Weight Control

Articles and Brochures:

• How to Get off the Diet Merry-Go-Round
• Healthy Weight Loss
• Cutting Calories While Controlling Hunger
• Eating Fruits and Vegetables for Weight Loss
• Staying Healthy in College
• Tips to Cut Calories in Traditional Holiday Menu Items
• What Successful Weight Losers Do
• Eat Your Favorite Foods but Cut the Calories
• Is the 'Freshman 15' Weight Gain Inevitable
• Sleep to Lose Weight
• Ways to Cut Calories While Preparing Food
• Good News about Fiber
• Effect of Portion Size
• Eating Away from Home and Weight Change

BMI AND A HEALTHY WEIGHT

2007

Body mass index (BMI) is an approximate measure of body fat, based on height and weight.

What does BMI tell us?
In addition to using BMI to assess a person's current weight status, doctors can also use a person's BMI results, over time, to track whether that person may be at risk for becoming overweight. People who are overweight during their teens and twenties increase their risk for certain health problems, including diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease as they get older.

What is a healthy weight for me?
This is a tough question to answer. Even though many people talk about weight, what really matters is how much of your body weight is fat. a BMI between 19 and 25 is considered a normal amount of body fat. If someone's BMI is 25-29.9, that person is considered to be overweight. a person is considered obese if their BMI is 30 or higher.

How good a measure is BMI?
BMI is a good indicator of body fat, but it's not perfect. For example, during puberty weight gain is often rapid and is a normal part of maturation. a person can have a high BMI because they have a large frame or a lot of muscle (e.g. a bodybuilder) instead of excess fat. a small person with a small frame may have a normal BMI but too much body fat.

THE ENERGY BALANCING ACT

In order for body weight to remain unchanged, energy input (food) must be equal to energy output (activity). any excess or unused energy is stored as adipose (fat) tissue. In other words if you gain weight you eat more than you burn.

CALORIES, ESSENTIAL FOR LIFE

The energy contained in food and the amount of energy your body uses to perform various activities is commonly referred to as calories. Calories are often mistaken to be some fat developing constituent in food. actually, calories are just a basic scientific measurement of energy. We can quantify this energy in the foods we eat and the activities we perform. Calories in a gram of food vary depending on whether the food is protein, fat or carbohydrate. Fats have 9 calories per gram, where proteins and carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram. alcohol has 7 calories per gram. Calories are not fattening until the number we take in exceeds the number we use.

USING-UP CALORIES

Everything you do requires energy or calories. We use calories to sleep, breath, think, digest our food, etc. The amount of energy each person uses for these things will vary depending on size, gender, metabolism. For most women this will amount to 1800-2000 calories per day. For most men it will amount to 2200-2400 calories per day. Thus energy used to maintain usual body functions is approximately 70 % of a person's total expenditure for a day. Daily physical activity accounts for the remaining 30%.

Daily activity is the expenditure that we can most easily affect. The number of calories we burn varies with the activity we do. For example, a 140 pound person doing one hour of slow walking will burn about 180 calories, of fast walking or jogging will burn about 400-500 calories and running at about 6 mph will burn about 600-700 calories.

IT'S A BALANCING ACT

The amount of fat we keep on our bodies is dependent on the type and quantity of food we eat and the amount of energy we burn everyday. One pound of fat is approximately 3500 calories. Thus, it takes 3500 calories that are not used in activity to increase the body's weight by one pound. and in order to lose a pound you must take in 3500 calories less than you use. Severe dietary restrictions are not recommended to accomplish this. Most people cannot sustain severe restrictions and they can lead to inadequate nutrition. also severe restrictions, e.g. skipping meals, can decrease metabolism and decrease a person's baseline daily calorie requirement.

Exercise will consume calories, may boost metabolism and can help how you feel by increasing energy, decreasing hunger and creating a greater sense of well-being.

How can I lower my BMI?
The best way is to reduce the number of calories you take in to 300-500 less than you use per day and increase your activity to 0.5-1 hour of moderate intensity exercise per day. Long-term success is not about finding the right diet. It's about identifying your behaviors that have contributed to taking in more calories than your body uses. It is also about making a specific plan to change those behaviors.

