products are fortified with vitamin D to help your body use calcium.
Tip: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming 3 cups per day of fat free/low-fat milk or equivalent milk products. If you cannot digest lactose (the sugar found in dairy products), choose low-lactose or lactose-free dairy products, or other foods and beverages that offer calcium and vitamin D (listed below).
Calcium: calcium supplements, fortified fruit juice, soy-based beverage, or tofu made with calcium sulfate; canned salmon; dark leafy greens like collards or kale
Vitamin D: vitamin D supplements, fortified fruit juice, soy-based beverage, or cereal (getting some sunlight on your skin also gives you a small amount of vitamin D
Lessons From Those Successful At Losing Weight
Although many people who lose weight may eventually gain it back, it’s a myth that this happens to everyone, according to Rena Wing, Ph.D., a professor of psychiatry at Brown Medical School in Providence, R.I. Wing, the co-developer of a research study known as the National Weight Control Registry, has worked to deflate this myth. Stored in the registry’s database is information about the weight-control behaviors of more than 3,000 American adults who have lost an average of 60 pounds and have kept it off for an average of six years.
How Did They Lose The Excess Body Fat?
The successful weight losers report four common behaviors:
They eat a low-calorie, low-fat diet, They monitor themselves by weighing in frequently, They are very physically active, and They eat breakfast.
Six years after their weight loss, most of the registry’s successful losers still report eating a low calorie, low-fat diet. They also exercise for about an hour or more a day, expending about 2,800 calories per week on a variety of physical activities.
Setting a Goal The first step to weight loss is setting a realistic goal. By using a BMI chart and consulting with your health care provider, you can determine your healthy weight. Studies show that you can improve your health with just a small amount of weight loss, for example, physical activity in combination with reduced calorie consumption can lead to the 5 to 10 percent weight loss necessary to achieve remission of the obesity-associated complications. Even these moderate weight losses can improve blood pressure and help control diabetes and high cholesterol in obese or overweight adults. To reach your goal safely, plan to lose weight gradually. A weight loss of one-half to two pounds a week is usually safe, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2000. This can be achieved by decreasing the calories eaten or increasing the calories used by 250 to 1,000 calories per day, depending on current calorie intake. (Some people with serious health problems due to obesity may lose weight more rapidly under a doctor’s supervision.) If you plan to lose more than 15 to 20 pounds, have any health problems, or take medication on a regular basis, see your health care professional before you begin a weight-loss program.
Look at What You Eat Now Write down what you eat for a few days to get a good picture of what you’re taking in. By looking at what you eat and how much you’re eating, you can figure out what adjustments you need to make. Also try to detect if there are types of foods, certain time of the day, or situations when you overeat. Create a plan to deal with these overeating episodes.
Start With Small Changes
You don’t have to go cold turkey. In the end, you want to achieve a long-term healthy lifestyle. Small changes over time are the most likely to stick. If you want to eat more vegetables, then try to add one more serving by mixing it in. Add bits of broccoli to something you already eat like pizza or soup. If you need more whole grains, add barley, whole wheat pasta, or brown rice to your soup. When you think about what you need to get more of, the other things tend to fall into place. If you have some baby carrots with lunch or add a banana to your cereal in the morning, you’re going to feel full longer. You won’t need a food that’s high in sugar or fat an hour later. Also, look for healthier versions of what you like to eat. If you like luncheon meat sandwiches, try a reduced-fat version. If you like the convenience of frozen dinners, look for ones with lower sodium. If you love fast-food meals, try a salad as your side dish instead of French fries.
Pick one or two changes to start with. Once the changes have become habits, which usually happens in about three or several weeks, then try adding one or two more. In a few months you will find that you made substantial lifestyle changes.
Control Portion Sizes Understanding the serving size on the Nutrition Facts label is important for controlling portions. Someone may have a large bottled drink, assuming it’s one serving. When you look closely at the label, it’s actually two servings. And if you consume two servings of a product, you have to multiply all the numbers by two. When the servings go up, so do the calories, fat, sugar, and salt.
Also, try dishing out a smaller serving on to your plate or using smaller plates. When you put more food in front of you, you’ll eat it because it’s there. Here are some other ways to limit portions: Split a meal or dessert with a friend at a restaurant, get a doggie bag for half of your meal, get in the habit of having one helping, and ask for salad dressing, butter, and sauces on the side so you can control how much you use.
