Obesity is a condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that health may be negatively affected.
A combination of excessive caloric intake, lack of physical activity, and genetic susceptibility is thought to explain most cases of obesity, with a limited number of cases due solely to genetics, medical reasons, or psychiatric illness.
Excessive body weight is associated with various diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus type 2, obstructive sleep apnea, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.
The primary treatment for obesity is dieting or a good fast weight lose program and physical exercise.
If this fails, anti-obesity drugs and (in severe cases) bariatric surgery can be tried.
Showing posts with label obesity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label obesity. Show all posts
Friday, December 12, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Does Fat Loss 4 Idiots Work? Try It Now!
Author: Fat Loss Centre.com
The success and absolute feedbacks of fat accident 4 idiots has fabricated a activity in the apple of diet programs. Skeptics accept bidding abrogating feedbacks for altered affidavit which cover its claims to lose 9 lbs in just 11 canicule ability not be advantageous at all. Added added to it is the ¡°idiot¡± appellation acclimated to call this diet, is abundant to accomplish anyone anticipate alert to go for it.
First of all, let us see the abrogating and absolute things about fat accident 4 idiots. One of the acceptable things about this is that it is actual simple to chase and does not crave you to accomplish appropriate affairs or you never accept to anguish about the calorie agreeable of the aliment that you accept to eat. For a lot of people, this diet is a accurate access to a continued appellation weight accident program.
The disadvantage is that the affirmation of this affairs which is to lose 9 pounds in just 11 canicule is absolutely astonishing and this not applies to all kinds of dieters. Questions about its comestible amount accept aswell been aloft to the absorption of those who are loyal followers of this diet. Some humans altercate that the way it is done may not be advantageous either.
Fat accident 4 idiots works abnormally for those humans who accept actual bound time because this diet will not crave you to absorb abundant of your time to baker or adapt difficult meals. You can either accept a vegetarian meal or accustomed diet menu. And again you get to accept the foods you like and your card for 11 canicule will be fabricated according to the foods that you accept chosen.
Fat accident 4 idiots plan flawlessly if the assimilation of the aliment varies or is in the address of calorie rotating, which addition the metabolism in the continued run. It is basically based on the 11 day aeon area a set or guidelines of aliment to be taken should be followed anxiously and afterwards that a three bluff canicule will be accustomed to the dieter to accord them the adventitious to eat they wish provided they do it in moderation.
Bottom band is, fat accident 4 idiots works because this diet is not that harder to accomplish and you accept the say what you are traveling to eat in a accurate time of day. Preparation is actual simple even those who are not absolutely addicted of affable can be able to do this with so abundant ease. You will never accept to get athirst while on this diet because the capital cold of fat accident 4 idiots is to lose 9 lbs in 11 canicule by bistro any foods you like.
Ultimately, it is the aftereffect that makes anyone sticks to this program. It is not absolutely harder to get motivated because this dieting will accomplish you overlook that you are in fact on the diet. To blanket it all up, the aliment assimilation four times a day, alternating from carb to protein, bubbler lots of baptize afore meal time, 30 minute active walking for several canicule a anniversary and a absolute to sweets intakes are the above factors that will eventually advice you lose weight.
does fat accident 4 idiots work? overlook about all them and apprentice how to lose weight bound and calmly through janet sommers chargeless e-course on accident weight quick. this accolade acceptable e-course is the apparatus you charge to get rid of exceptionable weight quickly. go to http://www.fatlossforidiotsrevealed.com now to accept your chargeless e-course!
The success and absolute feedbacks of fat accident 4 idiots has fabricated a activity in the apple of diet programs. Skeptics accept bidding abrogating feedbacks for altered affidavit which cover its claims to lose 9 lbs in just 11 canicule ability not be advantageous at all. Added added to it is the ¡°idiot¡± appellation acclimated to call this diet, is abundant to accomplish anyone anticipate alert to go for it.
First of all, let us see the abrogating and absolute things about fat accident 4 idiots. One of the acceptable things about this is that it is actual simple to chase and does not crave you to accomplish appropriate affairs or you never accept to anguish about the calorie agreeable of the aliment that you accept to eat. For a lot of people, this diet is a accurate access to a continued appellation weight accident program.
The disadvantage is that the affirmation of this affairs which is to lose 9 pounds in just 11 canicule is absolutely astonishing and this not applies to all kinds of dieters. Questions about its comestible amount accept aswell been aloft to the absorption of those who are loyal followers of this diet. Some humans altercate that the way it is done may not be advantageous either.
Fat accident 4 idiots works abnormally for those humans who accept actual bound time because this diet will not crave you to absorb abundant of your time to baker or adapt difficult meals. You can either accept a vegetarian meal or accustomed diet menu. And again you get to accept the foods you like and your card for 11 canicule will be fabricated according to the foods that you accept chosen.
