The following article presents the very latest information on Slim Fast. If you have a particular interest in Slim Fast, then this informative article is required reading.
See how much you can learn about Slim Fast when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don't miss out on the rest of this great information.
You may have seen one of the ever-present cans in the grocery store and been tempted to pick it up. Yet, you're not sure whether Slim-Fast will be effective in helping you to lose weight. You should know that the Slim-Fast program is considered quite successful in the fight against fat—although not everyone is sold on the plan.
Nearly thirty years ago, S. Daniel Abraham revolutionized weight loss programs with the Slim-Fast drink. According to the company website, Slim-Fast represents a sensible way to slim down. In fact, more than two dozen medical studies indicate that the diet program is a winning formula for losing weight. Slim-Fast is considered to be a nutritionally-balanced plan, offering dieters proteins, carbohydrates, and a healthy amount of fat.
One of the recommendations of the Slim Fast program is its convenience. You can drink on the run, enabling you to fit nutrition into your busy day. In addition, the program is considered far less expensive than other diet plans, particularly pre-packaged diet plans such as NutriSystem and Jenny Craig. Slim-Fast also now offers more variety. In addition to all the different flavors of shakes it offers, Slim-Fast also provides dieters with soup, pasta, and nutrition bars. In all, Slim-Fast now features more than a hundred different products.If you follow the Slim-Fast plan, you will need to eat three meals each day, along with three snacks made up of fruits and vegetables.Two of the meals and one snack must be made up of Slim-Fast products. Because of the frequency with which you'll be eating, you shouldn't suffer from hunger pains.One study actually showed that individuals who used Slim-Fast over a period of a decade were 33 pounds lighter than dieters who did not use Slim-Fast products.
Another advantage to the Slim-Fast program is that you don't have to worry about counting calories, cooking meals, or figuring out portion sizes. Slim Fast has, in essence, done the work for you. Also, you can now choose between two different Slim-Fast programs: the Optima Diet and the Plan for a Low-Carb Lifestyle.
The company's website contends that the program is a proven weight loss tool. Dieters have had success in maintaining their weight over one to five years' duration. A spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association has called the website "user-friendly." By visiting the site, you can be put in touch with registered dieticians who can answer your concerns. The website also offers a support group, which can be a critical factor in maintaining weight loss over the long term.
Slim Fast goals as far as weight loss is concerned follow government guidelines. The idea is to lose ten percent of one's weight over six months, meaning that one would shed no more than two pounds a week. Slim-Fast's plan calls for only 30 minutes of exercise a day, which seems entirely doable. Dieters may also be inspired by the success stories posted on the company's website.
However, there are disadvantages to the Slim-Fast program. For instance, if you don't like the taste of the shakes or food, you could find it difficult to continue with the meal plan. Also, some people report feeling hungry, despite eating the recommended portions of food. Slim-Fast, in essence, does the thinking for you, so, for the most part, you do not get the experience of shopping for wholesome food for yourself. You might also tire of the program quickly, causing you to gain back the weight you initially lost. While Slim Fast may be effective for the short-term, it is a difficult program to maintain for life.
As a result, Slim-Fast gets mixed reviews even from members of the medical community. While some dieticians are fans of meal replacement programs, others see them as potentially harmful and nutritionally inadequate. Whether you can effectively lose weight with Slim-Fast depends upon whether you have the discipline and desire to remain with the program for the long-term. If you start to use Slim Fast for a while, then stop, you will likely gain back the weight you initially lost. However, for decades now, Slim-Fast has been winning the hearts of dieters and the company shows no signs of slowing down in the near future. Slim-Fast may be one way that you can drink yourself to optimum weight loss.
I hope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational for you. Your learning process should be ongoing, the more you understand about any subject, the more you will be able to share with others.For more information go to
http://turneroftaunton.com/?cat=374
http://allstomach.blogspot.com/
http://hubpages.com/hub/Strategies-to-review-weight-A-review-of-the-evidence
http://hubpages.com/hub/HowvisualisationCANmakeyouslimmer
http://hubpages.com/hub/10-things-to-consider-for-maintaining-long-term-weight-loss
http://hubpages.com/hub/What-todo-when-your-weight-loss-slows-or-plateaus-An-analysis-of-ideas-to-kick-start-it-up-again
http://hubpages.com/hub/antioxidants-and-food
http://10thingstoconsiderforweightlossmainta.blogspot.com/
The author-Ian Turner, has worked in health for 25 yrs. He has worked in clinical and managerial positions in the NHS and gained a MSc in Strategic Health from Exeter University in England. He is widely published and a keen athlete, mountaineer and gym goer. Additionally he is a qualified NLP practitioner, CBT trained counsellor, Psych-dynamic trained therapist and Ericksonian hypnotherapist.
