The most common theme for my January newsletter is… weight loss. It’s become evident in this fight against the virus that being overweight is a huge health hazard, it could even be a matter of life or death. I was ten years old when I first started dieting and I’ve got a few things to say about the subject. Sherry Shenk, our receptionist/chiropractic assistant extraordinaire has also had a lifetime of watching her weight. Many people have said the isolation affected their weight gain. There were too many idle hours and too much food available nearby because of working at home. On the flip side, others have said they’ve become more fit because they now have more time to cook healthier meals and to exercise on a regular basis. The same sun that melts the wax hardens the clay. Making excuses won’t get us anywhere. Since being overweight has become a matter of life or death now more than ever, I hope this information can be of use to you.
To get started, establish a system to keep track of what you eat. Some people count calories, others prefer to count carbohydrates. You’ll need a good scale, measuring utensils, a support group, and a tracking system. I always used a notebook that I kept handy. These days, there are apps that can really be like a coach who is with you all the time.
Losing weight really has no secret formulas. There are numerous weight loss products out there, but if they really worked, the U.S. (and the world) wouldn’t have this obesity problem. Weight loss is always a matter of portion control and exercise. The average woman loses weight if she keeps her calorie intake between 1000-1200 calories, while the average man will lose if he keeps his calorie intake between 1500-1800. The reality, however, seems to be that some calories seem to contribute more significantly to weight gain, while other calories seem to be less significant. For example, foods like candy, cakes, cookies, pastries, or anything made with refined white sugar, should all be counted as double the
calories indicated on the label. Calories from vegetables appear to count for less than what the calorie books say. Vegetables are a dieter’s best friend, especially when eaten raw. They deliver a lot of chewing satisfaction, water, fiber and great nutrition in very few calories. In my experience, if you are eating green vegetables you can count the calories half of what the book says.
Our bodies need water and need to stay hydrated. Drink two quarts of plain water each day. You can flavor it with lemon or lime. Beverages like tea, coffee, juice, soda, and powdered drink mixes do NOT count towards these two quarts. Water fills up the digestive tract and helps reduce hunger pangs. It keeps the bowels moving and replenishes water lost through breathing, sweating, digestion and urination. To deprive yourself of water would be like driving a car with only half the water in the radiator; not a good thing to do.
People ask me about protein diets. They do work (no doubt about it) BUT total protein diets are demanding on the heart and kidneys. Also, if you lose weight on a protein diet it is usually gained back again when carbohydrates are reintroduced to the diet. Those are the three main reasons I don’t recommend them. One needs to learn self-control and to regulate their diet in such a way that proper wight can be maintained throughout life. Permanent changes must be made. Returning to prior eating habits after losing the extra pounds will only result in gaining the weight right back. That said, I do think protein is a good snack. If you’re really uncomfortably hungry and must snack, try a couple bites of protein, either a little lean meat or a small handful of nuts. Protein satisfies hunger better than raw veggies or airy things like rice cakes.
You might be surprised how a bit of protein and a glass of water will take away the gnawing in your stomach. Two ounces of meat is less than two hundred calories, so it’s not a big hit. Yes, you still have to count those two bites.
Sauces and dressings are often the unmentioned secret saboteurs of many dieters. Salad DRESSING can make a plate of lettuce have more calories than a Big Mac™. Gravies and some condiments can add calories too. You can have them, but measure and count them, too.
What to drink besides water? The strategy is the same, always include in the journal the measure and calorie count of whatever you do choose. Many people lose weight if they just stop drinking soda, powdered drink mixes, or juices. However, that doesn’t happen if they just switch to a “diet” version of whatever they were drinking before. There seems to be an appetite stimulant in the fake sugars. Maybe it’s the chemical of them or maybe it’s the brain thinking you ingested something sweet so it gives a glucose reaction anyway. It’s still being studied. Existing studies show that people who drink even just one can a week gain two to three pounds a year. It’s not really explainable in terms of the formula of calories equal to weight gain. The main point here is be sure to pay attention to what you drink in case it’s adding calories or just making you have cravings.
Frying vs baking or broiling your food. Unless a non-stick pan and a spray on oil are used, frying always adds calories. You can do it, of course, just include the calories of the oil in your journal. Baking, boiling or broiling do not add calories. Tasting your food as you cook it can and will add calories, be careful of it. Every bite really does count. The body has its own calculator and it counts every calorie you eat.
Exercise!! I have recovered from injuries that prevented me from exercising while they were healing. It is possible to keep your weight loss going without exercise but it means you eat very little. Regardless, you’ve got to move to be healthy. If all you can do is wave your
arms to music, do that. Walking is a great calorie burner. Running burns more calories per minute but not per mile. How fast you walk or run will determine how many calories are burned. Ride a bike, dance, swim, dribble a ball, row a boat. Whatever you like to do – do it. Do it as much as you can without overdoing it. Household tasks like laundry, lawn mowing, shoveling and vacuuming do burn calories, but not as many as we’d like to think. I’ve seen fad diets come and go and tried quite a few. I have guided many, many women to a lifestyle of changing their habits so they could lose weight and keep it off.
It is essential to take a good daily supplement. In my office, I recommend Rainbow Women’s One, but if you have a favorite, let me look at it and see if it is sufficient for you. Women need more calcium, and with it, magnesium and traces of boron, vitamin D, zinc, and silicon. Some, but not all women need additional iron. B vitamins help calm nerves, increase energy and reduce water retention. Depending on what your daily vitamin has in it, I might suggest a boost of a B-complex, minerals or bone building supplements. People over the age of fifty often get sore joints. There are numerous supplements available for joint therapy, but I often recommend simply dissolving unflavored gelatin in a little juice and hot water to drink on a daily basis.