Fat accident 4 idiots plan flawlessly if the assimilation of the aliment varies or is in the address of calorie rotating, which addition the metabolism in the continued run. It is basically based on the 11 day aeon area a set or guidelines of aliment to be taken should be followed anxiously and afterwards that a three bluff canicule will be accustomed to the dieter to accord them the adventitious to eat they wish provided they do it in moderation.
Bottom band is, fat accident 4 idiots works because this diet is not that harder to accomplish and you accept the say what you are traveling to eat in a accurate time of day. Preparation is actual simple even those who are not absolutely addicted of affable can be able to do this with so abundant ease. You will never accept to get athirst while on this diet because the capital cold of fat accident 4 idiots is to lose 9 lbs in 11 canicule by bistro any foods you like.
Ultimately, it is the aftereffect that makes anyone sticks to this program. It is not absolutely harder to get motivated because this dieting will accomplish you overlook that you are in fact on the diet. To blanket it all up, the aliment assimilation four times a day, alternating from carb to protein, bubbler lots of baptize afore meal time, 30 minute active walking for several canicule a anniversary and a absolute to sweets intakes are the above factors that will eventually advice you lose weight.
does fat accident 4 idiots work? overlook about all them and apprentice how to lose weight bound and calmly through janet sommers chargeless e-course on accident weight quick. this accolade acceptable e-course is the apparatus you charge to get rid of exceptionable weight quickly. go to http://www.fatlossforidiotsrevealed.com now to accept your chargeless e-course!
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Studies show exercise boon for obesity, diabetes
By Michael Kahn
LONDON (Reuters) - Walking a bit more each day can help people control their Type 2 diabetes but obese people trying to keep weight off may need to exercise harder than they had thought, according to a studies published on Monday.
Simply walking 45 minutes more each day helped people with diabetes use blood sugar better, Michael Trenell of Britain's Newcastle University and colleagues wrote in the journal Diabetes Care.
"People often find the thought of going to the gym quite daunting, but what we've found is that nearly everyone with diabetes is able to become more active through walking," Trenell said.
The Newcastle team paired 10 Type 2 diabetes patients with people without the condition of similar height, weight and age and asked everybody to walk more than 10,000 steps each day.
Magnetic resonance imaging or MRI scans showed that people who walked 45 minutes more each day burned about 20 percent more fat -- increasing the ability of the muscles to store sugar and help control diabetes, the researchers said.
"What is exciting about this study is that it provides an immediate way to help control diabetes without any additional drugs," Trenell said.
Diabetes affects an estimated 246 million adults worldwide and accounts for 6 percent of all global deaths. Type 2 diabetes accounts for about 90 percent of all diabetes cases and is closely linked to obesity and physical inactivity.
Obesity and diabetes both are growing problems as more developing nations adopt a Western lifestyle, something the International Diabetes Federation estimates will propel the number of people with diabetes to 380 million by 2025.
But current exercise guidelines calling for people to get 150 minutes -- 2.5 hours -- each week may not be enough to help the obese keep weight off, John Jakicic of the University of Pittsburgh and colleagues wrote in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
To determine an optimal amount of exercise, the U.S. team enrolled 201 overweight and obese women in a weight loss programme between 1999 and 2003 and assigned them to one of four exercise groups.
After six months, women in all four groups had lost an average of 8 to 10 percent of their weight but many gained it back.
Women assigned to exercise for about an extra hour each day did not gain the weight back, the researchers said. These women were also more likely to stick to healthy diets.
Jakicic recommended that people who want to lose weight and keep it off get at least 4-1/2 hours of exercise a week.
"There is a growing consensus that more exercise may be necessary to enhance long-term weight loss," Jakicic and colleagues wrote.
(Reporting by Michael Kahn; Editing by Maggie Fox)
LONDON (Reuters) - Walking a bit more each day can help people control their Type 2 diabetes but obese people trying to keep weight off may need to exercise harder than they had thought, according to a studies published on Monday.
Simply walking 45 minutes more each day helped people with diabetes use blood sugar better, Michael Trenell of Britain's Newcastle University and colleagues wrote in the journal Diabetes Care.
"People often find the thought of going to the gym quite daunting, but what we've found is that nearly everyone with diabetes is able to become more active through walking," Trenell said.
The Newcastle team paired 10 Type 2 diabetes patients with people without the condition of similar height, weight and age and asked everybody to walk more than 10,000 steps each day.
Magnetic resonance imaging or MRI scans showed that people who walked 45 minutes more each day burned about 20 percent more fat -- increasing the ability of the muscles to store sugar and help control diabetes, the researchers said.
