US researchers say the key to keeping the weight off is regular exercise
How often have you battled through weeks or months of dieting, only to put it all back on again, and then some?
However, there are always a few fortunate souls who do manage to keep their weight under control, and according to research carried out by the US National Weight Control Registry, those dieters share a number of common characteristics, including a programme of regular exercise.
Researchers from the University of Colorado Denver therefore set out to discover how exercise affects the body’s physiology to minimise weight regain by studying obesity-prone laboratory rats.
For the first 16 weeks, the rats ate a high-fat diet, as much as they wanted, and remained sedentary. They were then placed on a diet. For the following two weeks, the animals ate a low-fat and low-calorie diet, losing about 14 percent of their body weight. The rats maintained the weight loss by dieting for eight more weeks. Half the rats exercised regularly on a treadmill during this period while the other half remained sedentary.
In the final eight weeks, the relapse phase of the study, the rats stopped dieting and ate as much low-fat food as they wanted. The rats in the exercise group continued to exercise and the sedentary rats remained sedentary.
The study's findings showed that exercise helps prevent weight regain after dieting by reducing appetite and by burning fat before burning carbohydrates. Burning fat first and storing carbohydrates for use later in the day slows weight regain and may reduce overeating by signalling a feeling of fullness to the brain.
Moreover, their results also revealed that, contrary to popular wisdom, the number of fat cells is not pre-ordained by your genetic make-up, but that during the relapse period, when dieters start to regain the lost weight, sedentary types start to produce small, new fat cells. Those who exercise regularly, however, do not create these new fat cells.
Writing in the American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, the team says that taken together, these physiological changes in the brain and body lower the 'defended' weight - the weight that our physiology drives us to achieve.
Conventional wisdom holds that the number of fat cells is determined by genetics, rather than being regulated by diet or lifestyle. Because this effect of exercise is a novel finding, the team will do further research to demonstrate that exercise is preventing the formation of new fat cells early in relapse and not simply altering the size of pre-existing fat cells.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Five ways to tackle SAD
From nutrition to naturopathy, five experts tell you how to beat the winter blues
Professor Anne Farmer, consultant psychiatrist
"Half an hour to an hour under a 10,000 lux 'daylight lamp' every morning from September or October to March or April, can really help, especially for people who are 'larks' who are usually brighter first thing in the morning.
"'Owls', people who perk up at night may find early evening more helpful. It's important to stay under the lamp for the required length of time and not to keep getting up and down.
"Antidepressants can help some either with light therapy or on their own. Depending on severity I might also prescribe Prozac or another SSRI.
"A serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor such as venlafaxine, a drug that creates both more of both hormones can help increase alertness and energy as well as tackling the depression."
Marilyn Glenville, nutritional therapist
"An underactive thyroid can up the risk of depression and women are prone to this, especially as they get older so I'd encourage patients to get a thyroid test.
"Peaks and dips in blood sugar can exacerbate symptoms so I would advise cutting out caffeine, and unrefined foods like white bread, biscuits, pastries and cakes. I advise them to eat little and often.
"Chromium, found in foods like seafood, liver and fresh fruit and vegetables, helps combat carb cravings, which are a feature of winter depression. B complex vitamins found in foods such as oats, barley, avocado, salmon and Brazil nuts can help balance the nerves.
"I would also recommend supplements: a good multi-vitamin and mineral plus 25 mgs of B complex vitamins, 1000 mg of Omega 3s and 100 mcg of chromium which helps reduce sugar cravings.
"Exercise is an essential part of the plan - I would suggest going out for a brisk half hour walk at the lightest time of day."
Linda Blair, psychotherapist
"Cognitive behaviour therapy doesn't take away the symptoms of SAD but it can help patients to accept and manage them better.
"When you learn how to see SAD as just a part of your life it gives you choices. I would recommend behavioural changes such as using a daylight alarm clock that emits increasing light levels to simulate the arrival of dawn as you gradually wake up and regular aerobic exercise to encourage the body to produce endorphins, its own feel-good hormones.
"It is important to give yourself the chance to cut down on stress at this time of year, so I would advise putting a sticker in your diary to remind you to go easier on yourself.
"It's a good idea to make a list of things that make you feel better such as phoning a friend or relative and keeping this in several different places, so you have a kind of mental toolkit to call on when you feel down. And of course if you can afford it take a holiday somewhere sunny."
Penny Povey, naturopath
"A good diet is vital. Start the day with porridge. For lunch I would advise a bowl of vegetable soup or big salad with fish or turkey; for supper eat a handful of protein - again things like fish and turkey, - and some complex carbohydrates that help calm anxiety, something like brown rice and cooked veg. It's important to get some exercise - and fresh air.
"Herbs can be useful as an alternative to anti-depressants. Licorice helps tonify the adrenal glands, which are often involved in depression. Oat straw is also good for the nervous system. St John's Wort is good for mild to moderate depression and the herb Rodeola can help combat stress. Siberian ginseng helps to strengthen the adrenals and balances the system generally."