Sunday 9 January 2011
Plants that may aid weight loss
Natural products used as part of a ’cleansing’ ritual or used for spiritual purposes have been known about for thousands of years. The growth of ’natural’ products to aid weight loss is a more recent development of their use and is now a huge global market. This brief article looks at the more popular ones that have had some form of analysis in patient populations that want/need to lose weight and comments on their potential use.
The genus Hoodia (Apocynaceae), is really a member of the stapeliads, a group among stem succulents commonly situated in South Africa as well as Namibia. Hoodia plants usually are used by the San people of South Africa as a possible hunger controller, thirst quencher, a cure for intestinal aches, haemorrhoids, tuberculosis, heartburn, hypertension and as anti-diabetes medication (Lee 2007). The actual discovering regarding various Hoodia sp. chemical substances possessing anti-obesity activities has contributed to over something like 20 patents, including on the dynamic compound accountable for the particular hunger controller activity. Even so, studies in connection with the safety most typically associated with long-term current administration involving Hoodia extract continue to be not well-known. Caralluma fimbriata Benincasa hispida (Cucurbitaceae) Mitragyna speciosa (Rubiaceae) and others are discussed at length and fully referenced. These other weight loss articles can also be found here
http://turneroftaunton.com/?cat=374
http://allstomach.blogspot.com/
http://hubpages.com/hub/Strategies-to-review-weight-A-review-of-the-evidence
http://hubpages.com/hub/HowvisualisationCANmakeyouslimmer
http://hubpages.com/hub/10-things-to-consider-for-maintaining-long-term-weight-loss
http://hubpages.com/hub/What-todo-when-your-weight-loss-slows-or-plateaus-An-analysis-of-ideas-to-kick-start-it-up-again
http://hubpages.com/hub/antioxidants-and-food
http://10thingstoconsiderforweightlossmainta.blogspot.com/
The author-Ian Turner, has worked in health for 25 yrs. He has worked in clinical and managerial positions in the NHS and gained a MSc in Strategic Health from Exeter University in England. He is widely published and a keen athlete, mountaineer and gym goer. Additionally he is a qualified NLP practitioner, CBT trained counsellor, Psych-dynamic trained therapist and Ericksonian hypnotherapist.
The genus Hoodia (Apocynaceae), is really a member of the stapeliads, a group among stem succulents commonly situated in South Africa as well as Namibia. Hoodia plants usually are used by the San people of South Africa as a possible hunger controller, thirst quencher, a cure for intestinal aches, haemorrhoids, tuberculosis, heartburn, hypertension and as anti-diabetes medication (Lee 2007). The actual discovering regarding various Hoodia sp. chemical substances possessing anti-obesity activities has contributed to over something like 20 patents, including on the dynamic compound accountable for the particular hunger controller activity. Even so, studies in connection with the safety most typically associated with long-term current administration involving Hoodia extract continue to be not well-known. Caralluma fimbriata Benincasa hispida (Cucurbitaceae) Mitragyna speciosa (Rubiaceae) and others are discussed at length and fully referenced. These other weight loss articles can also be found here
http://turneroftaunton.com/?cat=374
http://allstomach.blogspot.com/
http://hubpages.com/hub/Strategies-to-review-weight-A-review-of-the-evidence
http://hubpages.com/hub/HowvisualisationCANmakeyouslimmer
http://hubpages.com/hub/10-things-to-consider-for-maintaining-long-term-weight-loss
http://hubpages.com/hub/What-todo-when-your-weight-loss-slows-or-plateaus-An-analysis-of-ideas-to-kick-start-it-up-again
http://hubpages.com/hub/antioxidants-and-food
http://10thingstoconsiderforweightlossmainta.blogspot.com/
The author-Ian Turner, has worked in health for 25 yrs. He has worked in clinical and managerial positions in the NHS and gained a MSc in Strategic Health from Exeter University in England. He is widely published and a keen athlete, mountaineer and gym goer. Additionally he is a qualified NLP practitioner, CBT trained counsellor, Psych-dynamic trained therapist and Ericksonian hypnotherapist.
