Losing weight is balance between calories consumed and burned off

March is National Nutrition Month. And the message from the American Dietetic Association is simply “Eat Right.” It reminds me of a comment I heard from a woman a few years ago about her attempts to lose weight. “I know what I need to do,” she said. “I just don't do it.”

She's not alone. In our fast-paced world that encourages us to gorge on good-tasting, high-calorie foods and discourages the time it takes to burn off those calories, only one in three adults is successful in keeping their weight under control, according to a recent position statement on weight management by the ADA. So, how do we “eat right” to control our weight? Here is the latest to-do list based on evidence from scientific research:

1. Make a lifelong commitment. I know, I know. That's not fun to hear. But weight management is like keeping track of a bank account. We need to decide what goes in (calories and nutrients) and what goes out (physical activity). If we consistently make more deposits (of calories) than withdrawals (energy expended), we will soon have excess “savings” stored in a bank of adipose tissue.

2. Eat fewer calories. To lose one or two pounds a week, we need to cut 500 to 1,000 calories from our usual daily diet – or burn those calories through physical activity. Calories are units of energy in the food we eat. And they still count.

3. Eat smaller portions. You can cut half your calories when you eat half as much.

4. Eat less fat. Gram for gram or ounce for ounce, fat contains more than double the calories than protein or carbohydrates. Limiting fat generally means limiting extra calories.

5. Recognize the challenges. We have two systems that control our intake of food. And they are often at odds, say experts. The “homeostatic” system is a variety of hormones released throughout the body (including fat tissue) that signal hunger and fullness. One hormone tells the brain “Feed me!” when our tummy is empty; another signals “I'm feeling satisfied” after a good meal. We also have the “hedonic” system a network governed by our thoughts, feelings and emotions. It's this system that makes me want to eat even when I'm not physically hungry . . . the “I am bored or stressed so I think I'll have a chocolate chip cookie” system.

6. Eat at regular times. Four to five meals and snacks a day pleases the hormones of our body's homeostatic system. And when I avoid excess hunger, I control my hedonic system's urge to eat everything I get my hands on.

7. Take it easy. Just a 5 percent to 10 percent loss of excess weight may be enough to prevent diabetes or high blood pressure, according to studies.

8. Stick with it. Truth be told, most weight-loss regimens are difficult to adhere to for the long term. Successful weight losers continue to manage the amount of food they eat . . . even when they eat pizza or ice cream.

9. Move it! Exercise not only burns calories; it is “crucial” says the ADA, to prevent weight regain. Current guidelines recommend 300 or more minutes a week of physical activity to be successful with sustained weight loss.

10. Get help. Most people who lose weight regain it within the next five years . . . unless they continue to receive appropriate weight-loss treatment. Registered dietitians (RD) can help.