Phil Edmonds, registered homeopath
"The homeopathic remedy sepia can be good for depression that is made better by the sun, especially when the person is feeling overwhelmed, overworked and alone.
"Pulsatilla can help when the person is weepy and emotional but feels better when comforted. Nat Mur is good for grief that is linked to the past, while for really severe cases I might choose Aurum, especially for people who are perfectionists."
Professor Anne Farmer, consultant psychiatrist
"Half an hour to an hour under a 10,000 lux 'daylight lamp' every morning from September or October to March or April, can really help, especially for people who are 'larks' who are usually brighter first thing in the morning.
"'Owls', people who perk up at night may find early evening more helpful. It's important to stay under the lamp for the required length of time and not to keep getting up and down.
"Antidepressants can help some either with light therapy or on their own. Depending on severity I might also prescribe Prozac or another SSRI.
"A serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor such as venlafaxine, a drug that creates both more of both hormones can help increase alertness and energy as well as tackling the depression."
Marilyn Glenville, nutritional therapist
"An underactive thyroid can up the risk of depression and women are prone to this, especially as they get older so I'd encourage patients to get a thyroid test.
"Peaks and dips in blood sugar can exacerbate symptoms so I would advise cutting out caffeine, and unrefined foods like white bread, biscuits, pastries and cakes. I advise them to eat little and often.
"Chromium, found in foods like seafood, liver and fresh fruit and vegetables, helps combat carb cravings, which are a feature of winter depression. B complex vitamins found in foods such as oats, barley, avocado, salmon and Brazil nuts can help balance the nerves.
"I would also recommend supplements: a good multi-vitamin and mineral plus 25 mgs of B complex vitamins, 1000 mg of Omega 3s and 100 mcg of chromium which helps reduce sugar cravings.
"Exercise is an essential part of the plan - I would suggest going out for a brisk half hour walk at the lightest time of day."
Linda Blair, psychotherapist
"Cognitive behaviour therapy doesn't take away the symptoms of SAD but it can help patients to accept and manage them better.
"When you learn how to see SAD as just a part of your life it gives you choices. I would recommend behavioural changes such as using a daylight alarm clock that emits increasing light levels to simulate the arrival of dawn as you gradually wake up and regular aerobic exercise to encourage the body to produce endorphins, its own feel-good hormones.
"It is important to give yourself the chance to cut down on stress at this time of year, so I would advise putting a sticker in your diary to remind you to go easier on yourself.
"It's a good idea to make a list of things that make you feel better such as phoning a friend or relative and keeping this in several different places, so you have a kind of mental toolkit to call on when you feel down. And of course if you can afford it take a holiday somewhere sunny."
Penny Povey, naturopath
"A good diet is vital. Start the day with porridge. For lunch I would advise a bowl of vegetable soup or big salad with fish or turkey; for supper eat a handful of protein - again things like fish and turkey, - and some complex carbohydrates that help calm anxiety, something like brown rice and cooked veg. It's important to get some exercise - and fresh air.
"Herbs can be useful as an alternative to anti-depressants. Licorice helps tonify the adrenal glands, which are often involved in depression. Oat straw is also good for the nervous system. St John's Wort is good for mild to moderate depression and the herb Rodeola can help combat stress. Siberian ginseng helps to strengthen the adrenals and balances the system generally."
Phil Edmonds, registered homeopath
"The homeopathic remedy sepia can be good for depression that is made better by the sun, especially when the person is feeling overwhelmed, overworked and alone.
"Pulsatilla can help when the person is weepy and emotional but feels better when comforted. Nat Mur is good for grief that is linked to the past, while for really severe cases I might choose Aurum, especially for people who are perfectionists."
How to avoid a cold
There are 200 different cold viruses out there lying in wait for us , but they can be outwitted. Dr Margaret Stearn gives the 10 key rules to follow to avoid catching a cold
No 1 Wash your hands after being in a crowded place or in the same room as someone with a cold. This really works. A survey published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showed that episodes of colds and flu among 1442 naval recruits at a training centre in Great Lakes Illinois almost halved after they were commanded to wash their hands more frequently.
The old theory about colds was that cold viruses were spread through the air, carried on tiny droplets of moisture that were then breathed in by other people. This is certainly one method of catching a cold, but experts now believe that many or even most colds are passed on via hands.
No 2 Don't touch your nose and eyes unless you have to. We all do this many times a day without being aware of it. Once the virus is on your hands it's all too easy to transfer it and tears drain from the eyes via a duct into the nose so virus can easily spread from the eyes to the nose.
During a cough or sneeze, 40,000 infected droplets may be expelled as far as 30 feet. Some of these droplets will be deposited on objects, where the virus may survive for up to three hours, to be picked up by anyone who touches the object.
