Scientists from University of Montreal are developing an appetite suppressing pill composed of leptin, the protein that tells the brain to stop eating.
Leptin regulates appetite in mammals and its levels decrease when fasting and rise during meals. It has been proven to be an appetite suppressant when administered intravenously to pathologically obese people. "Taken orally, such a pill would provide obese people with the sensation of being full. They would eat less and in turn lose weight," said postdoctoral student Philippe Cammisotto.
"We hope to start animal testing in 2010. The molecule is easy to synthesize and the protocol is ready,” added Moise Bendayan, a pathology professor at the Universite de Montreal Faculty of Medicine. The new pill is being created based on a startling Université de Montréal discovery from 2006, leptin isn't only secreted by fatty tissues. "From the first bite of any meal, leptin levels skyrocket in the bloodstream. Yet this has nothing to do with the leptin stored in the fatty tissues," says Bendayan. "In the lab, we proved that up to 80 percent of cells in our stomach also produce leptin. Those are the ones that regulate appetite," Bendayan added.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life/health-fitness/health/Weight-loss-pill-on-the-anvil/articleshow/5504357.cms
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
When Weight Loss Is the Ultimate Indicator of Success
by Michelle Cantrell
If you’ve read some of my more personal posts on VenusVision, or you otherwise know me, you know my body image and food issues go way back. In fact, my first diet was the Beverly Hills Diet at age 7. I don’t remember feeling fat at the time, but for some reason my mom and I went on this diet together (for the record, she wasn’t fat either). The main thing I remember about the diet — which I didn’t realize as such — was that all the nuts and dried fruit were having an “effect” on my digestive system. I was worried about all the trips to the bathroom, but my mom explained that the food was doing its work “cleaning out my system.”
Other early memories include giving my pudding away because I knew it would make me fat, and later on in elementary school, being offered incentives to lose weight (though again, I wasn’t fat, but perhaps on the high end of “normal” and therefore bigger than most of my peers).
The diets increased, though the weight loss never came, and as for so many girls and women it became nothing short of a quest. I was searching for the Holy Grail of weight loss because surely with it would come the label of success which I otherwise felt unable to reach.
I graduated from high school as an honor roll student after pulling my grades out of the gutter. But it didn’t mean anything when I put on my graduation dress and it was tight, revealing my large tummy. (As soon as I took off my graduation gown, I immediately changed out of my dress as well before anyone could see me in it.)
I graduated from college, again with high marks, but still didn’t feel as though I had reached success because I had not lost weight.
I earned a black belt in Karate, but could never stop thinking about how my Ghi pants never got looser during my training.
I ran half marathons, but felt defeated after looking at the race photos and seeing my flabby legs.
I birthed two children but always lamented my flabby middle from which they came.
I completed a triathlon, but worried about how I looked in my wet suit, and cropped the after-race photo before sharing with my friends to avoid showing my legs in my bike shorts.
No matter what great accomplishments I succeeded in, it was always overshadowed by one thing. My failure to lose weight.
Once, actually, I did manage to lose a fair amount of weight, reaching the lowest number on the scale I had ever seen as an adult. When I reached what I thought would be my “goal” weight, I wasn’t happy. That weight did not reveal the body I desired. So still, I felt like a failure.
And of course, any temporary weight loss I ever did manage to achieve was met with what seemed like far more recognition than any other accomplishment. I learned early on to judge others by their weight and assumed accordingly that every person judged me by mine.
So if I was able to do all of these other things, why couldn’t I succeed at the one thing I had been working at my whole life? At least that’s one way of looking at the situation. Of course, another way of looking at it was to ask myself why I defined success almost entirely by a number on a scale or the size clothing I was wearing? And, after living and thinking that way most of my life, how was I going to change that way of thinking?
Well, it’s taken a lot of work, much of which was done with the help of a professional. I have worked on reframing the constant barrage of negative thoughts that used to invade my head 24/7. In the past, I would take note of every body (not ‘everybody’ but EVERY BODY) that came into my visual range, and compare my body to theirs. Was I thinner or fatter than each person in the room, I would think to myself. Now I still notice everyone in the room, but instead of seeing what might be noted as flaws, I look for their unique characteristics that make them beautiful.
