Weight Management

There is no doubt that in 1994 I had a weight problem. I'm the one holding the camera.That's my wife,Gretchen on the left, in front of her sister Joanne, and I'm in front of Joanne's husband,Gerry who died 6/30/2001 from complications of esophageal cancer. I had injured my R.medial meniscus( knee cartilage) after The Big Sur Marathon in 1990 and had quit running. Due to long hours at work in emergency type medicine and a variety of other excuses, my weight ballooned to about 190 lbs. I was really too short(5'7") for my weight. My sister-in-law took this picture and sent it to me with a wise-crack about a delivery date. Ashamedly, I hid the picture away but retrieved it after I reclaimed my health.

A colleague at work was successfully on a weight management program with pharmaceutical grade products from a company called Body Wise International. Over the next year I lost 30 lbs. and was able to return to running 20 to 30 miles each week. Gradually, over the past 2 years, I've dropped my weight to 152 lbs(my "normal" weight). It meant eating regularly without in-between meal snacking, drinking about 90 to 100 0z.of pure water daily, and eating low glycemic index foods, olive oil and minimal saturated fats. High glycemic foods are white bread, pastas from refined grains, fruits such as bananas etc. I ate complex carbohydrates, and a lot of fiber. On this disciplined routine, I regained my energy and competitive juices. My joints feel great and I've remarked elsewhere about resistance training to manage my osteoporosis.

One could say that there is an epidemic of obesity in the US. and Canada. The cause is, of course, multi factorial but for the majority, it means ingesting too many high calorie foods and not regularly exercising. Studies show that as little as 30 minutes of brisk walking (or the equivalent) each day can often yield the same benefits as a far more demanding regimen. Also, the weight lost is less likely to be regained. Such exercise can substantially lower blood pressure and often raise levels of HDL, the good cholesterol that keeps LDL(bad cholesterol) from building up in the coronary arteries.

The leading cause of adult-onset diabetes is excess weight, plain and simple. A new term is creeping in to the lexicon,"diabesity",implying that one can reduce the risks of Type II diabetes by shedding excess pounds. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are naturally low in calories and facilitate weight loss. With a cup of blueberries having only 80 calories, and a double cheeseburger with bacon having 640 calories, it's easy to see the wiser choice. But old habits are hard to change, and so many wait till they have a health crisis before they "wake up", and often-times it's too late to regain their health.

In Newsweek magazine, "Health For Life" Fall/Winter 2001 edition, is a "Strategies for Healthy Aging", adapted from "Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating," by Walter C. Willett,M.D.(Simon & Schuster). It notes that over the past 10 years, studies involving hundreds of thousands of people have illuminated the makings of a healthy diet, have debunked concepts enshrined in the U.S.Dept. of Agriculture's Food Guide Pyramid; such things, that all fats are equally hazardous, and all carbohydrates are equally virtuous. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School have developed an alternative "Healthy Eating Pyramid". It has complicated supporting evidence, but simple advice with no food weighing or food exchange tables to follow. Since the eating strategy is aimed to improve your health, not just to help you to shed pounds, deprivation is not an issue. Since meals and snacks are tastier, it is easier to stick with for years.

The article continues with some simple steps that can make a big difference in one's health:

• Use olive or canola oil instead of butter to cook, sautee, bake etc. (The types of fats in these oils can improve the levels of cholesterol and other lipids in the blood and combat the narrowing of arteries that often occurs with age).
• Use fish, poultry or legumes for protein instead of red meat; lean meats include pork tenderloin, and extra-lean ground beef.(There is less artery clogging saturated fat than in pork loin or in low-grade hamburger).
• Whole-grain( corn or wheat) tortillas and crackers instead of refined flour ones.
• Substitute skim milk for whole milk, to drink or in sauces and baked goods.
• Substitute nonfat plain yogurt for sour cream.
• Avoid foods that contain hydrogenated oils (also called trans fats).
• Use high-flavored cheese (Parmesan, blue cheese, feta or extra-sharp cheddar) to garnish pizza, salad etc.
• Natural peanut butter is full of healthful fats. (It is calorie dense, and separates unless refrigerated).
• Use dark leafy greens such as spinach or arugula instead of iceberg lettuce.
• An intact grain such as bulgar for a starchy dish instead of potatoes or white rice.
• For desert, fresh berries instead of ice cream.
• Nuts are a great source of protein and other nutritients. (People who eat nuts regularly are less likely to die from heart disease than those who rarely eat them).

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  ©  2001,  Fred Walsh  

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