Door handles, handrails on public transport, light switches and crockery are common culprits. You can also pick up cold virus by shaking hands with someone who has recently blown their nose.
No 3 We often pick up colds from people we have never met so wear gloves when you travel on public transport. Yes I know that to some people this might seem a bit over the top but it is very easy to pick up cold virus from handrails on the bus or Tube.
No 4 Your granny was right: you need to wrap up. In an experiment at Cardiff University's Common Cold Centre 90 volunteers spent 20 minutes with their feet in cold water and, surprise, surprise: 29 per cent developed cold symptom within five days compared to 9 per cent of the control group who simply dangled their feet in an empty bowl.
No 5 When wrapping up don't forget your nose - you should cover it with a scarf when the weather is cold. The importance of the effect of cold air in the nose is a new idea. Professor Ron Eccles, director of the Cardiff centre who came up with it says that viruses multiply in the cells that line the nose, and they breed faster when the cells are cool.
No 6 Take a walk to boost your immune system: even on a cold day it still helps. Again it is to the USA that we have turn for the relevant research.
A study by Professor David Nieman at Appalachian State University in North Carolina examined the risks of catching a cold among a group of women aged between 65 and 84 over a 12-week period. Their findings revealed that walking for between 30 and 40 minutes five times a week almost halved the women's risk of catching a cold.
No 7 Fewer colds seems to be one advantage of getting older; most of us are able to fight off a good selection of the 200 or so different cold viruses without much difficulty.
After the age of 50, the average person has 1-2 colds each year, whereas 20-year-olds have 2-3 colds and small children have many more.
Over time, the immune systems of older people may have learnt to deal with a wide range of cold viruses. Also, many older people spend less time with children, who are the main reservoir of cold viruses.
No 8 Try a new nasal spray, Vicks First Defence (£6.99 from pharmacists). This jelly-like substance coats the virus so it cannot attach to the lining of the nose. It is also slightly acidic (which cold viruses dislike), and it stimulates secretions to wash the virus away. The idea makes sense, and preliminary research has shown it halves the likelihood of getting a cold.
No 9 Banish stress. It might be easier said than done, but it really seems to help. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh asked 276 healthy volunteers about the stresses in their lives, and then deposited cold viruses in their noses. Those who had reported chronic stress (especially personal difficulties with friends or relatives) were more than twice as likely to become ill with a cold. It seems that chronic stress affects the immune system, and makes people less resistant to infection.
No 10 Finally, don't waste money on Echinacea. In a study at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, USA, 473 volunteers were given either Echinacea or a dummy version for several days, and then a dose of common cold virus.
Sadly, the results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2005, showed that Echinacea had no effect on the likelihood of developing a cold or its severity. Vitamin C does not fare much better.
Scientists at the Australian National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health looked at 55 studies of vitamin C and the common cold, going back over 65 years and involving more than 11,000 people. They concluded that, for most people, taking vitamin C regularly does not reduce your chances of getting a cold. However it did have a noticeably good effect on marathon runners, skiers and soldiers exposed to extreme conditions.
No 1 Wash your hands after being in a crowded place or in the same room as someone with a cold. This really works. A survey published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showed that episodes of colds and flu among 1442 naval recruits at a training centre in Great Lakes Illinois almost halved after they were commanded to wash their hands more frequently.
The old theory about colds was that cold viruses were spread through the air, carried on tiny droplets of moisture that were then breathed in by other people. This is certainly one method of catching a cold, but experts now believe that many or even most colds are passed on via hands.
No 2 Don't touch your nose and eyes unless you have to. We all do this many times a day without being aware of it. Once the virus is on your hands it's all too easy to transfer it and tears drain from the eyes via a duct into the nose so virus can easily spread from the eyes to the nose.
During a cough or sneeze, 40,000 infected droplets may be expelled as far as 30 feet. Some of these droplets will be deposited on objects, where the virus may survive for up to three hours, to be picked up by anyone who touches the object.
Door handles, handrails on public transport, light switches and crockery are common culprits. You can also pick up cold virus by shaking hands with someone who has recently blown their nose.
No 3 We often pick up colds from people we have never met so wear gloves when you travel on public transport. Yes I know that to some people this might seem a bit over the top but it is very easy to pick up cold virus from handrails on the bus or Tube.
No 4 Your granny was right: you need to wrap up. In an experiment at Cardiff University's Common Cold Centre 90 volunteers spent 20 minutes with their feet in cold water and, surprise, surprise: 29 per cent developed cold symptom within five days compared to 9 per cent of the control group who simply dangled their feet in an empty bowl.
No 5 When wrapping up don't forget your nose - you should cover it with a scarf when the weather is cold. The importance of the effect of cold air in the nose is a new idea. Professor Ron Eccles, director of the Cardiff centre who came up with it says that viruses multiply in the cells that line the nose, and they breed faster when the cells are cool.