By judging others less on their appearance, and stopping the constant comparison of myself to them, I was able to begin the work of accepting my body, and end the cycle of constant dieting/deprivation/calorie counting that has made me miserable for so many years. Of course, there were many elements to my progress, many of which are highlighted in the article Celebrate Your Body.
I have come a long way, and most days, I can look in the mirror, noticing all the things about myself I used to see as flaws, and simply see them as they are — parts of me. At the same time, my reflection in the mirror has little do with any of the things I accomplish day to day. All of my successes, both large and small have come about through hard work and dedication, and are — I realize now — completely unrelated to a number on the scale.
Some days, every now and then, the old thoughts come creeping back in, and a voice starts telling me I am fat, but I know now that I need to ignore those voices, not just because they are negative, but because they are irrelevant. Yet, what I have noticed, is those days crop up when other things are bothering me, and I don’t want to — or don’t know how to — deal with them. Dealing with feelings of self loathing may be pretty terrible, but they are familiar. And like an abusive spouse, you sometimes take comfort in what you know, even if it’s unpleasant.
With new coping tools and more attention to self care, I am now able to concentrate on the deeper issues. The effort it takes to push back at times like this is considerable, but I also know I have come a long way, and the effort is worth it. More importantly, I can finally look at all of the amazing things I have accomplished and take pride in each of them, rather than feeling inadequate
http://venusvision.com/when-weight-loss-is-the-ultimate-indicator-of-success/
If you’ve read some of my more personal posts on VenusVision, or you otherwise know me, you know my body image and food issues go way back. In fact, my first diet was the Beverly Hills Diet at age 7. I don’t remember feeling fat at the time, but for some reason my mom and I went on this diet together (for the record, she wasn’t fat either). The main thing I remember about the diet — which I didn’t realize as such — was that all the nuts and dried fruit were having an “effect” on my digestive system. I was worried about all the trips to the bathroom, but my mom explained that the food was doing its work “cleaning out my system.”
Other early memories include giving my pudding away because I knew it would make me fat, and later on in elementary school, being offered incentives to lose weight (though again, I wasn’t fat, but perhaps on the high end of “normal” and therefore bigger than most of my peers).
The diets increased, though the weight loss never came, and as for so many girls and women it became nothing short of a quest. I was searching for the Holy Grail of weight loss because surely with it would come the label of success which I otherwise felt unable to reach.
I graduated from high school as an honor roll student after pulling my grades out of the gutter. But it didn’t mean anything when I put on my graduation dress and it was tight, revealing my large tummy. (As soon as I took off my graduation gown, I immediately changed out of my dress as well before anyone could see me in it.)
I graduated from college, again with high marks, but still didn’t feel as though I had reached success because I had not lost weight.
I earned a black belt in Karate, but could never stop thinking about how my Ghi pants never got looser during my training.
I ran half marathons, but felt defeated after looking at the race photos and seeing my flabby legs.
I birthed two children but always lamented my flabby middle from which they came.
I completed a triathlon, but worried about how I looked in my wet suit, and cropped the after-race photo before sharing with my friends to avoid showing my legs in my bike shorts.
No matter what great accomplishments I succeeded in, it was always overshadowed by one thing. My failure to lose weight.
Once, actually, I did manage to lose a fair amount of weight, reaching the lowest number on the scale I had ever seen as an adult. When I reached what I thought would be my “goal” weight, I wasn’t happy. That weight did not reveal the body I desired. So still, I felt like a failure.
And of course, any temporary weight loss I ever did manage to achieve was met with what seemed like far more recognition than any other accomplishment. I learned early on to judge others by their weight and assumed accordingly that every person judged me by mine.
So if I was able to do all of these other things, why couldn’t I succeed at the one thing I had been working at my whole life? At least that’s one way of looking at the situation. Of course, another way of looking at it was to ask myself why I defined success almost entirely by a number on a scale or the size clothing I was wearing? And, after living and thinking that way most of my life, how was I going to change that way of thinking?
Well, it’s taken a lot of work, much of which was done with the help of a professional. I have worked on reframing the constant barrage of negative thoughts that used to invade my head 24/7. In the past, I would take note of every body (not ‘everybody’ but EVERY BODY) that came into my visual range, and compare my body to theirs. Was I thinner or fatter than each person in the room, I would think to myself. Now I still notice everyone in the room, but instead of seeing what might be noted as flaws, I look for their unique characteristics that make them beautiful.