HEALTHY HABITS

• Eat breakfast
• Eat your biggest meal of the day at lunchtime
• Begin meals with a low-fat salad, soup or fresh vegetables
• Eat 4-5 vegetable servings every day
• Drink fewer sweetened beverages (such as soda, juices and sports drinks)-at most one per day
• Replace sweetened beverages with water, skim milk, non-caffeinated tea.
• limit alcohol intake to 1-2 drinks per week
• Know what one serving looks like and stick to it
• listen to your body—eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full
• Eat slowly so your body has time to let you know when you are full
• Be more active—take the stairs, park far away from stores, classrooms and walk there, walk or take your bike whenever you can.
• Get support from family and friends

Healthy Weight Loss

By Marilyn Kile, LCSW - Wellness Coordinator
2009

Students often ask me “What are some safe ways of dieting?” . That is a complex subject, but I will share a few key points to get you started.

First of all, determine if you need to lose weight. The two best indicators are Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference. To determine your body mass index use the online calculator in the link above. Determine your waist circumference by placing a measuring tape snugly around your waist. It is a good indicator of your abdominal fat, which is risk factor for developing heart disease and diabetes. This risk increases with a waist measurement of over 40 inches in men and over 35 inches in women.

Secondly, set realistic goals. Weight loss should be about 1 to 2 pounds per week. Plan to both reduce calorie consumption through changes in your diet and increase calorie expenditure through increased exercise. If you are overweight, design an eating plan that is about 500 calories a day less than you are consuming now. FitDay helps you track and analyze the foods you eat and the exercises you do on a daily basis. Based on your journal entries, FitDay analyzes your diet, exercise and weight, generating graphical reports on the important aspects of your fitness.

The American College of Preventive Medicine recommends consuming 55 percent of calories from carbohydrates (primarily complex), about 25 percent of calories from fat (primarily unsaturated and monosaturated), and about 20 percent from protein. So which foods meet those recommendations? The Mediterranean Food Guide pyramid is a good guide to follow. Eat most of your calories from plant sources, including fruits and vegetables, breads and whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds; Use olive oil as your principal oil, replacing other fats and oils; Keep total fat to 25 -30 percent of your caloric intake energy, with saturated fat no more than 7 to 8 percent; Eat low to moderate amounts of cheese and yogurt (low-fat versions are preferable) daily; Eat cold water fish, e.g. tuna, salmon, twice per week and poultry once per week; Consume one to four eggs per week (including those used in cooking and baking); Eat fresh fruit as the typical daily dessert; Only eat red meat a few times per month; avoid processed foods which are high in unhealthy fats, sodium and sugar and low in fiber.

Most Americans have a distorted idea of normal healthy portion size. Go to Portion Distortion to test out your perceptions. Eating 3 small meals and 3 healthy snacks will boost your metabolism more than 1or 2 large meals a day. Remember when your body is not fed, even for 8 hours, it slows down how quickly it uses up it's food stores and causes you to burn fewer calories per hour.

Exercise is an essential part of any weight control program because it not only burns calories, but it also increases muscle mass and speeds up your metabolic rate. Start with moderate physical activity 30 minutes, 3 days a week, building up to vigorous exercise 45 minutes per day, 5 days a week. Choose any activity you enjoy that gets you moving and increases your heart rate.

Finally, develop your maintenance plan. If you return to your old pattern of eating and exercising, the weight you worked so hard to lose will come back. Since your body has been trying to conserve energy in reaction to being “starved”, you could easily gain back even more than you lost. So plan a lifestyle of healthy eating and exercise for the rest of your life.

How to get off the Diet Merry-Go-Round

1990

"That's it--Monday the diet starts! Once I lose this weight, I'll never gain it back. My mind is made up. No more sweets for me!" How many times have you said this, especially after seeing summertime slimness fade into wintertime bulge? Unfortunately, although these thoughts may strengthen your resolve in the short run, they start up the cycle of gaining weight, losing weight, and gaining again.

