A Small Talk About Weight Management

It’s now the time to pull out your 2016 New Year resolutions for a mid-year check point. How are you doing?

Let’s get to the basics - the fact is very simple: People want to lose weight should find a way to reduce their energy intake (eat less) and/or increase their energy expenditure (burn more than intake). Nothing fancy, no short cut, no magic, really. Let’s focus on the basics of meals and activities.

Meals and Beverages

A. Eat three meals a day, with small snacks in between (i.e., 10 am and 3 pm) if hungry or for workout needs. Don’t skip meals.
B. Eat balanced diet and mind portion control for each meal
  • Tip 1: The general portion rule is ¼ plate carbohydrates, ¼ protein/fat, ½ plate       vegetables/fruit; stop eating at 80% full.
  • Tip 2: drink a glass of water before you eat. Drink plenty water between meals. Water is the best beverage for hydration and help weight loss.
  • Tip 3: Eat vegetables first. Eating vegetables causes satiation. Foods that promote satiation (full sensation) are generally very bulky, have a high water and fiber content, and carry strong sensory attributes. It is important to realize that the satiating properties of a food are not just determined by its nutrient (and water) content. Texture is also very important. For example, there is evidence that eating an apple is more satiating than drinking apple juice, even if that apple juice was prepared in a blender using the entire apple.
  • Tip 4: Eat slowly and chew more; try to chew 20 times before swallow and work through your meal for at least 30 minutes. It will take 20 minutes for the fullness sensation to be transmitted to the brain; you could ate too much already if eat too fast.
  • Tip 5: Reduce portion size – try to cut down the meal portion and you will see your body doesn’t need much food to function. The excess calories just padding on your waistline. You can add snacks between meals.
  • Tip 6: Psycho-social factors affect eating behavior. Be aware of anxiety, mood, social events, etc. and keep self-control.
C. Limit sugary drinks, including fruit juices; it has been observed that consuming energy-containing beverages, which are ingested very quickly, does not make people eat less of other foods thereafter, perhaps because calories that are ingested quickly are not properly sensed. Green tea (unsweetened leaf tea) provides many health benefits and it is highly recommended.
D. Don’t diet (i.e., low carb or low fat). Don’t overeat. Keep a balanced diet and consistency. Indulge occasionally is OK, the rule of thumb is - a diet should be 85-90 percent nutritionally dense foods and leave the 10-15 percent for foods that you enjoy.

Activities

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The WHO guidelines are as following for different age groups. Following the guideline would be the minimal effort for weight maintenance. 

You may adjust your activity level for weight loss.


Children and adolescents aged 5-17years
  • Should do at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily.
  • Physical activity of amounts greater than 60 minutes daily will provide additional health benefits.
  • Should include activities that strengthen muscle and bone, at least 3 times per week.
Adults aged 18–64 years
  • Should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity throughout the week, or do at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity throughout the week, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity.
  • For additional health benefits, adults should increase their moderate-intensity physical activity to 300 minutes per week, or equivalent.
  • Muscle-strengthening activities should be done involving major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week.
Adults aged 65 years and above
  • Should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity throughout the week, or at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity throughout the week, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity.
  • For additional health benefits, they should increase moderate intensity physical activity to 300 minutes per week, or equivalent.
  • Those with poor mobility should perform physical activity to enhance balance and prevent falls, 3 or more days per week.
  • Muscle-strengthening activities should be done involving major muscle groups, 2 or more days a week.

Tip 1. If you have an office job sitting 8 hours long for most of the days, get up and move around every hour. Take a lunch walk to break the day will also benefit your health and work productivity.

Tip 2. Plan fun activities outdoor; play with the kids, walk the dog, ride the bike. Enjoy the nature and get some sun (and Vitamin D).

Tip 3. Break down your workout into shorter time intervals with more frequently and variety, i.e., break a one-hour workout into 3 twenty minutes for walking, yoga, strength training or 2 thirty minutes for aerobics and interval training. Each session will boost your metabolism. It will also prevent exhaustion with breaks in between sessions.

Tracking and Re-evaluation

As the obesity is on the raise globally, there are many talks on diet and weight loss with very confusing messages comes across in all different directions. For any diet or weight loss product promotions, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

A calorie is a calorie, from a purely thermodynamic point of view and it makes practical sense. This is clear because the human body or, indeed, any living organism cannot create or destroy energy but can only convert energy from one form to another. Therefore, tracking is an effective tool to check input and activity balance, in order to maintain adequate nutrition and burn more energy toward your personal fitness goals.

It is a good habit to keep a journal tracking your intake, activities, time for sleep and weight. No need for obsessive calorie count. Don’t expect overnight result for weight loss. How good you feel is the most important indicator for your health. Use the QLF score for reference (link). Life should be simple and enjoyable.

​Feel free to contact qualitylifeforum@outlook.com for your health coaching needs.

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Disclaimer: This information is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional for personal conditions.