Nutrition and Weight Loss: Two peas in a pod:

Poor d and physical inivity account for m n 400,000 premature deaths each year in the United States says the CDC. People who are overweight are m likely to dlop rt disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, gallbladder disease, and joint pain caused by excess uric acid (gout). Excess weight also cause interrupted breathing during sleep and wearing away of the joints (osteoarthritis). Carrying extra weight means carrying an extra risk for certain types of cer, including breast, prostate, and colon cer, to name a few.

Overweight refers to an excess of body weight, but not necessarily body fat. Obesity means an excessively high proportion of body fat. Hth professionals use a measurement called body mass index (BMI) to classify an adult's weight as y, overweight, or obese. BMI describes body weight relae to height and is correlated with total body fat tent in most adults.

To get y approximate BMI you use the interive BMI
calculator.

The key to losing weight is a simple message: "Eat less and move m." Y body needs to burn m calories n you take in.

Weight Loss Conquerors:
Aough many people who l weight may ntually gain it back, it's a myth t this happens to ryone. There are 4 areas t a successful weight loss study group had in common; They eat a low-calorie, low-fat d, they monitor themselves by weighing in frequently, they are very physically ive, and they eat breakfast. Eng breakfast ry day is trary to the typical pattern for the average overweight person who is trying to d. Getting up in the morning and skipping breakfast then having a light lunch. By ning,they get hungry and sume most of their calories late in the day. Successful weight lrs have managed to change this pattern.

Setting a Goal:
The first step to weight loss is setting a ristic goal. By using a BMI chart and sulting with y care provider, you determine what is a y weight for you. To reach y goal safely, plan to l weight gradually. A weight loss of one-half to two pounds a week is usually safe, according to the Dary Guidelines for Ameris 2000. If you plan to l m n 15 to 20 pounds, have any problems, or take medicon on a regular basis, see y care professional bef you begin a weight-loss program.

Changing Eng Habits:
Ding may jure up visions of eng lettuce and sprouts--but you enjoy all ds as part of a y d as long as you don't overdo it. To be successful at losing weight, you need to change y lifestyle--not just go on a d, experts say. This requires cutting back on the number of calories you eat by eng smaller amounts of ds and choosing ds lower in calories. It also means being m physically ive.

Focus on the Following Areas:

Limiting portion sizes, especially of ds high in calories

Use the FoodPyramid dloped by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and HHS to help you cho a ful assortment of ds.

Keep y intake of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol as low as possible. all of these fats raise LDL (or "bad cholesterol")

Drink alcoholic brages in moderon (no m n one drink a day for women, and no m n two drinks a day for men).

Limit y intake of brages and ds t are high in added sugars--th added to ds in processing or preparon, not the naturally occurring sugars in ds such as fruit or milk.

Using Food Labels
When cerned about reducing calories or trolling y weight, one of the first places you should look on the Nition Fs panel is the serving size and the number of servings per package, which are listed at the top. The serving size affects the calories, the amounts of each nient, and the percent Daily Values (%DV) for the nients listed on the panel. In addition to calories and serving sizes, there are other parts of the Nition Fs panel, such as the list of nients, t help you make y d choices while you l weight. The Nition Fs panel also shows how much dary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron are tained in a serving. These are the nients you want to get at least 100 percent of the Daily Value ry day for good .

CAUTION! Food Labeled "Fat-free and "Low-fat":
Use caution when choosing ds t are labeled "fat-free" and "low-fat." Fat-free doesn't mean calorie-free. To make a d tastier, sometimes extra sugars are added, which adds calories. Fat Free VS Regular Calorie. So ders should always check the Nition Fs panel to get complete informon.

Get Ace, Be Fit!

In addition to helping to trol weight, physical ivity decreases the risk of dying from coronary rt disease and reduces the risk of dloping diabetes, hypertension, and certain cers. Researchers also have found t daily physical ivity may help a person l weight by partially lessening the slow-down in metabolism t occurs during weight loss.

To l weight and to maintain a y weight after weight loss, many adults will likely need to do m n 30 minutes of moderate to intensive physical ivity daily.

Certified Nitionist, Exercise Specialist and Owner of The Center for Fitness and Nition, tell you exly which ds and which d combinons will cause instant weight loss and which ones cause instant weight gain DSolutionProgram

Losing weight requires major lifestyle changes, including d and nition, exercise, and behavior modificon. But it is always worth making the effort to improve y .