Know Your Fats Fat provides flavor and makes you feel full. It also provides energy, and essential fatty acids for healthy skin, and helps the body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. But fat also has nine calories per gram, compared to four calories per gram in carbohydrates and protein. If you eat too much fat every day, you may get more calories than your body needs, and too many calories can contribute to weight gain. Too much saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol in the diet increases the risk of unhealthy blood cholesterol levels, which may increase the risk of heart disease; people should lower all three, not just one or the other. Saturated fat is found mainly in foods from animals.
Major sources of saturated fats are cheese, beef, and milk. Trans fat results when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil to increase the food’s shelf life and flavor. Trans fat can be found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, cookies, and other snack foods. Cholesterol is a fat-like substance in foods from animal sources such as meat, poultry, egg yolks, milk, and milk products.
Most of your fats should come from polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as those that occur in fish, nuts, soybean, corn, canola, olive, and other vegetable oils. This type of fat does not raise the risk of heart disease and may be beneficial when consumed in moderation.
Make Choices That Are Lean, Low-fat, or Fat-free When buying meat, poultry, milk, or milk products, choose versions that are lean, low-fat, or fat free. Choose lean meats like chicken without the skin and lean beef or pork with the fat trimmed off. If you frequently drink whole milk, switch to 1 percent milk or skim milk. Many people don’t taste a difference. Some mix whole milk with lower-fat milk for a while so the taste buds can adjust. This doesn’t mean you can never eat or drink the full-fat versions; that’s where the discretionary calories come in.
Other tips to reduce saturated fat include cooking with non-stick sprays and using olive, safflower, or canola oils instead of lard or butter. Eat more fish, which is usually lower in saturated fat than meat. Bake, grill, and broil food instead of frying it because more fat is absorbed into the food when frying. You could also try more meatless entrees like veggie burgers and add flavor to food with low-fat beans instead of butter.
Focus on Fresh Fruit
The Dietary Guidelines recommend two cups of fruit per day at the 2,000-calorie reference diet. Fruit intake and recommended amounts of other food groups vary at different calorie levels. An example of two cups of fruit includes: one small banana, one large orange, and one-fourth cup of dried apricots or peaches. Eat a variety of fruits, fresh fruits being the best choice. The whole fruit has more fiber, it’s more filling, and it’s naturally sweet. Still, some juices, such as tomato, orange and prune, are a good source of potassium. Ways to incorporate fruit in your diet include adding it to your cereal, eating it as a snack with low-fat yogurt or a low-fat dip, or making a fruit smoothie for dessert by mixing low-fat milk with fresh or frozen fruit such as strawberries or peaches. Also, your family is more likely to eat fruit if you put it out on the kitchen table.
Eat Your Veggies
The Dietary Guidelines recommend two and one-half cups of vegetables per day if you eat 2,000 calories each day. Adding vegetables to foods such as meatloaf, lasagna, omelets, stir-fry dishes, and casseroles. Frozen chopped greens such as spinach, and peas, carrots, and corn are easy to add. Also, add dark leafy green lettuce to sandwiches. Involve kids by letting them help pick vegetables in different colors when you’re shopping. Get a variety of dark green vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, and greens; orange and deep yellow vegetables such as carrots, winter squash, and sweet potatoes; starchy vegetables like corn; legumes, such as dry beans, peas, chickpeas, pinto beans, kidney beans, and tofu; and other vegetables, such as tomatoes and onions.
Eat Your Grains Whole
Like fruits and vegetables, whole grains are a good source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The Dietary Guidelines recommend at least three ounces of whole grains per day. One slice of bread, one cup of breakfast cereal, or one-half cup of cooked rice or pasta are each equivalent to about one ounce. Tanner suggests baked whole-grain corn tortilla chips or whole-grain cereal with lowfat milk as good snacks.
In general, most or all of the grains you consume should come from whole grains. For many, but not all, whole grain products, the words "whole" or "whole grain" will appear before the grain ingredient’s name. The whole grain must be the first ingredient listed in the ingredients list on the food package. The following are some whole grains: whole wheat, whole oats or oatmeal, wholegrain corn, popcorn, wild rice, brown rice, buckwheat, whole rye, bulgur or cracked wheat, whole-grain barley, and millet. Whole-grain foods cannot necessarily be identified by their color or by names such as brown bread, nine-grain bread, hearty grains bread, or mixed grain bread.
