I see people in my office every day and they all seem to have the same problem, they can’t seem to lose weight. Whether they are 5 pounds or 50 lbs overweight, they all say the same thing: I am trying to diet and eat right but the weight just will not come off”! While I have found that it is easier for some people to lose weight than it is for others, one thing remains true: DIETS DO NOT WORK!
You see ads on TV all the time about how much weight you can lose in 3 months without doing any exercise. While these claims might be true in the short run the results just don’t last. WHY? Because after losing weight, people return to their normal eating habits and they stop exercising. Then the pounds start to pack on again. There is only really one way to lose weight and keep it off. It has nothing to do with dieting and everything to do with changing your eating habits. Stop using lots of butter and start cooking with Pam and Olive Oil. Avoid frying foods and bake them instead. Eat fresh vegetables and fruit instead of chips and cookies. Drink water instead of Soda. Does this mean that you can NEVER eat anything fried or that you can NEVER drink soda? No, it just means that you don’t do it on a regular basis. Most of my patients don’t drink the 8 glasses of water their body needs a day. This means that when you think you are hungry you are actually thirsty and mildly dehydrated. In addition, a lot of my patients think that by restricting or skipping meals they are doing good. THIS IS JUST THE OPPOSITE! In order for your body to burn calories, you must jump start it in the morning. If you skip meals, you are telling your body that there isn’t any food around and your body will go into starve mode. Your body will attempt to hold on to all the fat it has because it’s not sure when you will be eating again. Your metabolism will slow and you will not burn energy. SO your mom was right, you must eat breakfast! In addition to keep the calories burning you cannot go more than 3-4 hours without eating.
The second important point is that you must learn moderation. If you make a fist with your hand, this is the portion of food you should have at each meal, nothing bigger. You should finish a meal and feel satisfied but not completely full.
The third point is that you MUST exercise! This is different for everyone. If you don’t do any exercise at all, then start with 20 minutes 2-3 times a week and work your way up with a goal of 30 minutes a day 5-6 times a week. Recent medical studies have found that this can be split up different times during the day with the same results. For example, if you can walk 15 minutes before you go to work and 15 minutes after work, it is the same as if you were to have walked 30 minutes before work. The key in exercise is to never do the same thing for too long because your body will get used to it. You must increase the intensity or duration about every week or two to continue to see results. Finally, during this Holiday Season, cut yourself some slack. It is important to stay healthy, but it’s also important to enjoy life. Remember that the Lord made food not only to nourish you but also for your enjoyment! Otherwise, you would have been made WITHOUT taste buds!
About the author...
Dr Monique Bosque is a Board Certified Doctor and Assistant Professor in Community Health and Family Medicine with the University of Florida College of Medicine.She studied at the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in Downers Grove Illinois. She did her Residency in Family Medicine with St. Vincent's Medical Center. She is now with:
Commonwealth Family Medicine and Pediatric Center
761 Edgewood Avenue North
Jacksonville, FL 32254 (904) 633-0500
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