No 6 Take a walk to boost your immune system: even on a cold day it still helps. Again it is to the USA that we have turn for the relevant research.
A study by Professor David Nieman at Appalachian State University in North Carolina examined the risks of catching a cold among a group of women aged between 65 and 84 over a 12-week period. Their findings revealed that walking for between 30 and 40 minutes five times a week almost halved the women's risk of catching a cold.
No 7 Fewer colds seems to be one advantage of getting older; most of us are able to fight off a good selection of the 200 or so different cold viruses without much difficulty.
After the age of 50, the average person has 1-2 colds each year, whereas 20-year-olds have 2-3 colds and small children have many more.
Over time, the immune systems of older people may have learnt to deal with a wide range of cold viruses. Also, many older people spend less time with children, who are the main reservoir of cold viruses.
No 8 Try a new nasal spray, Vicks First Defence (£6.99 from pharmacists). This jelly-like substance coats the virus so it cannot attach to the lining of the nose. It is also slightly acidic (which cold viruses dislike), and it stimulates secretions to wash the virus away. The idea makes sense, and preliminary research has shown it halves the likelihood of getting a cold.
No 9 Banish stress. It might be easier said than done, but it really seems to help. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh asked 276 healthy volunteers about the stresses in their lives, and then deposited cold viruses in their noses. Those who had reported chronic stress (especially personal difficulties with friends or relatives) were more than twice as likely to become ill with a cold. It seems that chronic stress affects the immune system, and makes people less resistant to infection.
No 10 Finally, don't waste money on Echinacea. In a study at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, USA, 473 volunteers were given either Echinacea or a dummy version for several days, and then a dose of common cold virus.
Sadly, the results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2005, showed that Echinacea had no effect on the likelihood of developing a cold or its severity. Vitamin C does not fare much better.
Scientists at the Australian National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health looked at 55 studies of vitamin C and the common cold, going back over 65 years and involving more than 11,000 people. They concluded that, for most people, taking vitamin C regularly does not reduce your chances of getting a cold. However it did have a noticeably good effect on marathon runners, skiers and soldiers exposed to extreme conditions.
Saga Health Insurance - Cover You Can Rely On
Everyone gets sick. It is just a fact of life, and if it is not us personally, then it is someone we know or someone we love that we would give the world for. Sometimes, however, things are out of our control. Diseases and sicknesses can come on without warning, but here is something you can control. Health cover. If you are living in the United Kingdom, then you are well informed how dismal the National Health Service is for your most basic needs. Sometimes it is enough to get you by, but when it comes to someone you love, and the issue needs more than a Band-Aid, it is time to look into health insurance from providers such as Saga Health Insurance.
There are a few things that turn people away from wanting reliable health cover. I will address the biggest factor I have found in looking into this issue for myself.
Money. There is never enough of it seems to meet our most basic needs, and having private medical insurance might seem like the last thing in the world you can afford. With cover from brands such as Saga Health Insurance you are bound to find a plan that will fit your budget. Yes, you will have to do some homework and compare companies-try to match a plan and coverage that matches you own individual needs for you and the ones you care about. Costs can be reduced by doing comparisons either in person, over the phone, or by the Internet, and often times there are discounts that are offered to online shoppers, so keep that in mind as you are looking through the options.
If price is your only concern, then there are answers out there for you. When it comes to life, no one has time to wait around for inadequate care. Seek appropriate means to start getting the answers and results you have been waiting too long for.
There are a few things that turn people away from wanting reliable health cover. I will address the biggest factor I have found in looking into this issue for myself.
Money. There is never enough of it seems to meet our most basic needs, and having private medical insurance might seem like the last thing in the world you can afford. With cover from brands such as Saga Health Insurance you are bound to find a plan that will fit your budget. Yes, you will have to do some homework and compare companies-try to match a plan and coverage that matches you own individual needs for you and the ones you care about. Costs can be reduced by doing comparisons either in person, over the phone, or by the Internet, and often times there are discounts that are offered to online shoppers, so keep that in mind as you are looking through the options.
If price is your only concern, then there are answers out there for you. When it comes to life, no one has time to wait around for inadequate care. Seek appropriate means to start getting the answers and results you have been waiting too long for.
Lose weight and stay slim
Shedding some pounds, if you need to, can help lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, osteoarthritis and even some kinds of cancer
Losing weight and keeping it off isn't easy but it is possible: here's how.
Motivate yourself
Motivation is most important factor in determining whether you will lose, so try these tricks to give your willpower a kick-start.
*List all the reasons why you want to lose weight.
* Boost your confidence by reminding yourself of previous successes both large and small.
*Make a note of what you want to achieve, why and by when and check progress against these goals.
*Set a start date and plan your campaign of eating and exercise.
Get movin
If you dislike formal exercise don't do it. Walking 10,000 steps a day - a brisk hour's worth - burns around 300 to 500 calories. That's a pound lost every 10 days without dieting.
