the weighting game - tips for weight loss and management

8 MUST-HAVE TIPS FOR WEIGHT-MANAGEMENT SUCCESS

did you know that there are 30 to 40 billion fat cells in that body of yours? At times, they may seem like an army of enemies out to sabotage your appearance in a swimsuit, but they saved our ancestors from starving by storing fat to get them through lean times. Trouble is, we have more than enough food available in America in this day and age, and we're usually not trekking across frozen tundra or arid steppes in search of the next encampment.

Pair our hefty calorie intakes with generally sedentary lives--sitting in front of the computer all day, driving from office to home, plopping down on the couch with the remote control to unwind--and it's easy to see why 97 million Americans weigh more than they should.

more than just bikini avoidance

Being overweight can damage much more than your poolside self-confidence. According to the authors of Mayo Clinic on Healthy Weight, overweight people have increased risks of developing high blood pressure, high triglycerides and low HDL ("good") cholesterol, type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, gallbladder disease, stroke, respiratory problems, osteoarthritis and various kinds of cancer. Due to these problems, overweight people may have a substandard quality of life and possibly die sooner than their healthy counterparts.

There is good news, however. Even a five to 10 percent weight loss can lower your health risks. If you are overweight, you might find your energy level and confidence increasing as the pounds come off, too. It's true that genetics play a role in how your body deals with calories, A family history of obesity increases your odds of ending up obese by 25 to 30 percent, but that just means you may have to work a little harder than those without such a history to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. You're not doomed. You can choose to adopt healthy habits.

Better Nutrition spoke with nutrition and exercise experts to learn their recipes for healthy weight loss and maintenance. Here, along with tips from the Mayo Clinic on Healthy Weight book, are some important ingredients for success.

1. REALITY CHECK

Before you set any weight loss goals, be realistic. Are you truly overweight, or are you striving to be as unrealistically thin as a supermodel? One good way to find out is to measure your Body Mass Index, or BMI. It's better at estimating body fat and health risks than other methods-including that dreaded bathroom scale. (To calculate your BMI, see page 52.) If your BMI is 19 to 24, there's probably not a health advantage to losing weight. Keep up healthy habits to stay in this ideal range. If your BMI is 25 or more, losing weight might improve your health. If your BMI is under 19, you're most likely underweight.

WHY BMI IS NOT THE ABBREVIATION
FOR A FOREIGN CAR:

To calculate your BMI, follow these steps,
from Mayo Clinic on Healthy Weight:

1. Multiply your weight in pounds by .45.

2. Multiply your height in inches by .025.

3. Square the answer from step 2.

4. Divide the answer from step 1 by
the answer from step 3. The result
is your BMI.

Fat around the middle is associated with a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other health problems, so determining whether or not you have too much weight here is also important. From the highest point on each hip-bone, measure across the abdomen just above these points. If this is over 35 inches in women or 40 inches in men, you are at increased health risk. Combined with a BMI of 25 or more, the risk increases. A good rule of thumb is this: The bigger the waist, the bigger the health risk.

2. TAKE A LONG, HARD LOOK

If you are overweight, look deep inside yourself to try to find out why. Is there some emotional reason why you overeat? Do you seek comfort in food? If you're overeating for emotional reasons, counseling might help get to the root of your problem so you no longer need food as a Band-Aid.

3. STOCK THE PANTRY WITH HEALTHY FOODS

Instead of jumping on the diet-of-the-week bandwagon, experts advise eating a diet with 50 to 65 percent carbohydrates (emphasizing whole grains, legumes, fruits and veggies); 20 to 25 percent protein; and the remainder from mostly unsaturated fat (olive oil over butter or meat fat, for example). High-fiber foods will fill you up and are not very calorie-dense. They also take a while to chew, giving your body time to signal you that it's time to put your fork down after you've had enough.

Instead of potato chips or crackers containing hydrogenated oils, opt for almonds, peanuts, soy nuts, air-popped popcorn sprinkled with nutritional yeast or mixed seasonings, carrots, grapes, pretzels or other non-fried snacks.

4. EAT WITH INTENTION

This one seems easy, yet few of us do it in our multi-tasking frenzy. For many people, eating while driving, watching TV or working at the computer is practically second nature. But these distractions take away from our enjoyment and awareness of what we're eating, often contributing to eating too fast and overeating. Make a point of sitting at the table, turning off the TV and computer and setting aside your work for mealtimes.

5. GIVE UP YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO THE CLEAN PLATE CLUB

As a child, you may have been encouraged to finish every last morsel of food on your plate. While we certainly don't want kids in China to go hungry, stuffing yourself to the brink of exploding won't help anyone, including you. Get used to pushing your plate aside when you've had enough.

6. PORTIONS

In this age of super-size everything, it's easy to lose sight of what a portion of food actually looks like. Here are a few guidelines:

* Two tablespoons of peanut butter is the size of a ping pong ball

* 1 teaspoon of butter or margarine is the size of a stamp and the thickness of a thumb tip, and the normal serving size of butter is a tablespoon, which is about a 1/2-inch pat

* 1 ounce of nuts is one handful

* 1/2 cup of chips or popcorn is a large handful

* 1 serving of bread is one slice or 1/4 of a standard sized bagel

* 1 cup of ice cream is a scoop the size of a baseball

To keep portion sizes in check, use small dishes to serve meals and desserts. Instead of a cereal bowl, use a dessert dish for ice cream. Put your pasta in a cereal bowl instead of loading it onto a gargantuan plate.

7. PLAN AHEAD

The amount of planning you do for the week ahead can make or break healthy eating patterns. Have healthy snacks on hand and bring sandwiches if you'll be away from home at lunch or staying late at the office. Determine whether you'll be walking by a store where you can buy yogurt and/or fruit during a snack or lunch break.

8. LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR WORKOUT

It's not always easy to drag yourself out of bed for a morning jog. If that's the case, find some other aerobic activity that you enjoy enough to keep doing. Walking is one easy option.

Take a dance or yoga class, or sign up at a gym and ask a trainer to help you use the weights. Find out if there's a local indoor pool for lap swimmers; it's easy on the joints and a darn good workout. Aim for 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise most days of the week-getting your heart pumping is important. (If you have health problems, be sure to ask your doctor to help you devise an exercise program that is safe, and before beginning an exercise program, become familiar with your maximum heart rate so you don't put unnecessary stress on your heart.)

weight matters

Clearly, weight management is all about health. In the culture that has produced Barbie and a media filled with waiflike images of women and men who often look anorexic and cadaverous, we're not advocating blanket weight loss at all. In fact, in some situations, weight gain is indicated (in cases of an overactive thyroid, recovery from surgery or illness, etc.). What's needed is an accurate BMI, a realistic assessment of our body-image goals and the fortitude to carry out a healthy weight management plan. We don't need an obsession with calories or pounds; what we do need is the right attitude that eliminates the need for deprivation or "dieting."

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COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group