Health food stores are a great place to shop for whole grain products that are also organic, which means free of added chemicals. Some, grocery stores even have health food sections where you can find organic whole grain foods, in addition to the conventional whole grain foods.
Lower Sodium and Increase Potassium Higher salt intake is linked to higher blood pressure, which can raise the risk of stroke, heart disease, and kidney disease. The Dietary Guidelines recommend that people consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day (approximately one teaspoon of salt). There are other recommendations for certain populations that tend to be more sensitive to salt. For example, people with high blood pressure, blacks, and middle-aged and older adults should consume no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium each day.
Most of the sodium people eat comes from processed foods. Use the Nutrition Facts label on food products: 5%DV or less for sodium means the food is low in sodium and 20%DV or more means it’s high. Compare similar products and choose the option with a lower amount of sodium. Most people won’t notice a taste difference. Consistently consuming lower-salt products will help taste buds adapt, and you will enjoy these foods as much or more than higher-salt options.
Prepare foods with little salt. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends giving flavor to food with herbs, spices, lemon, lime, vinegar, and salt-free seasoning blends. Consult with your physician before using salt substitutes because their main ingredient, potassium chloride, can be harmful to some people with certain medical conditions. Also, increase potassium-rich foods such as sweet potatoes, tomato juice, orange juice, bananas, spinach, winter squash, cantaloupe, and tomato puree. Potassium counteracts some of sodium’s effect on blood pressure.
Limit Added Sugars The Dietary Guidelines recommend choosing and preparing food and beverages with little added sugars. Added sugars are sugars and syrups added to foods and beverages in processing or preparation, not the naturally occurring sugars in fruits or milk. Major sources of added sugars in the American diet include regular soft drinks, candy, cake, cookies, pies, and fruit drinks. In the ingredients list on food products, sugar may be listed as brown sugar, corn syrup, glucose, sucrose, honey, or molasses. Be sure to check the sugar in low-fat and fat-free products, which sometimes contain a lot of sugar. Instead of drinking regular soda and sugary fruit drinks, try water, flavored water, unsweetened green tea (also oolong tea and black tea); unsweetened herbal teas; diet soda, low-fat or fat-free milk, water. For snacks and desserts, try fresh fruit. Most people are pleasantly surprised that fruit is great for satisfying a sweet tooth. If ice cream is calling your name, don’t have it in the freezer.
Make it harder to get by having to go out for it. Then it can be an occasional treat. Also choose low fat ice cream and ice cream alternatives. A serving of low fat yoghurt with some whipped cream on top will satisfy your .ice cream craving., and you will end up eating fewer calories, that are more nutritious.
Differences in Saturated Fat and Calorie Content of Commonly Consumed Foods Food Category Portion Saturated Fat
Content (grams) Calories Cheese Regular cheddar Low-fat cheddar 1 oz. 1 oz. 6.0 1.2 114 49
Ground Beef Regular (25% fat) Regular (5% fat) 3 oz. (cooked) 3 oz. (cooked) 6.1 2.6 236 148
Milk Whole (3.24%) Low-fat (1%) 1 cup 1 cup 4.6 1.5 146 102
Breads Croissant (medium) Bagel, oat bran (4") 1 medium 1 medium 6.6 0.2 231 227
Frozen desserts Regular ice cream Frozen yogurt, low-fat 1/2 cup 1/2 cup 4.9 2.0 145 110
Table spreads Butter Soft margarine, zero 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon 2.4 0.7 34 25 12 trans fat
Chicken Fried leg with skin Roasted breast with no skin 3 oz. (cooked) 3 oz. (cooked) 3.3 0.9 212 140
Fish Fried Baked 3 oz. 3 oz. 2.8 1.5 195 129
Some Nutrient Content Claims Found On Food Product Labels, and What They Really Mean.
