Own Your Health

Weight Management

We at Portneuf Medical Center know that losing weight is not easy. We also know that being overweight is often an overwhelming burden. Excess weight can lead to an array of health problems which can have a damaging effect on a person’s quality of life and emotional health.

Although we strongly suggest that you visit with your primary care physician about your weight loss goals before starting any program, we offer a few tips and hints to help you get started today:

 

Lifestyle Changes and Attitude

Lifestyle changes, including attitude, healthy eating, and physical activity, represent the foundation of any successful weight loss plan.

When considering your weight loss goals, it is important to set realistic and achievable goals. Setting your sights on a quick and easily achieved new body is not only unrealistic, but often leads to disappointment, frustration and failure.

To ensure that goals and expectations are realistic, your primary care physician has tools and expertise that can help guide you through the goal setting process.

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Healthy Eating

Permanent weight loss success often requires establishing new eating habits; avoiding overeating, making different and healthier food choices and limiting the intake of our favorite, less healthy foods. Often a combination of small tactics can lead to success.

Before trying to lose weight, it is important to know exactly what, when, and why you eat. Keeping a food and exercise log is a good place to begin. A log visually displays food habits, highlights areas for change, and defines an individual’s activity levels.

To jump-start your weight loss efforts, follow these 10 tips to healthy eating:

  1. Eat Regular Meals
  2. Eat Smaller Portions
  3. Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains)
  4. Eat slowly
  5. Drink fewer calories
  6. Know your diet pitfalls
  7. Reduce but don’t eliminate certain foods you love
  8. Moderation is key – no food is particularly bad, but limiting and controlling is essential
  9. Balance food choices over time
  10. Know your fat – hidden fats in food are high in calories

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Physical Activity

Successful weight management involves reducing the amount of calories you take in, increasing your exercise level, and making lifestyle changes. This information will help you understand how exercise can affect your weight.

Regular physical exercise:

  • Increases the rate at which calories are burned (metabolism)
  • Increases energy level
  • Improves sleep
  • Prevents the loss of muscle mass during weight reduction
  • Reduces risks of certain chronic diseases (cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes)
  • Improves bone density
  • Improves self-esteem

How to Get Started

Beginning an exercise plan can be a difficult first step. Be sure to consult with your primary care physician before starting any new activity or exercise routine. Here are some practical tips to help get started:

  • Pick activities that fit into your lifestyle and that you enjoy. Individuals are more apt to stick to a plan if they are performing activities that they enjoy.
  • Find an exercise buddy.
  • Ease into an exercise routine. Start with 10- 25 minutes of physical activity a day and gradually increase to 30 minutes every day. Brisk walking is an excellent way to get started.
  • Remember all the little things you can do throughout the day to burn calories. These little things can really add up:
    • Take the stairs rather than the elevator
    • Park the car a little farther away and walk the extra distance
    • Skip the golf cart and carry your own clubs
    • Take a walk during your lunch break
    • Forget the remote – get out of the chair to change the channel
    • Garden
    • Clean house
    • Walk to the mailbox

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Pediatric and Adolescent Weight Loss

Unwanted weight gain is a problem for more and more of our children and teens. Every year, a greater percentage of children and teens face overweight and obesity for reasons that span both biology and behavior.

Children have specific needs and different weight loss challenges.

What’s a Parent to Do? Healthy Eating Tips for Families

  • Make mealtime family time. Try to have at least one meal a day together. Eating meals as a family can actually improve your children’s food habits since kids tend to eat more fruit, vegetables and dairy products at meals shared with their parents.
  • Get the family involved in meal planning and preparation. Your kitchen can be a learning laboratory. Give kids simple tasks to help with family food shopping, preparation and cleanup. Children are more likely to eat food that they have helped to prepare.
  • Be a good role model. Moms and dads often tell their kids to eat healthy but don’t follow the advice for themselves. Make sure you set a good example for your family. Healthy eating is a lifestyle – not a fad. It needs to be a family affair that begins at an early age.
  • Try something new. Set a goal to include one new food or recipe each week. You’ll soon discover new favorites to incorporate into family menus. When you want your children to eat more fruits and vegetables, try new and exotic varieties like mangos or tangelos. To make fruit easier to eat, serve it in bite-sized pieces with some yogurt for delicious dipping.
  • Stash healthy snacks. Keep healthy, nutritious snacks in key places at all times. Crackers and peanut butter, fresh fruit, pretzels or plain popcorn are good options.
  • Get help from a nutrition expert. A registered dietitian (RD) is uniquely qualified to help families improve their eating habits. Whether it is a special challenge like picky eaters or health issues such as weight management, a dietitian can provide a personalized guide to healthy eating for your family.

—Source: American Dietetic Association

Contact your pediatrician for more information on pediatric and adolescent weight management.

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