Weight Loss Podcast: Multi-Vitamins - To Take or Not to Take?
What is your opinion on multi-vitamins? Some nutritionists say that you can get all of your nutrients from food, but others say that you should definitely take a vitamin everyday. I eat a pretty decent diet, but I'm still confused about whether I should take one or not.
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August 31, 2005 in Weight Loss Podcasts | Permalink | Post a Comment (0)
Podcast: Should I Stay Away from Fruits?
If I'm trying to lose weight by cutting my carbs, shouldnâ't I stay away from fruit? I used to snack on fruit during the day, but now that I'm low-carb I have a hard time finding snacks... Click Play Now to Listen to this Podcast.
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August 29, 2005 in Weight Loss Podcasts | Permalink | Post a Comment (0)
Successful Losers
Source: washingtonpost.com, Sally Squires
Despite the difficulties, it is possible to achieve a healthier weight. New Research shows that maintaining the loss gets easier over time.
Often lost amid the reports about the obesity epidemic are studies showing that 20 percent of overweight people not only manage to lose pounds but maintain a healthier weight long-term.
These so-called "successful losers" intrigue scientists, who see promise in their experience and lessons for others. In a new update from the National Weight Control Registry -- a database of 4,000 people who have shed an average of 73 pounds and kept it off for more than five years -- scientists reveal some of the habits that foster long-term success.
Although these successful losers from the Lean Plate Club took a different path to reach their nutrition goals, they have all found that achieving a healthier liefestyle takes focus and commitment.
The biggest surprise from the study is that weight maintenance gets easier with time.
"It's a very positive message," said Suzanne Phelan, assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University's Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center in Providence, R.I., and a co-author of the study. People who maintain their new weight for two years "have a greater likelihood of keeping it off for two more years. Those who maintain it for five years have even greater odds of maintaining their weight loss. With time, the odds of regaining weight go down and down and down," she said.
Not that maintaining weight loss is easy. As many of the Lean Plate Club's successful losers note below, achieving a healthier weight takes focus and commitment. The registry members report that, too.
"We know that they are working very hard to keep off the weight," Phelan said. "They're exercising very hard. They eat fewer calories. They're monitoring their weight. I think it may be kind of akin to brushing your teeth. Once you have the habit, you wouldn't think of not doing it." Successful losers, she said, "just do these things and have adopted them as part of their lifestyle. Maybe it doesn't take as much conscious effort over time."
We've asked some of the Lean Plate Club's successful losers to share their stories and compared them with the registry's findings.
No Quick Fixes . Nutrition fads come and go. Successful losers report reaching a healthier weight the old-fashioned way: They count calories, reduce calorie-dense food and move a lot more.
Nearly half of those in the national registry reported losing weight entirely on their own. The rest got assistance from commercial weight-loss programs, a physician or a nutritionist. "Over the years, I tried a lot of different things -- Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers a couple of times, different combinations of diets in magazines," said Melissa Glasssman, a lawyer who practices in Tysons Corner. "I could always lose 10 to 20 pounds, but would always gain back more than that."
It was only by changing her habits that Glassman shed 125 pounds -- half her body weight -- in the past couple of years. "It's the little things that you incorporate into your daily life that help keep you on track," she said. "It doesn't have to be entirely about deprivation or exercising two hours a day."
Be Active . While it's possible to lose weight by cutting back on calories alone, only 10 percent of registry participants used that approach. Most -- 87 percent -- ate fewer calories and boosted their physical activity.
Successful losers also remained active even after losing weight. They spent an average of at least an hour a day engaged in moderate physical activity -- equal to walking 3 to 4 miles per hour.
How successful losers stay active varies. The study found that about 20 percent of registry participants lift weights or ride a bike. Aerobic exercise, such as step aerobics classes or exercise tapes, is the choice of 18 percent of those in the registry. But brisk walking is the way that most stay active.
Walking helped Tarasia Remhof, 45, lose 156 pounds since 2001. "The only thing I do [for physical activity] is walk," said Remhof, a Coast Guard officer based in the District. "I adopted a 50-pound mutt from the shelter that is very active and high-energy. If we don't go for two walks a day, she's not destructive, but annoying. So we go for about two miles in the morning and about a mile at night."
