After smoking, obesity is the most preventable cause of death in Australia and New Zealand today. It's heartening to realise that losing as little as 5 to 10 percent of your total body weight can make you so much healthier. The secret weapon is commitment.
If you're carrying extra kilos, you've got lots of company. Sixty percent of the population is now overweight, and one-third of them suffer from obesity, defined as being 20 percent or more over your ideal body weight with an abnormally high proportion of body fat. (A Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 35 is considered morbidly obese.) And even more alarming, these numbers are growing markedly every year. Many doctors now call this weight gain a public health emergency. That's because carrying some extra weight is adulthood dramatically increases your risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis and several kinds of cancer--and the more kilos you gain, the higher you risk.
So what's causing so many of us to become so fat? The major culprit is lifestyle. Most of us spend hours sitting---at computers, in front of TV's in our cars. Fast food and vending machines can't be avoided. We've grown accustomed to 'supersized' everything from chocolate bars to restaurant meals. Genetics certainly plays a part, too: If your patients and grandparents were heavy people, you may well have inherited their body type. You could also have an underfunctioning thryroid or neurological problems. May be you're gaining weight because you're taking certain medications. Ask your doctor about these possibilities. Another conflicting factor: some 30 to 40 percent of obese patients who seek help with weight are also suffering from depression or another psychological disturabance.
Does all this add up to 'situation hopeless'? Not at all. Even if you've tired to lose weight and never before succeeded, don't despair: the American National Weight Control Registry, a database of people who are maintaining their weight loss, shows that the majority to people who successfully lose a minimum of 13 kg---and keep the weight off for at least a year--have done so after repeated failures at dieting.
LIKELY FIRST STEPS
Weight loss choices depend on your medical profile and how many kilos you need to lose to lower your risk of disease. To see how you measure up, consult the char on later and figure out our Body Mass Index, a standard method experts use to evaluate body weight according to height. If you have a BMI of 25 to 29, you're moderately overweight'; if it's between 30 and 40, you're considered 'severely overweight' (or obese).
Treatment Options
LIFESTYLE CHANGES
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Track eating habits A food diary shows unhealthy patterns.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maintain a healthy weight-loss diet Talk with your doctor or a dietitian to pinpoint the right program for you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Join a support group It increases success and provides motivation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exercise Essential for faster weight loss and toning.
MEDICATIONS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weight-loss drugs Xenical or Reductil for long-term treatment.
NATURAL METHODS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Supplements Get mixed reviews.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PROCEDURES
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gastric surgery Only for the seriously obese.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liposuction For body contouring, not weight loss.
If you're in the moderately overweight category, you should be able to lose sufficient weight with diet and exercise. However, if you're severly overweight, you may have problems that can't be corrected with just these lifestyle methods. Medications and physiotherapy may be required, and possibly even surgery (although surgery is usually reserved for people who are at least 45 kg overweight and at high risk for early death).
In working out any realistic treatment plan with your doctor, you need to consider whether you're under lots of stress or feel out of control around food much of the time. If so, ask your doctor about counselling, which can help control binge eating.
TAKING CONTROL
Lifestyle changes
Whether you are classified overweight or obese, the priniciple of weight loss is maddeningly simple: burn more kilojoules than you take in and you'll lose weight. But if it were that easy, there wouldn't be so many best-selling diet books or quick-fix over-the-counter weight-loss product avaialble. As you're undoubtedly aware, beating obesity requires an ongoing commitment to change.
To start, many experts recommend that you keep a food diary to record not only what you eat but also your hunger levels and emotions when you eat. After a couple of weeks you'll have a good idea of your eating habits. You can then talk to your doctor for a dietitian) about a specific low-kilojoule eating plan and how you might modify your diet. You might also want to discuss finding a support-system beyond family and friends. Weight-loss support groups offered by university or hospital clinics typically meet weekly for 16 to 26 weeks and have led to average reductions of 8 to 10 percent of initial weight. Many people find that such groups--and commercial programs like weight Watchers--are extremely helpful because they provide social support along with sound advice on diet and nutrition. Some even have online services.
What is happening
If you're carrying extra kilos, you've got lots of company. Sixty percent of the population is now overweight, and one-third of them suffer from obesity, defined as being 20 percent or more over your ideal body weight with an abnormally high proportion of body fat. (A Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 35 is considered morbidly obese.) And even more alarming, these numbers are growing markedly every year. Many doctors now call this weight gain a public health emergency. That's because carrying some extra weight is adulthood dramatically increases your risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis and several kinds of cancer--and the more kilos you gain, the higher you risk.
