Weight Management

Healthful Strategies
for Weight Loss

Are the following three statements myth or fact?

Fad diets work for permanent weight loss.
Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight.
Low-fat or no-fat means no calories.

All of the above are dieting myths.

"The fact is, long-term success at weight loss requires a balance between diet and physical activity," says Bobby Montgomery, wellness coordinator for the physical therapy department at Lake Pointe Medical Center in Rowlett, Texas. "Losing one-half to two pounds per week by eating better and exercising more is the best way to lose weight and keep it off."

Before you begin a weight-loss program, consult your doctor. He or she may give you an exercise stress test to see how your heart responds to increased physical activity. You also may want to consult a registered dietitian about a menu based on your weight-loss goals and food preferences.

Learn about food
To lose a pound per week, you need to eat 500 fewer or burn 500 more calories per day than you normally do. Learning about food labels can help you do so.

"Food labels can be confusing," says Mr. Montgomery. "Just because a product says it's low-fat doesn't mean that it's low in calories or is healthy." Food label terms are defined as follows:

Fat-free -- less than 0.5 gram of fat per serving.
Low-fat -- less than 3 grams of fat per serving.
Reduced or less fat -- at least 25 percent less fat than the full-fat version.
Lite products -- a product with fewer calories than the regular version; the sodium content is 50 percent less than the regular version; or the food is clearer in color.
Calorie-free -- less than 5 calories per serving.
Low-calorie -- less than 40 calories per serving.
Reduced or fewer calories -- at least 25 percent fewer calories per serving than the regular version.

Start to exercise
Exercise is the other key component in losing weight. Physical activity can help to control weight loss by burning up excess calories that would otherwise be stored as fat.

"How much a person weighs is regulated by the number of calories consumed and used each day," says Mr. Montgomery. "Therefore, weight gain occurs when more calories are consumed than used in a day, and weight loss occurs when more calories are burned than are stored."

Playing in the yard actively with children, mowing the lawn and raking leaves are moderate-intensity activities. On their own, they don't burn many calories, but when a combination of such activities lasts at least 60 minutes a day, they can make a difference.

More strenuous activities burn more calories than moderate ones. A brisk walk, swimming or riding a bicycle are all good weight-loss activities.

For you to gain maximum health benefits from physical activity, your exercise program should include:

Aerobic activity for 30 minutes or more a minimum of three days per week.
Strengthening activities, such as weight training.
Flexibility exercises, such as stretching.

"Losing weight doesn't, and shouldn't, mean starvation," says Mr. Montgomery. "Losing weight in a healthy way consists of eating better and being more physically active. And it should be tolerable, and perhaps even fun."

About This Article
Publication: Vitality magazine; Publication Date: August 2003; Author: Barbara Floria; Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Source URL: http://www.cdc.gov/; Online Editor: Dianna Sinovic; Online Medical Reviewer: Cynthia Godsey, M.S.N., F.N.P./C., Gordon Lambert, M.D.; Date Last Modified: 4/21/04