WEIGHT LOSS SUCCESS. How You Can Lose That Weight AND Keep It Off. Kindle Edition. |
In the USA alone more than 90 million people are obese and millions more are overweight, according to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, but a recent study shows that not many people are actually doing anything about it.
Researchers found that three-quarters of those they surveyed are concerned about their weight and 65 percent are worried about getting heart disease due to extra pounds yet less than half actually tried to make any life style changes to lose weight.
The findings also discovered that many Americans don’t fully understand the relationship between extra weight and their general health.
Nearly 20 percent of those surveyed said they believe their diet has nothing to do with their heart health, more than 50 percent didn’t know that obesity is linked to high “bad” cholesterol levels and 65 percent said they didn’t know being obese could lead to a stroke.
According to Steven Nissen, M.D., chairman of Cardiovascular Medicine at Cleveland Clinic, “Most Americans understand abstractly that being overweight or obese is not good for your health, but it seems we are not grasping that the leading causes of death and disability — stroke, cancer, coronary artery disease — are all adversely affected by increased weight, we need to do a better job of educating patients and the public about the major consequences of carrying excess weight and the benefits of losing weight.”
So what’s the best way to achieve our weight loss goals?
Almost everyone recognises that physical activity is important but few understand that weight loss starts with what we put on our plates.
Exercise is good, no, exercise is essential, but it’s diet that really does the job, and it’s not only how much we eat but it’s the quality of food we eat that makes a difference.
Dietary Guidelines.
The United States Department of Agriculture’s dietary guidelines for Americans emphasise a healthy eating plan that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as well as lean meats, fish, and beans.
Specifically, the USDA says most adults should be getting 3 to 5 servings of vegetables and 2 to 4 servings of fruit per day.
What that means is that half of the food we put on our plates should be fruit and veg.
Fats, salt and sugar should be limited.
The Mediterranean Diet.
The Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains, along with healthy fats like olive oil, nuts and avocados.
A number of studies have shown the Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of heart disease and may have numerous other health benefits, including reduction of LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol, as well as a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and cancer.
One study published in British Journal of Nutrition even found following a Mediterranean diet was related to a 25 percent reduced chance of death from any cause.
Dash Diet.
The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is another good option to consider.
The DASH eating plan was originally designed to help manage blood pressure, but experts say it has many overall health benefits.
The diet emphasises healthy food sources, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, skinless poultry and fish, nuts and legumes and it suggests limiting the consumption of red meat, salt, and sweets.
The DASH diet has been proven to help lower blood pressure and studies suggest it may also decrease the risk of diabetes and help fight depression.
Healthy Eating Habits.
Specialists recommend staying away from fad diets for weight loss.
So called “detox” diets and the currently fashionable ketogenic, or keto diet are best avoided as they are not sustainable in the long run.
In addition to following a healthy diet, scientific research has found certain habits may make it easier to shed that extra weight.
A 2018 study published in the journal BMJ Open that tracked the eating habits of nearly 60,000 people found that eating more slowly, avoiding snacks after dinner, and not eating within two hours before going to bed were all linked to weight loss.
It seems there’s a lot to be said for closing the kitchen after dinner.
To stay on track it’s also recommended that we see a qualified dietitian who can help individualise a healthy eating plan that’s going to work for each of us.
It may also be a good idea to check with your health insurance company to see if the cost of seeing that dietitian is claimable.
One last thing, it is important to plan ahead.
We should sit down with our family and plan what we’re going to eat during the week.
That’s will help us to avoid food waste, save money and get our kids and family involved in our weight loss journey.
As always your thoughts are very welcome, please leave your comments below, thanks,
John.