To help you start off the new year on a positive note, we are offering an experimental weight loss clinic here for eight weeks. For a fixed price you can come in for a weekly weigh in, a “pep talk”, and receive an auricular treatment for appetite reduction. We also can suggest supplements that might help speed weight loss. Please give us a call if you are interested.
To get started, establish a system to keep track of what you eat. Some people count calories, others prefer to count carbohydrates. You’ll need a good scale, measuring utensils, a support group, and a tracking system. I always used a notebook that I kept handy. These days, there are apps that can really be like a coach who is with you all the time.
Losing weight really has no secret formulas. There are numerous weight loss products out there, but if they really worked, the U.S. (and the world) wouldn’t have this obesity problem. Weight loss is always a matter of portion control and exercise. The average woman loses weight if she keeps her calorie intake between 1000-1200 calories, while the average man will lose if he keeps his calorie intake between 1500-1800. The reality, however, seems to be that some calories seem to contribute more significantly to weight gain, while other calories seem to be less significant. For example, foods like candy, cakes, cookies, pastries, or anything made with refined white sugar, should all be counted as double the
calories indicated on the label. Calories from vegetables appear to count for less than what the calorie books say. Vegetables are a dieter’s best friend, especially when eaten raw. They deliver a lot of chewing satisfaction, water, fiber and great nutrition in very few calories. In my experience, if you are eating green vegetables you can count the calories half of what the book says.
Our bodies need water and need to stay hydrated. Drink two quarts of plain water each day. You can flavor it with lemon or lime. Beverages like tea, coffee, juice, soda, and powdered drink mixes do NOT count towards these two quarts. Water fills up the digestive tract and helps reduce hunger pangs. It keeps the bowels moving and replenishes water lost through breathing, sweating, digestion and urination. To deprive yourself of water would be like driving a car with only half the water in the radiator; not a good thing to do.
People ask me about protein diets. They do work (no doubt about it) BUT total protein diets are demanding on the heart and kidneys. Also, if you lose weight on a protein diet it is usually gained back again when carbohydrates are reintroduced to the diet. Those are the three main reasons I don’t recommend them. One needs to learn self-control and to regulate their diet in such a way that proper wight can be maintained throughout life. Permanent changes must be made. Returning to prior eating habits after losing the extra pounds will only result in gaining the weight right back. That said, I do think protein is a good snack. If you’re really uncomfortably hungry and must snack, try a couple bites of protein, either a little lean meat or a small handful of nuts. Protein satisfies hunger better than raw veggies or airy things like rice cakes.
You might be surprised how a bit of protein and a glass of water will take away the gnawing in your stomach. Two ounces of meat is less than two hundred calories, so it’s not a big hit. Yes, you still have to count those two bites.
Sauces and dressings are often the unmentioned secret saboteurs of many dieters. Salad DRESSING can make a plate of lettuce have more calories than a Big Mac™. Gravies and some condiments can add calories too. You can have them, but measure and count them, too.
What to drink besides water? The strategy is the same, always include in the journal the measure and calorie count of whatever you do choose. Many people lose weight if they just stop drinking soda, powdered drink mixes, or juices. However, that doesn’t happen if they just switch to a “diet” version of whatever they were drinking before. There seems to be an appetite stimulant in the fake sugars. Maybe it’s the chemical of them or maybe it’s the brain thinking you ingested something sweet so it gives a glucose reaction anyway. It’s still being studied. Existing studies show that people who drink even just one can a week gain two to three pounds a year. It’s not really explainable in terms of the formula of calories equal to weight gain. The main point here is be sure to pay attention to what you drink in case it’s adding calories or just making you have cravings.
Frying vs baking or broiling your food. Unless a non-stick pan and a spray on oil are used, frying always adds calories. You can do it, of course, just include the calories of the oil in your journal. Baking, boiling or broiling do not add calories. Tasting your food as you cook it can and will add calories, be careful of it. Every bite really does count. The body has its own calculator and it counts every calorie you eat.
Exercise!! I have recovered from injuries that prevented me from exercising while they were healing. It is possible to keep your weight loss going without exercise but it means you eat very little. Regardless, you’ve got to move to be healthy. If all you can do is wave your
arms to music, do that. Walking is a great calorie burner. Running burns more calories per minute but not per mile. How fast you walk or run will determine how many calories are burned. Ride a bike, dance, swim, dribble a ball, row a boat. Whatever you like to do – do it. Do it as much as you can without overdoing it. Household tasks like laundry, lawn mowing, shoveling and vacuuming do burn calories, but not as many as we’d like to think. I’ve seen fad diets come and go and tried quite a few. I have guided many, many women to a lifestyle of changing their habits so they could lose weight and keep it off.
It is essential to take a good daily supplement. In my office, I recommend Rainbow Women’s One, but if you have a favorite, let me look at it and see if it is sufficient for you. Women need more calcium, and with it, magnesium and traces of boron, vitamin D, zinc, and silicon. Some, but not all women need additional iron. B vitamins help calm nerves, increase energy and reduce water retention. Depending on what your daily vitamin has in it, I might suggest a boost of a B-complex, minerals or bone building supplements. People over the age of fifty often get sore joints. There are numerous supplements available for joint therapy, but I often recommend simply dissolving unflavored gelatin in a little juice and hot water to drink on a daily basis.
To help you start off the new year on a positive note, we are offering an experimental weight loss clinic here for eight weeks. For a fixed price you can come in for a weekly weigh in, a “pep talk”, and receive an auricular treatment for appetite reduction. We also can suggest supplements that might help speed weight loss. Please give us a call if you are interested.