Health Education: diets

The Best Way to Lose Weight

I want to be sure that I didn't  mislead or confuse you, by referring to this old NHIS question in the last post. In your opinion which of these are the 2 best ways to lose weight <blockquote class="tr_bq"> Eat fewer calories  Take diet pills  Increase physical activity  Eat NO fat  Don't eat at bedtime  Eat grapefruit with each meal</blockquote>My point was to draw your attention to how things have changed in the last 40 years and what we know today. In the above list and in any list, the best way to lose weight is to reduce the number of calories consumed.  You must eat less to lose weight - and not because you took a diet pill or because there was grapefruit on your plate.  Limiting saturated fat is a good idea, avoiding trans fat is important. Including healthy oils from plant and fish sources is essential.  The only right answer in that list was related to calories.  BTW, the body doesn't know what time you eat.  But about the physical activity: A person who is physically active is less likely to become overweight than a person who is inactive.  A person who is physically active is more likely to keep lost weight from returning than someone who does not engage in physical activity. A person who meets the recommended levels of physical activity is less likely to die from any cause (over a set time period) than those who do not.  People who exercise regularly are also less likely to become ill from heart disease and some cancers.

The Best Way to Lose Weight

I want to be sure that I didn't mislead or confuse you, by referring to this old NHIS question in the last post. In your opinion which ...

7:22 PM

GSK and Alli Lose - YOU Don't

And that is the problem.  People who use the over the counter weight loss pill, Alli, do not lose weight.     I often take a look at pharmaceutical industry news - even the stock values and projected earnings of companies.  I think that we learn a lot about our health care system by doing so.  I wasn't surprised by what I read the other evening, but I do think I missed a piece when I wrote this three years ago... edited excerpt from<a href="http://yourhealtheducator.blogspot.com/2009/08/diet-drugs.html" target="_blank"> post</a>: <blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: inherit;">It has been a little while since our grocery stores held prominent displays of the latest OTC weight loss drug, Alli. Long too, since Wynona Judd did her print and TV ads endorsing the product. I of course, had my say in these <a href="http://yourhealtheducator.blogspot.com/2009/03/wellness-weekly-with-video.html" target="_blank">pages.</a> Alli was intended to enhance weight loss by blocking some fat absorption.  The alternative, eating less fatty food, would be considered too inconvenient for people. I railed against the drug, I still rail against it and now the FDA has made a cautionary statement in its regard.</blockquote>   That FDA statement focused on liver related side effects.  The drug had additional and more common side effects, in fact, it was recommended by the maker that initial use begin on a weekend - when you would not be around other people so much (gas, leakage, etc).    I understood that Alli was the OTC version of Xenical/Orlistat, but did not realize that GlaxoSmithKline bought Xenical from Roche with the goal of modifying it (to make it safe enough to put on a shelf without a prescription) and profiting from its expected super sales.  GSK was the one behind all the commercials, Wal-Mart displays and celebrity endorsements.  It was an extensive and expensive marketing campaign.  Surely it made sense - we all want a pill that lets us eat whatever we desire and still lose weight (except that is NEVER what the fine print says).    The current value of the product is - well NIL.  GSK is trying to sell and has no buyers.  The reasons the drug flopped are the very reasons I gave for hating it in <a href="http://yourhealtheducator.blogspot.com/2008/08/wellness-weekly.html" target="_blank">2008</a>.    Its efficacy was based on the person consuming foods low in fat and remaining calorie conscious - in other words, the pill was not the instigator of the weight loss the lower calorie intake was (it always is).  But people don't take pills because they are interested in changing their diet.  They do it instead of changing their diet (why I hate all obesity drugs).  A majority of people on Alli  did not lower their fat intake which led to substantial and embarrassing gas and diarrhea while on the pills.     Upshot with Alli: No weight loss, plenty of inconvenience and embarrassment.  Thanks to the Motley Fool bloggers for their great post on this issue!

GSK and Alli Lose - YOU Don't

And that is the problem. People who use the over the counter weight loss pill, Alli, do not lose weight. I often take a look at phar...

7:33 PM

What You Really Need to Know about Weight Control

There is a not to be missed article in the April issue of Runners World magazine. I will link it at the end of this post. It is a MUST read. I agree with just about every word written in their expose` on weight loss myths, and my agreeing with somebody else, well, that is news in and of itself! I do have a little commentary to go along with many of the points they make, so I will state them now and then again, you MUST read the article if you want some serious and factual information about calorie intake and burn. <ul><li>Small, frequent meals - the magazine seems to dismiss their effectiveness, but then again not really. I just want to say that it is TRUE - the amount of calories you consume in a day vs the amount that you burn, no matter what kind - IS the final answer for WEIGHT control, but for optimal health, energy, mood state, etc - research DOES support that small, frequent, nutritious (calorie controlled) meals are better! And I must add, when they give an example of a day of eating, the example contains SIX meals.</li><li>Timing - the magazine notes that eating at night does not in and of itself cause weight gain, but that eating too many calories in any given day - does. I eat almost half my total intake after six p.m.</li><li>Popcorn - my most favorite night time snack gets a nice shout out as a healthy food to add to your daily intake.</li><li>The Weekend - READ the piece on Surviving the Weekend. It does NOT include permission to overindulge. Instead, the article warns that eating with abandon on the weekend will only cancel out the hard work you did all week. But other points in this piece are very Your Health Educator -ish. It discusses traveling and eating well and cooking on the weekend! Here is something I have decided to offer up - and may repeat in another post - much of the successful weight loss literature or evidence suggests that persons keep a food diary. We are consistently encouraged to write down what we ate - I challenge you to expand this think ahead approach offered in the magazine and write it down FIRST. I almost always know what I am going to eat in a day and I swear, I look forward to MY meals and am not the least interested in the high calorie snacks or lunches that others parade about the office.</li><li>Weight training - two of my favorite myths - and counter arguments are offered as well. More weight, less repetitions and lifting weights improves our fitness and calorie burn withOUT bulking anyone up.</li><li>Diet soda - the mag speaks against it by noting one of the studies that showed increased weight in those who drink it, but if I remember correctly, it isn't the diet soda causing the weight gain, but the cheeseburger and twinkie that went along with it. (just saying)</li><li>Two a days - YEAH! my favorite. Instead of working out for an hour in the a.m. there is much science to support a better overall calorie burn if you do 30 minutes twice or even two 40s if you prefer, but you will likely expend more energy because you have more and can apply more effort.</li><li>Fat/Carbs- this is addressed on two fronts. What nutrients you take in and what type of calories you burn (long and slow, vs high intensity) and guess what - AGAIN it is total number that you should worry about - if you eat more than you need you will gain weight - period - if you exercise with effort you will burn more.</li><li>It's a forever thing - lastly, this is not a time limited diet "thing". To maintain a healthy weight one must always moderate their calories and exercise daily. [give a take a day or two :)]</li></ul>As I said, RW did a great job with this article and it is evidence based and written by people who KNOW this stuff... <a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-304--13443-1-1X2X3X4X5X6X7X8X9-10,00.html">Here is the link..........</a>

What You Really Need to Know about Weight Control

There is a not to be missed article in the April issue of Runners World magazine. I will link it at the end of this post. It is a MUST read...

4:47 PM

Health Education

The Best Way to Lose Weight

GSK and Alli Lose - YOU Don't

What You Really Need to Know about Weight Control

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