By judging others less on their appearance, and stopping the constant comparison of myself to them, I was able to begin the work of accepting my body, and end the cycle of constant dieting/deprivation/calorie counting that has made me miserable for so many years. Of course, there were many elements to my progress, many of which are highlighted in the article Celebrate Your Body.
I have come a long way, and most days, I can look in the mirror, noticing all the things about myself I used to see as flaws, and simply see them as they are — parts of me. At the same time, my reflection in the mirror has little do with any of the things I accomplish day to day. All of my successes, both large and small have come about through hard work and dedication, and are — I realize now — completely unrelated to a number on the scale.
Some days, every now and then, the old thoughts come creeping back in, and a voice starts telling me I am fat, but I know now that I need to ignore those voices, not just because they are negative, but because they are irrelevant. Yet, what I have noticed, is those days crop up when other things are bothering me, and I don’t want to — or don’t know how to — deal with them. Dealing with feelings of self loathing may be pretty terrible, but they are familiar. And like an abusive spouse, you sometimes take comfort in what you know, even if it’s unpleasant.
With new coping tools and more attention to self care, I am now able to concentrate on the deeper issues. The effort it takes to push back at times like this is considerable, but I also know I have come a long way, and the effort is worth it. More importantly, I can finally look at all of the amazing things I have accomplished and take pride in each of them, rather than feeling inadequate
http://venusvision.com/when-weight-loss-is-the-ultimate-indicator-of-success/
Monday, January 25, 2010
Weight Loss Devices on the Rise
Weight loss devices are becoming more and more popular among busy people who are hoping to lose weight. New applications for your iPhone and Blackberry offer useful tools to help users battle the bulge The battle against the bulge has gone high-tech with new devices designed to help busy people achieve weight loss success.
Sweden’s Karolinska Institute has released a gadget called the Mandometer, which is able to keep track of how much and how fast a person is eating during any given meal. If the subject eats too quickly, the Mandometer tells them to slow down. A British experiment tried the device on a group of obese children and found that in one year, their eating speed fell by 11 percent.
Then there are applications available for your BlackBerry and iPhone devices, which keep track of how much you eat and how many calories you can burn through physical activity.
Other new devices can actually measure your calorie expenditure as it happens, such as the BodyBugg. It’s an armband that contains four different sensors that tell you how many calories you’re eating and burning throughout the day. You can also program the device with your personal weight loss goals.
All these gadgets and gizmos sound exciting – but they still won’t do the work for you! However, they are great tools to help you reach your weight-loss goals throughout the next 11 months of the New Year.
http://www.weightlosssurgerychannel.com/breaking-wls-news/weight-loss-devices-on-the-rise.html/
Sweden’s Karolinska Institute has released a gadget called the Mandometer, which is able to keep track of how much and how fast a person is eating during any given meal. If the subject eats too quickly, the Mandometer tells them to slow down. A British experiment tried the device on a group of obese children and found that in one year, their eating speed fell by 11 percent.
Then there are applications available for your BlackBerry and iPhone devices, which keep track of how much you eat and how many calories you can burn through physical activity.
Other new devices can actually measure your calorie expenditure as it happens, such as the BodyBugg. It’s an armband that contains four different sensors that tell you how many calories you’re eating and burning throughout the day. You can also program the device with your personal weight loss goals.
All these gadgets and gizmos sound exciting – but they still won’t do the work for you! However, they are great tools to help you reach your weight-loss goals throughout the next 11 months of the New Year.
http://www.weightlosssurgerychannel.com/breaking-wls-news/weight-loss-devices-on-the-rise.html/
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Rapid Weight Loss Diet – How Do I Lose Weight Quickly?
Numerous people on diets stop eating as much food when they’re trying to shed extra weight. If you want to reduce your weight rapidly, you need to reduce your fat intake, reduce calories by eating less, and eating foods that contain less energy, as well as consume less foods that take an effort to burn off. Look at what you eat in a day and figure out how you can get rid of everything that is processed. Regardless of the amount of weight you need to lose, if you’ve made the decision to do so, follow the following advice and you can achieve your goal. Exercising more often and eating better is the most successful way to lose weight. Losing approximately a pound per week is an achievable goal that is highly recommended.
