By Dr. Ayo Bankole

Start the year off right and achieve the healthy body size you want by observing the following sound techniques.  This list of ten useful tactics will help you reach your weight loss goals or to help prevent weight gain.  Consider them now, while the year is young!

1)    Use the health benefits of weight loss for motivation.  Although the social and aesthetic benefits to attaining ideal body weight are most recognizable outwardly, the overwhelming health benefits happen on the inside.  From decreases in blood pressure, improved blood sugar control, decreased joint pain, and improved longevity, weight loss results in many health benefits.  Consider the health benefits of weight loss as a primary motivating factor. 

2)    Don’t skip meals.  Skipping meals may seem to result in fewer calories consumed per day but beware.  Skipping meals may cause overeating in subsequent meals, thereby increasing caloric intake throughout the day.  Skipping meals also encourages your body to resort to starvation mode where fat is easily stored and calories are more difficult to burn.  To promote efficient metabolism avoid skipping meals.

3)    Cut out the sugar!  Processed food is laced with sugar, obvious and hidden.  Food manufacturers add several grams of the stuff to entice us.  The average American now consumes 2-3 pounds of sugar weekly equating to 150 lbs annually.  Read labels and recognize the many forms of sugar.  Sucrose, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, honey, maltose are just some of simple sugars found in conventional foods.

4)    Avoid refined carbohydrates.  Sugar also comes in the form of refined carbohydrates.  The best example is enriched white flour used in baked goods.  Devoid of all of nutritional value, refined carbohydrates contribute to sugar cravings, blood sugar fluctuations, high triglycerides and diabetes.  Instead opt for healthy snacks like fruit, vegetables and whole grain foods. 

5)    Plan meals ahead.  A long, exhausting day away from home may contribute to poor food choices due to lack of preparation.  Plan ahead so you won’t get stuck without healthy food choices.   Packing before your trip or finding a healthy place to dine ahead of time will prevent default eating. 

6)    Choose whole meals over meal replacements.  Permanent weight loss results from a consistent change in our relationship to food and how we view our health.  That is why a weight loss program based on eating real foods beats one that relies of meal substitutes and meal replacements which fail to improve daily food habits. 

7)    Don’t fall for short cuts or weight loss “secrets.”  In spite of the commercial press, there are no secrets to weight loss.  Weight loss happens when we influence the energy equation: calories consumed to calories expended.  To expend more calories than you consume influence both sides of this equation by reducing calories, improving food choices AND by exercising.

8)    Be aware those who may be unsupportive.  Be prepared to deal with people unsupportive of your weight loss goals.  These people won’t feel bad if you overeat or fall short of your goals.  They may even offer you foods you wish to not eat.  Simply inform them of your health related goals and ask them for their support. 

9)    Avoid weight loss programs that allow significant muscle loss.  Many weight loss programs severely restrict calories or recommend an improper balance of proteins to carbohydrates thereby promoting the unfavorable loss of muscle mass in preference to fat.  Muscle loss promotes poor metabolism and ultimately weight gain in the future.  The proper weight loss program will promote the burning of fat as opposed to muscle loss.

10)                     Choose a physician directed weight loss program to increase your accountability.  Successful weight loss programs have a few common characteristics.   Programs where office visits to the doctor were made resulted in more weight loss and were 92% successful at keeping lost weight off versus patients on self-monitored programs who lost less weight and were zero percent successful at keeping lost weight off.

If you have unsuccessfully tried to lose weight, do not give up!  Consider a weight loss program directed by a doctor trained in nutrition to simultaneously address medical issues that may impede weight loss and to provide a healthy and sustainable solution to obesity.   The Ultra-Lite program contains the elements necessary for health and permanent weight loss and is successfully used by individuals as young as twelve.  Call our office at 951.801.2302 to learn more.

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