loss weight nhs

Because I am a registered dietitian/nutritionist with a passion for good living I get annoyed with the general misconception surrounding weight issues. For example, in order to maintain a healthy weight one has to deprive themselves of the important experience of food, by eating unpalatable meals. Another misconception (promoted by the latest reality shows) has individuals working out 8 hours/day doing extremely rigorous exercises. I cannot exclude the commercials pushing exercise equipment or pills and supplements to miraculously melt fat away.

When will we realize there are no shortcuts and quick fixes?

These are some misconceptions:

If you need to lose weight you should try a juice fast. A juice or any liquid as sole nourishment will show up as pounds lost on the scale but in actuality water and muscle loss results not fat loss. In addition, not being able to continue these fasts the pounds lost once again appear on the scale. Your effort, time and of course motivation are negatively affected, so what was gained? Fasting has been around for centuries and is a part of some religious holidays. Occasional withdrawals of solid food where you limit your daily intake to juices do have some benefit. An occasional total fast also can have some benefits however the body reacts to these regimens. When there is no energy coming into the body, in the form of food, the brain sends the message to make fat. This fat compensates for the energy the body needs. Long-term effects create muscle wasting.

Another misconception: If you need to lose weight eliminate carbohydrates. There are simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates that are in soda, cookies, candy and lots of packaged foods, lack fiber and do not create fullness. Complex carbohydrates in fruit, vegetables and grains contain fiber, vitamins and minerals that the body needs. Dairy products are also considered complex carbohydrates.

Misconception: If you need to lose weight eliminate fats. There are four types of fats: Trans, saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. Trans fats are harmful and should be eliminated. The government has new regulations banning trans fats from foods. Saturated fats are contained in animal products, and those animal products also have beneficial protein, vitamins and minerals, therefore it is important to provide protein to your diet. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are important sources of fats for our brain, skin and our organs. They are necessary: inadequate amounts of fat can cause hair loss, and dry skin conditions.

Misconception: If you need to lose weight limit calories to 1000 calories or less per day. We are individuals and therefore the daily calorie amount is calculated using many values. Knowing that correct amount might be the difference between success and failure. This amount also changes with weight loss and plateaus so the calorie amount needs to be recalculated as time goes on.

Misconception: When discussing exercise not everyone can program themselves to go to the gym and engage in weight training or aerobic classes. Not everyone can afford a gym membership. I know many patients that do yoga or go out dancing and have made changes in their bodies. Incorporating walking and using stairs into your work day might be enough of a change to drop unnecessary pounds. Not everyone can jog or run. Many injuries as well as heat exhaustion, dehydration and heart attacks have resulted from going out to do a race without proper training. I have seen too many people become weekend warriors to end up completely eliminating all exercise because of overuse injuries.

I have patients that achieve successful weight loss and no longer need medication for hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesteremia, hypertryglyceridia by creating a food beverage and exercise regimen which is working for them. Creating an individual customized plan based on individual food preferences, budget and lifestyle is the gold standard of what I can accomplish.

Education on how to assess what we put in our bodies and how we help or hurt ourselves to digest and use those nutrients will help determine how healthy we are. How many times do you read nutrition ingredient labels? Do you recognize those ingredients? Do you understand why they are included?

The food groups exist for a valid reason. Eliminating even one will deprive your body of essential nutrients. Vitamins and minerals with unique qualities to provide the body with an important ingredient for good health. An additional quality that food provides is taking time out to take care of our nourishment. Where is the satisfaction and visual appreciation of looking at attractive meals; have you taken the time to prepare this yourself or has someone else devoted their time and effort? Are you sitting in a restaurant and paying for that meal? How can the satisfaction of sharing meals with those we care about or the time spent chewing, tasting and smelling what we will consume compare with a liquid meal?

We are in such a hurry that we do not question what we read or hear in the media. We do not question who is giving advice or their credentials. We do not question why there are so many products that do not spoil.

We are so fortunate to have true credentialed leaders in the field of nutrition and exercise. These are the only sources to rely on for information. My association the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics was founded to educate on nutrition and health. Sources such as the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic have devoted time and money for research for decades. Professionals that have spent years studying how the body works, and why diseases occur are the best sources to seek counseling from.

