Women's Health
Written by Mark Abell
Give Us a Week, We'll Take off the Weight
Don't Believe it.
All of us want to look attractive; it's part of American culture. We believe that if we look good, people will like us. However "plastic" that sounds, the belief runs through society. And the people who bring you all of the weight control products, particularly the ones that seem to promise rapid weight loss, are taking advantage of people who live by the belief that if they look good, they will be liked. Well, if you want the rapid weight loss, you can "buy" it at a price, which is buying more rapid weight loss stuff within a month - because you are going to need it and you are going to keep buying it. It works - except that you just don't keep the weight off - it tends to return within weeks. With some addition.
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to do things well. Except some of us seem to have a problem with our weight. Well, for most of those people who seem to have a problem with their weight, it's not the weight that's the problem - it's the way in which they think about food. There is that smaller segment of society which has a unique problem; they are predisposed to weight gain, usually due to genetics. But the majority of people who have problems with weight gain have problems with the ways in which they think about eating, food, exercise, and what it takes to remove excess fat from the body and keep it off. And it all comes from the ways in which they think about it all.
There is nothing wrong with dieting. It's a very logical approach to the problem of weight gain and control. It is used very commonly within the medical profession for patients who need to lose weight due to a health problem, such as a bad heart, diabetes, or other disease which is easily made worse with a diet which is inconsistent with being healthy so that the body can perform better. In other words, it is not uncommon at all for a physician to place a patient who has diabetes on a very controlled weight reducing diet. Not only would the diet help her diabetes and weight, it will also help the patient feel a little better about himself or herself; and that is exactly what people with weight control problems are trying to achieve. So, now we have to ask the infamous question: if doctors are convinced that the diet plans, for the people seen for other health problems, work, then what is the difference between the diet plans that doctors use and the diet plans that are avai! lable over the counter? Simple. Time, and the tools to use to help adjust the way you think about food and eating.
When we use diet plans in our clinic (Ashburn, Georgia), we are sure to teach the patient about dieting and setting realistic, attainable goals. We tell these good people that there has to be an adjustment made in the ways in which they think about food, eating, dieting and exercise. There must be time allocated for the body to "change".....and then, there must be a change in the lifestyle. That takes time. It's called changing your habits. In other words, the habit might be sitting down in front of the television for a long time, eating snacks, drinking coke, and then going to bed. That behavior was developed - by habit. It is going to take time for that person to change the habits. But it needs to be addressed in order to expect a change in your weight and appearance. Otherwise, the diet program will fail, which is what the manufacturers of many of the diet plans want - but they will not tell you that.
So, what should we be doing? Good question with good answers. For one thing, and depending on your age, health, and your own doctor's instructions, a routine of exercise development should be your first choice. But, start off slow, and be consistent. Develop a "habit" of exercising. And keep doing it.
Next, get to know the essentials of a normal diet. Try to remember this - a normal diet should consist of anywhere from 1800 to 2500 calories a day. So, do your shopping a little more carefully; shop for calories in meals, and plan your meals. Get used to keeping track of what you eat and why you are eating. Each meal should also have about 12-20 % protein, 45-65% carbohydrate, and about 30% fat. When considering the carbohydrates, try to stay away from refined sugar (or sucrose). There are other sources of sugar, as in fruits and fiber. For the protein, remember that it is often adjusted considerably with some people, based on their doctor's orders, such as in pregnancy or with the elderly population. And concerning the fat, try to stay within the limits of saturated and polyunsaturated fats. 6-8 percent of the fats should be polyunsaturated, 10% saturated, and the rest monounsaturated. Your cholesterol intake should be less than 300 milligrams a day. You should also have ! about 40 grams of fiber a day.
Then, understand that it's going to take some time to lose weight. Don't make unrealistic goals. Try to lose a pound or two a month - at first. Get used to dieting. Make it a habit for you. Within a year, you could possibly lose up to 24 pounds. That works. And, it stays off because you "changed your lifestyle".
Remember, as with anything regarding your health, always check with your own physician before attempting to develop a diet plan, particularly if you are being treated for any chronic health problems. For more information concerning dieting and weight control, visit the following web sites - or you can search the web yourself; there's lots of information out there.
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