Friday 7 January 2011
Slimming tea
Slimming tea is a famous weight loss supplement. We heard of this product everyday. However there are many reassessments on the effectiveness of slimming tea. Some assessment stated slimming tea is an effective weight loss supplement. Nevertheless some assessment initiated slimming tea is a weight loss trick. This product doesn't effective at all for weight loss.
Slimming Tea Helps In Fat Burning;
Slimming tea helps in fat burning. The polyphenols inside the tea helps in fat burning process. Perhaps it stimulates the progress of burning fat. The tea helps to control cholesterol level. They speed up the capacity of fat burning. However you are not encouraged to take more than two cups of slimming tea in a day.
Slimming Tea - Metabolism
Researches show that regularly drinking slimming tea like Chinese slimming tea and Wu Long slimming tea helps to improve body metabolism by 10%. Nevertheless it is not encourage consuming over amount of slimming tea. This is because of it will damage your health. Perhaps it brings side effects to your health in long term.
Slimming Tea - Anti-Oxidant;
Most of the slimming tea comprised anti-oxidant. Anti-oxidant can cancel out the cell-damaging effects of free radicals. Thus slimming tea seems to be a good source of antioxidants. They help in bolster our body immune system. Furthermore they help to prevent infections too;
Types Of Slimming Tea;
There are wide ranges of slimming tea for your option in the market. Each of them comes with different packaging and ingredients. Each of them also claims to be better than the other. However among all slimming teas, Wu Long slimming tea and Herbal slimming tea are still the most popular one
Possible Side Effects Of Slimming Tea;
Slimming tea contained health risk. Some people may experience adverse side effects from slimming tea. The risk is originated from the abuse of the product. Laxatives inside the tea like aloe, rhubarb root, cascara and castor oil might not beneficial for our health. Using laxatives on a regular basis can cause damage to the gastrointestinal tract, electrolyte imbalances and dehydration. As far as concern, slimming tea is not approved by the US FDA.
For more information go tohttp://turneroftaunton.com/?cat=374
http://allstomach.blogspot.com/
http://hubpages.com/hub/Strategies-to-review-weight-A-review-of-the-evidence
http://hubpages.com/hub/HowvisualisationCANmakeyouslimmer
http://hubpages.com/hub/10-things-to-consider-for-maintaining-long-term-weight-loss
http://hubpages.com/hub/What-todo-when-your-weight-loss-slows-or-plateaus-An-analysis-of-ideas-to-kick-start-it-up-again
http://hubpages.com/hub/antioxidants-and-food
http://10thingstoconsiderforweightlossmainta.blogspot.com/
The author-Ian Turner, has worked in health for 25 yrs. He has worked in clinical and managerial positions in the NHS and gained a MSc in Strategic Health from Exeter University in England. He is widely published and a keen athlete, mountaineer and gym goer. Additionally he is a qualified NLP practitioner, CBT trained counsellor, Psych-dynamic trained therapist and Ericksonian hypnotherapist.
Saturday 18 December 2010
Strategies to reduce weight-A review of the evidence
Strategies to reduce weight-A review of the evidence
Are you wanting to lose some weight? There are hundreds of weight loss programs available that range from the useless to the ridiculous. But as anyone who’s tried a ‘fad’ diet will tell you, the promises of weight loss are very seductive. That’s the reason so many ‘quacks’ market them-so as to take your money?
This brief overview will look at the ‘hard’ scientific evidence behind the strategies which are proven to increase your chances of losing the weight you want. It is not going to recommend ANY diet approach but will give you the hard researched evidence to evaluate any particular diet you are considering.
Look at this like this
Would you go to see a surgeon and discuss a procedure you needed doing without them discussing the evidence, risks and outcomes? I know I wouldn’t.
The problem
Within the U.K. today the National Service Information Centre tells us that Obesity (BMI over 30) is rapidly becoming a major public health concern (NHSIC 2010) with 24.5% of U.K. Adults measured as being obese.