So what's causing so many of us to become so fat? The major culprit is lifestyle. Most of us spend hours sitting---at computers, in front of TV's in our cars. Fast food and vending machines can't be avoided. We've grown accustomed to 'supersized' everything from chocolate bars to restaurant meals. Genetics certainly plays a part, too: If your patients and grandparents were heavy people, you may well have inherited their body type. You could also have an underfunctioning thryroid or neurological problems. May be you're gaining weight because you're taking certain medications. Ask your doctor about these possibilities. Another conflicting factor: some 30 to 40 percent of obese patients who seek help with weight are also suffering from depression or another psychological disturabance.
Does all this add up to 'situation hopeless'? Not at all. Even if you've tired to lose weight and never before succeeded, don't despair: the American National Weight Control Registry, a database of people who are maintaining their weight loss, shows that the majority to people who successfully lose a minimum of 13 kg---and keep the weight off for at least a year--have done so after repeated failures at dieting.
- Diet and exercise to help you shed kilos gradually---and keep them off.
- Counselling and support groups to clarify emotional issues and keep you motivated to continue.
- Medications in conjunction with diet and exercise.
- Surgery to reduce stomach capacity in the severity obese.
QUESTIONS TO ASK
- Could I be overweight because I have a metabolic disorder? Can you test my thyroid hormone levels?
- With so much extra weight, is it safe for me to exercise?
- Am I a candidate for a weight-loss drug?
- If I get my stomach stapled, will it affect other medical problems I have?
Treatments
Weight loss choices depend on your medical profile and how many kilos you need to lose to lower your risk of disease. To see how you measure up, consult the char on later and figure out our Body Mass Index, a standard method experts use to evaluate body weight according to height. If you have a BMI of 25 to 29, you're moderately overweight'; if it's between 30 and 40, you're considered 'severely overweight' (or obese).
Treatment Options
LIFESTYLE CHANGES
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Track eating habits A food diary shows unhealthy patterns.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maintain a healthy weight-loss diet Talk with your doctor or a dietitian to pinpoint the right program for you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Join a support group It increases success and provides motivation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exercise Essential for faster weight loss and toning.
MEDICATIONS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weight-loss drugs Xenical or Reductil for long-term treatment.
NATURAL METHODS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Supplements Get mixed reviews.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PROCEDURES
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gastric surgery Only for the seriously obese.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liposuction For body contouring, not weight loss.
If you're in the moderately overweight category, you should be able to lose sufficient weight with diet and exercise. However, if you're severly overweight, you may have problems that can't be corrected with just these lifestyle methods. Medications and physiotherapy may be required, and possibly even surgery (although surgery is usually reserved for people who are at least 45 kg overweight and at high risk for early death).
In working out any realistic treatment plan with your doctor, you need to consider whether you're under lots of stress or feel out of control around food much of the time. If so, ask your doctor about counselling, which can help control binge eating.
TAKING CONTROL
When you change your diet, you need to develop some new habits. Here are some that have been known to work well for gradual weight loss.
- Don't skip meals because your body goes into deprivation mode and this only leads you to eat more at the next opportunity. Eat often enough to keep your energy level steady--that may turn out to be as often as every three to four hours.
- Drinks lots of water. Eight glasses daily is not only good for your overall health, it helps stave off hunger. One good tip: drink a glass right before eating.
- Watch serving size, which means measuring your morning cereal until your eye knows how a portion looks in a bowl. A serving of chicken or lean meat should be no bigger than a pack of cards. Use smaller plates and bowls to help you adjust.
- Follow the 20-minute rule. If you're tempted to go for second helpings, wait. It takes 15 to 20 minutes for your stomach to signal your brain that it's full.
- Think volume. Research has shown that a bowl of low-fat, low-kilojoule soup or plain popcorn helps kerb hunger. Make your own healthy soup with low-fat broth and onions, carrots, greens or other vegetables; eat it before lunch or dinner.
- Reward yourself regularly. If you sick to your eating plan, buy a book, a new CD or take time off from work. We often 'reward' ourselves with food; it's good to remember there are nonfattening treats.
Whether you are classified overweight or obese, the priniciple of weight loss is maddeningly simple: burn more kilojoules than you take in and you'll lose weight. But if it were that easy, there wouldn't be so many best-selling diet books or quick-fix over-the-counter weight-loss product avaialble. As you're undoubtedly aware, beating obesity requires an ongoing commitment to change.
To start, many experts recommend that you keep a food diary to record not only what you eat but also your hunger levels and emotions when you eat. After a couple of weeks you'll have a good idea of your eating habits. You can then talk to your doctor for a dietitian) about a specific low-kilojoule eating plan and how you might modify your diet. You might also want to discuss finding a support-system beyond family and friends. Weight-loss support groups offered by university or hospital clinics typically meet weekly for 16 to 26 weeks and have led to average reductions of 8 to 10 percent of initial weight. Many people find that such groups--and commercial programs like weight Watchers--are extremely helpful because they provide social support along with sound advice on diet and nutrition. Some even have online services.
No comments:
Post a Comment