Rapid Weight Loss Diet tips.
1 – First, you need to set a goal you can really achieve. Talk to your doctor and use a BMI chart to determine the best weight for someone of your age and height. The safest weight loss goals are those that allow you to lose weight slowly. A safe weight loss is considered to be about .5 to 2 lbs every seven days.
2. A diet isn’t the way to lose weight in a permanent way, but you can change the way you live to achieve that. You will need to reduce how many calories you consume by reducing your portion size and selecting items that do not contain lots of calories. Exercising is also an important factor.
3. Look at your portions and realize that you can change the way that you enjoy food by staying away from choices that contain empty calories and unhealthy fats, like fast food and sweets. Minimize the amount of cholesterol, trans fats and saturated fats. There are better choices that are readily available to you, like whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans. The additional fiber of these food items will fill you up without contributing unnecessary calories.
4 – The majority of fitness professionals suggest that your low-calorie eating plan be combined with additional exercise. You can benefit from exercise, even if it is not strenuous. Some studies indicate that if you exercise twice a day this is just as useful as working out for an extended amount of time. Every day, you should be devoting half of an hour to exercise that is considered moderate, in order to achieve weight loss while staying healthy. Walking is a great method of getting exercise, and just about everybody can do it.
5. Essentially, managing your weight and keeping it off relies entirely upon creating realistic expectations and goals. With a set of sensible goals in place, it’s far more likely that you’ll attain them and the odds that you’ll keep the extra weight off are greater. When your life incorporates eating healthy and physical activity on a regular basis, your weight loss can easily be permanent.
I hope you’ve found those Rapid Weight Loss Diet tips helpful.
http://www.loseoverweight.com/diet-fitness/rapid-weight-loss-diet-how-do-i-lose-weight-quickly/
Rapid Weight Loss Diet tips.
1 – First, you need to set a goal you can really achieve. Talk to your doctor and use a BMI chart to determine the best weight for someone of your age and height. The safest weight loss goals are those that allow you to lose weight slowly. A safe weight loss is considered to be about .5 to 2 lbs every seven days.
2. A diet isn’t the way to lose weight in a permanent way, but you can change the way you live to achieve that. You will need to reduce how many calories you consume by reducing your portion size and selecting items that do not contain lots of calories. Exercising is also an important factor.
3. Look at your portions and realize that you can change the way that you enjoy food by staying away from choices that contain empty calories and unhealthy fats, like fast food and sweets. Minimize the amount of cholesterol, trans fats and saturated fats. There are better choices that are readily available to you, like whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans. The additional fiber of these food items will fill you up without contributing unnecessary calories.
4 – The majority of fitness professionals suggest that your low-calorie eating plan be combined with additional exercise. You can benefit from exercise, even if it is not strenuous. Some studies indicate that if you exercise twice a day this is just as useful as working out for an extended amount of time. Every day, you should be devoting half of an hour to exercise that is considered moderate, in order to achieve weight loss while staying healthy. Walking is a great method of getting exercise, and just about everybody can do it.
5. Essentially, managing your weight and keeping it off relies entirely upon creating realistic expectations and goals. With a set of sensible goals in place, it’s far more likely that you’ll attain them and the odds that you’ll keep the extra weight off are greater. When your life incorporates eating healthy and physical activity on a regular basis, your weight loss can easily be permanent.
I hope you’ve found those Rapid Weight Loss Diet tips helpful.
http://www.loseoverweight.com/diet-fitness/rapid-weight-loss-diet-how-do-i-lose-weight-quickly/
Saturday, January 16, 2010
New MindBodyFX Weight Loss Blog Reveals Mind Power is Key to Losing Weight
- Weight loss expert, Melonie Dodaro, teaches readers that losing weight
is more than good nutrition and regular exercise. It's about learning to harness the power of your mind to think in positive ways. One of the most important keys to a healthier body is believing you can lose weight.
Kelowna, BC, January 13, 2010 -- Many dieters say food is the enemy. Melonie Dodaro, founder and CEO of MindBody FX Weight Management Company, believes differently. She is teaching dieters that food is not their problem. It's their mindset. To get the word out, Dodaro has launched a new blog as a resource for anyone who has struggled to maintain
a healthy weight.
