Weight Management Success

Category: Diet and Nutrition

Successful weight management includes weight loss and weight maintenance. Research reports that only about one-third of people who lose weight are able to maintain their weight loss. Experts have found that successful weight management depends on a positive change in lifestyle, where long-term weight loss and maintenance is a natural result of healthy diet and exercise. Studies continue to show that the conventional prescription for achieving and maintaining your best weight is still the healthiest - through lifestyle education, eating a healthful, balanced diet of fat, protein and carbohydrates, cutting calories, and 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity daily. To help you successfully manage your weight, the American Heart Association offers the following guidelines:

1. Set realistic expectations for weight loss -
Focus on losing one pound a week, not the total pounds you want or need to lose. Concentrating on a weight loss goal of 20 or more pounds may be overwhelming and discouraging to many individuals. Any weight loss is a victory, as long as it is sustained. Enlist help from family and friends, or get professional help from a weight loss organization, health club, nutritionist or personal trainer.

2. Enjoy daily exercise-
Exercise is vital to successful weight loss. To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume. You can increase the calories you burn by increasing the amount you exercise. Focus on doing aerobic activities you enjoy such as walking, aerobics, jogging, swimming and/or biking, for 30 to 60 minutes daily. In addition to burning calories, daily exercise will condition your heart and lungs, boost your metabolism, and may reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer.

3. Eat a balanced diet-
To lose and maintain your desired weight, the American Heart Association recommends a varied, balanced diet rich in plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes (beans). They also recommend fat-free and low-fat dairy products, two weekly servings of fish, and eating small portions of lean meats and poultry. Eliminate saturated fats (found in animal products and tropical oils) and trans fatty acids (partially hydrogenated oils found in hard margarines and packaged baked goods) from your diet. Instead, include healthy fats (olive oil, expeller-pressed canola oil, and flaxseed oil) in your diet.


REFERENCES:
1. AHA Dietary Guidelines Revision 2000: A Statement for Healthcare Professionals from the Nutrition Committee of the American Heart Association. Circulation 2000 Oct31;102(18):2284-99.

2. Gavalas E. The Yoga Minibook for Weight Loss. Simon & Schuster, 2003.

Posted by Elaine Gavalas on January 26, 2014 10:00 AM