fat-free less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving
low-fat 3 grams or less per serving (if the serving size is 30 grams or less or 2 tablespoons or less, no more than 3 grams of fat per 50 grams of the food)
light one-third fewer calories or half the fat of the "regular" version low-sodium 140 milligrams or less per serving (if the serving size is 30 grams or less or 2 tablespoons or less, no more than 140 milligrams of sodium per 50 grams of the food)
lightly salted at least 50 percent less sodium per serving than the "regular" version
reduced when describing fat, sodium, or calorie content, the food must have at least 25 percent less of these nutrients than the "regular" version
More Weight Loss Nutrition Tips
Nutrition . Beverage Tips Choose to drink fat free milk over whole milk. Drink water before a meal. Drink several cups of plain warm water, or with lemon, or warm unsweetened green tea or oolong or black tea or herbal tea through the day. Avoid fruit juices; eat fresh fruit. Except low calorie, low sugar fruit juices like tomato juice during periods of weight loss. Ask for salad dressing "on the side". Ask your sweetie to bring you fruit or flowers instead of chocolate. Avoid food portions larger than your fist. Bake or broil fish. Choose a checkout line without a candy display. Choose to eat fruit for dessert. Conduct an inventory of your meal/snack and physical activity patterns. Consume alcoholic beverages in moderation, if at all. Cut back on added fats or oils in cooking or spreads. Cut high-calorie foods like cheese and chocolate into smaller pieces and only eat a few pieces. Don’t eat late at night. Don’t eat seconds. 13 Don’t skip breakfast. Don’t skip meals. Eat before grocery shopping. Eat before you get too hungry. Eat half your dessert or none at all. Eat leaner red meat & poultry. Eat more celery sticks. Eat off smaller plates. Eat sweet foods in small amounts. Every time you eat a meal, sit down, chew slowly, and pay attention to flavors and textures. Flavor foods with herbs, spices, and other low fat seasonings. Grill, steam or bake instead of frying. If main dishes are too big, choose an appetizer or a side dish instead. Include several servings of whole grain food daily. Increase the fiber in your diet. Instead of eating out, bring a healthy, low calorie lunch to work. Eat more carrots, less carrot .cake.. Refrigerate prepared soups before you eat them. As the soup cools, the fat will rise to the top, Skim it off the surface for reduced fat content. Remove skin from poultry before cooking to lower fat content. Replace high-saturated fat/high calorie seasonings with herbs grown in a small herb garden in your kitchen window. Replace sugar sweetened beverages with water and add a twist of lemon or lime. Share an entree with a friend. Skip buffets. Snack on fruits and vegetables. Speak up for the salad bar when your coworkers are picking a restaurant for lunch, and remember calories count, so pay attention to how much and what you eat. Start taking a multi-vitamin / multi-mineral supplement. Ask for nutrition information (for example, calories, saturated fat, and sodium) before you order when eating out. Choose foods that are steamed, broiled, baked, roasted, poached, or stir-fried, but not deep-fat fried. Share food, such as a main dish or dessert, with your dining partner. Take part of the food home with you and refrigerate immediately. You may want to ask for a take-home container when the meal arrives. Spoon half the meal into it, so you’re more likely to eat only what’s left on your plate. Request your meal to be served without gravy, sauces, butter or margarine. Ask for salad dressing on the side, and use only small amounts of full-fat dressings. Stop eating when you are full. Substitute vegetables for other ingredients in your sandwich. Top your favorite cereal with apples or bananas. Try a green salad instead of fries. Try brown rice or whole-wheat pasta. Try your burger with just lettuce, tomato, and onion. Use nonfat or low-fat sour cream, mayo, sauces, dressings, and other condiments. Use vegetable oils over solid (saturated) fats. When eating out, ask your server to put half your entrée in a to-go bag. When eating out, choose a small or medium portion.
Dietary Supplement Weight Loss Aids
This section contains an overview of popular dietary supplement products determined to be useful weight loss and weight maintenance aids. These supplement diet aids may help you stick to a calorie-reduced diet, or increase the amount of fat lost while on a calorie restricted diet. Always consult your doctor prior to starting a weight loss program. Also, be sure to involve your doctor in every aspect of your weight loss program. The following table provides a quick summary of some notable nutritional weight loss aids and ingredients found on the shelves. Refer to the product labels for use instructions or contact the manufacturer of the particular product you are interested in using as a weight loss aid.
