Discussion Board

The original question is in regard to weight loss.

Weighing yourself on a scale, as I mentioned above on a weekly basis is the best method to tell if you are in a negative calorie balance. On average, you should be able to safely and healthfully lose about 1% of your weight a week and maybe even more. That is an average over time and some weeks will be better and some weeks will be less. While it may not seem like much, if you multiply the number out by 12 weeks or 24 weeks or 52 weeks, this could be 24, 48 or 100 lbs lost.

If weight is not coming off as fast as you would like, then you have to make some adjustments to what you are doing. There are several adjustments you can make in regard to the caloric in end and the caloric out end.

In regard to calories out, you have three areas you can adjust which are frequency, intensity and time (FIT). You can exercise on more days or more times in a day (Frequency), you can raise the intensity of your exercise (Intensity), and/or you can do it for a longer period of time (Time).

In regard to calories in, you can lower the calorie density of the diet, by shifting the composition of your meals to include more foods that are the lowest in calorie density (vegetables, salads, soups, etc).

In addition, the following items are also known (and proven) to reduce calorie intake

- Calorie density- Make sure 1/3 to 1/2 of the bulk/volume of all your meals are low calorie dense vegetables. The other 1/2- 2/3 should unrefined, un-(or minimally)-processed complex carbohydrates (legumes, intact whole grains, starchy vegetables)

- Salt - Salt seems to act as an appetite stimulant. So, the less you salt your food, the less people tend to eat.

- Variety- the less variety, the less consumption.

- Raw Foods - Foods you can eat raw tend to be lower in calorie density and you may not digest as efficiently. Cooking begins the digestion process.

- Sequencing - Eating the lowest calorie dense foods first, fills you up so you eat less of the higher calorie dense foods

- Make sure you are avoiding (or strictly limiting) all higher fat, calorie dense plant foods, nuts, seeds, oils, avocados, tofu, etc

- Make sure you are avoiding (or strictly limiting) all refined processed grains and starches that are higher in calorie density (breads, bagels, crackers, cookies, dry cereal, etc and anything made from ground up flour) even if they are whole grain

-Avoid (or strictly limit) all refined concentrated sugars/sweeteners, even if they are natural and organic

If you do this, and make adjustments as necessary, you will lose weight.

In Health
Jeff