"What is exciting about this study is that it provides an immediate way to help control diabetes without any additional drugs," Trenell said.
Diabetes affects an estimated 246 million adults worldwide and accounts for 6 percent of all global deaths. Type 2 diabetes accounts for about 90 percent of all diabetes cases and is closely linked to obesity and physical inactivity.
Obesity and diabetes both are growing problems as more developing nations adopt a Western lifestyle, something the International Diabetes Federation estimates will propel the number of people with diabetes to 380 million by 2025.
But current exercise guidelines calling for people to get 150 minutes -- 2.5 hours -- each week may not be enough to help the obese keep weight off, John Jakicic of the University of Pittsburgh and colleagues wrote in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
To determine an optimal amount of exercise, the U.S. team enrolled 201 overweight and obese women in a weight loss programme between 1999 and 2003 and assigned them to one of four exercise groups.
After six months, women in all four groups had lost an average of 8 to 10 percent of their weight but many gained it back.
Women assigned to exercise for about an extra hour each day did not gain the weight back, the researchers said. These women were also more likely to stick to healthy diets.
Jakicic recommended that people who want to lose weight and keep it off get at least 4-1/2 hours of exercise a week.
"There is a growing consensus that more exercise may be necessary to enhance long-term weight loss," Jakicic and colleagues wrote.
(Reporting by Michael Kahn; Editing by Maggie Fox)
Friday, August 29, 2008
Obesity causes health problems for youths
NEW YORK, July 26 (UPI) -- Hundreds of thousands of U.S. youths have prescriptions for medications used to treat chronic health problems linked to childhood obesity, pharmacy data shows.
Data from Medco Health Solutions, Express Scripts (NASDAQ:ESRX) and the marketing data collection company Verispan show an increasing number of youths are on drugs used to treat Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and acid reflux, The New York Times (NYSE:NYT) reported.
The newspaper said many medications children are taking typically treat health conditions that were significantly less common among youths in the 1980s.
Experts have said they fear too many children are being prescribed adult medications.
"I worry that some providers and some families are looking for the quick fix, and are going to want to start medication immediately," said Dr. Russell L. Rothman, an assistant professor at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.
Data from Medco Health Solutions, Express Scripts (NASDAQ:ESRX) and the marketing data collection company Verispan show an increasing number of youths are on drugs used to treat Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and acid reflux, The New York Times (NYSE:NYT) reported.
The newspaper said many medications children are taking typically treat health conditions that were significantly less common among youths in the 1980s.
Experts have said they fear too many children are being prescribed adult medications.
"I worry that some providers and some families are looking for the quick fix, and are going to want to start medication immediately," said Dr. Russell L. Rothman, an assistant professor at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Kids' Obesity Rates Leveling Off
Childhood obesity rates in the United States have leveled off after decades of increases, according to a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
Analysts say the study, which found no significant increases in the prevalence of high body mass index (BMI) in U.S. children and adolescents between 1999 and 2006, shows individuals' personal decisions are more effective than government regulation at solving such problems.
The study examined a sample of 8,165 children and adolescents from the 2003-2004 and 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and found no significant increases in high BMI among U.S. children, and no significant changes between 1999 and 2006.
BMI is the measure of an individual's body/mass ratio, determined in this study by comparing the height and weight statistics of various representative populations.
Prosperity Increases Obesity Rates
Analysts caution against panicking over obesity rates or using them as a proxy for overall health.
"Despite obesity, our life expectancy has increased dramatically in the last century. Given our current lifestyles, a higher level of obesity than existed in the good old days may be unavoidable for most Americans," said John R. Graham, director of health care studies at the Pacific Research Institute.
"Obesity rates typically rise as a nation's standard of living increases, and our society is becoming more aware of problems associated with rising obesity," noted Devon Herrick, Ph.D., a senior fellow for the National Center for Policy Analysis.
Increases Have Stopped
The JAMA study suggests the United States may have reached the end of a decades-long increase in obesity rates in children, often attributed to increases in standards of living and the prevalence of less-healthy foods and less-active lifestyles.
"Although I do not see U.S. schoolchildren returning to the weights typically seen a generation ago, hopefully we have slowed the rate of growth," said Herrick.
Graham urged caution in considering the results of the study, recommending people take with a grain of salt any conclusions drawn from it. He argues the results of the study should be considered neither a fully accurate picture of the obesity problem, nor a prescription for how the issue should be dealt with politically.
Rates Still Relatively High
While the study shows a leveling off of obesity rates, the percentage of children sampled who were found to have a BMI that would classify them as "overweight," "obese," or "morbidly obese" was still 30 percent. Graham and other experts caution that the numbers from this or any other study on obesity should not be used as an excuse for government intervention.
