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.

• 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.
• 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.
• Popcorn - my most favorite night time snack gets a nice shout out as a healthy food to add to your daily intake.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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)
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 :)]

As I said, RW did a great job with this article and it is evidence based and written by people who KNOW this stuff... Here is the link..........