Ingredients Comments
Multi-vitamin/mineral supplements, essential fatty acids
Maintaining a daily intake of essential vitamins and minerals makes your body healthy and energetic. They also help your body to burn fat and maintain appetite control. Additionally, when you are on a weight loss plan, the reduction in food intake may result in not getting enough of one or more of the essential vitamins or minerals. Taking a quality vitamin and mineral supplement each day ensures your body of these vital substances.
Fiber supplements Take with meals for best results. Helps with maintaining a healthy rate of digestion and digestive system health. Note that some fiber supplements may also promote regularity.
Meal replacement drinks and nutrition bars
Can be used to replace a meal or snack to help with portion control and provide a reliable source of essential nutrients. These types of products help your weight loss program in two primary ways: first, they are designed to be nutritious; second, they are a convenient calorie controlled snack or meal.
L-carnitine Carnitine helps you to burn more body fat and increase energy production at the cellular level.
5-HTP May help control appetite.
Garcinia May helps reduce the conversion of carbohydrates to fats in the liver, also help with appetite control.
Extrachromium Chromium is usually contained in multi-vitamin/mineral products, but you may have to take a separate chromium product to achieve the daily dosage range. Chromium helps insulin get the nutrients you eat, like glucose, into your cells where it can be used for energy, instead of being converted to fat stores.
L-tyrosine Tyrosine helps with appetite control.
Lphenylalanine For some people who crave carbohydrates, phenylalanine may help with appetite control.
Chitosan May absorb fat in the intestines to prevent its absorption, or slow down the absorption of fats and cholesterol.
CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) CLA is reported in research studies to reduce body fat accumulation and help your body to burn fat as energy.
Caffeine containing thermogenic Caffeine helps increase your metabolic rate, which increases the amount of calories you burn each day. It makes you body use more fat for energy. Also promotes mental alertness.
Aids such as green tea, guarana, gotu, kola, Green tea extract Green tea extract contains natural substances that stimulate your body to burn more calories per day and more calories from fat. Green tea also helps with digestion and promotes health and longevity.
7-KETO This is a new compound shown to aid in weight loss by increasing thermogenesis without stimulant side effects.
Carbohydrate blockers Taken with food to slow down or block some of the digestion of carbohydrates.
Guidelines For Personal Exercise Programs
Making A Commitment You have taken the important first step on the path to physical fitness by seeking information. The next step is to decide that you are going to be physically fit. The decision to carry out a physical fitness program cannot be taken lightly. It requires a lifelong commitment of time and effort. Exercise must become one of those things that you do without question, like bathing and brushing your teeth. Unless you are convinced of the benefits of fitness and the risks of unfitness, you will not succeed.
Patience is essential. Don’t try to do too much too soon and don’t quit before you have a chance to experience the rewards of improved fitness. You can’t regain in a few days or weeks what you have lost in years of sedentary living, but you can get it back if you persevere. And the prize is worth the price.
In the following pages you will find the basic information you need to begin and maintain a personal physical fitness program. These guidelines are intended for the average healthy adult. It tells you what your goals should be and how often, how long and how hard you must exercise to achieve them. It also includes information that will make your workouts easier, safer and more satisfying. The rest is up to you.
Checking Your Health Before starting an exercise program you should consult your physician, who may or may not recommend a graded exercise test. Other conditions that indicate a need for medical clearance are: High blood pressure. Heart trouble. Family history of early stroke or heart attack deaths. Frequent dizzy spells. Extreme breathlessness after mild exertion. Arthritis or other bone problems. Severe muscular, ligament or tendon problems. Other known or suspected disease.
Vigorous exercise involves minimal health risks for persons in good health or those following a doctor’s advice. Far greater risks are presented by habitual inactivity and obesity.
Defining Fitness Physical fitness is to the human body what fine tuning is to an engine. It enables us to perform up to our potential. Fitness can be described as a condition that helps us look, feel and do our best.
More specifically, it is the ability to perform daily tasks vigorously and alertly, with energy left over for enjoying leisure- time activities and meeting emergency demands. It is the ability to endure, to bear up, to withstand stress, to carry on in circumstances where an unfit person could not continue, and is a major basis for good health and well-being. Being fit will also help prevent the development of certain diseases and can even help cure diseases.