We are leading Europe in this particular race but at the moment lagging behind the Americans. Time and again research has shown that mass education of population groups at risk of obesity are of very little use in changing people’s life-styles long term (Bennett 2007). Society has and continues to struggle with how to change attitudes that will bring positive changes. And the evidence suggests we are not moving forward on this very fast. If you consider the Food manufacturer ‘lobby’, who have for years resisted putting dietary advice about the ingredients in their products, in the end it will come down to us to manage our weight!
So how do I know what to-do?
Firstly take a look at the box below (taken from NHSIC 2010) and see where you fit?
So now you know the risk, what benefit will you achieve from reducing your weight? Well from a physical perspective the positive gains you will reap are great. Take a look below-
Benefits of 10kg weight loss in the obese individual
Risk factors Benefits from weight loss
Mortality
• 20% reduction in total mortality.
• 30% reduction in deaths related to diabetes.
• 40% reduction in obesity-related cancer deaths.
Blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive individuals
• 10mmgHg reduction in systolic BP.
• 20mmHg reduction in diastolic BP.
Diabetes (benefits in 50% reduction in fasting blood glucose for those newly diagnosed)
Lipids
• 10% reduction in total cholesterol.
• 15% reduction in low density lipoproteins.
• 30% reduction in triglycerides.
• 8% increase in high density lipoproteins.
Shepherd A (2010)
So you know your risk and what the benefits of weight loss will bring! Next we’ll look at good old dietary advice. As alluded to earlier there are loads of ‘guru’s, quacks and charlatan’s who will sell you their advice. The National Institute of Clinical Excellence in publishing its guide line No 43 (2006) on obesity said that by reducing your calories by 600 a day will lose you 1-2 lbs a week. But remember you will lose less as your weight decreases if you stay on 600 cal/day
reduction-why? Because as you lose weight your body will naturally need less over all calories so to continue weight loss you will either have to increase the relative calories/day or use up the calories you are consuming by additional exercise.
• Fad diets such as-The Atkins, South Beach, Cabbage Soup, Zone, Sugar Busters etc have been shown to reduce weight initially but study after study has demonstrated that initial weight loss is more than often replaced by relapse and weight gain to pre-diet levels or even higher, Johnson A (2006). There are no published long-term studies that have shown that these diets lose and then keep the weight off. The restriction of certain food groups i.e. carbohydrates or proteins in some of them may cause problems (American Heart Association 2010).
So to spot a fad diet remember these points, they
• Promise a quick, easy fix with rapid weight loss
• Suggest that certain foods 'burn fat'
• Promote the eating of just one of two foods
• Have lots of rules about how to eat
• Sound too good to be true
So when thinking about the dietary aspect of weight loss, choice one that best suits your needs taking into consideration your lifestyle i.e. do you sit down all day in an office or dig ditches? Clearly one type of diet here may not suit both. Are you single or having to cook for others? Do you have specific medical needs? Are there cultural/time/financial constraints? Whatever the constraint there are some practical things to consider.
Practical dietary advice to promote weight loss
• Start the day with breakfast, for example eating a wholegrain cereal.
• Eating an egg for breakfast has been shown to promote weight loss without raising fat and cholesterol levels in the blood. This needs to be considered in terms of how the egg is cooked, for example the benefits of boiled and poached eggs versus fried eggs.
• Consume five portions of five fruit and vegetables per day.
• Half fill the plate with salad or vegetables and divide the other half between meat or fish and a starchy carbohydrate such as potatoes, rice or pasta.
• Boil, bake, grill or steam foods instead of frying.
• Choose low fat dairy products, changing from full-fat milk to semi-skimmed milk or from semi-skimmed milk to skimmed milk if preferred.
• Choose tomato sauces for pasta and rice instead of those with cream or cheese.
• Aim to eat at least three balanced meals a day and have snacks at planned times to suit lifestyle.
• Do not skip meals as this can lead to fluctuation in hunger levels and may predispose the individual to binge eating.
• Limit the consumption of diet carbonated drinks, as these can promote long-term damage to tooth enamel.
• Swap a standard size bar of chocolate for a ‘fun size’ smaller version.
• Eat low fat or baked versions of crisps and savoury snacks.
• Pay attention to labels on foods and choose those that are low in fat and sugar.
• Eat whole food products i.e. whole grain rice and pasta.
