Friday, March 18, 2011

Weight Control Registry Reveals Secrets to Lasting Weight Loss

ACSM journal identifies common behaviors of adults who lose weight and keep it off

INDIANAPOLIS – For the millions of Americans who struggle to lose weight and keep it off, there may be help. According to a report published by the American College of Sports Medicine in the March/April issue of ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal®, the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) has identified methods that thousands of individuals have used to successfully maintain weight loss.

“By studying people who have succeeded in losing weight and keeping it off, we have identified many commonalities behind successful weight loss,” said James O. Hill, Ph.D., co-founder of the NWCR.

More than 6,000 people have joined the NWCR. Nearly all (89 percent) have combined diet and exercise to achieve their successful weight loss. Most participants, 98 percent, exercise at home, and several participants, 40 percent, exercise with a friend. Walking is the most popular form of exercise among NWCR participants.

“One of the most important predictors of continued weight maintenance is sustained high levels of physical activity,” said Dr. Hill, who is also the executive director of the Anschutz Health & Wellness Center, a new health promotion and disease prevention center scheduled to open in spring 2012 at the University of Colorado. “Successful weight loss maintenance depends on sustaining the healthy lifestyle behaviors for which NWCR members are most known.”

Individuals looking to maintain weight loss should follow these seven tips, suggested by the NWCR:
  1. Be active. More than half (54 percent) of NWCR members expend more than 2,000 calories each week. This equals about 200 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise.
  2. Turn off the television. About 63 percent of NWCR members watch television for fewer than ten hours per week.
  3. Enjoy a low-calorie, low-fat diet. The average NWCR member consumes 1,380 calories per day, and less than 30 percent of these calories come from fat.
  4. Keep your diet consistent. Resisting the urge to “splurge” on holidays or weekends, NWCR members eat the same foods on a regular basis.
  5. Eat breakfast. Most NWCR members (78 percent) eat breakfast each day. This helps curb hunger and overeating later in the day.
  6. Show some restraint. NWCR members exert great control over their eating habits, and they rarely overeat.
  7. Keep track of your progress. Weighing in at least once a day and keeping track of food intake is essential for most NWCR members.
The National Weight Control Registry was founded in 1994 by Dr. Hill and Rena Wing, Ph.D., to identify individuals who maintain substantial weight loss and to determine the strategies that help these individuals succeed. All of the study participants are 18 years or older and have maintained weight loss of at least 30 lbs. for more than one year.

For ACSM’s recommendations on long-term weight loss, view the 2009 “Appropriate Physical Activity Intervention Strategies for Weight Loss and Prevention of Weight Regain for Adults” Position Stand.

The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 40,000 international, national, and regional members and certified professionals are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine.

The Anschutz Health and Wellness Center, part of the Anschutz Medical Campus at the University of Colorado Denver, is a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to helping individuals make necessary and lasting changes for healthier living and disease prevention. Its innovative programs will combine four existing areas of expertise – nutrition, physical fitness, weight management and integrative medicine – to provide a comprehensive approach to help people achieve their greatest possible health.

ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal® is an official publication of the American College of Sports Medicine and is available from Lippincott Williams & Wilkins at 1-800-638-6423.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Walking is good, but the best exercise is the one you'll actually do

Walking at least 30 minutes every day is a great way to exercise to lose weight and keep it off. It is also an exercise almost anyone can do.

Check out the following article about walking for exercise. It even contains a terrific (and healthy) recipe for corn chowder.

Practical Nutrition: Walking is good, but the best exercise is the one you'll actually do | Richmond Times-Dispatch

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Calories Burned per Mile of Walking

The pace you walk and distance you walk affects the number of calories you burn during your exercise.

To get an idea of how many calories you are burning after you put on your walking shoes, go to http://walking.about.com/cs/howtoloseweight/a/howcalburn.htm and review the table showing calories burned per mile of walking.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

5 Easy Things to do to Lose Weight

Monica Andrews discusses five ways that helps her lose weight. Walking with a partner is just one of those.

Check out these methods and motivations to lose weight at http://northeastcobb.patch.com/articles/5-easy-things-to-do-to-lose-weight.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Can You Walk, Chew Gum, and Text at the Same Time?

A woman, now known as the Fountain Lady, was caught on video falling in a fountain while texting at a mall. Her embarrassing moment has put her in the spotlight.



This accident demonstrates that it is important to be safety-minded when walking, whether you are inside or outside.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

New Blogs on Diet and Exercise

Here are some cool related blogs on diet and exercise - check them out:

Every Body Walk! Promotes the Benefits of Walking

Kaiser Permanente announced today that they are leading a new campaign to inform Americans about the health benefits of walking. Every Body Walk! is an online educational campaign aimed at getting Americans up and moving.

Because walking has many benefits for all of us, this campaign is a great way to find information and motivation for walking your way to a better life.

"The aim of the Every Body Walk! campaign is to inform Americans about the tremendous health benefits of walking," said Bob Sallis, MD, family physician at Kaiser Permanente's, Southern California Permanente Medical Group. "Walking is an excellent form of exercise for everyone and for those with conditions like diabetes, asthma, heart disease and depression, a regular walking regimen has the added benefit of helping to manage these diseases. I'm a strong believer in the power of walking and that's why I literally prescribe it to my patients as front line medicine -- often in place of medications."

Go to http://www.everybodywalk.org to find news and resources on walking, health information, walking maps, instructions on how to find walking groups, a personal pledge form to start walking, as well as a place to share and read stories about individual experiences with walking.