Physical fitness involves the performance of the heart and lungs, and the muscles of the body. Since what we do with our bodies also affects what we can do with our minds, fitness influences to some degree qualities such as mental alertness and emotional stability. As you undertake your fitness program, it’s important to remember that fitness is an individual quality that varies from person to person. It is influenced by age, sex, heredity, personal habits, exercise and eating practices. You can’t do anything about the first three factors. However, it is within your power to change and improve the others where needed.
Knowing The Basics
Physical fitness is most easily understood by examining its components, or parts.. There is widespread agreement that these components are basic:
Cardiorespiratory Endurance - the ability to deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues, and to remove wastes, over sustained periods of time. Long runs and swims are among the methods employed in measuring this component.
Muscular Strength - the ability of a muscle to exert force for a brief period of time. Upper-body strength, for example, can be measured by various weight-lifting exercises.
Muscular Endurance - the ability of a muscle, or a group of muscles, to sustain repeated contractions or to continue applying force against a fixed object. Pushups are often used to test endurance of arm and shoulder muscles.
Flexibility - the ability to move joints and use muscles through their full range of motion. The sit-and- reach test is a good measure of flexibility of the lower back and backs of the upper legs.
Body Composition is often considered a component of fitness. It refers to the makeup of the body in terms of lean mass (muscle, bone, vital tissue and organs) and fat mass. An optimal ratio of fat to lean mass is an indication of fitness, and the right types of exercises will help you decrease body fat and increase or maintain muscle mass.
A Workout Schedule How often, how long and how hard you exercise, and what kinds of exercises you do should be determined by what you are trying to accomplish. Your goals, your present fitness level, age, health, skills, interest and convenience are among the factors you should consider. For example, an athlete training for high-level competition would follow a different program than a person whose goals are good health and the ability to meet work and recreational needs.
Your exercise program should include something from each of the four basic fitness components described previously. Each workout should begin with a warm-up and end with a cool-down. As a general rule, space your workouts throughout the week and avoid consecutive days of hard exercise.
Here are the amounts of activity necessary for the average healthy person to maintain a minimum level of overall fitness. Included are some of the popular exercises for each category.
WARMUP - 5-10 minutes of exercise such as walking, slow jogging, knee lifts, arm circles or trunk rotations. Low intensity movements that simulate movements to be used in the activity can also be included in the warm-up.
MUSCULAR STRENGTH - a minimum of two 20-minute sessions per week that include exercises for all the major muscle groups. Lifting weights is the most effective way to increase strength.
MUSCULAR ENDURANCE - at least three 30-minute sessions each week that include exercises such as calisthenics, pushups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and weight training for all the major muscle groups.
CARDIORESPIRATORY ENDURANCE - at least three 20-minute bouts of continuous aerobic (activity requiring oxygen) rhythmic exercise each week. Popular aerobic conditioning activities include brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, rope jumping, rowing, cross-country skiing, and some continuous action games like racquetball and handball.
FLEXIBILITY - 10-12 minutes of daily stretching exercises performed slowly, without a bouncing motion. This can be included after a warm-up or during a cool-down.
COOL DOWN - a minimum of 5-10 minutes of slow walking, low-level exercise, combined with stretching.
A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE The keys to selecting the right kinds of exercises for developing and maintaining each of the basic components of fitness are found in these principles:
SPECIFICITY - pick the right kind of activities to affect each component. Strength training results in specific strength changes. Also, train for the specific activity you’re interested in. For example, optimal swimming performance is best achieved when the muscles involved in swimming are trained for the movements required. It does not necessarily follow that a good runner is a good swimmer.
OVERLOAD - work hard enough, at levels that are vigorous and long enough to overload your body above its resting level, to bring about improvement.
REGULARITY - you can’t hoard physical fitness. At least three balanced workouts a week are necessary to maintain a desirable level of fitness.
PROGRESSION - increase the intensity, frequency and/or duration of activity over periods of time in order to improve. Some activities can be used to fulfill more than one of your basic exercise requirements. For example, in addition to increasing cardio-respiratory endurance, running builds muscular endurance in the legs, and swimming develops the arm, shoulder and chest muscles. If you select the proper activities, it is possible to fit parts of your muscular endurance workout into your Cardio-respiratory workout and save time.
