You may have heard the alarming statistics about America’s weight problem: 65% of Americans are obese or overweight.  Ten years ago about 10-15% of the nation was labeled obese today it is 20-29%.   So, what should we do?  Should we wait until a pharmaceutical company discovers a magic pill?  Or should we learn how to eat properly and control our self-destructive behaviors?

Pharmaceutical companies have spent millions of dollars researching the “magic pill.”  Many have been released on the market only to have dire consequences.  These companies propagate the illusion that there is a simple weight-loss solution requiring no effort.  They instill false hope that lifts peoples’ spirits, only to drop them farther down in the end.   And let’s not forget that most of these drugs can only assist people in losing 10 to 15% of their weight.

Here are some facts about the top 4 anti-obesity drugs:

1. Sanofi-Aventis by Merk, Pfizer was supposed to stop the munchies while in clinical trials, however one major side-effect?  Suicide.   

2. Orexigen by Vivus, Amylin.  This company found that by combining drugs that treated seizures, addiction and diabetes a person could shed more pounds than taking the drugs alone but the side-effects were memory loss, dizziness, and depression.  

3. Fen-Phen by Arena pharmaceuticals.  Remember Fen-Phen the “super drug?”  It produced double-digit weight-loss but was found to cause heart disease, so the FDA requested the pills be taken off the market.  But Arena is not ready to give up yet.  They are currently working on a pill that promises not to affect the heart and will deal directly with the appetite-controlling center in the brain.  But I ask you, if heart disease was the side-effect of the last pill, what kind of effect might the new and improved pill have on the brain?

4. Alli is the only FDA approved over-the-counter weight-loss product.  Alli promotes weight-loss by decreasing absorption of fat by the intestines, which reduces the number of calories you absorb.  However, the average weight loss is a modest 6 pounds greater than diet and exercise alone and the pill’s side-effects include:

o    Gas with an oily anal discharge
o    Loose stools or diarrhea
o    More frequent bowel movements that are hard to control


The answer to weight loss is clear.  There are no magic pills that will solve your problems.  Just like any important endeavor, weight loss takes time, work, discipline, motivation and stamina.  Once you have learned how to lose weight the healthy way, this knowledge is yours forever.  If your weight creeps up a few pounds, you will know what to do.  You won’t have to call your doctor to get another pill that will detrimentally affect your health.  Stick with a smart and realistic weight loss plan and you will be successful!

Expert advice from Manuel Villacorta, MS, RD, CSSD Registered Dietitian /Board Certified as a Specialist in Sports Dietetics

Fueling your sport: 

1.    Nutrition is a key factor in endurance sports and is just as important as a good training regimen. The number of calories you need for cycling depends on a number of factors: your body weight, how fast you cycle, how long you cycle, and your training frequency.

2.    Carbohydrate is the most important fuel for cyclists, so consuming adequate carbohydrate on a daily basis is necessary to replenish your energy stores. Eat carbohydrates at every meal and snack. Good choices include whole grain or enriched breads, rolls, low-fat muffins, waffles, pancakes, and cereals. Fruits, fruit juices, brown rice, pasta, and baked white or sweet potatoes are also good carbohydrate choices

3.    Daily carbohydrate needs are based on your hours of training per day and your weight regardless of gender.  Your daily carbohydrate needs are as follows:

•    1 to 2 hours of training per day requires about 2.5 to 3.5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight per day.
•    2 to 3 hours of training per day requires about 3.5 to 4.5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight per day.
•    4 to 6 hour or more of training per day requires about 5 to 6 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight per day

4.    Cyclists need 0.6 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day as well. The typical American diet provides plenty of protein, so runners usually get enough protein without adding protein drinks or supplements. Good sources of protein include fish, chicken, turkey, lean cuts of beef, low-fat or nonfat milk, yogurt, low fat cheeses, eggs, nuts, and soy.

5.    Cyclists should eat at least 0.45 grams of fat per pound of body weight per day. Choose heart-healthy fats, such as canola oil, olive oil, flax seeds, avocado and nuts. 

