Weight Loss Tools
December 27, 2005
Haven't heard much about Atkins, South Beach or Sugar Busters lately, have you?And none of the top 10 books on the New York Times' advice best-seller list are diet books (though the book version of TV's "The Biggest Loser" did make the paperback list).We might finally be getting it: Diets are temporary. Healthy eating has to be a way of life.But we also are realistic: New Year's Day is right around the corner, and the majority of us could stand to lose a pound or two. Or 10. Or 25. With that in mind, today we offer some useful tools for your New Year's weight-loss do-it-yourself project.
The BMI chart
BMI stands for body mass index. It's sort of like the old height-weight charts. The formula measures body fat based on height and weight. The resulting number tells whether you're overweight, underweight or just right. Yes, it has limitations -- if you're athletic or have a muscular build, or if you've lost muscle mass from age or another reason. But it's a good place to determine, overall, where you stand.
A tape measure
Put it snugly around your waist and take an honest measurement. The National Institutes of Health says your risk for heart disease and other problems goes up if your waist measurement is more than 35 inches if you're a woman, 40 if you're a man.
Paper and pencil
Use them to write down everything you eat in a day. Research has shown that people who are most successful at losing weight and keeping it off have used food journals in their efforts -- and keep using them afterward. Just making a list of what foods you ate and how much is a start and probably will keep you from eating as much ("I have to write down that doughnut? Yikes."). You might choose to add calorie counts or fat grams later, or to look for patterns -- do you always have a snack at 3 p.m., even if you aren't hungry?
A calculator
To lose 10 pounds in a year, you need to cut about 100 calories a day from what you eat now. That's easy-peasy: Linda Nye, a dietitian at the Wichita Clinic, says ditching a tablespoon of margarine or a cup of regular soda will do the trick.To lose one pound a week -- a sensible weight loss -- you need to cut 500 calories a day, or add enough exercise to burn that many calories, or combine the two methods in some form. Grab that calculator and start reading food labels.
Measuring cups
Part of our collective weight problem can be blamed on distorted portion sizes. Limiting portions, by measuring, is "the ideal way" to lose, Nye says. In general, a serving size for fruits and vegetables is ½ cup for canned, dried or frozen products and 1 cup for fresh. For meats, a serving is 3 ounces. For grains, it's 1 ounce or ½ cup, depending on the product.
Scale
Some people can tell whether they've gained or lost strictly by how their clothes fit. Most of us, however, need a scale.How often should you weigh? That depends: In the past, experts said to weigh once a week because weight can fluctuate by two or three pounds a day. But some studies show that people who weigh daily -- or even four times a day -- are more motivated to stick with it. Nye normally recommends the weekly route. Her husband prefers the daily way. Use what works for you. (And keep it up, after you've met your goal.)
A calendar
Whether you want to lose five pounds or 50, figure out how long it will take to do it sensibly. Trying to lose one or two pounds a week is the smart way to lose -- and the weight is more likely to stay off than when you lose more quickly.Think long-term: Can you end 2006 weighing 10 pounds less than you do now? That would require losing less than a pound a month -- a month! Eeeeasy.
A ruler
OK, you don't need a real ruler. But measure your hunger on a scale of one to 10, and try to eat when you're between three and eight. That will keep you from overeating because you're ravenous or from eating when you're not hungry. That's why some people eat six small meals a day. Even if you don't, eat no fewer than three meals a day --"that's really important," says Nye.
Your computer
The number of Web sites available to help with weight loss is enormous. Here are a few:
•fitday.com -- Nye's favorite, because a user can enter the food eaten in a day and have it analyzed for calories, fat grams, carbs, protein and more. It has several other calculators, too, including an activity journal and a weight-loss tracking tool.
• www.caloriecontrol.org -- Another site with several tracking tools, along with news stories about weight loss.
• www.learneducation.com -- Learn stands for lifestyle, exercise, attitude, relationships, nutrition. The site has information in each area.
• mypyramid.gov -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's site, with information on the new food pyramid.
• nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ -- The Web site of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Calculate your BMI, then go to the "Healthy Weight Home" for additional ideas and information.