Measuring Your Heart Rate
Heart rate is widely accepted as a good method for measuring intensity during running, swimming, cycling, and other aerobic activities. Exercise that doesn’t raise your heart rate to a certain level and keep it there for 20 minutes won’t contribute significantly to cardiovascular fitness. The heart rate you should maintain is called your target heart rate. There are several ways of arriving at this figure. One of the simplest is: maximum heart rate (220 - age) x 70%. Thus, the target heart rate for a 40 year-old would be 126. Some methods for figuring the target rate take individual differences into consideration. Here is one of them:
Subtract age from 220 to find maximum heart rate. Subtract resting heart rate (see below) from maximum heart rate to determine heart rate reserve. Take 70% of heart rate reserve to determine heart rate raise. Add heart rate raise to resting heart rate to find target rate. Resting heart rate should be determined by taking your pulse after sitting quietly for five minutes. When checking heart rate during a workout, take your pulse within five seconds after interrupting exercise because it starts to go down once you stop moving. Count pulse for 10 seconds and multiply by six to get the per-minute rate.
Controlling Your Weight
The key to weight control is keeping energy intake (food) and energy output (physical activity) in balance. When you consume only as many calories as your body needs, your weight will usually remain constant. If you take in more calories than your body needs, you will put on excess fat. If you expend more energy than you take in you will burn excess fat.
Exercise plays an important role in weight control by increasing energy output, calling on stored calories for extra fuel. Recent studies show that not only does exercise increase metabolism during a workout, but it causes your metabolism to stay increased for a period of time after exercising, allowing you to burn more calories.
How much exercise is needed to make a difference in your weight depends on the amount and type of activity, and on how much you eat. Aerobic exercise burns body fat. A medium-sized adult would have to walk more than 30 miles to burn up 3,500 calories, the equivalent of one pound of fat. Although that may seem like a lot, you don’t have to walk the 30 miles all at once. Walking a mile a day for 30 days will achieve the same result, providing you don’t increase your food intake to negate the effects of walking.
If you consume 100 calories a day more than your body needs, you will gain approximately 10 pounds in a year. You could take that weight off, or keep it off, by doing 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily. The combination of exercise and diet offers the most flexible and effective approach to weight loss and weight maintenance. Since muscle tissue weighs more than fat tissue, and exercise develops muscle to a certain degree, your bathroom scale won’t necessarily tell you whether or not you are fat.
Well-muscled individuals, with relatively little body fat, invariably are overweight according to standard weight charts. If you are doing a regular program of strength training, your muscles will increase in weight, and possibly your overall weight will increase. Body composition is a better indicator of your condition than body weight.
Lack of physical activity causes muscles to get soft, and if food intake is not decreased, added body weight is almost always fat. Once-active people, who continue to eat as they always have after settling into sedentary lifestyles, tend to suffer from creeping obesity.
Clothing All exercise clothing should be loose-fitting to permit freedom of movement, and should make the wearer feel comfortable and self-assured. As a general rule, you should wear lighter clothes than temperatures might indicate. Exercise generates great amounts of body heat. Light-colored clothing that reflects the sun’s rays is cooler in the summer, and dark clothes are warmer in winter. When the weather is very cold, it’s better to wear several layers of light clothing than one or two heavy layers. The extra layers help trap heat, and it’s easy to shed one of them if you become too warm. In cold weather, and in hot, sunny weather, it’s a good idea to wear something on your head.
Wool watch or ski caps are recommended for winter wear, and some form of tennis or sailor’s hat that provides shade and can be soaked in water is good for summer. Never wear rubberized or plastic clothing, such garments interfere with the evaporation of perspiration and can cause body temperature to rise to dangerous levels. The most important item of equipment for the runner is a pair of sturdy, properly-fitting running shoes. Training shoes with heavy, cushioned soles and arch supports are preferable to flimsy sneakers and light racing flats.
When To Exercise
The hour just before the evening meal is a popular time for exercise. The late afternoon workout provides a welcome change of pace at the end of the work day and helps dissolve the day’s worries and tensions. Another popular time to work out is early morning, before the work day begins. Advocates of the early start say it makes them more alert and energetic on the job, which is a notion that is supported by research studies. Among the factors you should consider in developing your workout schedule are personal preference, job and family responsibilities, availability of exercise facilities and weather.