How to fuel:  Pre/During/Post Exercise

 
1.    Pre-exercise: Your pre-exercise goal is to be fueled for your training.  The ideal pre-exercise meal should be carbohydrate rich and well tolerated.  The number of carbohydrates you need depends on your weight and the timing of the meal prior to exercise.  Generally, you should consume 0.5g – 2g per pound of body weight of carbohydrate 1 to 4 hours prior to exercise.  

For example a 145 lb person: 1 hour before training should consume 0.5 g per pound weight (e.g. 145 x 0.5 = 72.5 grams)

Sample meal:
•    1 small banana (15g of carbs) + 1 slice toast (15g of carbs) + 1 Tbsp of jam (15g of carbs) + 16 oz of Gatorade (30 of carbs) = 75 grams of carbohydrate
•    1 cup of cooked oatmeal (30g of carbs) + 4 Tbsp raisins (30g of carbs) + 8 oz Gatorade (15g of carbs) = 75 grams of carbohydrate  

2.    During: Consuming 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate every hour has proven to improve performance in exercise lasting longer than 90 minutes.  Your pre-workout meal will provide enough energy for exercises lasting less than 90 minutes. Try gels, energy drinks, or anything that you can tolerate.

3.    Post -exercise: If your exercise lasts longer than 90 minutes, you should consume 0.7 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight immediately after exercise, followed by 0.7 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight 2 hours later, which will enhance your muscle recovery rate. Consume carbohydrates that are quickly absorbed into your bloodstream.  You may prefer a high-carbohydrate drink if your stomach does not tolerate solid food immediately after exercise.  Adding a small amount of protein (about 6-15grams) will also provide amino acids for building and repairing muscle tissue.

For example a 145 lb person should consume 0.7 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight + 6-15 grams of protein (e.g. 0.7 x 145 = 101grams of carbohydrate + 6-15g of protein)

Sample meal:

1 bagel (60 grams of carbs) + 8 oz chocolate milk (45 grams of carbs) + 2 oz of low fat cheese (14 grams of protein)

 