* Get a pedometer to log your step count.
*Try dividing exercise into bite-size chunks - 10 or 20 minutes at a time
* You've heard it before but increasing your daily activity level by walking for part of a journey or avoiding lifts and escalators really does burn calories.
*Resistance training uses weights or your own body weight as in yoga or Pilates to develop muscle tissue which burns more calories than fat - even when you're sitting down.
Portion control
Average portion sizes have increased 30 per cent in the last decade and not just in restaurants and fast food outlets. Dinner plates have got bigger, so we're eating more at home too.
Rather than weighing everything, build up a mental image of what the right portion sizes look like.
Portion guidelines
As a rough rule of thumb a serving of fruit, vegetables or potatoes is equal in size to half a tennis ball; three ounces of meat, fish, or chicken to a deck of playing cards; an ounce of cheese to your thumb; and a teaspoon of oil to around the tip of your thumb.
*Use a smaller plate to fool your brain into thinking you are eating more
*Boost your confidence by reminding yourself of previous successes both large and small.
*In a restaurant share a main course or have another starter instead.
*Fill up your plate with green veg such as spinach, broccoli, kale and salad leaves to curb your appetite for high calorie foods.
Opt into breakfast
As well as preventing mid-morning 'munchies', it may lower your risk of insulin resistance syndrome, characterised by weight gain and belly fat, an early sign of developing diabetes.
* Porridge, muesli, wholegrain toast and a boiled or poached egg help stabilise blood sugar levels.
*If you can't face eating whiz up a smoothie with a handful of fruit, skimmed milk and low-fat yoghurt.
Get enough sleep
Recent research has shown that lack of sleep lowers blood levels of leptin, a protein that suppresses appetite and affects how our brains sense when we have eaten enough.
*
Get up half an hour earlier so you have time to wake up properly before facing any food.
*
Don't eat too late or go to bed hungry.
*
Avoid strenuous exercise just before bed as it can be over-stimulating.
*
Prime yourself for sleep by having a wind-down routine: with maybe a warm bath or a chamomile tea
*Avoid caffeine, cigarettes and alcohol in the evening.
Losing weight and keeping it off isn't easy but it is possible: here's how.
Motivate yourself
Motivation is most important factor in determining whether you will lose, so try these tricks to give your willpower a kick-start.
*List all the reasons why you want to lose weight.
* Boost your confidence by reminding yourself of previous successes both large and small.
*Make a note of what you want to achieve, why and by when and check progress against these goals.
*Set a start date and plan your campaign of eating and exercise.
Get movin
If you dislike formal exercise don't do it. Walking 10,000 steps a day - a brisk hour's worth - burns around 300 to 500 calories. That's a pound lost every 10 days without dieting.
* Get a pedometer to log your step count.
*Try dividing exercise into bite-size chunks - 10 or 20 minutes at a time
* You've heard it before but increasing your daily activity level by walking for part of a journey or avoiding lifts and escalators really does burn calories.
*Resistance training uses weights or your own body weight as in yoga or Pilates to develop muscle tissue which burns more calories than fat - even when you're sitting down.
Portion control
Average portion sizes have increased 30 per cent in the last decade and not just in restaurants and fast food outlets. Dinner plates have got bigger, so we're eating more at home too.
Rather than weighing everything, build up a mental image of what the right portion sizes look like.
Portion guidelines
As a rough rule of thumb a serving of fruit, vegetables or potatoes is equal in size to half a tennis ball; three ounces of meat, fish, or chicken to a deck of playing cards; an ounce of cheese to your thumb; and a teaspoon of oil to around the tip of your thumb.
*Use a smaller plate to fool your brain into thinking you are eating more
*Boost your confidence by reminding yourself of previous successes both large and small.
*In a restaurant share a main course or have another starter instead.
*Fill up your plate with green veg such as spinach, broccoli, kale and salad leaves to curb your appetite for high calorie foods.
Opt into breakfast
As well as preventing mid-morning 'munchies', it may lower your risk of insulin resistance syndrome, characterised by weight gain and belly fat, an early sign of developing diabetes.
* Porridge, muesli, wholegrain toast and a boiled or poached egg help stabilise blood sugar levels.
*If you can't face eating whiz up a smoothie with a handful of fruit, skimmed milk and low-fat yoghurt.
Get enough sleep
Recent research has shown that lack of sleep lowers blood levels of leptin, a protein that suppresses appetite and affects how our brains sense when we have eaten enough.
*
Get up half an hour earlier so you have time to wake up properly before facing any food.
*
Don't eat too late or go to bed hungry.
*
Avoid strenuous exercise just before bed as it can be over-stimulating.
*
Prime yourself for sleep by having a wind-down routine: with maybe a warm bath or a chamomile tea
*Avoid caffeine, cigarettes and alcohol in the evening.
