Formula Medical Group
Apple Valley, CA
760-242-1234


James Krider, MD


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Obesity and weight loss - part 2

The party snacks on the left have 6 to 10 times the calories as those on the right

What can I do myself?
First, an overweight person must give up the idea that excess weight can be shed rapidly by following a crash diet, after which previous eating habits can be resumed. Drastic dieting not only does not work in the long run, it is also dangerous.

Next, the person should start exercising. Many people mistakenly believe that only heavy-duty physical activity such as long-distance running has any significant impact on weight reduction. A combination of moderate exercise (for example, a 30-minute walk every day) with a moderate reduction in calorie intake, results in a loss of excess weight at a safe and reasonable rate.

The number of calories that can be consumed daily to lose weight or maintain desirable weight depends on age, size, life style, body composition, and heredity. For most people, the best way to lose weight is to decrease their daily calorie intake by 500 to 1,000 calories, while increasing sustained physical activity, particularly aerobic exercise.

Charts that list calorie contents of specific foods can be somewhat helpful in this effort, but it is equally important to maintain a balanced diet, choosing appropriate amounts from all the four basic food groups to ensure good nutrition. (The accompanying menu planner and lists of food choices provide a good starting point.)

The best way to cut calories is to reduce the intake of foods that are high in fat. Examples include fried foods, foods prepared in butter or cream, whole milk and whole milk products, luncheon meats, and most cuts of beef and pork. At 9 calories per gram, fat has more than twice as many calories as carbohydrates and protein (4 calories per gram). In addition, the body converts carbohydrates and protein to glucose — its main source of energy — more readily than it converts fat. Conversely, the body stores dietary fat as body fat with amazing efficiency.

Weight-control gimmicks can be hazardous to health. Among the products and techniques commonly misused to promote weight loss are:

  • Water pills or diuretics. Use of these medications for weight loss can lead to dehydration, heart-rhythm irregularities, and other complications. Use them only if prescribed by a doctor.
  • Laxatives. These drugs work by increasing the water content of bowel movements, so they do nothing to promote lasting weight loss. Laxative abuse can interfere with absorption of essential vitamins and minerals.
  • Appetite-suppressant pills. These drugs often work by stimulating the nervous system, making a person feel anxious and jittery. Potent appetite suppressants available only by prescription can lead to addiction. Even over-the-counter diet pills are not entirely safe; in some people,
    they can cause heart-rhythm disruptions and high blood pressure.
  • Thyroid and other hormone pills. If the thyroid gland is functioning normally, taking additional hormones will cause it to cut back its natural hormone production. People who lose weight by taking thyroid hormone lose mainly muscle tissue instead of fat, and they gain back the lost weight when the hormone treatment stops.
  • Liquid protein diets. The biggest danger of these diets is excessive loss of muscle tissue, including heart muscle. In addition they fail to instill good eating habits.
  • Surgery. Operations to bypass a major portion of the small intestine to reduce the amount of food the body absorbs is a desperate weight loss measure reserved for extremely obese people who have tried every other means for losing

 

 

 

 

SERVINGS PER

FOOD

PORTION

CALORIE LIMIT

1,200

1,500

1,800

Starches

1 slice bread; 1/2 cup cooked

 

cereal; 2/3 to 1 cup dry cereal; 112 cup pasta or legumes.

5

6

8

Vegetables

1/2 cup cooked; 1 cup raw.

2

3

3

Fruits

1 medium piece raw;

 

112 cup canned or cooked.

3

3

3

Protein

3 ounces lean meat, fish,

 

or poultry; 1 egg; 1/2 cup cottage cheese; 1 ounce cheese.

2

2

3

Dairy

1 cup skim or 1 % fat milk;

 

3/4 cup nonfat yogurt. (Also see protein group)

2

2

3

Fats

1 teaspoon butter, margarine,

 

oil or mayonnaise; 2 teaspoons oil salad dressings; 6-10 nuts.

2

3

3

Basic Menu Planner

Use this menu planner to construct a personal weight-loss eating program. It is designed to provide the RDAs of essential vitamins and minerals while reducing calorie intake.
This article was last reviewed December 13, 2005 by Dr. James Krider.
Reproduced in part with permission of Home Health Handbook.
 


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