FitnessWise Personal Fitness Training and Post-Rehabilitation

The Skinny on Losing Weight and Keeping it Off

At any given time, roughly 40% of women and 25% of men in the U.S. are trying to lose
weight. Most of these people will find their efforts unrewarded, especially when it
comes to keeping the weight off permanently. With so many fad diets and fitness
products on the market today promising great results in no time flat, it can be
tempting to try one, or several. But the simple truth is, weight loss requires that you
expend more energy (calories) than you consume. The National Weight Control
Registry (NWCR) is a database that tracks more than 5,000 people who have lost at
least 30 pounds and kept it off. Here are 11 tips that have worked for them:

#1 Control Portions: Less than 20 years ago, a standard cup of coffee was 8 ounces
and 45 calories. Today, a 16 ounce Starbucks Grande Mocha Frappuccinno has 380
calories. Successful losers control their portions. Research suggests that portion
control is the greatest predictor of successful weight loss.

#2 Be Mindful When Eating: Many turn to food when bored or stressed. Eat when you
are hungry and stop when you are full. Emotional eating can wreak havoc on a
well-planned weight-loss program.

#3 Exercise Regularly: More than 94% of those in the NWCR increased their physical
activity. Many who lost weight reported walking for at least 1 hour per day.
Participants who dropped out of fitness programs ended up putting the weight back
on.

#4 Check the Scale: While you should not become obsessive about weight, people
who maintained their weight loss did so by weighing themselves about once a week.
They were able to identify weight increases in time to take action.

#5 Eat Breakfast: More than 75% of the participants ate breakfast daily. A high-fiber,
low-fat breakfast will boost your metabolism and help you eat less the rest of the day.

#6 Monitor Intake: It can be tedious to keep a daily food log, but research has shown
that this is an effective and proven strategy.

#7 Turn off the Tube: Time spent watching TV or eating is time spent being completely
sedentary. Successful participants in the NWCR watched less than 10 hours of TV per
week.

#8 Retrain Your Brain: Become more organized. Write a healthy grocery list and
schedule your workouts for the next week and stick to them! This will help make the
lifestyle change more permanent.

#9 Start Today and Don't Cheat: People who didn't cheat on a regular basis were
150% percent more likely to maintain their weight loss. Make sure your lifestyle
changes are "doable".

#10 Birds of a Feather Stick Together: A study of over 12,000 people followed for 32
years concluded that obesity spreads through social ties. Invite a friend or family
member to walk or go the gym. It will benefit the both of you.

#11 Remain Optimistic: Research suggests that those who perceive control, positive
expectations, and empowerment are more successful at changing behaviors and
losing weight.
Source: IDEA Fitness Journal, Volume 5, Number 2.

Research:
Effects of Aerobic Training Prior To and During Chemotherapy
in a Breast Cancer Patient: A Case Study

Symptoms associated with breast cancer treatment (chemotherapy) include fatigue,
declines in functional ability (everyday tasks), muscle wasting, and a decreased
quality of life. Previous studies have looked at the effects of aerobic exercise initiated
during or after chemotherapy. This study started exercise prior to the start of
chemotherapy, a concept known as prehabilitation. The advantage of starting
exercise prior to chemotherapy is the reduced stresses of starting exercise and
therapy at the same time.

The patient started exercising 1 week prior to and continued through 8 weeks of
chemotherapy. Initially, an exercise session included a 5 minute warm-up, a 15
minute walk, and a 5 minute cooldown. The duration of the walk was increased by 5
minutes each week until 35 minutes was reached. Investigators measured the effects
of aerobic exercise on fatigue and functional ability (everyday tasks) including
standing and sitting from a chair, going up and down stairs, and a 12 minute walk for
distance.

After the 9 weeks of exercise, the patient improved performance in 5 of the 7
functional ability tasks, with no change for the other 2. The patient also reported
having no fatigue while performing all 7 tasks, and significantly less fatigue overall.

The authors encourage patients to begin exercise before starting chemotherapy, as it
appears to be crucial in recovery and rehabilitation.
Source: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2007, 21 (2), 635-637.

Exercise Myths... Busted!

Myth 1: Doing Hundreds Of Sit-ups Everyday Will Give Me A Six-Pack. Half-true. Doing
the right abdominal work may give you six-pack abs, but there is no need to do
hundreds of repetitions everyday. Further, you will not see your abs until you reduce
the fat that is between the abdominal muscles and the skin. This can only be
accomplished with regular aerobic exercise, strength training, and a proper diet to
reduce overall body fat. Exercising one part of the body, whether it be abs, thighs,
hips, or butt, will not get rid of fat in that area alone.

Myth 2: It Is Better To Be Thin and Not Exercise Than It Is To Be Overweight and
Exercise. Studies show that overweight and obese people who participate in regular
exercise programs have a lower risk of all-cause mortality than sedentary individuals,
regardless of weight. Men and women of all sizes and fitness levels can improve their
health with modest increases in activity.

Myth 3: I Can Eat Whatever I Want If I Exercise. In most cases, exercise alone will not
reduce body fat significantly, if at all. If you can, you are still at risk for high blood
pressure or high cholesterol, among other things, which can have profoundly negative
health consequences.

Myth 4: If I Can't Exercise For At Least 30 Minutes, There's No Point In Doing It.
Research has shown that 3 10-minute bouts of exercise per day is just as beneficial as
1 30 minute bout of exercise. You may want to try 10 minutes in the morning, 10 at
lunch, and 10 after work if you're pressed for time.
Source: www.ideafit.com/articles/ten_myths