Regular constitutionals have also helped Richard Morris, 45, of Woodbridge, lose more than 100 pounds during the past two years. Each morning, Morris and his wife leave their home by 4:30 a.m. and spend the next two hours walking before getting their children off to school.
"I realized that exercise had to be a huge part of this equation," said the 6-foot-tall Morris, who once weighed 400 pounds and now hovers at a far healthier 260 to 265. "I have to make a serious commitment to exercise," said Morris. "I have the same 24 hours in the day as everyone else. This is not a matter of time, but of priorities."
Track Your Weight . Nearly half of successful losers weigh themselves daily, according to the study, which appears in the July issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Thirty percent report climbing on the scale once a week.
"The scale is just a number to me now," said Arlene Rimer, 53, a Toronto lawyer and filmmaker who, since 2002, has lost 140 pounds from her peak weight of 315 pounds. Regular weigh-ins have taught Rimer that her weight naturally fluctuates by a couple of pounds either way. Getting on the scale "doesn't make or break my day," she said.
Enlist Support . Tarasia Remhof teamed with her twin sister who lives in Texas to lose weight. Both joined Weight Watchers groups, then used phone calls and e-mails to encourage each other's efforts. Deborah Kosnett of Gaithersburg found support from her husband, who bought her a "comfort" bike with a wider seat and extra shock absorption. Both Rimer and Morris lost weight with their spouses.
Glassman, who like many people spends most of her workday sitting, spent a year with an exercise group that focused on strengthening core muscles, weight training and provided plenty of support. "Part of my success is that I built a lot more muscle mass than I had before, and that made a big difference" in burning calories, she said.
Start Your Day With Breakfast . Almost 80 percent of diet registry participants ate breakfast every day. The typical breakfast was cereal with skim milk and fruit. Make it whole-grain, unsweetened cereal. That combination is more likely to provide staying power until lunch.
Set Small Goals. Most people "want to lose 30 percent of their body weight," said Phelan, who co-authored the study with Rena Wing, director of Brown University's Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center. Yet from a medical standpoint, losing just 10 percent of body weight -- 20 pounds for someone who weighs 200 pounds -- "is very beneficial," Phelan said. Rather than setting yourself up for failure, establish a more reasonable goal. Achieve that, then try for more.
Find Motivation to Get Started. Reaching their all-time highest weight prompted 21 percent of registry participants to become successful losers. But the most common trigger was a medical event -- for example, a doctor's advice to lose weight, diagnosis of a condition such as high blood pressure or a family member's heart attack.
"My health was going bad," noted Kosnett, 52, a certified public accountant who has lost 80 pounds since 2002. "I had pre-diabetes. My total blood cholesterol was not so great. It went as high as 260. My HDL (the 'good' cholesterol) was really lousy. But the straw that broke the camel's back was when I went out to sweep my front porch and I started panting. I thought, 'This is really stupid.' "
Set a Limit for Regaining Pounds. If you reach it, switch from weight maintenance back to weight loss. Successful losers still experience slips but appear to be better than others at identifying them and making quick course corrections. "We found that once you start to regain weight, if you put on more than 10 pounds, then your chances of recovery are slim," Phelan said. "Every day, I have to stay on top of this," said Glassman.
Plan Ahead . Glassman eats only at restaurants where she knows the menu and can find something healthy to order. Each Monday, Remhof stocks a week's worth of food in a freezer at her office to microwave for lunch each day.
When Kosnett needed back surgery last year, she took precautions to maintain her weight. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to work out and would require prednisone, a powerful steroid that often adds weight, Kosnett reduced her intake to 1,900 calories a day and carefully recorded what she ate. She also added more high-volume food -- especially fruit -- to combat hunger. Bottom line: She lost five pounds during her convalescence and achieved her Weight Watchers' goal weight.
Figure on Plateaus . Even when you do all the right things, it's not unusual for weight loss to stabilize for a while. Kosnett experienced a plateau that lasted a year and a half. Rimer had already lost 70 pounds when she hit her first plateau, which lasted four months. Although initially discouraged, Rimer said she felt better when she realized that "it was awesome to maintain this huge weight loss." Her second plateau occurred after she had lost 100 pounds. "I couldn't get upset by it," she said. "My body had to get used to . . . the new way of eating, the intensifying activity. . . . We are not robots."
