Changes spur weight loss

September 2, 2004

By Al Stilley

Chamber members hear experts on diet, exercise

Making small changes in eating plus daily work and leisure habits are keys to launching a healthier lifestyle, according to nutrition and exercise specialists from St. Francis Hospital and Health Centers.

Nutritionist and registered dietician Rachel Nix and exercise physiologist Kim Modglin reviewed various steps that can lead to wellness through proper diet and exercise recently at a Greater Greenwood Chamber of Commerce luncheon at Carrabba’s Italian Grill on the Southside.

They reviewed statistics that showed 64 percent of Americans are overweight today-an alarming trend that could extend to every American being overweight by 2030.

“Obesity is a disease-it’s a serious issue that we have to deal with,” Nix said emphatically. “Relying on fad diets is scary because you cannot lose weight effortlessly. The only way to lose weight is to change your eating habits and your lifestyle.”

They emphasized that losing weight and exercising in a medically supervised program can lead to decreased risk for cardiovascular disease, decreased risk of diabetes, lower blood pressures and cholesterol plus lower risk of some cancers.

Slow changes at first

Nix urged listeners to make little changes, at first in daily habits while making a slow transition toward overall wellness. For example, she mentioned portion control (“downsize instead of supersize”), aim at a weight loss of one to two pounds per week; eat a balanced diet with protein at each meal; eat less-refined sugar and more low fiber foods as well as moderate (“healthy”) fats; and fill up on vegetables.

‘I could preach veggies all day,” Nix grinned. “Take in foods that provide basic nutrition.”

She urged her audience to “eat for the right reasons—diet, exercise and balance in life.”

Nix is a registered dietitian and special events coordinator for the St. Francis Medical and Surgical Weight Loss Center.

She encourages people to pursue overall health and wellness through long-term lifestyle changes.

Nix admitted that “weight issues are different for everybody.” She said that expectations of weight loss usually run too high and that anyone who loses 10 percent of their body weight over a period of time is making a dramatic improvement in their overall wellness.

“We have a distorted view in our thinking of realistic weight loss,” she said.

She cautioned that people oftentimes want to lose weight for all the wrong reasons, such as an upcoming event (class reunion or wedding), a self-image that is dependent upon a certain body size or shape or to please someone else.

The real reasons to diet and exercise, Nix stated, are to improve health, become more energetic and active, reduce stress, and to feel better.

“Know what you eat and how much you eat,” Nix urged.

Simple exercises

Exercise activities should include a variety of aerobics, strengthening exercises, stretching and relaxation for the whole body.

“We do so little physical activity during the day that we have to make time for exercise. We don’t work on the farm and many working people have someone come in and clean their home,” Modglin said.

“A huge increase in obesity is related to lack of physical exercise,” she stated.

Modglin is the exercise physiologist for the St. Francis Hip Hop Clinic for pediatric obesity and works with older adults in the St. Francis Senior Stretch ‘N Flex classes. She is a graduate of Ball State University with a degree in exercise science and wellness.

She recommended simple activities such as long walks after dinner during the evening, playing tag out-of-doors with your kids, and exercises that can easily be done in the home.

“I think too many people get conned into buying a lot of equipment that they don’t need. You can lie down on your living room floor and do crunches without buying a thing,” she stated.

She encouraged those who want to lose weight through proper exercise to have a fitness assessment and to discuss fitness goals to help develop a personalized program with a dietician and exercise physiologist.

She cautioned those over 40 years of age to check with a physician before starting an exercise program.

Physical conditioning includes correct methods of training the upper and lower body, resistance exercises, flexibility and stretching, target heart rates, cardiovascular health maintenance and ongoing fitness assessments.

Source:www.ss-times.com