Consider how many times a dieter's noble intentions have succeeded for a short time only to end up with the same 10, 20, or even 30 pounds back on within weeks or months. This special report is designed to show you how to shift your focus away from dieting and help you to refocus on changing habits and thoughts responsible for weight problems in the first place.

When the honeymoon is over

What happens when the novelty of going on a diet has worn off? The average person gets down on himself, and the diet merry-go-round is in progress: I have no will power. Once I start eating, I can't stop. Why can't I just psych myself up like I did in the beginning? I have no motivation. I guess I'll always be fat.

If you have these thoughts, the honeymoon excitement of beginning a diet is gone--and so are all your good resolutions to continue to work at it. So accept the fact that there's a limit to how often you can renew this fervor and realize that a "diet" alone is not going to solve your problem.

Will power vs. self-control

Dieting is work, work, work, and takes lots of will power. But until you are ready to move away from the will-power mode and into the self-control mode you'll be on the diet merry-go-round. Will power is the resistance of desire when it arises. That is what goes on when you simply put on blinders and won't let anyone or any food interfere with your diet regime. You are able to resist the most powerful food lures. At a cocktail party, you may be able to resist all but sparkling mineral water with a twist. But who can live like that forever? and can you really go to cocktail parties for the rest of your life and consume no calories?

Self-control, on the other hand, comes about when you rearrange your food environment as well as the way you think about food and dieting, and as a result, the desire to eat arises with less frequency and less intensity. Self-control means that you really have to change the food signals along with the sabotaging thoughts and attitudes that made you gain weight in the first place.

Applying self-control when going to a party might mean that you eat a large salad before leaving home. That way you won't be battling a ravenous desire to eat everything in sight. another way is to purposely station yourself somewhere away from the food to limit your temptation. Better, allow yourself one or two cocktails and several carefully chosen hors d'oeuvres, rather than none at all. Those self-control strategies are something you can live with, and they are far more realistic, less painful, and more effective measures than sheer will power.

Rearranging your food environment

In order to gain self-control, begin by rearranging your food environment. That means you must first examine the "signals" or "cures" that trigger your desire to eat. These signals might be things like the easy availability of food, the smell of food, or waiting so long between meals that you let yourself get too hungry. The trick is to change the signals and your responses to them. For example, consider the availability of snacks at home or in the office--cues that trigger eating. To practice self-control, stop and ask yourself if you really need to buy or bring in snacks in the first place. If they're not there, you can't eat them. If they're there because someone else is supplying them, encourage your family or friends to keep them out of sight. Or set an example by eating fresh fruits and vegetables instead.

If your problem is overindulging at noontime, practice self-control by first examining your breakfast. If you eat a decent morning meal, or have fruit at a mid-morning snack break, you can avoid self-starvation and subsequent indiscriminate eating at lunch. also, if at a restaurant for lunch, try to give what you're ordering some thought. Otherwise you can get so wrapped up in conversation that you forget what you've ordered or you don't realize what--or how much--you're eating. Don't set yourself up for temptation by accepting everything that automatically comes with your meal--ask that foods like french fries or sour cream be withheld. You could also consider trying to have business discussions in a nonfood-related situation; invite your colleagues to "talk shop" some time other than at mealtime.

1. These self-control strategies actually involve a three-step process for rearranging your food environment:
2. avoid confronting problem foods by not buying them or keeping them out of sight.
Prevent extreme hunger, so that the impact of surrounding food signals is less.
3. Develop alternatives--that is, choose lower calorie foods or engage in activities away from food.

How to go about changing your cognitive environment

The Greek philosopher Epictetus once aptly stated that "men are disturbed not by things, but by the views which they take of them". In other words, what we think about the situation, rather than the situation itself, is often what determines our feelings and subsequent behavior. and, all too often, thoughts or cognitions and self-defeating, potentially leading to overeating or binge-eating. Or the way you think could be positive or helpful and could lead to more appropriate or controlled eating.