"I would never recommend using only one study to conclude that the trend in obesity is changing," said Graham. "On the other hand, I also do not think we should allow governments to use these statistics to further interfere in our lives."
Government Intervention Unnecessary
The federal government often has considered legislation aimed at combating what was perceived as an ongoing obesity epidemic.
This year Congress will consider the Strengthening Physical Education Act (HR 1224) and the Eat Healthy America Act (HR 1600), as well as several other bills aimed at legislating healthy behavior and reducing the percentage of Americans classified as obese.
Graham warns these policies are unnecessary and could even be harmful if people fail to take personal accountability when dealing with childhood obesity.
"Constant drumbeats of information about how many pounds we're gaining or losing simply encourage governments to 'do something about it' with little hope of success and many unintended consequences," Graham said.
Aleks Karnick (akarnick@umail.iu.edu) writes from Indiana.
For more information ...
"High Body Mass Index for Age Among US Children and Adolescents, 2003-2006," Journal of the American Medical Association, May 28, 2008: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/299/20/2401
Monday, August 25, 2008
British firms join forces to fight obesity
By Staff Writer
Several of Britain's food and beverage, retail, media, advertising, fitness and healthcare companies have joined forces with the government to form a partnership to fight obesity.
With support from the Advertising Association, these firms and the government will encourage people to follow a healthy diet coupled with an exercise routine in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympics.
According to Australian Food News, the government will contribute GBP75 million for this three-year advertising and marketing campaign. The consortium of companies will contribute in excess of GBP200 million.
Just Food quoted Alan Johnson, health secretary, as saying: "Tackling obesity requires a much broader partnership, not only with families, but with employers, retailers, the leisure industry, the media, local government and the voluntary sector. We need a national movement that will bring about a fundamental change in the way we live our lives."
This initiative of the government, termed as Change4Life, will be launched in the autumn, according to Just Food.
Some of the firms who have joined this initiative of the government include Cadbury, Kellogg, Nestle, Mars, Kraft Foods and PepsiCo.
Several of Britain's food and beverage, retail, media, advertising, fitness and healthcare companies have joined forces with the government to form a partnership to fight obesity.
With support from the Advertising Association, these firms and the government will encourage people to follow a healthy diet coupled with an exercise routine in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympics.
According to Australian Food News, the government will contribute GBP75 million for this three-year advertising and marketing campaign. The consortium of companies will contribute in excess of GBP200 million.
Just Food quoted Alan Johnson, health secretary, as saying: "Tackling obesity requires a much broader partnership, not only with families, but with employers, retailers, the leisure industry, the media, local government and the voluntary sector. We need a national movement that will bring about a fundamental change in the way we live our lives."
This initiative of the government, termed as Change4Life, will be launched in the autumn, according to Just Food.
Some of the firms who have joined this initiative of the government include Cadbury, Kellogg, Nestle, Mars, Kraft Foods and PepsiCo.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Obesity Expert Walks The Walk While Talking About Weighty Issues
(From EdmontonSun.com)
He's one of the world's leading obesity experts, so go ahead and call Dr. Arya Sharma the University of Alberta's blubber buster or Capital Health's cellulite slayer.
But you certainly can't call him a hypocrite, because when it comes to getting off his duff and keeping fit h imself, the good doc practices what he preaches.
Although the gym bores him and he's just not into sports, the 48-year-old Edmonton-based physician has managed to surgically implant plenty of physical activity into his hectic lifestyle.
Most notably, Sharma - who is a trim 165 pounds at five-foot-11 - rides his bicycle to work every day.
It's a seven-kilometre trek from his Belgravia home to his clinic at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.
"A lot of people think, 'Wow, that's a long distance.' But it's not," he explains of his daily 14-km round trip.
"You cut across the university. You go over the High Level Bridge. There are actually bike paths all over the place. So it's not bad at all."
Plus, the heart-pumping, calorie-burning ride only takes him about 25 minutes and he is able to avoid rush-hour traffic congestion and doesn't have to worry about parking.
"A car would probably not be much quicker by the time you parked and walked," he adds. "In rush-hour traffic, getting across the High Level Bridge, I'm much faster on my bike than anybody in their car."
Similarly, Sharma - who works on the fourth floor of the Royal Alex's Community Service Centre - has discovered it takes much less time to take the stairs than wait for the elevator.
"I don't have time to wait for an elevator. You get on and then it stops on every floor because someone's getting on and off. It just takes forever. It's much faster and quicker to take the stairs."
Of course, a stairwell is a far healthier option.
