Reality strikes.
The festive season has ended, and many people are counting the cost: Bank accounts are depleted; the routines of work/school have returned; many people have a darker complexion from sunburn; and the tentative foray onto the bathroom scale has brought dismay. So much for maintaining pre-holiday weight!
More than 50% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions to lose weight or change their diet, but less than 10% achieve their goals. Why is it so hard to do? The gap between desire and achievement is so wide. It doesn’t help that both culture and marketing encourage the consumption of weight-promoting foods. We have previously identified these as highly processed and highly palatable foods rich in sugar, fat and salt.
The most successful long-term weight-loss programmes are not fad diets or quick-fix weight-loss pills or potions. Even the expensive but effective GLP-1 agonists only work as long as they are being used. They don’t deal with the underlying causes. In most cases the weight returns after stopping the meds. The most prescribed dietary intervention is portion control, which means eating less food. The will power necessary to accomplish this strategy is enormous. Hunger is a powerful force to deny. But there is a better way, which allows you to eat as much food as is necessary to feel satisfied.
What tips can we learn from evidence-based research?
. Identify the reasons you want to lose weight and post in a prominent place to remind yourself often. It could help discussing these with a supportive friend or partner.
. Eat more food that is rich in fibre. This includes whole fruits, veggies, whole grains, and legumes. A wide variety, simply prepared, can be eaten in abundance.
. Replace highly refined with unrefined foods
. Consume whole fruits instead of fruit juice.
. Expand your veg options to a greater variety – sweet potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, green or red peppers, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, onions, salad greens, sprouts and so on.
. Replace some of your meats with beans, lentils, peas and chickpeas. Or, go for leaner cuts or use poultry.
. Replace white bread and buns with whole-wheat options.
. Try cooking with less oil; it is even possible to fry onions with a small amount of water or vegetable broth.
. Dress salads with balsamic vinegar or lemon juice rather than oily dressings.
. Drink plenty of water. Adding cucumber, mint or berries may make it more palatable. Thirst may be incorrectly interpreted as hunger. Black teas or coffee offer fewer calories than processed beverages.
. Avoid purchasing groceries when you are hungry. It is helpful to compile a list of what you need and stick to it. Avoid the aisles of snacks and juices.
. It is helpful to bulk-cook on the weekend and then freeze meal-sized portions so you don’t have to decide what to eat when you are mentally exhausted.
. Get rid of highly processed snacks from your fridge, freezer or pantry if you are serious about weight loss. (It is like trying to stop smoking while hiding a cache of cigarettes for when the craving is too strong.)
. Increased physical activity improves happy hormones and boosts your metabolic rate, but it cannot replace dietary changes. Avoid rewarding yourself with rich snacks.
These are some of the most successful weight-loss interventions. Next month we will talk about the SMART interventions for healthy change.
- This health column is written by Dr Dave Glass, a retired obstetrician/gynaecologist living in Somerset West. He is also chairperson of the South African Lifestyle Medicine Association (SALMA). With an MBChB, FCOG(SA) and DipIBLM, Glass has a passion for preventing and addressing the root causes of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, auto-immune diseases, obesity, dementia and cancer.