Following my tips you will lose weight safely and easily, and most importantly, learn life long habits to help keep the weight off. Nothing we recommend is extreme,our recommendations are extremely healthy.The fact is, our 21st century diet, high in sugar salt,and saturated-fat-rich foods like cheeseburgers and fries, is killing us because it’s so drastically different from the food our ancestors ate for hundreds of thousands of years.Our ancestors diets consisted of a lot of very high fiber vegetables and fruits, some nuts, and for most, some seafood and/or very lean meat. This is the diet our human digestive systems evolved on. This is the diet we’re designed to eat. It is a popular misconception that you have to starve yourself and abandon any notion of enjoying food in order to lose weight.You can enjoy delicious foods in large, satisfying portions,and still achieve your personal weight loss goals.We promote a diet that is low in fat and high in natural, fiber rich carbohydrates.While other diets encourage poor nutrition, we promote long-term weight loss and an overall change in lifestyle that ensures long lasting good health.You should focus on daily exercise and an eating plan based on natural, whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seafood rich in omega 3s,and limited lean meat. Within two to three weeks, high cholesterol plummets. Hypertension disappears. Many diabetics no longer need their medications. Excess weight melts away. And energy levels soar.Our health improves quickly and dramatically when we eat the foods our bodies are biologically designed to eat. What you should eat Several servings daily of whole grains, starchy vegetables beans and peas.Several servings of raw or cooked vegetables. Four or more servings of whole fruit daily.Not more than 2 servings of skimmed milk or non fat cheese.Not more than 100 grams of lean meat, daily. And remember chicken is better than meat ,and fish is better than chicken.Optimally, limit poultry to no more than one serving per week,and red meat, to no more than one serving per month.If you are a vegetarianinstead of animal protein,choose from beans, lentils,or peas. Keep away from chocolates cakes,and fried food.Keep away from fatty meats, and processed meats, like hot dogs and bacon . Drink a minimum of 6 glasses of water daily.Coffee and alcoholic beverages in moderation.Limit the consumption of oils, to no more than one teaspoon per 1000 calories consumed.Avoid animal fats.Avoid added salt,and highly salted,pickled and smoked foods. Exercise The benefits of exercise are enormous.You will lose weight, get fit, and achieve optimal health. You’ll look and feel healthier, happier, and younger.Even a simple half hour walk,daily is highly beneficial.

Obviously, as far as being overweight is concerned, there are several potential causes, such as overeating, lack of exercise, and even genetics. Also, as we get older our metabolism begins slowing down, and this of course means that our bodies are no longer able to burn up food as efficiently.

Fortunately there are several options available, and while many people have opted to go under the knife, others prefer to change their diet and begin doing regular exercise.

Because this last approach requires a considerable amount of time and effort, many people become impatient and want to achieve weight loss as quickly as possible, thus leading to them taking various weight loss drugs.

During the period from the nineteen fifties to the nineteen nineties, it wasn’t uncommon for doctors to prescribe weight loss drugs which had the ability to increase serotonin levels in the brain. This in turn would allow a person to feel full, and as a result, it would cause a person’s metabolic rate to increase.

This continued to be a popular approach for those concerned with weight loss until such time that scientists began noticing that some of these drugs were causing undesirable side effects.

As these drugs were removed from the shelves, pharmaceutical companies soon began manufacturing new weight loss drugs, many of which have still not been approved by the FDA.

Practically everyone nowadays knows at least one or two people who have used diet pills in the past and enjoyed remarkable results. Let’s face it; many people love the idea of being able to simply take a tablet in order to lose weight, rather than having to make any lifestyle changes.

It is this hunger for an easy way out that has resulted in consumers spending billions of dollars, all of which end up inside the coffers of giant companies.

As I’m sure you’ll already know, weight loss pills can either be purchased in the form of over-the-counter drugs, or they can be obtained with a doctor’s prescription. Unfortunately however, even though medical science has advanced in leaps and bounds, many of these new weight loss drugs still have the potential to cause serious health problems.

For example, an overdose of these drugs often results in hallucinations, confusion, difficulty breathing, convulsions, renal failure, and even a possible heart attack.

Of course the severity of the side effects depends largely on the health and lifestyle of the person taking the drugs. This is why it’s so extremely important to consult with a doctor before taking any such medication.

Furthermore, several studies have shown that when a person stops using certain weight loss drugs, they often begin experiencing other side effects, much the same has the withdrawal symptoms experienced by drug addicts. These side effects include but are not limited to:

ü Hyperactivity

ü Nausea

ü Trembling

ü Depression

ü Fatigue

ü Irritability

ü Abdominal pain

ü Insomnia

ü Mood swings

One should also bear in mind that even though many weight loss drugs are backed by clinical studies, the success of such drugs depends largely on whether or not a person is also on a low calorie diet, together with an effective exercise routine.

You also need to bear in mind that a good diet should essentially include some food from all the different food groups. For example, a good diet should include plenty of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

In order to ensure you get enough exercise, you could always consider going for a short jog each morning, or perhaps even signing up for a gym membership. Of course, irrespective of how healthy your diet is, you should always consult with your doctor before beginning an exercise routine.

Essentially, for an exercise plan to be effective in terms of weight loss, it should include cardiovascular exercises as well as some weight training exercises. Not only will this approach help to ensure you’re burning a sufficient amount of calories, but it will also help you to increase your muscle mass.