(Vander W al et a l 2008, Williams et al 2008)
Physical activity
The evidence is clear from many research studies that if you diet and exercise you will lose and maintain weight loss. You will reduce mortality form weight related diseases. You will improve your self-esteem, confidence and increase your circle of friends i.e. by attending classes etc. This improvement has been seen to-be especially evident in women wanting to lose weight after pregnancy (Amorim AR 2007). Doing High Intensive Exercise has been shown to be the best type. Don’t think this has to be in a gym either as doing the house work at a faster rate or walking briskly to school or the office can bring initial benefits to those not use to regular activity. Initially you may feel more supported by doing activities with the family. Use a pedometer to just increase your number of steps a day. Also making a cognitive reframe and thinking of it as a reduction in inactivity, rather than increasing activity may help. Whatever you do take small incremental steps and
build on this regularly because contary to popular belief, obesity is not caused by a lack of exercise. Nobody ever got fat from sitting still. It is always because of a poor diet that is high in calories. The only way to lose weight is to eat fewer calories every day so that you burn fat. Exercise helps this process, but it cannot be the only cure.
Weight loss drugs
There are a range of weight loss drugs available now either by prescription by a Dr or pharmacist (or depending on your country over the counter). Whilst these may aid weight loss before turning to these consider these points,
• Is your BMI 27-35?
• Have you tried dietary restriction and failed at least 3 times for a sustained period?
• Physical exercise levels are not adequate?
In an article titled ‘Tackling the obesity crisis in the UK’. Shan Y (2008) noted that drugs used for weight loss work in one of three ways.
• Ones that reduce energy intake by acting as energy suppressants.
• Ones that increase the metabolic rate.
• And ones that alter fat metabolism and storage.
The two drugs currently licensed in the USA for the long-term treatment of obesity, Orlistat and Sibutramine, provide only modest weight-loss benefits and are associated with high attrition rates owing to side effects (Salem 2010). I would urge that before going down the drug route you discuss with your Dr. If you want a much more inner depth review of drug choices read Salem’s in-depth article. My final note here would be that this strategy is only an adjunct to wider life-style changes.
Surgery
This is the last and most risky of all the approaches discussed so far. Good Dr’s would only recommend this if you fulfil strict criteria. These of course will vary from country to country, The National Institute of Clinical Excellence has published guidance on this and can be found (see ref)but in essence this option should only be considered for you if
• You havea BMI of >40 or >35 with associated co-morbidities, such as diabetes or hypertension.
• All appropriate non-surgical measures have been tried and you failed to achieve or maintain adequate clinical weight loss for at least six months.
• You are receiving or will receive intensive specialist management.
• You are fit for anaesthesia and surgery.
• You will commit to the need for long-term follow up.
• You meet the local criteria and policies.
• You have been referred to a dietician for assessment.
Conclusion
This brief overview has summarised the latest evidence that is relevant to you if you are considering weight loss. There are thousands of dietary advice sources available for you to look at and no end of fad diets to ‘woo the cash out of your pocket’. But as discussed there is no evidence they work long term. Choosing a diet that suits your personal requirements is essential if it is to become a life style change for the long term. This must be paired with increased physical activity. Drug interventions and surgery can be considered if set criteria are met but again need to be associated with calorific restraint and exercise.
References
NHSIC-National Health Service Information Service (2010) Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet-(2010) http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/health-and-lifestyles/obesity/statistics-on-obesity-physical-activity-and-diet-england-2010
Bennett D. (2007) Nurses at the cutting edge of Obesity. Practice Nurse 18,9. 454-458.
Shepherd A (2010) Current management strategies in the treatment of obesity. Nursing Standard. 25, 14, 49-56.
National Institute for Health andClinical Excellence (2006) Obesity: the Prevention, Identification, Assessment and Management of Overweight and Obesity in Adults and Children. Clinical guideline 43. NICE, London.
Johnson A (2006) The Truth About Fad Diets. http://tinyurl.com/3xvqdpr
American Heart Association (2010) What about Fad Diets? www.americanheart.org.
Vander Wal JS, Gupta A, Khosla P, Dhurandhar NV (2008) Egg breakfast enhances weight loss. International Journal of obesity. 32, 10, 1545-1551.
Amorim AR, Linne YM, Lourenco PM (2007) Diet or exercise, or both, for weight reduction in women after childbirth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Issue 3.
Shan Y (2008) Tackling the obesity crisis in the UK. Primary Health Care. 18,8, 25-30.