It’s not my fault I'm getting fatter
When it comes to finding an explanation for why diets fail to shift those lbs, and why those love handles stick like glue, there are lots to choose from. But are they true or just wishful thinking? We take a close look at some old – and new - excuses and see if they stand up to scrutiny
Some of us are just meant to be bigger. It’s in our genes, it’s how we were born. This is what we tell ourselves when we look in the mirror or step on the scales. And up to a point it may be true. But the difference many of those factors make to how much extra weight we’re carrying is usually small – or non-existent - and they don’t affect everyone.
So are you making excuses that don’t hold water? Find out whether those extra inches are due to factors out of your control, or if losing that weight is not an impossible dream.
I’m big boned
We don’t all come in one size. You only have to compare Arnold Schwarzenegger to Kylie Minogue, to know that our bodies vary hugely in build from solid to sylph-like. Anyone with the frame of an action hero is unlikely ever to squeeze into the same cat suit as a pop princess, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take control of your weight. ‘You don’t lose weight from your bones,’ says Dr Beckie Lang of the Association of the Study for Obesity (ASO). ‘You lose weight by losing fat, regardless of whether you have a big frame or not.’
‘By following a low fat, healthy diet, you can be a healthy weight. You need to start off with a realistic goal – it’s no good trying to look like Kate Moss if you do have a big frame,’ says Dr Lang. ‘Set yourself small targets. Start by aiming to lose a small amount, say five% of your current body weight. Even with this small weight loss you’ll see significant benefits to your health. Your cholesterol levels will fall, your blood pressure may drop and your blood lipid levels can alter beneficially.’
‘To achieve this you don’t have to stop doing all the things you like doing. Have one biscuit rather than two, with your afternoon tea, have one glass of wine rather than two, with your evening meal. Make small changes in your everyday life and you’ll be more likely to keep them up.’
I’ve caught the Fat Flu Virus
As an excuse for being over weight, catching a virus that makes you fat seems pretty far-fetched. But scientists at Pennington Biomedical Research Centre, Baton Rouge, USA, discovered in a recent study that this can happen. The researchers looked at the human virus Ad-36, which causes respiratory and eye infections. They found that it turned stem cells taken from fat tissue into fat cells. Stem cells that weren’t exposed to the virus didn’t change into fat cells.
More work is being carried out on this virus – and on others, which it’s thought may affect the body’s storage of fat. However it doesn’t mean that everyone who has this virus will put on weight because of it. And it isn’t an excuse for not following a healthy diet and lifestyle.
It’s my slow metabolism
It seems like common sense, doesn’t it, that if you’re carrying more weight than a slim friend, that you must have a slower metabolism – burn calories at a slower rate - than they do? Unfortunately the truth is exactly the opposite. (Metabolism is the process that breaks down the nutrients in our food to give us energy. Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body burns over a set period, to keep your body running.)
‘There is very good evidence from tightly controlled studies to show that bigger people have a higher metabolic rate,’ says Dr Beckie Lang of ASO.
‘Think about how your body reacts when you carry something heavy, like a couple of suitcases. Your heart rate goes up and your organs and muscles work harder because of that extra effort. It’s exactly the same if you’re overweight. Your body works harder and burns more calories, because it’s having to do more work.’
Bigger bodies have bigger muscles and bigger internal organs that take more energy to keep going. So as an explanation for why you aren’t losing weight, this one’s a complete non-starter.
Your metabolic rate does change though, depending on how fit – or fat – you are. Muscles need more energy to fuel them than fat does, so lean people have a higher metabolic rate than fatter people. However, as we get older we tend to lose muscle and gain fat. You can slow down that trend by exercising regularly.
It’s in my genes
Earlier this year scientists made a breakthrough that links a gene with a higher risk of obesity. The research suggests that the ‘fat gene’, known as FTO, plays a part in controlling feelings of hunger and how full we feel, and affects how much we eat. Fifty percent of the UK population has one copy of the ‘fat gene’. And these people are usually around 1.6 kilograms heavier than those without this gene. Sixteen percent of the population have two copies of this gene, and can be up to three kilograms heavier than people who have none.
More research needs to be carried out, but it’s hoped that ultimately scientists could design a drug to alter the FTO gene and help combat obesity. Until then, this may be one reason why some of us struggle with our weight.
I’ve got the wrong body shape
Whether you’re an apple or pear shape, or any of the others recently defined by style gurus Trinny and Susannah, your body shape is determined by your genes. ‘You get what you’re given in terms of your body shape,’ says Dr Beckie Lang. ‘And there’s nothing you can do about it. You can’t change your basic body shape, but how much fat you put on your body is down to you. And that’s down to how you manage what you are eating and how much you burn off. Look at your lifestyle and see what improvements you can make. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables, limit your fat intake, eat lots of whole grains and make sure you exercise.’