	Nu4You.net Interactive Weight Management Service
	How It Works     Nu4You Toolkit     Manuel Villacorta, MS, RD, CSSD     Our Blog     Ask a Question   Welcome This is a periodic newsletter to provide you with independent, no-nonsense information on eating for optimum health. Everything you read here is based on real nutrition science from award-winning Bay Area Registered Dietitian, Manuel Villacorta, MS, RD, CSSD. For more great info, find us at www.Nu4You.net. In this Issue: Feature: How to Eat Like a Sumo Wrestler Keeping it Off: Part 2 of 5 Proven Behaviors for Long Term Weight Management: Record Keeping New at Nutrition for You: Journals Feature: How to Eat Like a Sumo Wrestler Sumo wrestling is an ancient Japanese sport; where the heavier you are the better! They stare each other in the eyes and slap their feet and enormous thighs, trying to break their opponent's courage. One of the heaviest sumo wrestlers, or rikishi in Japanese, was Hawaiian born Konisiki. He weighed 630 at his peak. So, how do sumo wrestlers get so big? Sumo Wrestlers' Tricks for Getting Big Don't eat breakfast. Sumo wrestlers never eat breakfast. This is a great way to slow your metabolism way down and will definitely ensure over eating later in the day. Exercise on an empty stomach. When you exercise without proper fueling, your metabolism will conserve every ounce of energy you have left to get you through the activity. So you end up burning far less calories then you would have had you eaten prior to exercising. Eat only 1 to 2 meals each day. Sumo wrestlers get up early, work out and then don't eat until late in the day. This way they will be starving and will eat anything they can grab and in enormous amounts. This ensures a great calorie surplus and maximum weight gain. When you eat a large amount of calories in one sitting, the body will use up what it can and then fill your extra energy reserves for later. When your storage gets full, everything left over is stored directly as fat. Drink alcohol. Sumo wrestlers drink large amounts of alcohol with their meals (their favorite is beer). For a sumo wrestler, the bigger the belly the better! Eat out. Many studies have found that people eating in a restaurant will eat 40% more food and 30% more fat then they would if they were at home. Sumo wrestlers like to distract each other while eating to make sure they don't notice those "getting full" signals. They also always have someone else cook for them so they don't pay attention to fat or ingredients. Sleep after eating. When they finish their large meals, the wrestlers will get up and take a long nap. Going to sleep on a full stomach forces the body to store most of the calories as fat because it doesn't have the ability to metabolize large amounts of food while sleeping. Yikes, I bet a lot of these behaviors sound really familiar! I know they do to me. Getting up early, skipping breakfast, running to the gym, eating a late (large) lunch and an even later (larger) dinner and then heading to bed. This is the busy American life that many people live. When working as many hours as most do, it is easy to eat like a sumo wrestler! What if you don't want to look like a sumo wrestler? Eat breakfast like a King (or Queen!). Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day! Breakfast gives your metabolism a daily kick-start plus it helps control your appetite throughout the rest of the day. We recommend a high fiber breakfast that has at least 15g of fiber. This can be attained by eating a high fiber cereal (at east 5g of fiber per serving), topped with 2 tbsp ground flaxseed meal and blueberries. Fiber helps keep you satiated and also regulates blood glucose - so no energy crashes! Fuel prior to exercising and post exercising. For a pre-workout snack eat 1/2 a banana, a few whole-wheat crackers and 1/2 c of fruit juice (focus on carbohydrates). This will ensure you have a stronger workout and you will actually burn more calories! Then make sure to have a protein and carbohydrate based snack post-workout to refill your energy stores and maintain muscle mass. Eat throughout the day. Take time to eat a healthy lunch and don't forget those late morning and afternoon snacks! We recommend eating every 3 hours (plus or minus 30 minutes). This will keep the hunger-inducing hormone, Ghrelin, at bay, ensuring you will not over eat and will make good choices. Limit alcohol. For weight loss, we recommend drinking no more than about 4 servings of alcohol per week. (Reminder: 1 serving of wine is 4 oz or 1/2 c, 1 serving of beer is 12 oz or a pint, and hard alcohol is 1.5 oz.) Alcohol is metabolized like a fat in the body, so think of each drink as eating 2 Fats (plus a Grain and Starch for beers!) Limit eating in restaurants. When eating at a restaurant it is much easier to make bad choices and eat too much, plus you cannot control the ingredients. Restaurants use a shocking amount of fatty products to ensure a yummy tasting meal. Don't trust anything labeled "low fat" or "healthy choice" without doing a little investigating! Don't eat a huge dinner and then head to bed. About 70% of your calories should be consumed during the day and only 30% should be eaten in the evening. For example, if you are following 1700 calories per day, then before your dinner you should consume about 1190 calories evenly spread out throughout the day, and then have about 510 calories for dinner and dessert. It is easy to fall into bad sumo habits that stay with us for years. If you have difficulty with the above listed tips, then chose 1 or 2 and work on them. When you feel confident, then chose another 1 to 2, and work on those. You don't have to be perfect all at once, or perfect every moment. It takes time to break habits, but you can definitely do it! Be nice to yourself and take baby steps. Many bad habits that people have were acquired over many years and they will not disappear over night. Just make small attainable adjustments and before you know it, those bad habits (and the weight) will be in the past! Created by Kate Haisch, BS, Dietetic Intern Resources: http://www.ada.com http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11138566 Keeping it Off: Proven Behaviors for Long Term Weight Management You might wonder, once the weight is off, how do I maintain my hard earned loss? The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) is a website dedicated to answering this very question. They have a large registry of people who have lost a substantial amount of weight and kept it off for a long period of time. The average weight loss is 60 pounds, maintained for an average of 5.7 years. These registered people then participate in ongoing research, which surveys their habits, successes and difficulties. This helps us to get a better understanding of the most common factors in weight loss maintenance. During this five part series we will talk about the five biggest conclusions of their research. 5 Proven Behaviors for Long Term Weight Management: Follow a low-fat diet Record keeping Monitor weight frequently Eat breakfast daily Exercise Part 2: Record Keeping You may have heard or read about one of the many news stories last week about Food Record Keeping. A recent study by Kaiser Permanente reported that keeping a food diary, on average, doubled the weight loss as compared to those that did not record keep. Record keeping is so important that it's one of our key Success Tracker tools available to all of our members. For weight loss, we recommend practicing daily food record keeping. If you don’t food record keep for a day or two, don’t worry about backlogging. Just pick-up again from where you are. It is important not to let a bad day (or week!) throw you off completely. Start fresh from where you are and do not stress about past choices. Even if you are not proud of the food you are recording, just keep going. Record keeping isn't just for those losing weight. It is also important for those that are doing weight maintenance and weight gain. Food record keeping helps to keep you on track and makes you aware of your eating habits and choices. When on weight maintenance you do not need to food record keep everyday, but it is helpful to check in every once and a while, just to see how many calories you are consuming and to ensure you are eating from all of the food groups to ensure adequate nutrition. We recommend checking in for a total of one week every month. It is an important habit to maintain that will help you for life. It takes just a little time each day to record keep. If you need tips on how to speed up your record keeping or to understand how it works don't forget to ask one of our nutrition coaches. New at Nutrition for You: Journals We are continually adding new features to Nu4You.net. One of the latest is a new Journal tool. It's currently in beta testing which our developers tell us basically means there are still a few bugs here and there and we really would like to get feedback from our members. Journals are a great place to keep your own personal weight loss diary. You can also add before and after photos. Something we recommend to everyone starting a weight loss or gain program. Sometimes what is not obvious on the scale shows up really well in a before and after photo. If you have a tip or trick that needs to be shared you can also share your journal entry with other members. Give it a try! About Nu4You.net is an Interactive Weight Management Service founded by acclaimed California Registered Dietitian Manuel Villacorta, MS, RD, CSSD. In his clinical practice, Manuel has helped hundreds of people lose weight, gain muscle, improve sports performance, and achieve their fitness goals. Now the principles of his practice are available to everyone online via the interactive power of Nu4You.net. To find out more, visit us today at http://www.Nu4You.net.