Negative thoughts can set up a self-fulfilling prophecy. That is, you tell yourself something is going to happen, and it does. Consider two weight-conscious friends who are planning to go away for a weekend. They will stay at their favorite country inn, known for miles around for its fine cuisine. Because of their thoughts prior to leaving, the two will experience food (and weight gain) in a totally different manner. One anticipates the weekend by thinking: Well, there goes the last month of dieting. I have no control when it comes to good food. By the end of the weekend I'll probably have gained 10 pounds. So I may as well eat what I feel like eating--starting now!

The other's thoughts about the excursion are: When it comes to eating, the weekend won't be easy. But if I'm careful, I can splurge a little next weekend. Besides, it's only for two days. I'll set my sights on feeling good from exercise and buying myself a new outfit rather than dwelling on food.

It's quite clear who will most successfully get through the weekend. The one is setting up for failure with self-defeating, sabotaging thoughts. The other, in response to the same situation, is thinking ahead productively and will be less likely to overeat. If you identify with the first person, try to change your cognitive environment by taking the following steps:

1. Try to become aware of sabotaging thoughts that set you up for failure.
2. Evaluate your thoughts to see if they make any sense--are they logical, reasonable, or helpful?
3. If your thoughts don't make sense, try challenging the sabotaging instinct and change it into a helpful, positive state of mind.

Now go through these steps using the first person as an example:

1. Well, there goes the last month of dieting. One weekend of eating will not defeat the purpose of a month-long diet. Change the thought to, two days of eating what I want won't make me gain weight if I'm careful when I get back.
2. I have no control when it comes to good food. I've been eating well for a month and have been very careful, even though there are high fat foods around me.
3. By the end of the weekend, I'll probably have gained 10 pounds. So I may as well eat what I want starting now! No one can really gain 10 pounds of fat in a weekend. I'll watch what I eat today so I can eat a little more on the weekend.

Realistic goal-setting

One of the ways to avoid self-defeating thinking in the first place is to set realistic goals. If you set unattainable standards for yourself, you feel like a failure and are prey to thoughts that precipitate eating. For example, in setting goals for a weekend away, ask yourself if it would be realistic to go with the notion that you won't eat any deserts or will eat only salads. You would be far more likely to succeed if you decided to have only one dessert a day, particularly if you are accustomed to having dessert after every meal.

In setting goals, it is also helpful to avoid absolute statements, such as "I'll always eat..." or "I'll never eat..." after all, if you decide that you'll always have salad for lunch or never eat another candy bar, what is the likelihood that you will follow through? Indeed, if your long-range goals are to eat less fattening lunches and cut back on sweets, you're better off setting small goals that will get you where you ultimately want to be. For example, if you are used to eating a four-course lunch, try substituting a salad three times a week. Or if you eat two candy bars a day, cut back to one, substituting fruit for the other.

Make your goals "action-oriented." That means specify what you will do rather than what you will be. For example, I'll have only one donut for breakfast rather than my usual two or I'll start walking for 20 minutes on my lunch hour every other day is more achievable and less abstract than I'll be 10 pounds thinner by the holidays.

Avoid making absolute statements that would be impossible to achieve. Set goals you can live with. When you want to change a habit, take small steps that will get you to your ultimate aim rather than attempt to change all at once.

Make your goals action-oriented, specifying what you are going to do to change. Give yourself permission to fail. You can't possibly meet all of your desires 100 percent of the time. However, if you repeatedly have trouble meeting a particular goal, you may need to readjust it because you have set it too high.

Getting rid of the diet albatross

Wouldn't it be a relief to think that you will never have to go on another diet? But, as a matter of fact, most people who successfully conquer a lifelong weight problem manage by watching their calorie intake. The majority find it easier to control weight if they eat small to moderate amounts of skinless poultry, fish, and lean meats along with plenty of vegetables and fruits that are free of butter and sauce. at the same time, they go easy on fatty meats, rich foods, and desserts. That doesn't mean that they can't slip away for an occasional weekend of indulgence and a bit of gourmet cuisine. But when they return home, they need to resume their calorie-conscious eating habits in order to avoid gaining weight.