"I probably do the flight of stairs five, 10 times a day," he says. "I virtually always use the stairs unless I'm carrying something heavy."
The busy doctor, who sees about 25 patients a day at his clinic, is chair of cardiovascular obesity research at the U of A and the scientific director of the Canadian Obesity Network. Many of his patients weigh more than 350 pounds and have a BMI of at least 47.
Also serving as medical director of Capital Health's Weight Wise program, Sharma likes to routinely have "walk-and-talk meetings," and he's been known to stand during more formal meetings.
"Standing in a meeting will use more calories than sitting," he explains.
When he's not cycling to work, Sharma prefers to use public transportation because "you always get more walking in when you're running to catch a bus," he says.
"I try to get as much physical activity during the day as I possibly can."
As for his diet, Sharma says he makes sure to eat regularly. That means three square meals a day, including a good breakfast.
"As I always say, the worst time to eat is when you're hungry. Once you're hungry, you tend to make poor choices and you eat too fast, so you end up overeating," he explains. "The best way to avoid being hungry is to make sure you're eating regularly."
Of course, when you're a highly sought-after doctor and obesity guru with a packed schedule, there are times when sitting down to eat a proper meal just isn't possible.
That's when Sharma reaches for a meal replacement, such as Slim-Fast, Ensure or Boost.
"They're very cheap, they're quick and they're convenient," he says. "It's always better to replace a meal than to skip a meal that you don't have time for."
While Sharma doesn't have a sweet tooth, he does admit to a weakness for fare that is salty and crunchy. Among his biggest temptations are potato chips and nachos.
"Those are deadly," says the married father of three grown daughters who doesn't mince words. "It's probably one of the most concentrated forms of calories that you can eat."
Nevertheless, Sharma - whose past appointments were in Germany and Hamilton, Ont., before arriving in Edmonton late last summer - manages to keep himself in good shape.
And as he approaches 50 and beyond, he knows he's going to have to work even harder.
"It doesn't get easier as you grow older," he says. "It just means you have to do more, you have to be more careful about what you eat and how much you eat, and you must try to be as active as you possibly can."
According to the latest tally from Statistics Canada, Alberta's obesity rate was higher than the national average in 2007.
"Alberta is certainly one of the provinces in Canada that has the biggest obesity problem," he notes.
The bad news is there's no cure for obesity, which leads to a host of potentially life-threatening ailments. And there are plenty of causes - everything from stress and lack of sleep to poor nutrition and lack of exercise.
"It's not the thyroid," he adds. "Forget about the thyroid. It's way more complex than that."
The good news, however, is that there's no shortage of effective treatments - from counting calories and getting plenty of exercise to bariatric and gastric bypass surgery in the most extreme cases.
"Unfortunately, all those treatments are for life," he says. "Whatever treatment you find that works for you, you're going to have to stick with that treatment forever."
You've no doubt heard it before, but take it from this city's very own flab fighter: Shaping up and keeping fit is indeed a lifestyle. And that's the skinny on fat.
Visit www.DrSharma.ca for more information.
DR. SHARMA'S TIPS
1) Avoid liquid calories like those found in juices, pop and alcohol. "Count those calories as part of your meal. They can quickly add up."
2) Keep active. Use every opportunity to walk or get on your bike. Stay away from elevators and walk on escalators. "You don't have to just stand still on the escalator waiting for it to take you up."
3) Get a good night's sleep. "If you don't, you get the carb cravings and you don't have the energy to be active."
He's one of the world's leading obesity experts, so go ahead and call Dr. Arya Sharma the University of Alberta's blubber buster or Capital Health's cellulite slayer.
But you certainly can't call him a hypocrite, because when it comes to getting off his duff and keeping fit h imself, the good doc practices what he preaches.
Although the gym bores him and he's just not into sports, the 48-year-old Edmonton-based physician has managed to surgically implant plenty of physical activity into his hectic lifestyle.
Most notably, Sharma - who is a trim 165 pounds at five-foot-11 - rides his bicycle to work every day.
It's a seven-kilometre trek from his Belgravia home to his clinic at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.
"A lot of people think, 'Wow, that's a long distance.' But it's not," he explains of his daily 14-km round trip.
"You cut across the university. You go over the High Level Bridge. There are actually bike paths all over the place. So it's not bad at all."
Plus, the heart-pumping, calorie-burning ride only takes him about 25 minutes and he is able to avoid rush-hour traffic congestion and doesn't have to worry about parking.
"A car would probably not be much quicker by the time you parked and walked," he adds. "In rush-hour traffic, getting across the High Level Bridge, I'm much faster on my bike than anybody in their car."
Similarly, Sharma - who works on the fourth floor of the Royal Alex's Community Service Centre - has discovered it takes much less time to take the stairs than wait for the elevator.
