Marquette General Bariatric & Metabolic Institute

 

Healthy Journal I

 

Final Weigh-In Results

Congratulations everyone! Your statistics are amazing. In 6 months, you've lost 318.75 pounds (that's an average of 29 pounds per person) and 47.7 points in BMI (that's an average of 4.3 BMI points per person). The rest is up to you. We hope you stick with it and continue on with your success.

View Final Stats >>

MGH Healthy Weight Journal I

 
   

 

MGH Healthy Weight Journal

Mining Journal web site

The Healthy Weight Journal –
Going Public – Getting Results
Burdick

Here we go! The Healthy Weight Journal participants have been weighed, measured, pinched and poked. And that was the easy part.

How hard is it to lose weight? Very hard. So hard, in fact, obesity experts at the National Institute of Medicine consider a weight loss of 10% a successful outcome - if maintained for at least a year.

Research data from the National Weight Control Registry tells us some people do beat the odds when it comes to weight loss.

This group of 3200 individuals who has lost an average of 60 pounds and kept them off for 5 years. What does it take to be successful?

 

Weight loss challenger finds
computer log a helpful aid

 

Ask a Weight Question

Here’s how they do it:
· Typical diet – low on fat and watch total calories!
24% of calories from fat, 56% carbohydrate, and 20% from protein
· Physical activity – 60-80 minutes of daily exercise
Walking is their favorite activity, average calories is 400/day
· Frequent self-monitoring: diet, exercise and weight
Keeping food records, counting fat grams or calories, weight checks
· Eating breakfast: 78% eat breakfast every day!

Meet the HWJ participants and follow their progress in the coming months. *Full Stats

 

HWJ participants  

Nutrition Tips

 

Recognize “the danger zone”: It’s good to eat in response to hunger, but arriving at a party as hungry as a lion is going to make your appetite roar once you see the party food. Have a low fat snack of lean meat or cottage cheese or nonfat yogurt before you go.

 

Appetite regulation is affected by activity. Low levels of physical activity – less than an hour per day - disrupt the natural regulation between appetite and calorie requirement. Walking an hour per day can improve appetite control.

 

Fill up – not out.
Foods low in fat and high in water content help signal your brain that you’ve eaten enough. Fruits, vegetables and low fat dairy products help control appetite.

 

Lack of sleep affects appetite regulation. Leptin is a peptide produced naturally that reduces appetite by acting on receptors in the brain. Sleep deprivation decreases the amount of leptinproduced, encouraging overeating.

 

To curb appetite, start with a cup of broth soup (not cream) or salad with low fat dressing.

 

 

Fitness Tips

 

Take the stairs at work. Stair climbing increases the heart rate, improves postural muscles and is a great workout for the legs.

 

Decorate your dusty treadmill or stationary bike in the basement with sweat instead of a wreath. Start with 10 minutes per day and work your way up one minute per day.

 

Building muscle through weight training helps burn fat, since muscle burns energy through supporting and moving your body about. Even when your sitting still muscle burns more energy than fat. This is why weight training is an essential part of a healthy weight maintenace program.

 

The longer you exercise in a single session, the more prone you are to injury. Although fatiguing your muscles is generally a good idea depending on your goals, a fatigued muscle is more easily injured. Using proper form and technique becomes even more important when your muscles are fatigued.

 

The crunch is more safe and effective than its antiquated cousin the sit-up. To do the perfect crunch... lie on the floor with knees bent and arms crossed in front of your chest. Pull your belly button in towards your spine and slowly contract your abs, lifting your shoulders 1-3 inches off the floor. Focus on shortening the distance between the bottom of your rib cage and your pelvis. Slowly lower your shoulders but don't relax all the way.

Massage therapy has many therapeutic benefits. It can help you "discover" different muscles and connective tissue in your body, while illuminating the difference between muscle soreness and an early-stage injury. Besides... it just feels great!

 

 

Summer Fitness Resolutions


By: Justin Niemi, Certified Personal Trainer, PTA


Marquette General Sports Rehab

Many of us go into summer with a plan to increase our health and fitness. But, in many cases expectations are set too high and when preconceived results aren’t achieved, frustration sets in. It’s important to start with achievable goals.

Here are some suggestions to consider for manageable fitness resolutions:

 

1. Invest in a fitness membership.
The first step of exercising is committing oneself to do it.
2. Increase your exercise to at least 3 days per week.
Schedule your fitness days at the beginning of the week. Write down your workout days in a visible calendar. Make time for yourself to maintain good health.
3. Stick to an exercise program for at least two months.
Fitness takes time and energy. Don’t throw in the towel after one month because the perfect curve or bulging muscle hasn’t arrived. Instead, reevaluate how you feel after that month of consistency in the gym. Chances are, you’re feeling better physically and mentally.
4. Drink more water.
Substitute water for soft drinks and juices throughout the day. A person can subtract as much as 500 calories out of their daily diet just by substituting water (0 calories) for the majority of fluid consumption.
5. Increase your cardio training intensity.
If you are walking 2 miles in 30 minutes, try to achieve 2.2 miles in 30 minutes. It’s not just the length of time that’s important in cardio training – it’s also the vigor.

 

 

Group photo - Healthy Weight Journal
For larger image - click here