I eat too late
‘This is a myth,’ says Dr Beckie Lang. ‘There is absolutely no evidence that it has any effect on weight gain. You may read that it’s best not to eat after a certain time at night, but that’s usually because evenings are when people are prone to snack.’
So if you’ve been raiding the fridge for nibbles or have scoffed chocolate or crisps to keep you going until your evening meal, you’ll have put away extra calories on top of those in your chicken casserole or pasta. It’s not when you eat that makes the difference, it’s what you eat. To avoid the snack attacks eat earlier, or if you can’t, plan ahead and have something low-fat and low-calorie to tide you over.
Some of us are just meant to be bigger. It’s in our genes, it’s how we were born. This is what we tell ourselves when we look in the mirror or step on the scales. And up to a point it may be true. But the difference many of those factors make to how much extra weight we’re carrying is usually small – or non-existent - and they don’t affect everyone.
So are you making excuses that don’t hold water? Find out whether those extra inches are due to factors out of your control, or if losing that weight is not an impossible dream.
I’m big boned
We don’t all come in one size. You only have to compare Arnold Schwarzenegger to Kylie Minogue, to know that our bodies vary hugely in build from solid to sylph-like. Anyone with the frame of an action hero is unlikely ever to squeeze into the same cat suit as a pop princess, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take control of your weight. ‘You don’t lose weight from your bones,’ says Dr Beckie Lang of the Association of the Study for Obesity (ASO). ‘You lose weight by losing fat, regardless of whether you have a big frame or not.’
‘By following a low fat, healthy diet, you can be a healthy weight. You need to start off with a realistic goal – it’s no good trying to look like Kate Moss if you do have a big frame,’ says Dr Lang. ‘Set yourself small targets. Start by aiming to lose a small amount, say five% of your current body weight. Even with this small weight loss you’ll see significant benefits to your health. Your cholesterol levels will fall, your blood pressure may drop and your blood lipid levels can alter beneficially.’
‘To achieve this you don’t have to stop doing all the things you like doing. Have one biscuit rather than two, with your afternoon tea, have one glass of wine rather than two, with your evening meal. Make small changes in your everyday life and you’ll be more likely to keep them up.’
I’ve caught the Fat Flu Virus
As an excuse for being over weight, catching a virus that makes you fat seems pretty far-fetched. But scientists at Pennington Biomedical Research Centre, Baton Rouge, USA, discovered in a recent study that this can happen. The researchers looked at the human virus Ad-36, which causes respiratory and eye infections. They found that it turned stem cells taken from fat tissue into fat cells. Stem cells that weren’t exposed to the virus didn’t change into fat cells.
More work is being carried out on this virus – and on others, which it’s thought may affect the body’s storage of fat. However it doesn’t mean that everyone who has this virus will put on weight because of it. And it isn’t an excuse for not following a healthy diet and lifestyle.
It’s my slow metabolism
It seems like common sense, doesn’t it, that if you’re carrying more weight than a slim friend, that you must have a slower metabolism – burn calories at a slower rate - than they do? Unfortunately the truth is exactly the opposite. (Metabolism is the process that breaks down the nutrients in our food to give us energy. Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body burns over a set period, to keep your body running.)
‘There is very good evidence from tightly controlled studies to show that bigger people have a higher metabolic rate,’ says Dr Beckie Lang of ASO.
‘Think about how your body reacts when you carry something heavy, like a couple of suitcases. Your heart rate goes up and your organs and muscles work harder because of that extra effort. It’s exactly the same if you’re overweight. Your body works harder and burns more calories, because it’s having to do more work.’
Bigger bodies have bigger muscles and bigger internal organs that take more energy to keep going. So as an explanation for why you aren’t losing weight, this one’s a complete non-starter.
Your metabolic rate does change though, depending on how fit – or fat – you are. Muscles need more energy to fuel them than fat does, so lean people have a higher metabolic rate than fatter people. However, as we get older we tend to lose muscle and gain fat. You can slow down that trend by exercising regularly.
It’s in my genes
Earlier this year scientists made a breakthrough that links a gene with a higher risk of obesity. The research suggests that the ‘fat gene’, known as FTO, plays a part in controlling feelings of hunger and how full we feel, and affects how much we eat. Fifty percent of the UK population has one copy of the ‘fat gene’. And these people are usually around 1.6 kilograms heavier than those without this gene. Sixteen percent of the population have two copies of this gene, and can be up to three kilograms heavier than people who have none.
More research needs to be carried out, but it’s hoped that ultimately scientists could design a drug to alter the FTO gene and help combat obesity. Until then, this may be one reason why some of us struggle with our weight.
I’ve got the wrong body shape
Whether you’re an apple or pear shape, or any of the others recently defined by style gurus Trinny and Susannah, your body shape is determined by your genes. ‘You get what you’re given in terms of your body shape,’ says Dr Beckie Lang. ‘And there’s nothing you can do about it. You can’t change your basic body shape, but how much fat you put on your body is down to you. And that’s down to how you manage what you are eating and how much you burn off. Look at your lifestyle and see what improvements you can make. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables, limit your fat intake, eat lots of whole grains and make sure you exercise.’
