Secret to weight loss is out :Integrative medicine

October 20, 2004

By Courtnie Shatwell

What we eat and how much we exercise influences our weight, and our weight influences our chance of developing diseases such as diabetes, certain types of cancer, arthritis, cardiovascular disease and sleep apnea.

If your weight is in the "healthy" range as defined by Body Mass Index (18 to 24.9 is considered healthy) and you haven't gained more than 10 pounds since your 21st birthday, you're on the road to good health.

What about those who aren't at a healthy weight and who have gained more than 10 pounds since turning 21? Are we doomed? No. But we should realize we are headed in the wrong direction.

Is there a safe way to turn the other direction? You bet. The secret is out and it's not complex. Experts analyzed a group of nearly 3,000 people who have joined the National Weight Control Registry. To join the NWCR, a person must have successfully lost 30 pounds and kept it off for more than a year. What experts found were the secrets to successful weight loss.

The group's first secret was that they all exercised, burning an average of 400 calories per day. Although this may be an unrealistic goal for some, it's important to remember everyone needs to start somewhere.

Second, they ate fewer calories - on average, about 1,400 calories per day. Remember to talk to your dietitian to determine an appropriate number of calories for yourself.

Next, they switched to a lower-fat diet and ate more fruits and vegetables. They weighed themselves every week.

And finally, 78 percent of the people ate breakfast every day of the week. So, exercise more, eat less, eat breakfast, choose foods lower in fat and weigh frequently.

Source:www.billingsgazette.com