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Home » Lose Weight » When trying to lose weight, put health above battling with the scale, experts say – The Columbus Dispatch

Michael Huson The Columbus Dispatch @Mike_Huson

In theory, losing weight sounds simple: calories in, calories out.

But not everybody sees the same results or the same rate of weight loss. And that can lead to frustration and surrender.

You have to create a caloric deficit to lose weight, but there are a lot of things that play into that, said Liz Weinandy, a registered dietitian at the Ohio State UniversityWexner Medical Center. Its not as simple as it sounds.

More than one-third of adults in the UnitedStates areobese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But only about 1 in 6 Americans who have been overweight or obese are able to successfully lose weight and maintain it, according to a study by Penn State University.

Think about health first. If we think about eating healthily, then it doesnt become a battle with the scale, Weinandy said. Its really about changing that mindset. Its really about the end goal, which should be better health.

Weight loss can seem to happen slowly, but results are attainable through persistence and attention to overall health, she said.

Every once in a while, I get somebody who comes to me and everything they tell me is perfect," includingwhat theyre eating and howtheyre exercising, Weinandy said. And things just wont budge.

The first variable she checks: exercise habits.

Cardio workouts, as opposed to weight training, are more effective at increasing metabolism, said Dr. Jacqueline McGowan, a Mount Carmel sports medicine physicianin Lewis Center. Walking, jogging, biking, swimming and jumping rope aregood activities to get resultson the scale.

The American Heart Association recommends a minimum 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week to improve cardiovascular health in adults.

Other types of exercise, such as weight training, also help the body burn calories, but with delayed results, McGowan said. The trick is to find a healthy combination of strength and cardio.

But for some,weight loss still can stagnate, even when the body keeps moving. One problem might be muscle memory.

Mixing up workout routinesand running routesor terrains canstimulate weight loss by forcing the body to utilize different muscles, essentially tricking it from falling back onto movements committed to memory, McGowan said.

Along with exercise, eating habits playa largerole in losing and keeping off weight, Weinandy said. Eating a breakfast with protein, and getting moderate protein throughout the day, is important.

Drastic reductions in caloric intake also canbe unhealthy. Whatever people do needs to be reasonable, so that it is sustainable, Weinandy said.

The cycle of dieting, losing weight and regaining weight can cause problems.

A study by researchers at the universities of Exeter and Bristolin Great Britainpublished last year in the journal Evolution, Medicine and Public Health found that weight cycling, also known as yo-yo dieting, actually could leadto weight gain. Repeated dieting is interpreted by the brain as a series of short-term famines, encouraging the body to store fat in the face of a potential food restriction in the future, the study suggests.

Physiological factors also canbe to blame if someone can't lose weight, McGowan said. People with an underactive thyroid, for example,tend to have slower metabolic rates, making it harder to shed pounds. Weight gain is also among several common symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormonal disorder primarily affecting women of reproductive age.

And weight gain cancome with age, as metabolism naturally slows down.

Don't despair, though, McGowan said. Evenif attempts to lose weight come up short, with the help of a physician, improving ones health is not impossible.

You may not see the results on the scale, but it doesnt mean that there arent benefits otherwise," she said.

mhuson@dispatch.com

@Mike_Huson

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When trying to lose weight, put health above battling with the scale, experts say - The Columbus Dispatch

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Home » Lose Weight » When trying to lose weight, put health above battling with the scale, experts say – The Columbus Dispatch