Dodaro's new blog, at blog.mindbodyfx.com, features articles by Dodaro, podcasts, videos, photos and more. The blog educates readers on how to change the way they think so they can overcome hunger and cravings. Eat healthier. Stay motivated. And recover from setbacks. Ultimately, they achieve their ideal weight. The advice and secrets Dodaro shares on the blog are taken from her weight loss program, The Complete MindBody FX Lifestyle Program: A Total Transformation System for Permanent Weight Loss, and her book, "The MindBody FX Lifestyle."
Initial topics covered on the blog include:
• Affirmation guidelines to achieve your ideal weight. (How to use affirmations to visualize the results you want to achieve.)
• What beliefs control your life. And your weight? (The No. 1 predictor of your weight loss success is not your sex, age, IQ, or heredity, but rather the belief you will succeed.)
• Three things you can do now to achieve your ideal weight. (Making healthy choices. Staying focused. Keeping a record of emotional triggers play core roles in reaching your ideal weight.)
"I've seen negative thinking and low self-esteem prevent millions of people from losing weight and keeping it off," says Dodaro. "But the same mind that creates these psychological barriers can also eliminate them. The mind is the difference between people achieving their weight loss goals, and wallowing in an endless cycle of yo-yo dieting. I started this blog because I saw the need to share my knowledge and secrets with more people. I wanted to help them enjoy all the health, happiness, and confidence they deserve."
The Complete MindBody FX Lifestyle Program ( bit.ly/CompleteMindBodyFXLifestyle ) is a system Dodaro developed after 10 years of owning several famous-name weight loss centers. At her centers, she saw dieters fail over and over again. Even though the programs were based on sound nutritional guidelines and personalized weight loss counseling. Dodaro realized the missing component was correcting the dieters' mindset, which was predominantly negative. After studying with some of the world's top health and mind experts, Dodaro developed The Complete MindBody FX Lifestyle Program. This program educates dieters on how to master "the mind-body connection," or change the way they think so they can achieve permanent weight loss. She has also written a new book, "The MindBody FX Lifestyle," ( www.mindbodyfx.com/book.html ) which covers many of these same principles. She teaches how to move past denial. Create new habits. And live a healthy and active lifestyle.
Both the press and public are invited to visit the MindBody FX blog or subscribe to the blog's RSS feed at blog.mindbodyfx.com. Comments are invited (and moderated). Journalists and bloggers interested in learning more about the blog or interviewing MindBody FX senior executives can email Media@MindBodyFX.com.
ABOUT MINDBODY FX WEIGHT MANAGEMENT COMPANY:
MindBody FX Weight Management Company is the developer of The Complete MindBody FX Lifestyle Program: A Total Transformation System for Permanent Weight Loss. The company was founded in 2009 by weight loss expert Melonie Dodaro. Dodaro spent three years developing The Complete MindBody FX Lifestyle Program after running health centers for 10 years. MindBody FX Weight Management Company is based in Kelowna, BC. For more information about MindBody FX, visit www.MindBodyFX.com and Blog.MindBodyFX.com.
is more than good nutrition and regular exercise. It's about learning to harness the power of your mind to think in positive ways. One of the most important keys to a healthier body is believing you can lose weight.
Kelowna, BC, January 13, 2010 -- Many dieters say food is the enemy. Melonie Dodaro, founder and CEO of MindBody FX Weight Management Company, believes differently. She is teaching dieters that food is not their problem. It's their mindset. To get the word out, Dodaro has launched a new blog as a resource for anyone who has struggled to maintain
a healthy weight.
Dodaro's new blog, at blog.mindbodyfx.com, features articles by Dodaro, podcasts, videos, photos and more. The blog educates readers on how to change the way they think so they can overcome hunger and cravings. Eat healthier. Stay motivated. And recover from setbacks. Ultimately, they achieve their ideal weight. The advice and secrets Dodaro shares on the blog are taken from her weight loss program, The Complete MindBody FX Lifestyle Program: A Total Transformation System for Permanent Weight Loss, and her book, "The MindBody FX Lifestyle."
Initial topics covered on the blog include:
• Affirmation guidelines to achieve your ideal weight. (How to use affirmations to visualize the results you want to achieve.)
• What beliefs control your life. And your weight? (The No. 1 predictor of your weight loss success is not your sex, age, IQ, or heredity, but rather the belief you will succeed.)
