News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
There's nothing more frustrating than losing weight and then putting it back on. Not only does it discourage a person, it actually makes sustainable weight loss tougher and tougher as the body resists the pound-shedding/pound-gaining yo-yo.
"Losing the weight is the easy part," says dietician Annie Williamson, of Bend Memorial Clinic. "Keeping it off is hard."
Williamson defines "sustainable" weight loss as "losing at least 10 percent of the person's starting body weight and being able to keep it off for at least a year."
The keys to making that happen are pretty straightforward: Eat smaller, more frequent meals to avoid overeating, and make healthier food choices.
Easy, right? If only.
In general, healthier choices mean less processed food, less sodium and more fiber.
"Fiber is one thing that almost all Americans need to eat more of," Williamson said.
Fruits, vegetables, whole grains - this isn't too complicated. But sticking with a healthier diet is tough in a busy world where you are surrounded by convenient but not necessarily healthy food choices.
Long-term success requires accountability, Williamson said.
BMC recently launched its TotalCare Energy program for medically supervised weight loss. Getting involved with a program offers built-in accountability. It also helps ensure that you lose weight safely, with information provided to your primary care doctor so medications can be adjusted as needed. Losing weight precipitously with no supervision can lead to complications that it's best to avoid.
The TotalCare Energy program offers two paths: A customized dietician's plan detailing number of servings per food group per day to reach a specific calorie goal; or a Medifast meal replacement program that eventually transitions to eating your own food again.
The program encourages incorporating exercise in an effort to build lean body mass.
Virtually all successful weight-loss efforts focus more on developing a healthy way of life rather on sheer numbers.
"To tell you the truth, people who are of that mindset ... are more successful," Williamson said. "The people who are focused on that number on the scale struggle and struggle and
struggle."
Sustaining a healthy weight and body composition requires changes in lifestyle; you simply can't go back to old habits and expect to keep the weight off. Those who succeed over the long haul make conscious choices every time they fix a meal or grab a snack. They choose the healthiest alternative available to them.
The BMC TotalCare Energy program offers free seminars once a week. Call 541-382-4900 for more information or visit their website at www.bendmemorialclinic.com.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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