Given the fact that needing to watch what you eat is a part of life, why not get rid of the diet albatross that hangs around your neck? Indeed, it's no life to live constantly bemoaning that you're "always on a diet" or "starting a diet every Monday." Thinking like this, you constantly feel deprived, and food crosses your mind all the more. When you return from your weekend away, you're better off to think of Monday as the day to return to your normal eating habits--not to a diet. For, certainly, many people find they feel better in general when they eat lighter, lower-calorie foods than when they eat fatty, rich fare.

Finally, anyone who tells you that weight control is easy is pulling your leg. Indeed, it involves a commitment to reasonable eating and regular exercise. But as long as you're on the diet merry-go-round, you'll be going around in circles with your weight. Directing your energy to the self-control strategies of changing your food and cognitive environments--as well as realistic goal-setting--are the most successful ways to help you keep weight off in the long run.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This report is not intended for people who need to lose great amounts of weight. For those individuals, we recommend a comprehensive program that incorporates medical treatment, diet, exercise, and behavior modification. Reprinted with Permission of the Publisher, Tufts University Diet and Nutrition Letter, 322 W. 57th Street Box 34T, N.Y., 10019.

Traditional Holiday Menu Items

1990

Tips to Cut Calories

You can enjoy these tasty food in your traditional holiday meals because 1) they taste good, and 2) they're not overloaded with extra calories.

It's always good to keep your portion sizes small, but sample a little of everything, if you wish! When you eat a little more than usual try to increase your activity for that day. (Follow the big holiday meal with a nice walk around the block!)

Turkey - This is a good, lean meat to serve as holiday meals. avoid extra calories by staying away from the pre-basted, butterball varieties available and serve this great-tasting meat without added gravy. Turkey is lower in saturated fat and has about two thirds of the calories of duck or goose.

Stuffing - Your favorite bird-stuffing recipe can be used but stay away from added butter or sausage. (One pound of sausage and ½ cup butter or margarine contribute about 2800 calories and 295 gm fat!) For added moisture and flavor, use bouillion, celery, apples and raisins.

Sweet Potato - Just 4 ounces of marshmallow, ¼ cup brown sugar and 1/3 cup butter or margarine in a recipe can contribute about 1600 extra calories to plain sweet potatoes. Why not add an interesting flavor by using a little concentrated orange juice and rind, and half the butter or margarine you usually use.

Cooked Vegetables - Stay away from heavy, rich sauces that could easily double or triple the calories in your vegetable dish. Try using a little lemon juice or a blend of herbs and spices, which are likely to add interest for your guests without the extra calories.

Salads - Fruits and vegetables, the basis for salads are usually low in calories nd high in nutrients (especially vitamins a and C). Instead of adding rich or creamy dressings that contribute excess calories and may mask the good tastes of your food, why not serve a raw fruit or vegetable, relish or salad without dressing?

Desserts - Sweets do not have to be your holiday downfall! If you followed many of the above suggestions for cutting calories, and if you can limit the portion size of your dessert you can enjoy the satisfaction of having a taste of those tempting items. Basic recipes can be modified to cut out extra calories from fat and sugar. Pumpkin pie made with evaporated skim milk instead of light cream can save about 150 calories per ½ cup used. Try a lighter pumpkin chiffon pie recipe for less calories or make the pie without the crust, for even less calories. Have your small piece of pie without added whipped or ice cream. as for the calorie-filled mincemeat pie, use a lattice-crust topping instead of the basic two-crust recipe, and substitute 1 cup of fresh cranberry-orange relish for 1 cup of mincemeat for even more flavor. (Save about 700 calories per pie!)

A Word about

Beverages - Holidays can be a time of parties and rich traditional holiday drinks. Consider the calories in 8 ounces or eggnog, about 290, and decide if it's worth having just one drink. Tom and Jerry's can be made with less alcohol, or without alcohol (add hot water) and a little nutmeg sprinkled on top. a cheerful low-Calorie punch can serve as a holiday treat. For the party-goer, try a glas of sparkling club soda, tomato juice or Bloody Mary mix on the rocks (without alcohol) to eliminate many extra calories.