Reward Yourself. Behavioral research shows that this is key for long-term success. Glassman gave herself plenty of rewards unrelated to food for sticking with her healthy habits. "I got a pedicure or a manicure," she said. She also treated herself to new clothes at a discount store while she transformed her body so that she didn't wind up with an expensive wardrobe that was unusable. "I didn't want to spend a lot of money, because I was still in the process of losing weight," Glassman said.
Stick With It for the Long Haul. The study found that successful losers continue their efforts for many years after they have trimmed their waistlines. That finding resonates with Glassman. "I know if I use the habits and the information that I've learned . . . it will be okay," she said. "I truly feel for the first time that my weight is under control." ·
August 28, 2005 in Weight Loss Motivation | Permalink | Post a Comment (0)
Podcast: Eat Fat to Stay Healthy?
I've been reading about the benefits of omega-3 fats but I have a hard time incorporating them into my day. Can you tell me which foods contain omega-3s and how much I should have everyday?
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August 27, 2005 in Weight Loss Podcasts | Permalink | Post a Comment (0)
Podcast: French Women Don´t Get Fat
I am confused by this whole French eating style. I know it is getting a lot of press lately and I still don't understand how we are supposed to eat like them, bread, wine, cheese and even eat three course meals with meat and not gain weight. Could you please explain this to me?
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August 27, 2005 in Weight Loss Podcasts | Permalink | Post a Comment (0)
Obesity to Athlete
Source: Erika Rose, http://www.thetimesonline.com
One woman's incredible journey becomes powerful message to others.
Slender and muscular all the way down to her beautifully manicured toenails, Jen Adamo sits down to recount the incredible journey that has been the last two years of her life.
Scattering snapshots on the table, her demeanor is confident, outgoing, determined. Judging from her athletic apparel and knowing she just finished a 10K race that morning, it is immediately clear you're in the company of a dedicated athlete.
Clad in a not-so-teeny black-and-white polka-dotted swimsuit, the severely obese woman in the photograph dwarfs the woman sunbathing next to her. You patiently wait for Adamo to explain the significance of this stranger in the story she's about to tell.
"This is me in March of '03," the 32-year-old Merrillville resident announces.
Whoa.
Any other woman who's achieved such dramatic weight loss might be inclined to hide or destroy what she likely sees as unflattering photos. But Adamo isn't embarrassed in the least bit. She is proud, in fact, because they serve as powerful reminders of who she has become and how she got there.
Going from a 370-pound intensive care nurse with a penchant for internalizing others' problems, to a 163-pound rock solid endurance athlete has done more than bring her out of her shell. It has uncovered what she believes is her true purpose in life.
Divine intervention
Tragic fall sparks journey to uncover the athlete within
When she meets you for the first time, Jen Adamo reaches out to shake your hand.
Strangely, her grasp is weak -- hardly characteristic of her strong, confident demeanor. As the conversation deepens, the 32-year-old from Merrillville reveals just how the ability to shake your hand at all is precisely what epitomizes her strength.
If you inquire about the numerous surgical scars on her right arm, she will tell you about the day that changed her life.
On July 23, 2003, Adamo was putting a dog on a leash when it darted off, causing her to lose her balance. The arm she put out to brace her fall buckled, shattering her right elbow. Little did she know that moment would change her life forever.
As she prepared to undergo the first surgery to repair her arm, Adamo, an intensive care nurse, knew the risks of having surgery were dire, especially in her condition. At 370 pounds, she easily could have a stroke or heart attack.
Surgery aside, she knew a health crisis was imminent because of her weight.
But until this point, she admits she just didn't care about herself. A tendency to take on the problems of others caused her to eat for comfort and protection.
"Food was like an anesthetic," she says. "It was like a numbing agent." So as she was wheeled into the operating room, she pleaded, "Get me through this and I'll change." And when she was being wheeled back to her hospital room afterward, Adamo felt sorry for the nurse who had to push all 370 pounds of her through the halls.
