Helpful Weight Loss Tips

Helpful Tips for Weight Loss

By Katelyn Obermiller, FNP-BC

Are you struggling with weight loss? You are not alone. In the United States over one third of the adult population is struggling from obesity (2009-2010) and this number is growing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tells us that obesity is the leading cause of PREVENTABLE death from conditions such as heart disease, diabetes type 2, stroke, and some types of cancers. With these statistics we all should be convinced to lose weight, but that is not the case.

There are barriers to weight loss with readiness for change and lack of motivation being the top two patient complaints. Asking someone to lose weight is as difficult of a decision as deciding to quit smoking. The individual has to be ready.

It is our job as medical providers to understand your readiness to lose weight. You are not alone! We are always here to help you with your journey so never be afraid to talk to your provider about weight loss. We can help identify risk factors and areas of concern, identify problem areas within lifestyle habits of food intake, level of activity, ability to handle stress, and quality of sleep. Once you are ready for change, a plan can be developed that is individualized and a partnered activity between you and your provider.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) released in 1998 that the weight loss interventions that are most consistently effective are diet therapy, exercise, lifestyle therapy, behavioral therapy, and weight loss medication. Diet therapy is common knowledge to the dieter that has tried several fad diets. Something you notice consistently with most diet regimens is there is a limitation on daily caloric intake, lowering calorie consumption by 500-1,000kcal daily, resulting in a 1-2 pound weight loss weekly, which is a healthy rate of loss. (The weight came on slow, therefore it comes off slow!)

Obviously, eating a balanced, low calorie diet takes self-control. For those who struggle with self-control, there are commercially prepared meal replacements, such as Medifast, that provides prepackaged meals for the dieter who struggles with portion control. This does cost money and is not always efficient for big families, so other methods include using a small plate, not returning for seconds, eating “around-the-plate” as proteins are more filling than potatoes and pastas, drinking an eight ounce glass of water before meals, and avoiding drinking during meals.

Exercise is also well-known and should be done in conjunction with diet modification. The minimum recommendation for exercise is five days of 30 minutes of moderate activity. This is separate and in addition to your normal daily routine. Increasing muscle mass and decreasing fat tissue is the desired result. Increased muscle mass is good for increasing metabolism and improving balance.

Exercise can be done in many forms. Exercise should be fun, and it does not have to cost you a dime! Walk or jog down the block or an old county road, take up Pilates in your living room, park in the back of a parking lot, or simply take the steps instead of the elevator.

Lifestyle modifications include changing eating habits and increasing level of activity, goal setting, and creating incentives for weight loss. For incentives/rewards, some have a pair of jeans they want to get back into; others want to get off of some of their medications. Never use food as an incentive! It takes a whole week of activity to work off a burger meal from a fast food restaurant!!

Sometimes weight loss medications can be beneficial. Always talk to your medical provider about what is safe to take. Some meds decrease fat absorption in the gut such as Xenical or Alli. Others can help with appetite such as Adipex-P and Qsymia. Talk to your provider as some of your medications may be inhibiting you from losing weight, and modifications to your regimen may be possible.

Eating a balanced diet and exercising should be a family affair. We can improve the future of our children by teaching them healthy habits early in life. Get involved with groups of people in your community or social media network for support through your journey to wellness. Again, talk to your provider to assess your readiness for life-changing weight loss.

Katelyn Obermiller, FNP-BC, is a nurse practitioner at the Dennison Trinity Medical Group office. To make an appointment, call (740) 922-0000.