Weight Loss

Here are a couple of great resources for losing weight. Yes, I know that you've probably heard enough about our national weight problem and maybe you're not one of the people who needs to see this, but I'm guessing that most of us could stand to lose pounds for aesthetic and health reasons.



The first is from the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/19/health/19brody.html?_r=1&ref=health

What I like about Jane Brody is that she's on the reader's side. Her ideas use sound science and she gives us a place to start. Cut out fries, chips and sugary drinks. Cut down on fat. Eat yogurt (if you can). Excercise. It's common sense.

The second is a link to Dr. Dean Ornish's site:
http://www.ornishspectrum.com/

Dr. Ornish can be a bit more daunting. He wants us to cut out fats (animal and vegetable) and change the way we live our lives. This is clearly not for everyone, but it does seem to work. As a matter of fact, I believe that Dr. Ornish's diet is the only one recognized to actually reverse the effects of arterial plaque buildup.

I've lost 35 lbs. since January for scary health reasons that I won't go into now but trust me when I say that I needed to lose the flab pronto. So I tarried not. But it was not easy.

I followed much of what Ornish recommends, focusing on fruits, vegetables, yogurt and exercise. The biggest change I made was to eat the serving size suggested on the package of whatever I was eating, from cereal to pretzels (unsalted) to dried fruits and nuts.(I also eat Tootsie Rolls because they are low in fat and if you stick to the serving size on the package, it's a pretty reasonable 140 calories per serving. Ornish is silent on these tasty treats.)

Losing weight was a second job for me. It took both intellectual and physical energy to stay focused on my goal and it also took will power and, yes, denial. I've completely cut out the bad foods mentioned in the Times article. I still eat some meat, almost exclusively fish and chicken, and usually no more than 4 oz. per day. Some dieticians also recommend meatless days (usually Monday because of the alliteration) and I've tried that as well. It's difficult because, like many of us, I grew up believing that a meal wasn't a meal unless it had some kind of meat in it. If you want to lose serious weight, you need to commit to it.

Don't believe anyone who says that you can eat the problem foods that you've been eating, but eat less of them, and still lose weight.I don't doubt their sincerity in trying to help you, but it won't work. If anyone would like to start a weight loss or exercise program and you need some support, please contact me by posting comments on this blog, e-mailing me, Facebook, Twitter, whatever. I will help you daily or weekly.

Good luck.