WEIGHT MANAGEMENT

Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD Medical Editor: William C. Shiel, Jr., MD, FACP, FACR A lifestyle that combines sensible eating with regular physical activity is the key to good health. To be at their best, adults need to avoid gaining weight, many need to lose weight, and some are underweight. Being overweight or obese increases your risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, certain types of cancer, arthritis, and breathing problems. A healthy weight is key to a long, healthy life. Evaluate Your Body If you are an adult, find out your BMI (click here for calculations). Not all adults who have a BMI in the range labeled "healthy" are at their most healthy weight. For example: Some may have lots of fat and little muscle. A BMI above the healthy range is less healthy for most people; but it may be fine if you have lots of muscle, a large body frame, and little fat. The further your BMI is above the healthy range, the higher your weight-related risk. If your BMI is above the healthy range, you may benefit from weight loss, especially if you have other health risk factors. BMIs slightly below the healthy range may still be healthy unless they result from illness. There is no single perfect body size for children. However, many children in the United States are overweight. If you have concerns about your child's body size, talk with your health care professional. Keep track of your weight and your waist measurement, and take action if either of them increases. If your BMI is greater than 25, at least try to avoid further weight gain. If you are middle-aged or elderly and your waist measurement increases, you are probably gaining fat and losing muscle. If so, take steps to eat less and become more active. Evaluate Your Weight (Adults): Weigh yourself and have your height measured. Find your BMI category. The higher your BMI category, the greater the risk for health problems. Measure around your waist while standing, just about your hip bones. If it is greater than 35 inches for women or 40 inches for men, you probably have excess abdominal fat. This excess fat may place you at greater risk of health problems, even if your BMI is about right. Find Out Your Other Risk Factors: The more of these risk factors you have, the more you are likely to benefit from weight loss if you are overweight or obese. Do you have a personal or family history of heart disease? Are you a male older than 45 years or a postmenopausal female? Do you smoke cigarettes? Do you have a sedentary lifestyle? Has your doctor told you that you have: high blood pressure; abnormal blood lipids (high LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides); diabetes? Manage Your Weight Our genes affect our tendency to gain weight. A tendency to gain weight is increased when food is plentiful and when we use equipment and vehicles to save time and energy. Plentiful food and labor-saving devices can make it very difficult to avoid weight gain, but it is possible to manage your weight through your food and physical activity choices. To make it easier to manage your weight, make long-term changes in your eating behavior and physical activity. Here are some tips to accomplish this: Build a healthy base and make sensible choices. Choose a healthful assortment of food that include vegetables, fruits, grains (especially whole grains), skim milk, and fish, lean meat, poultry, or beans. Choose foods that are low in fat and added sugars most of the time. Eating mainly vegetables, fruits, and grains helps you feel full, achieve good health, and manage your weight. • Whatever the food, eat a sensible portion size. Try to be more active throughout the day. To maintain a healthy weight after weight loss, it helps for adults to do at least 45 minutes of moderate physical activity daily (at least 60 minutes daily for children). Over time, even a small decrease in calories eaten and a small increase in physical activity can keep you from gaining weight or help you lose weight. Problems With Excessive Thinness (Underweight) Being too thin (underweight, often defined as having a BMI of less than 18.5) can occur with anorexia nervosa, with other eating disorders, or loss of appetite. Many chronic medical conditions, cancers, and infections can also result in weight loss to the point of being underweight. Being underweight is linked to menstrual irregularity (which can lead to infertility) and osteoporosis in women, and greater risk of early death in both women and men. Many people -- especially women -- are concerned about body weight, even when their weight is actually normal. Excessive concern about weight may cause or lead to unhealthy behaviors such as excessive exercise, self-induced vomiting, and the abuse of laxatives or other medications. These practices may only worsen the concern about weight. Unexplained weight loss is sometimes an early clue to a health problem. If you lose weight suddenly when you’re not attempting to reduce or you lose weight for unknown reasons, visit your doctor to determine if a medical condition is responsible for the weight loss. Reference: United States Department of Agriculture

WHAT IS AN ENERGY SYSTEM?

The body has three energy systems.

They are:

• The Phosphagen System - Provides short bursts of energy. Fatigues quickly, under 15 seconds, does not require oxygen, "anaerobic", or "without oxygen". Phosphocreatine converts to adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) and is utilized for energy when required. Used for Power-based exercise.
  
• The Glycolytic System - Provides short to intermediate bursts of energy lasting up to three minutes. Uses glucose derived from the carbohydrates we eat to form glycogen. Glycogen is stored in the muscles and liver. It is converted to adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) and utilized for energy when required. Does not require oxygen. By product is lactic acid which restricts conversion of glucose to ATP and prevents muscles from contracting. Used for power-endurance exercises.
  