• Three things you can do now to achieve your ideal weight. (Making healthy choices. Staying focused. Keeping a record of emotional triggers play core roles in reaching your ideal weight.)
"I've seen negative thinking and low self-esteem prevent millions of people from losing weight and keeping it off," says Dodaro. "But the same mind that creates these psychological barriers can also eliminate them. The mind is the difference between people achieving their weight loss goals, and wallowing in an endless cycle of yo-yo dieting. I started this blog because I saw the need to share my knowledge and secrets with more people. I wanted to help them enjoy all the health, happiness, and confidence they deserve."
The Complete MindBody FX Lifestyle Program ( bit.ly/CompleteMindBodyFXLifestyle ) is a system Dodaro developed after 10 years of owning several famous-name weight loss centers. At her centers, she saw dieters fail over and over again. Even though the programs were based on sound nutritional guidelines and personalized weight loss counseling. Dodaro realized the missing component was correcting the dieters' mindset, which was predominantly negative. After studying with some of the world's top health and mind experts, Dodaro developed The Complete MindBody FX Lifestyle Program. This program educates dieters on how to master "the mind-body connection," or change the way they think so they can achieve permanent weight loss. She has also written a new book, "The MindBody FX Lifestyle," ( www.mindbodyfx.com/book.html ) which covers many of these same principles. She teaches how to move past denial. Create new habits. And live a healthy and active lifestyle.
Both the press and public are invited to visit the MindBody FX blog or subscribe to the blog's RSS feed at blog.mindbodyfx.com. Comments are invited (and moderated). Journalists and bloggers interested in learning more about the blog or interviewing MindBody FX senior executives can email Media@MindBodyFX.com.
ABOUT MINDBODY FX WEIGHT MANAGEMENT COMPANY:
MindBody FX Weight Management Company is the developer of The Complete MindBody FX Lifestyle Program: A Total Transformation System for Permanent Weight Loss. The company was founded in 2009 by weight loss expert Melonie Dodaro. Dodaro spent three years developing The Complete MindBody FX Lifestyle Program after running health centers for 10 years. MindBody FX Weight Management Company is based in Kelowna, BC. For more information about MindBody FX, visit www.MindBodyFX.com and Blog.MindBodyFX.com.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Jump start your weight loss
By Leslie Beck
Jump start your weight loss - The Globe and Mail: "The parties are over, the leftovers are eaten, and the lingering chocolates have been given away. Now, finally, you can get to the task at hand - tackling that excess weight you've resolved to shed this year.
For some, it's a matter of dropping only a few pounds that have crept on after a food-centred month. For others, 2010 goals involve losing 10, 15 or 20 plus pounds that have accumulated over the years - a task that requires motivation, focus and a willingness to work through the lapses.
Unfortunately, there are no special formulas, effortless plans or targeted exercises that melt the pounds away.
Being successful at losing weight and maintaining your weight loss requires dedication throughout the year and for years to come. It takes a slow and steady approach to making permanent changes to your eating habits.
The following strategies will jump start your weight loss this year and, most important, help you stay on track. Many of these key strategies, while they may not sound sexy, have worked for thousands of people. As I mentioned last week, maintaining healthy habits year round is the only sure way to keeping those New Year's resolutions to get rid of unwanted pounds.
Set realistic goals
First determine your healthy weight goal. Although there is some debate over what constitutes a healthy weight, a good definition for adults aged 18 to 65 is based on the body mass index (BMI), the ratio of your weight to height.
You'll find many BMI calculators online. Your weight is considered to be healthy if your BMI is between 20 and 25. (If you have a muscular build, your weight can be healthy at a higher BMI since muscle weighs more than fat.) Consider also your weight history over the past 10 to 20 years. What's the lowest weight you've comfortably maintained for a period of time - not a fleeting moment - during adulthood? Maintain perspective when choosing a weight goal. Avoid setting your sights on a weight that's impossible to achieve because your current lifestyle won't permit it.
You don't have to set a big goal
Losing as little as five to 10 per cent of your current body weight can lead to significant improvements in weight-related health conditions such as high-blood pressure, high-blood cholesterol and elevated blood sugar.
To stay motivated, set small goals that will help you meet the long-term one. Set out to lose five to eight pounds per month, rather than 25 pounds by summer.