Salem, Victoria; Bloom, Stephen R (2010) Approaches to the pharmacological treatment of obesity Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology, Volume 3, Number 1, January 2010 , pp. 73-88(16)
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (2006) Obesity: the Prevention, Identification, Assessment and Management of Overweight and Obesity in Adults and Children. Clinical guideline 43. NICE, London.
Are you wanting to lose some weight? There are hundreds of weight loss programs available that range from the useless to the ridiculous. But as anyone who’s tried a ‘fad’ diet will tell you, the promises of weight loss are very seductive. That’s the reason so many ‘quacks’ market them-so as to take your money?
This brief overview will look at the ‘hard’ scientific evidence behind the strategies which are proven to increase your chances of losing the weight you want. It is not going to recommend ANY diet approach but will give you the hard researched evidence to evaluate any particular diet you are considering.
Look at this like this
Would you go to see a surgeon and discuss a procedure you needed doing without them discussing the evidence, risks and outcomes? I know I wouldn’t.
The problem
Within the U.K. today the National Service Information Centre tells us that Obesity (BMI over 30) is rapidly becoming a major public health concern (NHSIC 2010) with 24.5% of U.K. Adults measured as being obese.
We are leading Europe in this particular race but at the moment lagging behind the Americans. Time and again research has shown that mass education of population groups at risk of obesity are of very little use in changing people’s life-styles long term (Bennett 2007). Society has and continues to struggle with how to change attitudes that will bring positive changes. And the evidence suggests we are not moving forward on this very fast. If you consider the Food manufacturer ‘lobby’, who have for years resisted putting dietary advice about the ingredients in their products, in the end it will come down to us to manage our weight!
So how do I know what to-do?
Firstly take a look at the box below (taken from NHSIC 2010) and see where you fit?
So now you know the risk, what benefit will you achieve from reducing your weight? Well from a physical perspective the positive gains you will reap are great. Take a look below-
Benefits of 10kg weight loss in the obese individual
Risk factors Benefits from weight loss
Mortality
• 20% reduction in total mortality.
• 30% reduction in deaths related to diabetes.
• 40% reduction in obesity-related cancer deaths.
Blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive individuals
• 10mmgHg reduction in systolic BP.
• 20mmHg reduction in diastolic BP.
Diabetes (benefits in 50% reduction in fasting blood glucose for those newly diagnosed)
Lipids
• 10% reduction in total cholesterol.
• 15% reduction in low density lipoproteins.
• 30% reduction in triglycerides.
• 8% increase in high density lipoproteins.
Shepherd A (2010)
So you know your risk and what the benefits of weight loss will bring! Next we’ll look at good old dietary advice. As alluded to earlier there are loads of ‘guru’s, quacks and charlatan’s who will sell you their advice. The National Institute of Clinical Excellence in publishing its guide line No 43 (2006) on obesity said that by reducing your calories by 600 a day will lose you 1-2 lbs a week. But remember you will lose less as your weight decreases if you stay on 600 cal/day
reduction-why? Because as you lose weight your body will naturally need less over all calories so to continue weight loss you will either have to increase the relative calories/day or use up the calories you are consuming by additional exercise.
• Fad diets such as-The Atkins, South Beach, Cabbage Soup, Zone, Sugar Busters etc have been shown to reduce weight initially but study after study has demonstrated that initial weight loss is more than often replaced by relapse and weight gain to pre-diet levels or even higher, Johnson A (2006). There are no published long-term studies that have shown that these diets lose and then keep the weight off. The restriction of certain food groups i.e. carbohydrates or proteins in some of them may cause problems (American Heart Association 2010).
So to spot a fad diet remember these points, they
• Promise a quick, easy fix with rapid weight loss
• Suggest that certain foods 'burn fat'
• Promote the eating of just one of two foods
• Have lots of rules about how to eat
• Sound too good to be true
So when thinking about the dietary aspect of weight loss, choice one that best suits your needs taking into consideration your lifestyle i.e. do you sit down all day in an office or dig ditches? Clearly one type of diet here may not suit both. Are you single or having to cook for others? Do you have specific medical needs? Are there cultural/time/financial constraints? Whatever the constraint there are some practical things to consider.
Practical dietary advice to promote weight loss
• Start the day with breakfast, for example eating a wholegrain cereal.