Sweet Treats - Many holiday traditions involve special cookies and candies and may focus on the baking and decoration of these holiday treats. Cookie and bar recipes can be modified to cut down on Calories by using on-half the amount of sugar and cutting down by one-third the amount of fat called for in the recipe. Use dried fruit pieces for decorations and for extra nutrition rather than frosting. Fruit alone makes a nice sweet treat for your family. Think about some new, low-calorie traditions to start with your family!

DON'T FORGET
Besides consuming greater amounts of higher-calorie foods, people often are more sedentary in their activity during the holiday season. While cutting down on excess calories, think about being more active to compensate for extra foods eaten. For one of those new, healthful holiday traditions, plan a family ski outing or ice-skating party. Or bundle up and walk through your neighborhoods to enjoy the cheerful holiday decorations.

What Successful Weight Losers Do

Healthy U, Issue 3, Sept. 2005

Since 1994 the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) has been studying individuals 18 years and older who have successfully maintained a 30-pound weight loss for at least one year. The average participant in the study has actually lost approximately 60 pounds and maintained the loss for about five years. Two-thirds of the successful weight losers were overweight as children and 60 percent reported a family history of obesity. about half the participants lost weight on their own without participating in a formal weight management program.

Why are some individuals successful at losing weight and keeping it off?

Here are some key findings from the NWCR ongoing study on successful weight losers:

• They make substantial changes in their eating and physical activity habits to lose and maintain their weight, and they maintain these changes.
• They keep track of their calorie intake.
• They eat healthy low-calorie, low-fat foods that include fruits, vegetables, and other high-fiber foods.
• Eight out of ten eat breakfast every day.
• They engage in 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity daily. Walking is the most popular activity.

Successful weight losers report a significant improvement in their self-confidence, mood, and physical health. They find maintaining their weight loss gets easier over time. They get used to and start to enjoy their new way of eating and getting more physical activity.

The National Weight Control Registry is a collaborative effort of James Hill, PhD, of the University of Colorado and Rina Wing, PhD, of Brown University and the University of Pittsburgh.
Source: National Weight Control Registry, www.nwcr.ws

Is the 'Freshman 15' Weight Gain Inevitable

Healthy U, Issue 2, Sept. 2005

Weight gain the freshman year of college is common, but it is not unavoidable.

Many college students who were active in sports during high school drop their participation or decrease their frequency of playing sports when they get to college. although they may walk more to get to class than they did in the past, this exercise does not compare with the hours of intense sports practice they may have previously had each week.

Although calorie burning usually decreases for college freshmen, their calorie intake often increases. Since college students are often up late at night, they may eat the equivalent of one or two additional meals a day. The extra eating seldom comes from balanced food choices. Snack foods, pizza, or submarine sandwiches - higher calorie foods - take the place of low-calorie vegetables and fruits that can fill students up with good nutrition. When students eat on the run throughout the day, they also tend to grab snack foods that provide a lot of calories without long-lasting energy.

And although alcohol may be illegal for most students, it is too often a part of college life. The unhealthy current trend for drinking large amounts can increase calorie consumption drastically.

To control weight and maintain good health and adequate amounts of energy, college freshmen, like everyone else, need to find ways to eat a low fat, mostly plant-based diet, control portions and exercise daily.

One way college students can reduce the chance of weight gain is to look for healthier options when they're dining in their school's cafeteria. They can also carry away fruit from the dining hall to snack on later when hunger strikes. Source: “Nutrition Wise” by Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDN, american Institute for Cancer Research, www.aicr.org.

Sleep to Lose Weight

Healthy U, Issue 4, Oct. 2005

Lack of sleep causes neurocognitive and hormonal changes. With a lack of sleep leptin levels drop and ghrelin levels rise increasing appetite. These hormonal changes may also slow the metabolism and cause the body to retain fat.

In a recent study, people who slept less than 4 hours per night were 73% more likely to be obese than those who slept 7-9 hours per night. Those who only slept 6 hours per night were still 23% more likely to be obese.