February 2015

Loosing Weight & Keeping it off

What is Healthy Weight Loss?

According to the CDC - Centers for Disease Control prevention it's natural for anyone trying to lose weight to want to lose it very quickly. But evidence shows that people who lose weight gradually and steadily, about 1 to 2 pounds per week, are more successful at keeping weight off. Healthy weight loss isn't just about a "diet" or "program". It's about an ongoing lifestyle that includes long-term changes in daily eating and exercise habits.

To lose weight, you must use up more calories than you take in. Since one pound equals 3,500 calories, you need to reduce your caloric intake by 500—1000 calories per day to lose about 1 to 2 pounds per week. Once you've achieved a healthy weight, by relying on healthful eating and physical activity most days of the week (about 60—90 minutes, moderate intensity), you are more likely to be successful at keeping the weight off over the long term.

Losing weight is not easy, and it takes commitment. But if you're ready to get started getting proper health education from a nationally licensed personal trainer and dietician in a step by step process is the best way to not only losing the weight but keeping it off. The good news is that no matter what your weight loss goal is, even a modest weight loss, such as 5 to 10 percent of your total body weight, is likely to produce health benefits, such as improvements in blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugars.


Weight-loss and Nutrition Myths

Myth: Fad diets will help me lose weight and keep it off.

Fact: Fad diets are not the best way to lose weight and keep it off. These diets often promise quick weight loss if you strictly reduce what you eat or avoid some types of foods. Some of these diets may help you lose weight at first. But these diets are hard to follow. Most people quickly get tired of them and regain any lost weight.

Fad diets are usually unhealthy. They may not provide all of the nutrients your body needs. Also, losing more than 3 pounds a week after the first few weeks may increase your chances of developing gallstones (solid matter in the gallbladder that can cause pain). Being on a diet of fewer than 800 calories a day for a long time may lead to serious heart problems. Make healthy food choices. Half of your plate should be fruits and veggies.
Eat small portions. Use a smaller plate, weigh portions on a scale, or check the Nutrition Facts label for details about serving sizes. Build exercise into your daily life. Garden, go for family walks, play a pickup game of sports, start a dance club with your friends, swim, take the stairs, or walk to the grocery store or work. Combined, these habits may be a safe, healthy way to lose weight and keep it off.


TIP: Research suggests that safe weight loss involves combining a reduced-calorie diet with physical activity to lose 1/2 to 2 pounds a week (after the first few weeks of weight loss). Make healthy food choices. Eat small portions. Build exercise into your daily life. Combined, these habits may be a healthy way to lose weight and keep it off. These habits may also lower your chances of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.


Myth: Grain products such as bread, pasta, and rice are fattening. I should avoid them when trying to lose weight.

Fact: A grain product is any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or another cereal grain. Grains are divided into two subgroups, whole grains and refined grains. Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel—the bran, germ, and endosperm which is the part of a seed that acts as a food store for the developing plant embryo, usually containing starch with protein and other nutrients. Examples include wild and brown rice plus whole-wheat bread, cereal, and pasta. Refined grains have been milled, a process that removes the bran and germ part of the grain. This is done to give grains a finer texture and improve their shelf life, but it also removes dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins.

People who eat whole grains in correct portions as part of a healthy diet lower their chances of developing some chronic diseases. Your grains intake should be whole grains. For example, choose 100 percent whole-wheat certified organic bread instead of white bread, and wild and or brown rice instead of white rice.


TIP: To lose weight, reduce the number of calories you take in and increase the amount of physical activity you do each day. To be sure of the correct amount for you contact an accredited local dietician such as those at the hospital or health unit. Create and follow a healthy eating  plan that replaces less healthy options with a mix of fruits, veggies, whole grains, protein foods, and low-fat dairy:

•     Eat a mix of fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, fruits, veggies, and whole grains.
•     Limit added sugars, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and saturated fat.
•     Eat low-fat protein: beans, eggs, fish, lean meats, nuts, and poultry.

Myth: "Low-fat" or "fat-free" means no calories.

Fact: A serving of low-fat or fat-free food may be lower in calories than a serving of the full-fat product. But many processed low-fat or fat-free foods have just as many calories as the full-fat versions of the same foods—or even more calories. These foods may contain added flour, salt, starch, or sugar to improve flavor and texture after fat is removed. These items add calories.


TIP: Read the Nutrition Facts label 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: Lifting weights is not a good way to lose weight because it will make me "bulk up."

Fact: Lifting weights or doing activities like push-ups and crunches on a regular basis can help you build strong muscles, which can help you burn more calories. To strengthen muscles, you can lift weights, use large rubber bands (resistance bands), do push-ups or sit-ups, or do household or yard tasks that make you lift or dig. Doing strengthening activities 2 or 3 days a week will not "bulk you up." Only intense strength training, along with certain genetics, can build large muscles.


TIP: Government guidelines for physical activity recommend that adults should do activities at least 3 times a week to strengthen muscles. The guidelines also suggest that adults should get 150 to 300 minutes of moderately intense or vigorous aerobic activity each week—like brisk walking or biking. For more information call (250) 263-2156.


Myth: Physical activity only counts if I can do it for long periods of time.

Fact: You do not need to be active for long periods to achieve your 150 to 300 minutes of activity each week. Experts advise doing aerobic activity for periods of 10 minutes or longer at a time are acceptable for health benefit. You can spread these sessions out over the week. Though 30-60 min. per day is best and try new ways to make it fun like dancing, hiking, roller blading, playing tag or flag football with friends and family, or listening to music that makes you feel happy while walking your pet at a fast/brisk pace if your not ready or able to try jogging or running for cardio intervals which are short bursts of time linked together of moderate to intense activity such as: Walk 5 min.,  Jog for 1 min.,  Walk for 5 min.,  Jog for 1 min., Walk ...etc.

Here are some visual aids:

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