MEDICAL CARE ASSOCIATES, INC

Q. It seems we're all guilty of setting a goal to lose weight and then not following through. What are some ways to help people start and stick with their weight loss goals this summer? 

1. Believe in yourself. Nothing is impossible.
2. Pick a date to start an exercise schedule or a diet plan.
3. Set realistic goals. Losing 1-2 pounds per week is reasonable.
4. Understand that weight loss is a lifelong process and just like any other process there will be ‘ups’ and ‘downs’
5. Maintain a food and exercise log. You learn the most from your own records and will be able to incorporate better habits if you can see the mistakes you’ve made.
6. Weigh less-do not weight yourself everyday, once a week should be fine.
7. Eat home cooked meals. Dining out should be limited to once per week. Not only will it save you money, but will also limit the calories.
8. Eat a healthy breakfast . This prevents binge eating arising because of prolonged overnight fasting and provides you with more energy throughout the day.
9. Pack a home lunch vs ordering with the rest of your colleagues.

Q. Do you have any tips for jump starting weight loss? What about advice on doing it safely? 

1. Calorie reduction is the key to weight loss initially, however regular physical exercise is of prime importance in maintaining the weight.
2. Avoid the fad diets. It is not practical to adhere to them for the rest of your life.
3. Find an everyday eating plan that not only keeps the pounds off but also provides the right balance of calories and nutrition. This is possible with a little educational effort on your part.
4. Avoid using over the counter meds for weight loss without consulting your physician. Most of these are not FDA approved hence safety profile is not known.
   
   

Q. What are some helpful diet tips, such as keeping a food journal or cutting liquid calories, that can help with weight loss?

1. Fat free does not mean calorie free. Keeping that in mind, check the caloric content of the foods you buy. Some food that are fat free are very high in sugars that in turn raises the calories.

     2.   Learn to read the nutrition label. Look at the serving size and calories per serving. You want to get less of the fats and more of the protein and fiber. Pay special attention to the % daily value. The % DV section tells you the percent of each nutrient in a single serving, in terms of the daily recommended amount. As a guide, if you want to consume less of a nutrient (such as saturated fat, cholesterol or sodium), choose foods with a lower % DV — 5 percent or less is low. If you want to consume more of a nutrient (such as fiber), seek foods with a higher % DV — 20 percent or more is high. 

     3.  Reduce portion size. This is one of the key elements in maintaining weight loss. You can cook a healthy meal and divide it into small portions and freeze it for future use.

4. Plan ahead of time for parties, holidays and eating at restaurants. Order one entrée and share it or put half of it aside to take home for the next day.

5. Stay away from palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil and cocoa butter. Although they are vegetable oils and have no cholesterol, they are high in saturated fats.

6. Buy a non stick pan or use nonstick vegetable spray when cooking.

7. Use fat free or reduced fat dressings and marinades to keep the calories low.

8. Limit desserts to just ,once a week . If you must have something everyday ,buy a chocolate bar and divide it into 7-10 portions so that you can eat little daily. You should limit the calories from your daily dessert to just 75 cals.

9. Pack your own healthy snacks for munching. Usually fresh veggies and small piece of fruit will give you less than 50 cals at a time ( eg; 1 small apple ). You can also try the nutrition bars once or twice a week for snacking. They usually have more calories, but you have to give yourself a break too. Look for the bars that provide less than 100 cals.

10. Meal substitutions eg; with frozen dinners or nutrition bars and shakes intended for weight loss are good if you are on a strict calorie count. You can use these to substitute you meal couple times a week, but it would not be practical to use these for every meal.

11. Liquid calories- Substitute fat free milk for whole milk. Avoid fruit juices, they usually have a lot of calories and do not provide as much fiber as fresh fruit. You may want to try light lemonade which usually has 15 cals per serving or sports drinks like Gatorade/powerade as these have much less calories and provide electrolyte replacement which is required in the summer months.

12. When eating at fast food places, ask for grilled sandwiches vs crispy sandwiches. Most places now carry low fat dressing and low fat milk. Try to avoid red meat.

13. Egg substitutes  are better than the egg yolks in terms of calories and cholesterol content.

Q. For the person who hates the gym or treadmill, what are some exercise tips or workouts they can perform to help jump start their weight loss? 

1. Assuming that you have no limiting medical problems, you can substitute a gym workout with something that you may enjoy better like roller blading, swimming, dancing, ice skating, tennis ,bicycling etc.30 mins of any of these will also burn the same number of calories as running on the treadmill for 30 mins.
2. Walking at a brisk pace for 30 mins daily usually helps burn 200-300 cals (depending on your weight).
3. For those who are limited because of their medical conditions, water aerobics is good option.
4. If you have never exercised before , start slow. Start with 5 mins and increase by 5 mins everyday until you reach your goal of 20-30 mins. It will only take you a week to do that.If you start with 30 mins ,you will be too sore to exercise the next day and that will be disappointing and frustrating .

Q. What are the key take home points?

1. Weight loss is a behavioural change that comes with time. Patience and a positive attitude are the key.
2. Use community resources for education that is imperative to a successful weight  loss program.
3. If you have gained weight that you previously managed to lose, don’t be disappointed. Look back at your journals and try to find out what you are doing different now that is making you gain more.
4. Try to be consistent with your eating habits. If you break the rule once you are likey to break them more often.
5. There is no ‘one size fits all’ in weight loss programs. You have to develop your own program based on your lifestyle and schedule.

Resources:

1. American heart association website www.americanheart.org

The information in this article is intended to provide general guidelines only. It should not be used as as substitute for health care visits or dietician visits. Please discuss medical treatment options for weight loss with your healthcare provider.

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