Weight Loss

Weight Loss & Fitness

Getting Started

The first thing to understand is that diets do not work! This has been demonstrated in literature review.

They don’t work for a variety of reasons, number one is that most people can’t maintain or stick with a specific limited diet. However, bits and pieces of a diet are good. One study showed that successful weight loss can be achieved by choosing dietary recommendations you can live with.

Set Realistic Goals

Weight loss and improved fitness does not happen overnight. Your earliest target date should be one year. Lasting physiological changes require re-adaptation and the body needs time to do this. Drastic food restriction works against you. The body will slow your metabolism to keep things the way they are; a physiological fact.

Two things that work:  Dietary change and Exercise.

A high fiber, complex carbohydrate (whole grains, beans, vegetables and fruits), low fat diet with exercise is a key to weight reduction.

Most, if not all processed foods are high in simple carbs (anything sweet, breads, cereals, crackers, pastas, etc…), which are converted and stored in the body as fat when not burned as fuel. Limit processed foods entirely if possible. Processed foods are typically high in fat, salt, sugar and a variety of chemicals to enhance shelf life and flavor. Many if not most of the chemicals are synthetic and the body has no clue what to do with them. If the liver cannot process it, guess what, it gets stored away in fat and the body makes fat for storage centers.

With regard to low fat meats, most people are aware of this issue. If you are a red meat person go for the leaner cuts and reduce the amount & frequency as much as possible.

If you graze often with multiple small healthy portions throughout the day, this actually boosts your metabolism and cuts down on your appetite for regular meals.

Sweet drinks are likely the worst offender at putting weight on and artificial sweeteners have been implicated in a wide variety of negative health consequences so I would suggest avoiding these as well.

If your meals are high fiber you can get away with adding a little cheese or butter for flavor. Fiber actually binds with the fat in the gut and thus helps move it through without absorption into the body. Spice it up if you like, many spices have multiple healthy medicinal effects and benefits.

As far as exercise goes, there are multiple things you can do. The bigger muscles burn more fat (leg muscles) Find what you can and will do and do it! It’s a simple as that. Consistency is the key! If your fitness level is low take it slow. Too much too soon will set you back. Work your way up to 30 minutes or more per day. Exercise in what’s called a moderate rate of perceived exertion level of intensity. In other words, when you exercise you can tell if the exertion level is minimal, mild, moderate or heavy. This applies to aerobic forms of exercise but can be applied to other forms of exercise as well. A moderate rate of perceived exertion puts you in the fat burning zone. There’s science behind this. All you have to do is do it!

PAR-Q - The Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire

Take the PAR-Q Before You Start and Exercise Program

• Answer yes or no to the following questions:
  1. Has your doctor ever said that you have a heart condition and that you should only do physical activity recommended by a doctor?
  2. Do you feel pain in your chest when you do physical activity?
  3. In the past month, have you had chest pain when you were not doing physical activity?
  4. Do you lose your balance because of dizziness or do you ever lose consciousness?
  5. Do you have a bone or joint problem that could be made worse by a change in your physical activity?
  6. Is your doctor currently prescribing drugs (for example, water pills) for your blood pressure or heart condition?
  7. Do you know of any other reason why you should not do physical activity?
  If you answered yes:
  If you answered yes to one or more questions, are older than age 40 and have been inactive or are concerned about your health, consult a physician before taking a fitness test or substantially increasing your physical activity. You should ask for a medical clearance along with information about specific exercise limitations you may have.
  In most cases, you will still be able to do any type of activity you want as long as you adhere to some guidelines.
  If you answered no:
  If you answered no to all the PAR-Q questions, you can be reasonably sure that you can exercise safely and have low risk of having any medical complications from exercise. It is still important to start slowing and increase gradually. It may also be helpful to have a fitness assessment with a personal trainer or coach in order to determine where to begin.
  When to delay the start of an exercise program:
  • If you are not feeling well because of a temporary illness, such as a cold or a fever, wait until you feel better to begin exercising.
  • If you are or may be pregnant, talk with your doctor before you start becoming more active.

See your attending physician before exercise.