"I don't have time to wait for an elevator. You get on and then it stops on every floor because someone's getting on and off. It just takes forever. It's much faster and quicker to take the stairs."
Of course, a stairwell is a far healthier option.
"I probably do the flight of stairs five, 10 times a day," he says. "I virtually always use the stairs unless I'm carrying something heavy."
The busy doctor, who sees about 25 patients a day at his clinic, is chair of cardiovascular obesity research at the U of A and the scientific director of the Canadian Obesity Network. Many of his patients weigh more than 350 pounds and have a BMI of at least 47.
Also serving as medical director of Capital Health's Weight Wise program, Sharma likes to routinely have "walk-and-talk meetings," and he's been known to stand during more formal meetings.
"Standing in a meeting will use more calories than sitting," he explains.
When he's not cycling to work, Sharma prefers to use public transportation because "you always get more walking in when you're running to catch a bus," he says.
"I try to get as much physical activity during the day as I possibly can."
As for his diet, Sharma says he makes sure to eat regularly. That means three square meals a day, including a good breakfast.
"As I always say, the worst time to eat is when you're hungry. Once you're hungry, you tend to make poor choices and you eat too fast, so you end up overeating," he explains. "The best way to avoid being hungry is to make sure you're eating regularly."
Of course, when you're a highly sought-after doctor and obesity guru with a packed schedule, there are times when sitting down to eat a proper meal just isn't possible.
That's when Sharma reaches for a meal replacement, such as Slim-Fast, Ensure or Boost.
"They're very cheap, they're quick and they're convenient," he says. "It's always better to replace a meal than to skip a meal that you don't have time for."
While Sharma doesn't have a sweet tooth, he does admit to a weakness for fare that is salty and crunchy. Among his biggest temptations are potato chips and nachos.
"Those are deadly," says the married father of three grown daughters who doesn't mince words. "It's probably one of the most concentrated forms of calories that you can eat."
Nevertheless, Sharma - whose past appointments were in Germany and Hamilton, Ont., before arriving in Edmonton late last summer - manages to keep himself in good shape.
And as he approaches 50 and beyond, he knows he's going to have to work even harder.
"It doesn't get easier as you grow older," he says. "It just means you have to do more, you have to be more careful about what you eat and how much you eat, and you must try to be as active as you possibly can."
According to the latest tally from Statistics Canada, Alberta's obesity rate was higher than the national average in 2007.
"Alberta is certainly one of the provinces in Canada that has the biggest obesity problem," he notes.
The bad news is there's no cure for obesity, which leads to a host of potentially life-threatening ailments. And there are plenty of causes - everything from stress and lack of sleep to poor nutrition and lack of exercise.
"It's not the thyroid," he adds. "Forget about the thyroid. It's way more complex than that."
The good news, however, is that there's no shortage of effective treatments - from counting calories and getting plenty of exercise to bariatric and gastric bypass surgery in the most extreme cases.
"Unfortunately, all those treatments are for life," he says. "Whatever treatment you find that works for you, you're going to have to stick with that treatment forever."
You've no doubt heard it before, but take it from this city's very own flab fighter: Shaping up and keeping fit is indeed a lifestyle. And that's the skinny on fat.
Visit www.DrSharma.ca for more information.
DR. SHARMA'S TIPS
1) Avoid liquid calories like those found in juices, pop and alcohol. "Count those calories as part of your meal. They can quickly add up."
2) Keep active. Use every opportunity to walk or get on your bike. Stay away from elevators and walk on escalators. "You don't have to just stand still on the escalator waiting for it to take you up."
3) Get a good night's sleep. "If you don't, you get the carb cravings and you don't have the energy to be active."
Friday, August 8, 2008
Creativity & overeating: Want to lose weight?
This weekend I read The Writing Diet: Write Yourself Right Size by creativity guru Julia Cameron. I'm glad I did.
Like most women who have recently delivered a baby, I'm anxious to get rid of my extra pregnancy weight. (I know Brittany shares this feeling.) It's been 8 weeks now, and I got the all-clear from my OB at week 6. Many women seem to slim down quickly while nursing and chasing other kids around, but breastfeeding makes me voraciously hungry and I can actually gain weight despite efforts to lose. With so many positive things going on in my life right now, I'm eager to get set on the right path with diet and exercise. I want the energy boost that comes with being in shape -- and, let's face it, I want to fit into my jeans.