You don't have to tell those of us at Nu4You that tracking what you eat can help lose weight.  We know it.  That's why our Success Tracker's Food Record is a key part of our nutrition program.  It's simply a fact that if you record keep you are more likely to lose weight and to lose more than if you do not. 

Yesterday there were innumerable articles on the web about Kaiser Permanente's new study that basically says that keeping a food diary doubles the weight loss over those that do not keep a food diary.  That study is not new news for us, however it is nice to see scientific studies that validate our own experience.

Studies come and studies go, but this article by TIME magazine's Anita Hamilton explains it in a way that we can all understand. 

 

 

Expert advice from Manuel Villacorta, MS, RD, CSSD Registered Dietitian /Board Certified as a Specialist in Sports Dietetics

Fueling your sport: 

1.    Nutrition is a key factor in endurance sports and is just as important as a good training regimen. The number of calories you need for running depends on a number of factors: your body weight, how fast you run, how long you run, and your training frequency. A recreational runner will have very different calorie needs than a competitive runner who logs 100 miles per week while training.   For example, a 150-pound recreational runner burns 10 calories per minute while running a 12-minute mile, and a 110-pound competitive runner burns 14 calories per minute while running 6-minute mile.

2.    Carbohydrate is the most important fuel for runners, so consuming adequate carbohydrate on a daily basis is necessary to replenish your energy stores. When you train, eat whole grains, fruits, and vegetables at every meal.

3.    When training hard every day, runners need 3.6 to 4.5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight per day.  For recreational runners, 2.3 to 2.7 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight per day is enough.

4.    Runners need 0.55 to 0.64 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day as well. The typical American diet provides plenty of protein, so runners usually get enough protein without adding protein drinks or supplements. Good sources of protein include fish, chicken, turkey, lean cuts of beef, low-fat or nonfat milk, yogurt, low fat cheeses, eggs, nuts, and soy.