• Eating an egg for breakfast has been shown to promote weight loss without raising fat and cholesterol levels in the blood. This needs to be considered in terms of how the egg is cooked, for example the benefits of boiled and poached eggs versus fried eggs.
• Consume five portions of five fruit and vegetables per day.
• Half fill the plate with salad or vegetables and divide the other half between meat or fish and a starchy carbohydrate such as potatoes, rice or pasta.
• Boil, bake, grill or steam foods instead of frying.
• Choose low fat dairy products, changing from full-fat milk to semi-skimmed milk or from semi-skimmed milk to skimmed milk if preferred.
• Choose tomato sauces for pasta and rice instead of those with cream or cheese.
• Aim to eat at least three balanced meals a day and have snacks at planned times to suit lifestyle.
• Do not skip meals as this can lead to fluctuation in hunger levels and may predispose the individual to binge eating.
• Limit the consumption of diet carbonated drinks, as these can promote long-term damage to tooth enamel.
• Swap a standard size bar of chocolate for a ‘fun size’ smaller version.
• Eat low fat or baked versions of crisps and savoury snacks.
• Pay attention to labels on foods and choose those that are low in fat and sugar.
• Eat whole food products i.e. whole grain rice and pasta.
(Vander W al et a l 2008, Williams et al 2008)
Physical activity
The evidence is clear from many research studies that if you diet and exercise you will lose and maintain weight loss. You will reduce mortality form weight related diseases. You will improve your self-esteem, confidence and increase your circle of friends i.e. by attending classes etc. This improvement has been seen to-be especially evident in women wanting to lose weight after pregnancy (Amorim AR 2007). Doing High Intensive Exercise has been shown to be the best type. Don’t think this has to be in a gym either as doing the house work at a faster rate or walking briskly to school or the office can bring initial benefits to those not use to regular activity. Initially you may feel more supported by doing activities with the family. Use a pedometer to just increase your number of steps a day. Also making a cognitive reframe and thinking of it as a reduction in inactivity, rather than increasing activity may help. Whatever you do take small incremental steps and
Weight loss drugs
There are a range of weight loss drugs available now either by prescription by a Dr or pharmacist (or depending on your country over the counter). Whilst these may aid weight loss before turning to these consider these points,
• Is your BMI 27-35?
• Have you tried dietary restriction and failed at least 3 times for a sustained period?
• Physical exercise levels are not adequate?
In an article titled ‘Tackling the obesity crisis in the UK’. Shan Y (2008) noted that drugs used for weight loss work in one of three ways.
• Ones that reduce energy intake by acting as energy suppressants.
• Ones that increase the metabolic rate.
• And ones that alter fat metabolism and storage.
The two drugs currently licensed in the USA for the long-term treatment of obesity, Orlistat and Sibutramine, provide only modest weight-loss benefits and are associated with high attrition rates owing to side effects (Salem 2010). I would urge that before going down the drug route you discuss with your Dr. If you want a much more inner depth review of drug choices read Salem’s in-depth article. My final note here would be that this strategy is only an adjunct to wider life-style changes.
Surgery
This is the last and most risky of all the approaches discussed so far. Good Dr’s would only recommend this if you fulfil strict criteria. These of course will vary from country to country, The National Institute of Clinical Excellence has published guidance on this and can be found (see ref)but in essence this option should only be considered for you if
• You havea BMI of >40 or >35 with associated co-morbidities, such as diabetes or hypertension.
• All appropriate non-surgical measures have been tried and you failed to achieve or maintain adequate clinical weight loss for at least six months.
• You are receiving or will receive intensive specialist management.
• You are fit for anaesthesia and surgery.
• You will commit to the need for long-term follow up.
• You meet the local criteria and policies.
• You have been referred to a dietician for assessment.
Conclusion
This brief overview has summarised the latest evidence that is relevant to you if you are considering weight loss. There are thousands of dietary advice sources available for you to look at and no end of fad diets to ‘woo the cash out of your pocket’. But as discussed there is no evidence they work long term. Choosing a diet that suits your personal requirements is essential if it is to become a life style change for the long term. This must be paired with increased physical activity. Drug interventions and surgery can be considered if set criteria are met but again need to be associated with calorific restraint and exercise.
References
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National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (2006) Obesity: the Prevention, Identification, Assessment and Management of Overweight and Obesity in Adults and Children. Clinical guideline 43. NICE, London.
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