Chose to lose weight to a level that doesn't compromise your health nor quality of life.
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I have found to lose weight I need to focus on what I am eating. Exercise has not been that helpful in directly losing weight. For unfit people my suggestion is you can improve your overall health by losing weight through managing what you eat.
While low glycemic diets are generally only recommended for people with diabetes I believe they provide excellent eating principles for all of us.
However you should not avoid exercise for ever. Consider slowly increasing your activity levels. You do want to exercise regularly as long term health is dependent on being moderately fit. Putting my money where my mouth is you will note from my other blogs I keep myself fit through regular and varied exercise.
The importance of exercise has been reinforced by a study that compared dieting with dieting and exercise. While the weight loss was similar across both groups the group that exercised improved their blood pressure, cholesterol and insulin sensitivity more than the group that did not.
Reference: Enette Larson-Meyer, Ph.D., R.D., assistant professor, family and consumer science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyo.; Walt Thompson, Ph.D., professor, kinesiology, Georgia State University, Atlanta; January 2010, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
Eat well and consider what exercise you would enjoy doing and how you can motivate yourself to undertake this exercise regularly.
Follow my guidance in Enjoy Losing Weight if you are over-weight.
Regards, Keith
The American Diabetes Association is warning the number of diabetes cases is predicted to double. The two main drivers are the aging population and increasing rates of obesity.
While we can’t address the aging issue on an individual basis we can minimise the risk we will develop diabetes. Reduce weight through eating well is the main priority as being obese appears to be a major risk factor in developing diabetes.
An important element is controlling blood glucose levels. While a low glycemic diet has been recommended for people that already have diabetes or have recognised symptoms I recommend such a diet for everyone and follow the general principles myself. While a low glycemic diet sounds like it is a ‘medical treatment’ it can better be termed a common sense approach to eating well!!!
Keeping fit through regular exercise also helps overall wellbeing as well as contributing directly to reducing the risk of diabetes.
Eat well, exercise, feel great
Keith
We are bringing up a generation that will need to lose weight.
As parents we are concerned about road safety and stranger danger. However we seem to be less vigilant about a widespread danger to our kids. We appear to be compromising their health at an increasingly younger age. While historically many adults have drifted into obesity in middle age we are raising a generation that will enter adulthood obese. Not the proudest of legacies!
An investigation of children’s meals at fast food outlets found only 3% met the standards set by the National School Lunch Program. The average energy density of the meals that failed the standards was 2.3 calories per gram compared with 1.5 in the standards. Of the meals that failed 65% had too much fat while the levels of a number of key nutrients were inadequate.
reference: J.M. Mendoza, “Kids, Fast Food, & Obesity: Menu Reviews From a Houston Pediatrician” Agricultural Research, October 2009
To read the article click on: article
Lets make sure our kids eat well and enter adulthood healthy. It will then be up to them to determine their future health and hopefully they will follow the guidance provided to them in their formative years.
regards, Keith
Researchers have found adequate sleep levels were a factor in workers making healthy food choices.
reference: O.M Buxton et al, Vol 99, No. S3, American Journal of Public Health, November 2009,
While the research has relevance for workplace practices we can take the finding on board personally. If we are not sleeping properly we are more likely to make poorer choices about what we eat.
Sleep well, Keith
While you may have a natural tendancy to put on fat easily you can lose weight and control weight loss whatever genes you have.
A review of an article in the November 2009 issue of the Journal of Nutrition reported on research regarding a possible link between genes and the propensity to develop belly fat. It was found the presence of various genetic factors increased the ease at which individuals put on body fat. It was noted some participants were consuming excessive saturated fat.
While there were genetic links to obesity there was not a link between genetic traits and the risk of developing metabolic syndrome. (See blog on metabolic syndrome)
Probably the most interesting comment from the study is – “while we may have a genetic disposition to obesity we are largely in control of our weight.”
According to Health Day the orginal source can be found in Journal of Nutrition, November 2009.
To source the article click on: Health Day review of article
regards, Keith
A recent study reported participants on a low fat diet had an improved mood compared with those on a high fat – very low carbohydrate diet. While both diets had contributed to similar weight loss over a year the better mood may contribute to more successful long term weight loss for those on the low fat diet.
Click here to access the article: Archives of Internal Medicene, November 2009 article abstract
What I find amazing is that science is still spending so much resource investigating low fat and low carbohydrate diets in the first place. It is increasingly clear low fat/carbohydrate are only short term fixs. Until the mindset is firmly on adequate / balanced eating habits the results of diets will be short lived and disappointing.
Eat good fat, carbohydrate and protein in moderation…
The only low diet I recommend is a low glycemic diet and the main things that this diet is low in are the high sugar foods that are the major contributors to the health crises we face today – including obesity and metabolic syndrome.
regards, Keith
A recent study indicates excessive red meat, particularly cooked at high temperature, may increase the risk of prostate cancer.
To access the article click on the link: Meat and Meat-related Compounds and Risk of Prostate Cancer in a Large Prospective Cohort Study in the United States
regards, Keith
A recent study found Latino adolescents who increased their fiber intake reduced the amount of fat around their waists.
reference: J.N. Davis et al, American Journal of Nutrition, November, 2009
While the authors were cautious about generalising from these results its worth considering how they might apply to the rest of us. How much fiber are you currently consuming? It is likely many people could improve their overall diet by increasing their fiber levels. One of the possible benefits might be a reduction in belt size!
For fiber look to fruit and veges as the best sources. If you eat an orange rather than have an orange drink you get the fiber as well as the vitamin C!
And, if you’re really interested in reducing your belt size consider getting my book Enjoy Losing Weight. I reduced my waist measurement by many inches (and enjoyed doing it). Whats more my waist has remained the same size since.
regards, Keith
We’re told to lose weight to stay trim and to keep active. However, will this really lead to better health, particularly as we age?
A study looked at the relation between body mass index, exercise, overall health, and physical functioning in people in their fifties. Results indicate maintaining ideal body weight is important in preventing decline in overall health and physical functioning. However, regular exercise can reduce the risk of health decline even among individuals who cannot achieve ideal weight.
The findings reinforce the importance of eating well to maintain weight and losing weight if need be. I recall another study finding over 30% of middle aged people are overweight. This would indicate many of us are at risk of poor health and would benefit from losing weight. The value of exercise is also reinforced and indicates the importance of maintaining activity whatever our age.
So eat well and keep moving, Keith
reference: Xiaoxing Z. He, MD, MPH and David W. Baker, September 2004, Vol 94, No. 9, American Journal of Public Health
Watching what you are eating to lose weight? Eating a diet high in fruit and vegetables to lose weight safely may also protect you from getting depression.
A Mediterranean type diet has been found to reduce the risk of depression by 30%. Fruits, vegetables and olive oil were associated with even lower levels of risk. This was attributed to their effect on nerve cell growth and functioning and the availability and effectiveness of seratonin.
Source: M.A. Martinez-Gonzalez & D. Mischoulon, Archives of General Psychiatry, October, 2009
By selecting fruit and vegetables with a low glycemic index you can combine the benefits of a Mediterranean type diet and a low glycemic diet to lose weight effectively and permanently, and obtain other health benefits at the same time.
regards, Keith
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