I eat too late
‘This is a myth,’ says Dr Beckie Lang. ‘There is absolutely no evidence that it has any effect on weight gain. You may read that it’s best not to eat after a certain time at night, but that’s usually because evenings are when people are prone to snack.’
So if you’ve been raiding the fridge for nibbles or have scoffed chocolate or crisps to keep you going until your evening meal, you’ll have put away extra calories on top of those in your chicken casserole or pasta. It’s not when you eat that makes the difference, it’s what you eat. To avoid the snack attacks eat earlier, or if you can’t, plan ahead and have something low-fat and low-calorie to tide you over.
Healthy living Diet and weight loss and Do you need to go on a diet?
You may be carrying a few more pounds than you were 30 years or so ago, but this doesn't necessarily mean you have a weight problem now
How much you weigh is far less important than your shape and your Body Mass Index (BMI). This is a way of relating your weight to your height. If your BMI is over 30 you should definitely try to lose weight.
Ideally, your BMI should be between 20 and 25, but if yours is a little above this, don't panic. In your middle and later years, it may not be such a bad thing to have a BMI that is slightly over the ideal (say, 26), but the way the extra weight is distributed around your body is a significant factor.
Apple or pear? Doctors distinguish between apple- and pear-shaped people in assessing the extent to which excess weight might be a health risk.
Apple-shaped: this means that you tend to store fat around your middle and is most common among men and among women around the time of their menopause and after it is complete.
Apples are known to be at increased risk of a range of illnesses, including heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes and are more likely to have raised cholesterol and glucose levels in their blood.
Pear-shaped: this means that any excess fat tends to be stored around the buttocks and thighs and seems to be associated with lower levels of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.
Apple and pear shapes seem to run in families because they are largely determined by your genetic make-up, but this doesn't mean there's nothing you can do if you happen to come from a long line of 'apples'!
To find out whether you need to take steps to reduce your waist measurement, check it against your height on the Ashwell Shape Chart.
If your BMI is between 25 and 30 and you are a pear, you could easily find that you come into the OK category for your shape. But if the Ashwell Shape Chart shows you are in the Action category, then you really must take steps to reduce your weight which will, in turn, reduce your waist circumference.
Weight and your health
Being seriously overweight or obese (BMI of over 30) puts considerable strain on your body. Your knee and hip joints are more prone to osteoarthritis as a result of supporting and moving the extra load around. You may find yourself short of breath when making anything but the slightest physical exertion.
Excess weight is a factor in triggering type 2 (or non-insulin dependent) diabetes that normally comes on after the age of 40 because the body stops producing sufficient insulin, the hormone which regulates blood glucose levels or, more often, develops resistance to it.
Coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and strokes are also more common in people who are obese.
How much you weigh is far less important than your shape and your Body Mass Index (BMI). This is a way of relating your weight to your height. If your BMI is over 30 you should definitely try to lose weight.
Ideally, your BMI should be between 20 and 25, but if yours is a little above this, don't panic. In your middle and later years, it may not be such a bad thing to have a BMI that is slightly over the ideal (say, 26), but the way the extra weight is distributed around your body is a significant factor.
Apple or pear? Doctors distinguish between apple- and pear-shaped people in assessing the extent to which excess weight might be a health risk.
Apple-shaped: this means that you tend to store fat around your middle and is most common among men and among women around the time of their menopause and after it is complete.
Apples are known to be at increased risk of a range of illnesses, including heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes and are more likely to have raised cholesterol and glucose levels in their blood.
Pear-shaped: this means that any excess fat tends to be stored around the buttocks and thighs and seems to be associated with lower levels of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.
Apple and pear shapes seem to run in families because they are largely determined by your genetic make-up, but this doesn't mean there's nothing you can do if you happen to come from a long line of 'apples'!
To find out whether you need to take steps to reduce your waist measurement, check it against your height on the Ashwell Shape Chart.
If your BMI is between 25 and 30 and you are a pear, you could easily find that you come into the OK category for your shape. But if the Ashwell Shape Chart shows you are in the Action category, then you really must take steps to reduce your weight which will, in turn, reduce your waist circumference.
Weight and your health
Being seriously overweight or obese (BMI of over 30) puts considerable strain on your body. Your knee and hip joints are more prone to osteoarthritis as a result of supporting and moving the extra load around. You may find yourself short of breath when making anything but the slightest physical exertion.
Excess weight is a factor in triggering type 2 (or non-insulin dependent) diabetes that normally comes on after the age of 40 because the body stops producing sufficient insulin, the hormone which regulates blood glucose levels or, more often, develops resistance to it.
Coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and strokes are also more common in people who are obese.
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