It’s important to schedule your workouts for a time when there is little chance that you will have to cancel or interrupt them because of other demands on your time. You should not exercise strenuously during extremely hot, humid weather or within two hours after eating. Heat and/or digestion both make heavy demands on the circulatory system, and in combination with exercise can be an overtaxing double load.
Exercise Made Easy
For best weight loss and weight maintenance results it is recommend you find your balance between food and physical activity. Consuming more calories than you expend leads to weight gain. More than half of all Americans don’t get the recommended amount of physical activity. To reduce the risk of chronic disease in adulthood, engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate activity a day on most days of the week. Children and adolescents should engage in at least 60 minutes a day on most, and preferably all, days of the week.
To manage body weight and prevent gradual weight gain, people should exercise about minutes at a moderate to vigorous intensity on most days of the week, while not exceeding recommendations for caloric intake. Sixty to 90 minutes may be needed to maintain weight loss.
The more vigorous the activity and the longer the duration, the more health benefits you’ll get. But every little bit counts. Here are some examples of easy ways to work exercise into your day:
Take a 10-minute walk after breakfast, lunch, and dinner to reach the goal of 30 minutes per day. Park your car in the farthest spot when you run errands. Take a family walk after dinner. Walk your dog. Do yard work. Wash your car by hand. Pace the sidelines at kids’ athletic games. Ask a friend to exercise with you. Run around and play with your children for 30 minutes a day. Walk briskly at the mall. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
Be good to yourself Many people feel stress in their daily lives. Stress can cause you to overeat, feel tired, and not want to do anything. Regular physical activity can give you more energy. Try some of these other ideas to help relieve stress and stay on track with your fitness and nutrition goals:
Get plenty of sleep. Practice deep breathing and relaxing your muscles one at a time. Take a break and go for a walk. Take short stretch breaks throughout the day. Try taking a yoga or tai chi class to energize yourself and reduce stress. Try a new hobby, like a pottery class or any activity that sparks your interest. Surround yourself with people whose company you enjoy. A balanced eating plan, regular physical activity, and stress relief can help you stay healthy for life. Reward and acknowledge your efforts with non-food rewards. Make a grocery list before you shop. Take your body measurements to gauge progress.
More Exercise And Physical Activity Tips
Walk to work. Ask a friend to exercise with you. Bicycle to the store instead of driving. Bike to the barbershop or beauty salon instead of driving. Buy a set of hand weights and play a round of Simon Says with your kids - you do it with the weights, they do without. Visit museums, the zoo, or an aquarium. You and your family can walk for hours and not realize it. Carry your groceries instead of pushing a cart. Choose activities you enjoy & you’ll be more likely to stick with them. Choose an activity that fits into your daily life. Clean your closet and donate clothes that are too big. Dance to music. Do sit-ups in front of the TV. Do yard work. Exercise with a video if the weather is bad. Explore new physical activities. Take a hike. Fetch the newspaper yourself. Get off a bus stop early & walk. Go for a half-hour walk instead of watching TV. If you find it difficult to be active after work, try it before work. Keep a pair of comfortable walking or running shoes in your car and office. Make a Saturday morning walk a group habit. Make time in your day for physical activity. Mow lawn with push mower. Pace the sidelines at kids’ athletic games. Park farther from destination and walk. Perform gardening or home repair activities. Play with your kids 30 minutes a day. Replace Sunday drive with Sunday walk. Run when running errands. Sit up straight at work. Skate to work instead of driving. Stretch before bed to give you more energy when you wake. Swim with your kids. Take a walk or do desk exercises instead of a cigarette or coffee break. Take dog to the park. Take family walk after dinner. Take small trips on foot to get your body moving. Take the long way to the water cooler. Take your dog on longer walks. Use a snow shovel instead of a snow blower. Vary your activities, for interest and to broaden the range of benefits. Walk briskly in the mall. Walk briskly through the mall and shop ’til you drop ... pounds. Walk during lunch hour. Walk instead of driving whenever you can. Walk instead of sitting around. Walk the beach instead of sunbathing. Walk to a co-worker’s desk instead of emailing or calling them. Walk to your place of worship instead of driving. Wash the car by hand. When walking, go up the hills instead of around them. Work around the house. Get a dog and walk it. Join an exercise group. Stay active in winter. Play with your kids. Walk kids to school. Take stairs instead of the escalator.
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