Spread out your calories
For women, aim for 1,400 to 1,600 calories per day; men 1,800 to 2,100. Identify where you can cut 500 calories from your daily diet. By eliminating second helpings? Curbing nighttime snacking? Making smarter choices in the food court at lunch?
To prevent becoming overly hungry during the day, divide your calories over three meals and one or two snacks. Aim to eat every three hours to prevent overeating. Eat breakfast everyday to help stimulate your metabolism.
Plan for a midmorning snack and an afternoon snack. Healthy snacks that sustain your energy should contain protein and carbohydrates such as fruit and nuts, fruit and yogurt or a small energy bar. A general guide for snacks is 150 to 200 calories for women and 200 to 250 for men.
Be organized
Bring your snacks to work so you're not tempted to hit Starbucks or the vending machine. Grocery shop once or twice a week to ensure your kitchen is stocked with healthy foods.
If you buy your lunch each day, make lower calorie choices. Order a sandwich with lean protein and vegetables instead of a slice of pizza or a burger. Ask for a half portion of rice and extra vegetables when ordering a hot meal. Be leery of gigantic salads that can serve a family of four.
Even better, commit to bring your lunch to work most days. You'll save calories (and money) and know precisely what you're eating.
Stay focused on weekends
Be consistent during the week and on the weekend. Once you start giving yourself a few breaks on the weekend, you're more likely to ease off on Friday and then Thursday. Eventually those breaks will show up on the bathroom scale and you'll end up chasing the same two pounds each week.
Fat-proof your environment
Even if you're following a healthy plan, it can be difficult if there are cookies in the cupboard or ice cream in the freezer. Eventually those foods will call out to you, usually when you're bored or stressed.
To stay in control, keep 'off plan' foods out of the house. If the rest of the family doesn't buy in, ask them to keep their own treats out of sight.
Track your progress
The only way to know how you're doing is to measure your progress. Keep a food diary to stay focused on your goal. Use this diary to plan meals in advance; write down the foods and portion sizes you plan to eat the next day.
Weigh yourself on a weekly basis. Monitoring your weight provides motivation and impetus to keep on going. Avoid weighing everyday since normal daily fluctuations, mostly due to fluid gain, can be discouraging.
Consider keeping a graph of your weight loss to help you see the big picture. Seeing an overall downward trend on a weight-loss graph can help you cope with minor weight fluctuations.
Include exercise
You're more likely to succeed if you add regular exercise to your regime. Working out increases your motivation to stick to your plan. Physical activity also helps reduce stress, which otherwise might lead to overeating. And studies show that exercise is critical to prevent regaining your weight. Aim for 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise (e.g. brisk walking, jogging, stair climbing) most days of the week.
Get enough sleep
A lack of sleep can derail a weight loss plan. When your energy lags you're more likely to reach for something sugary to give you a boost. Feeling tired also reduces the motivation to exercise.
Sleep deprivation also alters hormones that regulate appetite. Getting too little sleep is thought to increase production of ghrelin, the hormone that tells us we're hungry, and decrease production of leptin, the hormone that tells us we're full.
Adults need seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Children and teenagers need nine to 10 hours each night.
Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based dietitian at the Medcan Clinic, is on CTV's Canada AM every Wednesday. Her website is lesliebeck.com.
Jump start your weight loss - The Globe and Mail: "The parties are over, the leftovers are eaten, and the lingering chocolates have been given away. Now, finally, you can get to the task at hand - tackling that excess weight you've resolved to shed this year.
For some, it's a matter of dropping only a few pounds that have crept on after a food-centred month. For others, 2010 goals involve losing 10, 15 or 20 plus pounds that have accumulated over the years - a task that requires motivation, focus and a willingness to work through the lapses.
Unfortunately, there are no special formulas, effortless plans or targeted exercises that melt the pounds away.
Being successful at losing weight and maintaining your weight loss requires dedication throughout the year and for years to come. It takes a slow and steady approach to making permanent changes to your eating habits.
The following strategies will jump start your weight loss this year and, most important, help you stay on track. Many of these key strategies, while they may not sound sexy, have worked for thousands of people. As I mentioned last week, maintaining healthy habits year round is the only sure way to keeping those New Year's resolutions to get rid of unwanted pounds.