I should admit, for the record, that I have always had a tortured and self-destructive complicated relationship with food. Over the years I've figured out what works best for me, but I often slip off track. I was glad to see that the "Clean Eating" Cameron advocates is common sense and very much my personal preference: avoid refined sugar and refined carbs, avoid processed food, focus on lean protein, drink lots of water, eat five times a day (three meals and two snacks) to keep metabolism stoked. Cameron is a little Splenda-happy for my taste, and I have no intention of eating diet Jello, but I can ignore those details. I'm also a vegetarian, so lean protein isn't as easy as grabbing some sliced turkey, but it's doable.
In addition to Eating Clean, Cameron lays out seven tools to enable weight loss. The primary tool -- no surprise here -- is Morning Pages. (For the uninitiated, Morning Pages are three longhand journal pages written every morning, as introduced in The Artist's Way.) The genesis for "writing oneself thinner" came from Cameron's observation of her students; adopting Morning Pages for a 12-week program resulted in visible weight loss for many. So many, in fact, that Cameron realized she was on to something.
Cameron's premise is that overeating can block creativity, and conversely, that creativity can block overeating. I bet that many of us would agree. I'm certainly no stranger to overeating due to various unidentified reasons, or from simply stress. As potter Iris Milward observed when I interviewed her for my book, "Stress eating is when there is fear instead of creativity."
By journaling daily, Cameron theorizes that we work through many of the issues that cause us to overeat, and significantly increase our creative bandwidth. When we spill our issues onto the page, we are less likely to try and stuff them down with food. (During periods in the past when I was religious about Morning Pages, I often noted that the process was at least as helpful as psychotherapy, and a lot cheaper. Come to think of it, I was pretty skinny then, too.)
Cameron's second tool is a food journal. Everything you eat is recorded, along with notes about how you felt and if you were eating from hunger. I tried this yesterday, and found the process to be startlingly illuminating. I wasn't conscious of the fact that I'd pretty much been eating all day -- including lots of the junky carbs I know I should avoid. Rather than keeping a notebook, I printed out a bunch of these convenient log sheets. The result of recording what I ate, AND how I felt about it, meant that I ended up eating far less -- and far better -- than I usually would. Yep, gonna keep that one going.
Walking, at least 20 minutes a day, is the third tool -- one that fosters creativity and well-being in addition to fitness. Exercise is obviously a crucial element in any weight-loss plan.
I won't itemize all of Cameron's tools, as she probably wouldn't appreciate that, but I will say that several of them are extremely difficult to accomplish as the mother of young children. Cameron had one child, now grown, and doesn't generally address the experience of women in the domestic trenches. Sure, I would love to be doing Morning Pages right now, but simply setting my alarm an hour earlier every day -- as Cameron suggests -- is untenable with a newborn. Even walking 20 minutes every day is tough; my baby wants to nurse constantly and has no established nap pattern yet. I don't want to be a mile from the house when he starts screaming. Cameron's suggestion of a weekly culinary date (the restaurant version of the artist's date) is also not going to happen. Me, going off to a restaurant by myself once a week? Uhm, no. (Honestly, If my husband told me he wanted to go out to eat alone every week, leaving me and the five kids at home, I'd rip his head off be a little unhappy.)
Some of Cameron's prose seems repetitive, rather than reinforcing, but obviously she can get away with it. There are also a lot of 12-step references, some of which seemed overdone. On the whole, this is a useful book that increases mindfulness about eating just as The Artist's Way increases mindfulness about creativity.
I will certainly adopt the elements of Cameron's plan that are feasible: the food journal, walking when I can (also doing some yoga & Pilates DVDs and hand weights at home), and journaling when I can. I will follow the three meals/two snacks model, although as a nursing mother I'm throwing in a bonus snack when I need it. (It's no fun to get the shakes, as Cathy noted, and nursing mothers need to be careful about restricting calories.) I don't know if all that is enough to make a difference, but it's a good start. I already feel better. And is it simply a coincidence, that after my first day of Eating Clean, my baby slept through the night? Six hours straight, when the most he'd ever done before was four. If I needed even more motivation, well, there you have it. And if I end up being more creative to boot, then brilliant.
Stake in the ground: I've got nearly 20 pounds to lose, but I'm breaking that down. Goal #1: lose 10 pounds and redevelop some of that long-lost muscle tone. Since muscle weighs more than fat, I'll pay attention to how my clothes fit in addition to looking at the scale. I'm giving myself a generous 10 weeks to reach my goal: September 7. Anyone want to join me?
Like most women who have recently delivered a baby, I'm anxious to get rid of my extra pregnancy weight. (I know Brittany shares this feeling.) It's been 8 weeks now, and I got the all-clear from my OB at week 6. Many women seem to slim down quickly while nursing and chasing other kids around, but breastfeeding makes me voraciously hungry and I can actually gain weight despite efforts to lose. With so many positive things going on in my life right now, I'm eager to get set on the right path with diet and exercise. I want the energy boost that comes with being in shape -- and, let's face it, I want to fit into my jeans.
