Weight Control

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone... I read this article on www.diabeticgourmet.com. I

thought it was interesting and relevant to some of the discussion

we've be having.

Enjoy!

Jacki

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Weight Control: It's Not All or Nothing

By , MS, RD,CDN

The most recent report on weight control, issued by the National

Institutes of Health, strongly counters the common " all or nothing "

attitude of many dieters. The report emphasizes the benefits of

relatively small changes, both in terms of the benefits of modest

weight loss even if so-called " ideal " weight cannot be reached, as

well as aiming for realistic behavior changes rather than perfection.

Weights considerably higher than recommended levels may be due partly

to some inherited or other " natural " cause and partly to eating or

exercise habits that keep weight higher than it would naturally

be. " All-or-nothing " thinking poses major problems, as the very

prospect of needing to lose large amounts of weight can make people

feel so overwhelmed that they give up. And research shows that people

who lose large amounts of weight often regain it.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) report counters this mode of

thinking by recommending that an initial weight loss goal be set at

no more than 10 percent of someone's starting weight. For most

people, this means that rather than aiming at a loss of 50 to 100

pounds, they would be targeting 15 to 30 pounds.

Consumer surveys show " all-or-nothing " thinking can create problems

for changing behavior to achieve that goal, too. Many Americans

accept the notion that weight loss requires a diet of only " good "

foods, with avoidance of all " bad " foods. However, research shows

that such complete abstinence from certain foods is not needed for

weight control; foods that are high in fat or calories do not block

weight loss if they are included in limited amounts. In fact,

research also shows that people who make rigid rules requiring

avoidance of specific foods tend to move into a cycle of alternately

dieting and bingeing on these " taboo " foods.

All-or-nothing thinking about food also makes weight control more

difficult when it affects portion sizes. Americans' portions have

grown substantially in recent years, resulting in a dramatic increase

in our calorie consumption. Many people trying to lose weight have

the impression that as long as a food is low-fat or

otherwise " healthy " , portion size won't affect their weight. That is

clearly a misconception -- calories from even " healthy " foods like

pasta, fat-free snack foods, and juice can indeed add up to prevent

weight loss.

Behavioral experts say that all-or-nothing thinking is also a major

handicap in the move to get people more physically active. Some

people still believe the long-outdated phrase " no pain, no gain "

regarding exercise, making it unrealistic to attempt and painful when

it is attempted. In contrast, experts in the field emphasize that

there are many levels of physical activity, each with its own

benefits. Research now supports the value of even small amounts of

less-intense activity if included as a consistent part of daily

living. While additional benefits may be achieved with further steps

in physical training, the most important step is to move out of couch-

potato status.

In these and other ways, all-or-nothing thinking creates problems for

those who want to lose weight. First, it's incorrect; studies clearly

show that moderate changes without achieving perfection are enough to

promote healthy weight loss. Second, the psychological outlook of all-

or-nothing thinking makes it harder to attempt and continue habit

changes. The experts say that a healthy lifestyle should be an

expression of self-respect, not an obsession.