• The Oxidative System - Provides long term energy for the body lasting up to three hours. This system uses oxygen, carbohydrates and fats as fuel. The rate of removal of lactic acid is faster than the rate of production which leads to longer exercise times. Used for distance exercises.

7 UNHEALTHY HABITS THAT PREVENT YOU FROM LOSING WEIGHT

By Frances Largeman, R.D.     Skipping Breakfast We all know the deal: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Still, many of us skip it thinking that it will help us shed pounds. In fact, this bad habit actually packs on the pudge. A recent study found that those who ate ready-to-eat breakfast cereal, hot cereal or even quick breads (like muffins and banana bread) had significantly lower BMIs (body mass indices) than those who skipped breakfast. Eating at Your Desk Everyone is time-crunched, so it makes sense these days to eat when and where we can — in the car, at our desks and in front of the TV. Unfortunately, when we tune into work or to our favorite show, we generally tune out healthy eating habits and don't pay attention to internal cues that tell us we're full. Make time for meals as often as you can. When you designate only the dining room, kitchen and restaurants as places to eat, you're less likely to be distracted and overeat. Cleaning Your Plate Calories add up. So, even that light pasta dish or bean burrito can add girth if you're taking in more calories than you're burning off. Beverages and snack foods are common culprits for including multiple servings in what looks to be a single-serving size container. Without thinking, you can down 180 to 240 calories in beverages that are otherwise healthy. Check the label and stick to the portion size, even if it means putting the rest in the fridge or taking home a doggie bag. Forgetting Fitness Many dieters think that just cutting back on calories will lead to lifelong weight loss. This works initially, but only for a while and often leads to yo-yo dieting. Studies show that most people who successfully lose weight and keep it off long-term do so by both cutting calories and adding regular exercise to their lives. Couch potatoes take heart: just 2,000 steps a day will go a long way toward keeping off unwanted pounds. Get a pedometer and get going! Late-night Monster This is by far one of the most common ways people sabotage their weight loss goals. They've been good all day and had a reasonable dinner. Then they plant themselves in front of the TV, where the munchie monster calls and they head for the chips or ice cream. Other folks are plagued by late-night eating due to long hours at the office. If this is your case, make sure to keep healthy snacks on hand so that you can make a smart choice about what to eat when you finally get home. Fat Phobia If you eschew fat of any kind and live in the land of fat-free food, you're not getting the bargain you hoped for. In addition to making food taste wonderful, fat also helps us feel satisfied. Cut it out of your diet and you'll feel the need to stock up on fat-free, but calorie-full foods, like cookies and pretzels. You're better off keeping your fat intake to about 30% of your total calories and enjoying small portions of your favorite foods once in a while. The Bar Scene Alcohol, no matter what form it comes in — beer, wine or spirits — packs on the calories mercilessly. Not only does alcohol contribute seven calories per gram, it also has the effect of making you eat more during a meal. You don't need to be a teetotaler; just try to stick to one drink (for women) or two drinks (for men) per day. If you're at a bar or a party, space each drink you have with a glass of water and avoid super-sugary and calorie-packed tropical and frozen drinks. Also, don't head out for a night on the town without eating something first. Otherwise, you'll fill up on nutrient-free alcohol and really hate yourself in the morning.

WANT A FASTER METABOLISM?

Want Faster Metabolism? Make More Muscle.


Our bodies store energy in two types of tissue: lean muscle and fat. Lean muscle is much more "active," burning calories at a significantly higher rate than fat does. According to studies by the American Council on Exercise, one pound of lean muscle can burn 35 to 50 calories a day, whereas a pound of fat burns only 2 to 3 calories a day!

Here's an example that illustrates the relationship between body composition and metabolism. Subject A is a woman who weighs 158 pounds and has a body fat level of 33%. Her resting metabolic rate (RMR) is 1571 calories daily. Subject B is a woman who also weighs 158 pounds, but has a body fat level of 48%. Her RMR is considerably lower, at 1252 calories daily. At the same weight, similar height and same age, these women have very different metabolic rates due to differences in body fat.

Clearly, the more lean muscle tissue you have, the more calories you burn.

This is where strength training (usually working with weights) can play a major role in weight loss and weight maintenance. Regular strength training increases lean muscle mass, which increases your body's overall, around-the-clock, at-rest calorie-burning capacity. A modest, 20-minute workout just 2 or 3 days a week is enough to make a difference in your metabolism.

www.timetogetfit.biz