Some winning strategies for being a loser

Do you usually tune out reports about the risks of excess weight? Well, it may be time for a change in thinking. You may indeed be in need of some waist management strategies. Excess weight around the midriff is linked to an increased risk for a host of maladies including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, erectile dysfunction, high blood pressure and certain cancers.

Research shows that with increasing age, starting at around 30, there can be significant losses of lean body mass - muscle - especially for those not involved in weight-resistance training exercise. A glance around offers some evidence. Men tend to experience almost a shift in gravity. It seems that as inches around the chest decrease, waistlines tend to stretch. And for women, the settling of weight in the abdomen often begins just before menopause takes hold.

A 13-year study of 27,000 men, reported in the March 2005 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, not only linked high waist measures to a greater likelihood of developing diabetes but also suggested the current limits recommended for healthy waist circumference are too high.

Lose a little, decrease your risk
The good news when it comes to girth control issues is that losing just 10 pounds can make a big difference in not only decreasing risk for various diseases but also in managing their treatment. This modest amount of weight loss can result in easier blood sugar regulation for those with diabetes. Losing abdominal weight can boost levels of the beneficial HDL cholesterol, improving blood cholesterol profiles, while on the blood pressure front, better readings can be more easily achieved.

Take the beltline test
To assess if you're in need of a girth control program, measure your waist just below your navel. Risk of disease increases with measurements above 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women.

If the tale of the tape suggests shedding some abdominal fat is wise, there are some strategies to keep in mind on the road to successful weight loss. The first is to recognize that although you may not be at a healthy weight, your body wants to maintain the status quo if you're free of acute disease. The first sign of illness is a loss of appetite so if you lose your appetite and drop pounds on the scale, it's a bad sign. Conversely, if you eat less, a healthy body may try to protect you from starvation - even if you've got plenty of fat stored. The key is to lose weight but not alert your body to your plans. In other words, go for a slow rate of weight loss.

Losing half to one pound a week can allow you to lose weight without triggering starvation mechanisms like unrelenting hunger and fatigue. In addition, when the rate of weight loss is low, only body fat is lost. On quick weight-loss regimes, both muscle and fat are lost. But it's the muscle you carry that determines your metabolic rate or calorie burning capacity.

Quick weight loss won't work
So when you see ads for quick weight-loss clinics, remember, it's buyer beware. Not only are you likely to regain lost pounds but you may add extra weight as your body tries to protect you from the next famine. When it comes to fasting or cleansing programs, some of the same concerns apply. Loss of lean body mass is more likely, which, as we've noted, will affect metabolic rates. Taking a supplement that may promote cleansing can have a diuretic or laxative effect, leaving you dehydrated and with disrupted bowel regularity. While you may certainly weigh less immediately after taking these supplements, the real shedding of fat may not be achieved.

Programs that banish certain food groups, such as low-carb diets, are also likely to end in failed weight-loss attempts. They lead to feelings of deprivation and can also leave you short on nutrients.

While there's no free lunch when you're trying to lose weight, there are some tactics to ease the process. Here are some winning strategies for being a loser.

Breaking the fast
How many times have you heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? Dozens if not hundreds of times is likely the answer. Well, when it comes to weight control, eating breakfast really is up at the top of the list.

How and when you break the fast plays a major role in weight loss success. Metabolic rates slow overnight. Eating a balanced breakfast within 15 to 30 minutes of getting out of bed not only revs the metabolism but also sets the body into burning mode. Waiting too long to eat can signal a shortfall of food which your body may interpret as an order to store fat.

What's on the menu at breakfast can determine hunger and energy levels right through the day. Late afternoon or nighttime munching a problem? Chances are a lack of balance at breakfast is the cause.

Along with servings of whole grains and fruit, include a slowly digested protein such as a scoop of cottage cheese, an egg, an ounce or two of a lower-fat cheese, fish, poultry or lean meat for breakfast and lunch. Protein-rich options help you avoid late-afternoon energy dips and cravings, as well as nighttime nibbling. Have a smaller amount of protein at dinner to balance out the other meals.

Research backs up the notion. The latest study, published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, compared eating two eggs and two slices of toast with a small bagel with cream cheese and fat-free yogurt for breakfast. The egg breakfast, containing the same calories as the bagel meal, seemed to reduce hunger significantly. The average caloric reduction after the higher protein breakfast was 163 fewer calories at lunch that day and 418 fewer calories over the following 24 hours.

Fuel up regularly
Once you've got the foundation of a healthy breakfast, eat regularly through the day - every three to four hours. Plan for three meals and one or two snacks depending on schedules. But to keep on track and not overeat, keep records - the food, time and amount of what you're eating, preferably before you eat so you don't pop something into your mouth only to regret it right after.

When hunger hits
Be very aware of appetite changes. On most days, a healthy eating plan should be somewhat satisfying. Then, suddenly, you hit a day when the hunger may seem unrelenting. This is the payoff day, so to speak, the day the scale drops - when a healthy body wants to make up for a few days of eating less. Aim to eat normally through this day, resisting the temptation to eat extra food. Then, your appetite should return to normal, and your scale will reflect your healthier eating patterns.

But those days when you're experiencing a ferocious desire for food may call for some appetite taming. Going for hot foods, especially savoury liquids such as soup, can fool the body into thinking you're eating more than you are. Hot drinks can also be helpful at these times. Have hot soup - when possible laden with lots of low-cal veggies - or warm beverages between or before meals or prior to heading out for a special meal or party.

Keep moving
Be sure to take part in regular exercise. Not only do activities such as brisk walking boost calorie burning but they also promote fat loss instead of muscle loss.

Make it a 10!
And last but not least, an action plan for decadent delights can let you have your cake and eat it, too. When contemplating treats, take one bite and rate it from one to 10 as if you were a judge in a food contest. Finish it only if it scores a 10. Just think of how many just average desserts you've eaten and regretted. When the plan is to lose weight, limit your 10s to a maximum of two per week.

Vegetable Soup with Basil and Garlic Garnish
This flavourful soup, chock full of vegetables, is a super appetite tamer. The recipe makes a lot of servings, perfect for stocking the freezer. Ladle into labelled containers containing one or two portions. To freeze the garnish, place dollops on a flat plate lined with plastic wrap, cover with plastic wrap and freeze. When frozen, place dollops in a plastic bag or container and use as desired. To preserve the wonderful taste of the garnish, be sure to add it only after the soup has been heated.

In large heavy pot, heat the oil. Add onions and garlic; sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, celery and zucchini; cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add stock, canned tomatoes, parsley, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes; stirring occasionally. Stir in spinach and continue to cook, covered, for 20 minutes.

Garnish: Meanwhile, in food processor, mix together basil, Parmesan, oil and garlic until well blended. Set aside.
Season soup with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with 1-1/2 teaspoons (7 ml) basil mixture. Makes ten 1-1/2 cup (375 ml) servings.

Per-serving nutritional information: calories: 99; protein: 5 g; fat: 4 g; saturated fat: 1 g; carbohydrate: 12 g; dietary fibre: 3 g; sodium: 389 mg.

Rosie Schwartz is a Toronto-based consulting dietitian in private practice and is author of The Enlightened Eater's Whole Foods Guide (Viking Canada).

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Copyright © June 2006 CARP magazine