5.    Runners burn more fat than people who don’t exercise. Calories from fat should make up about 20% to 25% of the calories in a runner’s diet. Choose heart-healthy fats, such as canola oil, olive oil, and nuts.

How to fuel:  Pre/During/Post Exercise

 1.    Pre-exercise: Your pre-exercise goal is to be fueled for your training.  The ideal pre-exercise meal should be carbohydrate rich and well tolerated.  The number of carbohydrates you need depends on your weight and the timing of the meal prior to exercise.  Generally, you should consume 0.5g – 2g per pound of body weight of carbohydrate 1 to 4 hours prior to exercise.  

For example a 145 lb person: 1 hour before his run should consume 0.5 g per pound weight (e.g. 145 x 0.5 = 72.5 grams)

Sample meal:

•    1 small banana (15g of carbs) + 1 slice toast (15g of carbs) + 1 Tbsp of jam (15g of carbs) + 16 oz of Gatorade (30g of carbs) = 75 grams of carbohydrate
•    1 cup of cooked oatmeal (30g of carbs) + 4 Tbsp raisins (30g of carbs) + 8 oz Gatorade (15g of carbs) = 75 grams of carbohydrate  

2.    During: Consuming 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate every hour has proven to improve performance in exercise lasting longer than 90 minutes.  Your pre-workout meal will provide enough energy for exercises lasting less than 90 minutes. Try gels, energy drinks, or anything that you can tolerate.

3.    Post- exercise: If your exercise lasts longer than 90 minutes, you should consume 0.7 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight immediately after exercise, followed by 0.7 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight 2 hours later, which will enhance your muscle recovery rate. Consume carbohydrates that are quickly absorbed into your bloodstream.  You may prefer a high-carbohydrate drink if your stomach does not tolerate solid food immediately after exercise.  Adding a small amount of protein (about 6-15grams) will also provide amino acids for building and repairing muscle tissue.

For example a 145 lb person should consume 0.7 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight + 6-15 grams of protein (e.g. 0.7 x 145 = 101grams of carbohydrate + 6-15g of protein)

Sample meal:

1 bagel (60 grams of carbs) + 8 oz chocolate milk (45 grams of carbs) + 2 oz of low fat cheese (14 grams of protein)

Top three nutrition tips for improving performance

 1.    Drink enough fluid. All the training in the world won’t make you a better runner if you are dehydrated. Develop a fluid plan and stick with it. Choose a sport drink to replace fluids, provide carbohydrates, and electrolytes. Find a flavor of sport drink that you can enjoy during exercise—the drink flavor you like at rest may be different from what you want when you are hot and sweaty.

2.    Eat carbohydrates at every meal and snack. Good choices include whole grain or enriched breads, rolls, low-fat muffins, waffles, pancakes, and cereals. Vegetables and fruits, vegetable and fruit juices, brown rice, pasta, and baked white or sweet potatoes are also good carbohydrate choices.

3.    Eat well during training. Training should include fuel training. Just as you plan your training, you should plan to properly fuel your body. Work with a sports dietitian to learn about nutrition recommendations and create a meal and snack plan that works with your training schedule and performance goals.

Fluid needs

1.    Better hydration means better performance!

2.    Drink 2 cups of fluids 2 hours before running.

3.    Drink 5 to 10 ounces of fluids every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise to replace the amount of water lost in sweat.  One medium mouthful of fluid equals about 1 oz.

4.    During a road race, grab cups of water offered to you and drink at least five swallows before tossing the rest over your head. Fluids poured on your body, although it may feel good, don’t help hydrate you.

5.    During training runs, carry bottles of fluid in a fanny pack, bottle belt, or stash them along your route.

6.    Don’t rely on thirst to tell you when to drink because it is a bad indicator of hydration status.  A number of factors can influence thirst signals, so by the time you are thirsty, you are already slightly dehydrated.

7.    After running, drink about 24 oz of fluids for every pound lost. This is especially important if you train every day.