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Fighting fat gain: strategies that make a difference
It's easy to get fat in America. Every day we are confronted with an abundance of delicious food that is easily accessible not only in restaurants, gas stations and bookstores, but also via drive-thrus and home delivery. That's one reason the average American gains one to two pounds a year, the equivalent of eating only 100 to 200 extra daily calories, such as a few extra Oreo[R] cookies, a second handful of chips or an extra helping at dinner.
Simultaneously, we have engineered exercise out of our lives by creating sidewalk-free communities, escalators and remote controls. We've learned to turn to food for comfort when we feel stressed, isolated or lonely. For many, eating is one of the few pleasurable moments of the day; life without ice cream can be grim. However, if Americans continue to gain weight at the same rate as in the past few years, 73 percent will be overweight or obese by 2008.
Because exercise is essential for healthy weight maintenance, most athletic people do not have serious weight problems. But, I'd bet many of you fight to stay lean and all of you know someone--a parent, child, spouse or friend--who would be healthier if he or she were to lose at least 20 pounds. Here are three weight-management strategies that can help you and your loved ones minimize fat gain and optimize desired fat loss without feeling denied or deprived of enjoyable food. The following suggestions can cut 100 to 200 calories per day from your diet, enough to make a difference in your battle of the bulge.
Strategy #1. Increase calcium intake.
In 1988, the results of a study examining calcium's effect on blood pressure surprised and fascinated researchers. Not only did consuming two cups of yogurt per day contribute to lower blood pressure but also to 11 pounds of fat loss in 12 months--even though the subjects had been told to try to maintain weight! This finding triggered more research and today we know:
* calcium within the cell regulates fat storage.
* a high-calcium diet helps more calories get burned than stored as body fat.
* calcium-rich diets contribute to fat loss in the stomach area.
* calcium-rich diets can help minimize midlife fat gain.
* eating three to four servings of calcium-rich dairy foods per day contributes to losing more fat and less muscle compared to dieters who are less dairy products. In a 12-week weight loss study, those who are three cups of yogurt per day lost 60 percent more fat than those on a calcium-supplemented diet. Other nutrients in milk, such as high-quality protein, may contribute to this beneficial effect of burning fat while preserving muscle.
A growing body of evidence indicates consuming calcium-rich dairy foods three to four times a day is equal to burning about 100 more calories of body fat per day--or about 10 pounds of fat per year. Certainly, you can get calcium from non-dairy sources (e.g., broccoli, calcium-enriched orange juice and supplements), but calcium from (preferably low-fat) dairy foods is more effective.
If you balk at the thought of consuming so much yogurt or milk, keep in mind you can easily do so by simply choosing cereal with low-fat milk for breakfast, a low-fat yogurt for a mid-morning or evening snack and a low-fat latte for an afternoon energy booster. Other options include putting two slices (i.e., 1.5 ounces) of low-fat cheese on a sandwich, cooking oatmeal with milk and yes, even drinking chocolate milk as a post-exercise recovery drink provides a nice balance of carbs and protein.
Given that calcium-rich diets are helpful not only for weight management but also regulating blood pressure and keeping bones strong, you'll do your health a favor by increasing calcium intake. The trick to consuming more calcium-rich dairy is to be sure the calories are within your daily calorie budget. You cannot start guzzling gallons of milk and expect to lose body fat! For help with learning how to incorporate more dairy products into your daily diet, consult a local sports dietitian: go to www.eatright.org and put your zip code into the referral network.
Strategy #2. Eat breakast.
About 40 percent of adults skip breakfast at least four times a week. Although skipping breakfast may seem like a good way to eliminate calories, breakfast skippers tend to be fatter than breakfast eaters. When people eat a larger-than-normal breakfast, they end tip eating almost 100 fewer calories by the end of the day, an amount that can curb creeping obesity. Hence, eating breakfast is a strategy that makes a big difference in weight management (to say nothing of sports performance). In a group of dieters who lost and have kept off more than 30 pounds, 97 percent are now committed breakfast eaters! They know what works.
Strategy #3. Eat more fiber and whole grain foods.
Satiating foods (i.e., ones that fill you to the point you choose to stop eating) are rich in protein (e.g., meat, fish and chicken) or fiber (e.g., whole grains, fruits and vegetables). Given that unhealthy saturated fat often accompanies protein (e.g., cheese, bacon and hamburger) and excess calories of fatty foods are easily fattening, a wise option is to curb hunger by filling tip on fiber-rich foods.
Fiber-rich foods also tend to be bulky, which helps promote satiety. For example, you can reduce a casserole's calorie content 30 percent by adding bulky vegetables (e.g., mushrooms, celery and peppers) and people will consume fewer calories without noticing the difference. According to Barbara Rolls, author of The Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan, consuming bulky foods with a high fiber and water content can help you eat fewer calories. This means more fruit, vegetables, soup, beans, legumes, bran cereal (e.g., Multi-Bran Chex[R] and Fiber One) and whole-grain cereals (e.g., Wheaties[R], Cheerios[R] and Total). Whole-grain cereal is more satisfying than equal calories of a croissant.
Summary
Given the abundance of food in our society, we need skills to manage the food environment. This means eating breakfast and consuming more calcium, fiber and whole grains. Sounds like Wheaties[R] is indeed the breakfast of (lean) champions!
Nancy Clark, M.S., R.D., nutrition counselor at SportsMedicine Associates in Brookline, Massachusetts, is author of the new third edition of her best selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook ($24) as well as her Food Guide for Marathoners: Tips for Everyday Champions ($20). Both are available via www.nancyclarkrd.com or by sending a check to Sports Nutrition Materials, 830 Boylston St. #205, Brookline, MA 02467.
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