Set realistic goals
First determine your healthy weight goal. Although there is some debate over what constitutes a healthy weight, a good definition for adults aged 18 to 65 is based on the body mass index (BMI), the ratio of your weight to height.
You'll find many BMI calculators online. Your weight is considered to be healthy if your BMI is between 20 and 25. (If you have a muscular build, your weight can be healthy at a higher BMI since muscle weighs more than fat.) Consider also your weight history over the past 10 to 20 years. What's the lowest weight you've comfortably maintained for a period of time - not a fleeting moment - during adulthood? Maintain perspective when choosing a weight goal. Avoid setting your sights on a weight that's impossible to achieve because your current lifestyle won't permit it.
You don't have to set a big goal
Losing as little as five to 10 per cent of your current body weight can lead to significant improvements in weight-related health conditions such as high-blood pressure, high-blood cholesterol and elevated blood sugar.
To stay motivated, set small goals that will help you meet the long-term one. Set out to lose five to eight pounds per month, rather than 25 pounds by summer.
Spread out your calories
For women, aim for 1,400 to 1,600 calories per day; men 1,800 to 2,100. Identify where you can cut 500 calories from your daily diet. By eliminating second helpings? Curbing nighttime snacking? Making smarter choices in the food court at lunch?
To prevent becoming overly hungry during the day, divide your calories over three meals and one or two snacks. Aim to eat every three hours to prevent overeating. Eat breakfast everyday to help stimulate your metabolism.
Plan for a midmorning snack and an afternoon snack. Healthy snacks that sustain your energy should contain protein and carbohydrates such as fruit and nuts, fruit and yogurt or a small energy bar. A general guide for snacks is 150 to 200 calories for women and 200 to 250 for men.
Be organized
Bring your snacks to work so you're not tempted to hit Starbucks or the vending machine. Grocery shop once or twice a week to ensure your kitchen is stocked with healthy foods.
If you buy your lunch each day, make lower calorie choices. Order a sandwich with lean protein and vegetables instead of a slice of pizza or a burger. Ask for a half portion of rice and extra vegetables when ordering a hot meal. Be leery of gigantic salads that can serve a family of four.
Even better, commit to bring your lunch to work most days. You'll save calories (and money) and know precisely what you're eating.
Stay focused on weekends
Be consistent during the week and on the weekend. Once you start giving yourself a few breaks on the weekend, you're more likely to ease off on Friday and then Thursday. Eventually those breaks will show up on the bathroom scale and you'll end up chasing the same two pounds each week.
Fat-proof your environment
Even if you're following a healthy plan, it can be difficult if there are cookies in the cupboard or ice cream in the freezer. Eventually those foods will call out to you, usually when you're bored or stressed.
To stay in control, keep 'off plan' foods out of the house. If the rest of the family doesn't buy in, ask them to keep their own treats out of sight.
Track your progress
The only way to know how you're doing is to measure your progress. Keep a food diary to stay focused on your goal. Use this diary to plan meals in advance; write down the foods and portion sizes you plan to eat the next day.
Weigh yourself on a weekly basis. Monitoring your weight provides motivation and impetus to keep on going. Avoid weighing everyday since normal daily fluctuations, mostly due to fluid gain, can be discouraging.
Consider keeping a graph of your weight loss to help you see the big picture. Seeing an overall downward trend on a weight-loss graph can help you cope with minor weight fluctuations.
Include exercise
You're more likely to succeed if you add regular exercise to your regime. Working out increases your motivation to stick to your plan. Physical activity also helps reduce stress, which otherwise might lead to overeating. And studies show that exercise is critical to prevent regaining your weight. Aim for 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise (e.g. brisk walking, jogging, stair climbing) most days of the week.
Get enough sleep
A lack of sleep can derail a weight loss plan. When your energy lags you're more likely to reach for something sugary to give you a boost. Feeling tired also reduces the motivation to exercise.
Sleep deprivation also alters hormones that regulate appetite. Getting too little sleep is thought to increase production of ghrelin, the hormone that tells us we're hungry, and decrease production of leptin, the hormone that tells us we're full.
Adults need seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Children and teenagers need nine to 10 hours each night.
Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based dietitian at the Medcan Clinic, is on CTV's Canada AM every Wednesday. Her website is lesliebeck.com.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)