Now was the time to make good on her promise.
Unable to work and determined not to be disabled, she made rehabilitating her arm, losing weight and generally transforming her outlook, a top priority.
To change her eating habits, Adamo took advice from dietitians and concentrated on getting the food pyramid's recommended servings in recommended portions.
After literally walking off the first 100 pounds, Adamo joined Community Hospital's Fitness Pointe to focus on building back her strength and was feeling better than ever when she experienced another low that threatened her positive attitude: the first surgery had been botched and two more surgeries were needed. At the same time, her medical leave had run out and she was losing her job.
Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she pushed harder. "I learned that the only thing I can control is myself," she says. "I had to learn to control my adaptations, my perceptions and my reactions because I was not going to let someone else make my blood pressure go up." She discovered indoor rowing as a great way to work her arm -- and her spirit -- so that's what she did for eight hours a day. She entered rowing challenges and set mini goals for herself, each one feeding into the next to fuel her success.
Then, she learned about the North American Rowing Challenge and set her sights on first place, which she achieved. Rowing seven hours a day for 30 days, she topped the charts with 2,220,222 meters logged in a month.
Publicity of the challenge and her plight made it to Upper Peninsula, Mich., where she was invited to share her inspirational story at a rehab center's triathlon.
"They think I'm some kind of superwoman," she says. Serving as the honored guest for the weeklong event, Adamo's story brought many in the audience to tears. She was taken aback by a standing ovation and a "Pursuit of Excellence" award.
Adamo began to see that some divine intervention might be at work here.
"I think everything happens for a reason and I think it was a blessing," she says. "I don't regret one moment of it ... I think this is my purpose in life. At the health club, everyone says, 'you are a motivation, an inspiration.' And I think this is my purpose, to give people hope, to motivate and inspire them. ... There are going to be bumps in the road, but stick with it, it's worth fighting for."
Two years after the tragic fall that Adamo now calls a blessing, she finally has been released from medical care and is able to work. Now 207 pounds lighter with almost total mobility of her arm returned, her career focus has shifted.
In the midst of her struggles, she earned certification as a personal trainer from the American Council of Exercise (ACE). Until she can fulfill her dream of owning a fitness club, she hopes to work as a cardiac rehab nurse.
In the meantime, she intends to keep spreading her message of hope by way of the numerous endurance events she's scheduled, declaring Habitat for Humanity as the charity she will support.
The events on her calendar include a triathlon Aug. 21 in Wisconsin; a 100-mile bike event Aug. 28 in Illinois; a Half-Iron Man Sept. 10 in Wisconsin; the Chicago Marathon on Oct. 9; an Iron Man Nov. 5 in Florida; and the Disney Mini-Marathon and full marathon Jan. 7 and 8 in Florida.
"On a daily basis, I have men in their 70s telling me I'm their hero and that I'm more determined than anyone they know. I believe this is my purpose. This is my job. And I take it seriously."
Words of Wisdom
On attitude: "Value yourself. Every day you get up think positive. Do your best every single day. I found too that I react best in the moment. I can't get too much in the past. I can't spring forward too much in the future. I thrive in the moment. Whatever the moment is. If it's awful, hey, it's truly awful. There are bad moments. How you react to that moment is what's key.
"I have this thing I coined. It's called 'the bounce factor.' I think it's cool. I have a shirt, it says 'gotta bounce.' You have to learn how to react and perceive and change your adaptations and learn to go with the flow and embrace the moment and flexibility makes you stronger. So all these ups and downs make you flexible and then you are stronger."
On healthy eating: "I want to get it out there that you don't need gastric bypass surgery ... just do healthy eating, portion sizes and the food groups. That's what I did. I met with a dietitian.
"Go back to the basics. Don't deny yourself anything. ... Eat the food groups. Don't do anything drastic. Stick to the food groups. Stick to portion sizes. That's it."
On setbacks: "Faltering is not failing. Just get up every morning and do your personal best for that day, or moment. It is imperative that you love yourself. From this revelation, all things flourish," Adamo wrote in an e-mail to a representative for the NARC Rowing Challenge.
August 25, 2005 in Weight Loss Motivation | Permalink | Post a Comment (0)
