We all wish to live healthy, pain-free lives for as long as possible. Healthcare – doctors, nurses, hospitals and medicines all exist to make that more likely – that is aiming to favorably alter our “destiny”. However, we often forget that 90% of any favorable changes that can be made to the course of our lives is in OUR hands – the healthcare system can at best only make a 10% contribution and much of this is trying to heal what has already gone wrong and this “healing” is often painful and expensive. The three things we can do are: Eat healthy (and thus maintain ideal body weight), Exercise regularly – this helps over and above aiding weight loss and Calm our minds (easier said than done! ( breathing exercises, meditation, family, religion etc)

On Losing Weight and Keeping it Off:

(Essential Ingredient: DISCIPLINE AND WILL POWER!) The Truths and Tricks:

1. Your body weight is the mathematical consequence of the calories consumed and calories burnt, i.e., the “net calorie change” which determines weight change.

2. Decreasing caloric intake is the primary way to lose weight.

3. Burning more calories is an important second factor.

4. You cannot effect “net calorie change” unless you know what calories you are consuming. Keep a diary, read labels, ask for nutrition sheets when you eat out. Use a reference text like “Bowes and Church”. An excellent website - http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list - that can be accessed by clicking on the “NUTRITION INFO” button on the main page of our website is a good resource for nutritional information and is put out by the USDA. When you count calories remember to count every morsel.

5. Plan for the rest of your life, not for a few months. Marked swings in body weight may be harmful.

6. Fad diets like the “high fat diet” “high-protein, low carbohydrate diet” usually don’t work in the long term and may be dangerous.

7. We have traditionally suggested eating three (or four) meals a day limiting total calorie intake without missing a meal. However, there is a lot of recent interest backed by basic science research suggesting that “Intermittent Fasting” - for example eating for 6 to 8 hours a day and not taking in calories for 16 to 18 hours may be beneficial. For more information check out the videos in the “OTHER HEALTH INFORMATION” button on the main page of our website and below.

8. Do not snack or drink beverages other than water and drink lots of it.

9. Increase fiber consumption, this fills your stomach, stays there longer and decreases your desire to eat again. It also is probably good for your digestive system and may favorably influence your glucose and lipid levels. Eat 40 g of fiber a day (obtained from food sources and not supplements)

10. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. These provide vitamins and other nutrients, probably in ways that your body can assimilate better than from pills. They are low fat or have fat that is better than animal fat. Fruits and vegetables are also often fiber rich.

11. Avoid supplements – even supplemental vitamins. Eat as simple a diet as possible with the least amount of processing, with the fewest ingredients, especially avoiding high fructose corn syrup or too much sugar or salt.

12. Plan your meals a day ahead, don’t eat “what is there”. As a general rule, you will eat more calories if you eat out.

13. Exercise sensibly. Low impact exercises (for 45 minutes to an hour) done six days a week are advisable (aim to work out daily and you probably will end up working out six days a week.) Walking, swimming, biking and general calisthenics are good choices. Weight training with small weights, e.g., <10 lbs can help. It is better to do multiple repetitions of a small weight rather than fewer repetitions of a heavier weight. Remember to stretch (or do Yoga etc.,) – see the link in the “OTHER HEALTH INFORMATION” button on main page of our website and below. Good running shoes (even if you just walk) that may need to be changed every six months for outdoor use are necessary. Be physically active, for e.g., use stairs instead of elevators, use a standing desk etc. Every little bit helps.

14. A useful way to cut calories is to avoid animal products including cheese and full or “low fat” milk (non-fat milk is probably OK) and fried foods. Limit portions - take smaller amounts on your plate, even if you have to make many trips to refill.

15. Stop eating when you are no longer “very” hungry, 80% satiated is good enough and sometimes you might feel fully satiated 10 minutes after stopping at 80%.

One of the most misleading clichés extols the virtues of “moderation”. The best evidence suggests that even being a “little overweight” is significantly bad. Of course, being more overweight may be worse. What is needed to successfully lose and keep weight off is a “take no prisoners” attitude and determination, the “battle of the bulge” being truly fought in the head. When it comes to maintaining ideal body weight, “moderation kills” if one is satisfied with a half win.

Limiting food intake is one of the hardest things we can do. Evolutionarily the greatest danger to every living creature is lack of food, ie., starvation. Our bodies over thousands of years have evolved to consume as many calories as possible when available. Unfortunately, we live in a world where we have easy access to plenty of calorie-rich food and we have to fight our instinctive tendency to consume as much of it as possible!

Lastly, while our efforts at decreasing risks to our health by losing weight etc, aim to shift the odds in our favor, this however is a “probability game” and while everyone has heard of a particular sedentary smoker outliving a thin-as-rake health enthusiast, overall your chances are better if you are one of the latter. Remember, it may not be easy, but it is possible.