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WEIGHT
LOSS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
This
article summarizes useful information and resources about weight loss.
It
can be done!
The
Columbus Dispatch (3/31/04) reported on a woman who started
walking marathons at 275 pounds. Two years later, after losing 50 pounds
through exercise and diet, she started running. She lost another 62 pounds
in seven months. She went from 275 pounds to 163 pounds-a loss of 112
pounds-in 2.6 years. There are other sources of reliable information about
people who have successfully lost weight.
- The
National
Weight Control Registry has shown that successful weight loss is
possible. The registry collects data from people who have lost 30 pounds
for one year or longer. This site has abstracts of articles describing
the eating and exercise habits of the registrants. The first report
on the people in the registry was published in 1997. Successful weight
losers are knowledgeable about health, nutrition and physical activity.
Despite extensive histories of being overweight and failed diet attempts,
784 registry members have lost an average of 66 pounds. They have maintained
the required minimum weight loss of 30 pounds for an average of five
years…Nearly every subject is using diet and exercise to maintain
his/her weight loss. Registry members report that weight loss has led
to significant improvements in self-confidence, mood and physical health.
-
Consumer Reports (June 2002) described how 8000 readers
lost weight and kept it off. The magazine received questionnaires from
over 32,000 dieters. Nearly 25 percent lost 10 percent of their starting
weight and kept it off for at least a year. Eight out of 10 of the successful
losers who tried exercising three or more times per week listed it as
their No. 1 strategy. Most chose walking as their exercise but 29 percent
also lifted weights. Eighty-eight percent of the dieters that kept 10
percent of their weight off for five years or more did it entirely on
their own. They did not rely on meal replacements like Slim Fast. Only
6 percent used dietary supplements or weight loss aids.
Consumer Reports encouraged people to develop “A
PLAN OF YOUR OWN” using these tips.
- Burn
more calories than you consume.
- Choose
lean proteins such as reduced-fat dairy products, fish, chicken and
lean pork or beef.
- Minimize
consumption of quickly digested carbohydrates such as white rice, sugar,
pasta, refined grains and potatoes as well as products containing corn
syrup.
- Whenever
you eat carbohydrates, keep portions small and combine them with protein.
- Eat
generous quantities of watery foods such as fruits and vegetables.
- Try
to develop a taste for high fiber grains and legumes such as oatmeal,
brown rice, natural whole wheat bread and lentils.
- Eat
smaller quantities of healthful fats such as olive oil, avocados, nuts,
politics, and fatty fish like salmon.
- Do
whatever it takes to fit exercise into your life. Include weight or
resistance training in your routine.
Jeff D. Sherrill, Ph.D.
Consulting Psychologist
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