Today while perusing the medical journal, JAMA, researcher’s have confirmed the weight loss theories I’ve come to know through my own experience.
Svelte in my 20′s and 30′s and slightly overweight in my late 40′s, I’ve become preoccupied with weight loss in and have been on a quest to lose the unwanted pounds. Now in my 50′s, I’m finally shedding the weight. The road wasn’t easy. It required a radical change my diet, and an increase in both the frequency and intensity of my exercise routine, but it worked. To date, I’ve lost about 18 pounds and my BMI is with in the normal range. Gone are the days of eating all I want. My current goal is to maintain my current weight and to help my clients find the same success.
In my acupuncture practice, about half of my clients would benefit from losing some weight. In fact, that’s probably the second most requested issue women want help with. Doc, they say, can you stick a few magic needles in to help me lose weight? So, begins our journey together. Along the East Coast we’ve had a string of 30 minute exercise clubs pop-up and many people don’t lose or even continue to gain inspite of their efforts. In my opinion, here’s why. The federal exercise guidelines tells women they need 150 minutes a week, roughly 20 minutes a day, of moderate-to-intense exercise to prevent disease and obtain other health benefits. Hence the reason for the popular clubs.
In this week’s journal of JAMA, researchers, at Brigham and Women’s hospital, conclude women need 60 minutes a day, or 420 minutes a week of moderate-to-intense activity to prevent weight gain, if their BMI is in normal range. Read the last line again.. prevent weight gain, NOT weight loss. The study involved 34,079 healthy US women (mean age, 54.2 years) from 1992-2007.
So how does one lose weight? From my own experience it is through calorie restriction plus exercise. Please note, that calorie restriction isn’t synonymous with hunger. I’m not hungry and I eat…at times, a lot.
In future posts, I’ll reveal my eating life style and provide some of my favorite recipes. If you have any thoughts or recipes you’d like to share I’m happy to hear them.
References: JAMA. 2010;303(12):1173-1179
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