When Fitness is a Lifestyle

Summer is here and nothing lets you escape the shape of your body like going to the swimming pool. I don't think we need to all look like super models, but we should be healthy. I am not Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers. My main focus in helping people is to decrease body fat while increasing strength, endurance, cardiovascular fitness and flexibility. So many people think that if they just exercise a little more they could lose more weight. But after a good workout they eat more to reward themselves for a job well done at the gym. The secret to successful weight loss is to KEEP TRACK OF YOUR FOOD.

I know...you were hoping I would tell you to eat more ice cream or drink more beer. A study was just released from Kaiser Permanente in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine that reemphasizes what I have been telling people for the past 9+ years. Keeping a food journal keeps you honest with what you are putting in your mouth. No calorie amnesia!!! Below are some highlights of the study…

"The more food records people kept, the more weight they lost," said lead author Jack Hollis Ph.D., a researcher at Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research in Portland, Ore. "Those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records. It seems that the simple act of writing down what you eat encourages people to consume fewer calories."

In addition to keeping food diaries and turning them in at weekly support group meetings, participants were asked to follow a heart-healthy DASH (a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low-fat or non-fat dairy, attend weekly group sessions and exercise at moderate intensity levels for at least 30 minutes a day. After six months, the average weight loss among the nearly 1,700 participants was approximately 13 pounds. More than two-thirds of the participants (69 percent) lost at least nine pounds, enough to reduce their health risks and qualify for the second phase of the study, which lasted 30 months and tested strategies for maintaining the weight loss.

"More than two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. If we all lost just nine pounds, like the majority of people in this study did, our nation would see vast decreases in hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and stroke," said study co-author Victor Stevens, Ph.D., a Kaiser Permanente researcher. For example, in an earlier study Stevens found that losing as little as five pounds can reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure by 20 percent.

To read the entire report click here: http://xnet.kp.org/newscenter/pressreleases/nat/nat_080708_fooddiary.html

The best way to keep track of your food is to write it down in a diary or journal. We have the Calorie King calorie counter and journal books that work very well. You can also use software that works on your Palm Pilot or Windows based PDA. You must count everything that you eat or drink. The handful of chips or candy grabbed at a coworkers desk still counts even if you try to forget it. The only person you end up cheating is yourself. You can also email me your daily food diaries and I would be happy to look them over and offer any suggestions that may help.

Another helpful tip is to know and understand what your metabolic rate is. Without this information, you are left to guess how much to eat. We can test your metabolism in about 10 minutes at our office. Once we know your resting metabolic rate, we can give you a calorie target to help you lose up to two pounds of body fat per week. No more yo-yo dieting or starving yourself.

Update on the MS 150 Ride

First of all, I want to thank everyone who was able to donate to our team. We raised over $7,000! According to the National MS Society this is what $2000 can buy for a person with MS.
• 2 sets of hand controls added to a van
• 1 ramp so a person can exit/enter their home safely
• 50 days of attendance at an adult day enrichment program specializing in MS
• 3 reclining lift chairs
• 100 hours of case management services
• 15 walkers with wheels, brakes and a seat
• 10 window air-conditioning units to fight off the heat for someone with MS

Thanks to everyone for their emails, calls and text messages offering encouragement and well wishes for us. The most rewarding aspect of the ride was the volunteers who at every opportunity thanked us for riding and helping to find a cure for Multiple Sclerosis. We had ten people ride with the Functional Conditioning team. Next year I expect even more people to ride with us. Click MS 150 Photos to see some pictures of our ride.

Client of the Month

Pam bought her husband a gift certificate for FC for his birthday. After seeing how well he did, she wanted in. After Tatum was born last July, Pam starting working hard to lose the weight she had gained with their three kids. Not only has she lost body fat, she has gained lean tissue and has earned a toned look. I am proud of how well the Simons family has done. They bought some exercise equipment for their house, and come to us at FC once a week. They are a pleasure to work with and have great kids who also love coming to see mom and dad workout!!!!