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
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
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
Whether you are losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight it is recommended you have two or more servings of fruit and three or more servings of veges each day. It would appear many of us are not eating this much fruit and veges.
The State Indicator Report on Fruit and Vegetables, 2009 reports that only 33% of adults eat sufficient fruit and 27% eat sufficient vegetables. The report notes ways of getting us to eat more fruit and veges. This includes getting us while we are still young through schools increasing student access to fruit and vegetables as well as teaching nutrition.
The report repeats the importance of fruit and vegetables in optimal child growth, maintaining a healthy weight and preventing diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.
U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, September, 2009
While eating fruit and veges is healthier for you than eating processed food full of refined sugar it is possible to take this further and be selective in the fruit and vegetables you consume when losing weight. To lose weight successfully focus on the fruit and vegetables with a lower glycemic load. This is fully covered in my book “Enjoy Losing Weight”.
So, for overall health and to achieve and maintain permanent weight loss include sufficient fruit and vegetables in your daily diet.
Eat well, Keith
High protein diets have been promoted as the way to lose weight. Do they work and are they safe?
Proteins are essential and make up about 15% of our body. The average person needs 50 – 65 gm of protein each day and most Americans get or exceed their protein requirements.
It appears weight loss is more related to calorie intake rather than protein intake. In other words, dont eat too much carbohydrate, fat and protein, the three sources of calories.
There may be insufficient data to determine if excess protein causes harm. However Zeratsky notes that excess protein is converted to fat or excreted by the kidneys and liver. Excessive waste products have shown to damage the kidneys. Zeratsky also notes that if you are on a long-term high protein diet you may be limiting the amount of healthy food you are eating such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
News in Health, March, 2008
K Zerassky, MayoClinic.com, June, 2008
So eat a balance of food to lose weight. Get adequate protein but don’t forget your fruit and veges.
While a high protein diet may also be a low-glycemic diet and allow you to lose weight you can get the benefits of a low-glycemic diet through eating a balance of protein, carbohydrate and good fat. This will provide for longer term healthy weight loss.
Regards, Keith
Syndrome X or the metabolic syndrome was first identified in the 1980s. A grouping of metabolic related issues were linked with heart disease and diabetes. A person has the metabolic syndrome if they have abdominal obesity (for European males a waist measurement of 37 inches / 94 cm and for European females a waist measurement of 31.5 inches / 80 cm) and two of the following four factors:
1. raised blood pressure
2. raised triglceride (a type of fat in the blood)
3. reduced HDL (good cholesterol)
4. raised fasting blood glucose (type 2 diabetes)
Genetics, poor diet, inactivity, smoking and excessive alcohol can contribute to the metabolic syndrome. It is believed the metabolic syndrome is widespread in the western world with many people (literally millions) unaware they have the condition. The high rates of type 2 diabetes which in turn lead to increased risk of heart attack and stroke are predicted to increase.
Insulin resistance has now been identified as the underlying condition of metabolic syndrome. See the recent blog on insulin resistance.
What is the likelihood you have the metabolic syndrome or are at risk of developing it?
If you have it or are at risk – do something to address the situation!
regards, Keith
Insulin is released by the pancreas when carbohydrates are eaten. The insulin assists in the process of converting carbohydrate into glucose and transfering the glucose into the body’s cells. Insulin resistance is a condition in which the pancreas produces excessive insulin to deal with carbohydrates. This results in extremes in glucose in the blood and in insulin converting some glucose into fat as the blood glucose level drops (hypoglycemia) – when the glucose is most needed.
A high carbohydrate diet, particularly when large amounts of refined carbohydrate are consumed, and being over-weight are contributors to insulin resistance. A negative cycle establishes whereby insulin resistance leads to further weight gain.
Insulin resistance causes type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases and is believed to be widespread in populations where high carbohydrate diets and obesity are common.
Insulin resistance can be reduced through a low glycemic diet. This evens out glucose and insulin levels and can be used to manage weight loss. Regular exercise such as walking increases the muscles requirements for glucose and assists the body return to functioning normally.
Eat well, regards Keith
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