I should admit, for the record, that I have always had a tortured and self-destructive complicated relationship with food. Over the years I've figured out what works best for me, but I often slip off track. I was glad to see that the "Clean Eating" Cameron advocates is common sense and very much my personal preference: avoid refined sugar and refined carbs, avoid processed food, focus on lean protein, drink lots of water, eat five times a day (three meals and two snacks) to keep metabolism stoked. Cameron is a little Splenda-happy for my taste, and I have no intention of eating diet Jello, but I can ignore those details. I'm also a vegetarian, so lean protein isn't as easy as grabbing some sliced turkey, but it's doable.
In addition to Eating Clean, Cameron lays out seven tools to enable weight loss. The primary tool -- no surprise here -- is Morning Pages. (For the uninitiated, Morning Pages are three longhand journal pages written every morning, as introduced in The Artist's Way.) The genesis for "writing oneself thinner" came from Cameron's observation of her students; adopting Morning Pages for a 12-week program resulted in visible weight loss for many. So many, in fact, that Cameron realized she was on to something.
Cameron's premise is that overeating can block creativity, and conversely, that creativity can block overeating. I bet that many of us would agree. I'm certainly no stranger to overeating due to various unidentified reasons, or from simply stress. As potter Iris Milward observed when I interviewed her for my book, "Stress eating is when there is fear instead of creativity."
By journaling daily, Cameron theorizes that we work through many of the issues that cause us to overeat, and significantly increase our creative bandwidth. When we spill our issues onto the page, we are less likely to try and stuff them down with food. (During periods in the past when I was religious about Morning Pages, I often noted that the process was at least as helpful as psychotherapy, and a lot cheaper. Come to think of it, I was pretty skinny then, too.)
Cameron's second tool is a food journal. Everything you eat is recorded, along with notes about how you felt and if you were eating from hunger. I tried this yesterday, and found the process to be startlingly illuminating. I wasn't conscious of the fact that I'd pretty much been eating all day -- including lots of the junky carbs I know I should avoid. Rather than keeping a notebook, I printed out a bunch of these convenient log sheets. The result of recording what I ate, AND how I felt about it, meant that I ended up eating far less -- and far better -- than I usually would. Yep, gonna keep that one going.
Walking, at least 20 minutes a day, is the third tool -- one that fosters creativity and well-being in addition to fitness. Exercise is obviously a crucial element in any weight-loss plan.
I won't itemize all of Cameron's tools, as she probably wouldn't appreciate that, but I will say that several of them are extremely difficult to accomplish as the mother of young children. Cameron had one child, now grown, and doesn't generally address the experience of women in the domestic trenches. Sure, I would love to be doing Morning Pages right now, but simply setting my alarm an hour earlier every day -- as Cameron suggests -- is untenable with a newborn. Even walking 20 minutes every day is tough; my baby wants to nurse constantly and has no established nap pattern yet. I don't want to be a mile from the house when he starts screaming. Cameron's suggestion of a weekly culinary date (the restaurant version of the artist's date) is also not going to happen. Me, going off to a restaurant by myself once a week? Uhm, no. (Honestly, If my husband told me he wanted to go out to eat alone every week, leaving me and the five kids at home, I'd rip his head off be a little unhappy.)
Some of Cameron's prose seems repetitive, rather than reinforcing, but obviously she can get away with it. There are also a lot of 12-step references, some of which seemed overdone. On the whole, this is a useful book that increases mindfulness about eating just as The Artist's Way increases mindfulness about creativity.
I will certainly adopt the elements of Cameron's plan that are feasible: the food journal, walking when I can (also doing some yoga & Pilates DVDs and hand weights at home), and journaling when I can. I will follow the three meals/two snacks model, although as a nursing mother I'm throwing in a bonus snack when I need it. (It's no fun to get the shakes, as Cathy noted, and nursing mothers need to be careful about restricting calories.) I don't know if all that is enough to make a difference, but it's a good start. I already feel better. And is it simply a coincidence, that after my first day of Eating Clean, my baby slept through the night? Six hours straight, when the most he'd ever done before was four. If I needed even more motivation, well, there you have it. And if I end up being more creative to boot, then brilliant.
Stake in the ground: I've got nearly 20 pounds to lose, but I'm breaking that down. Goal #1: lose 10 pounds and redevelop some of that long-lost muscle tone. Since muscle weighs more than fat, I'll pay attention to how my clothes fit in addition to looking at the scale. I'm giving myself a generous 10 weeks to reach my goal: September 7. Anyone want to join me?
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