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Posted: April 11, 2017 at 9:41 pm
Losing weight isnt easy. Luckily, there are teas and herbal drinks that can aid you, if your goal is to lose weight.These herbal infusions are derived from plants thathelpboost metabolism, control appetite and reduce consumption of high-calorie beverages.
Note that adding sugar to tea can hinder weight loss and cause health issues. Youre better off sweetening your teas with a teaspoon of raw organic honey. Here are 5 healthy tea drinks that will help you lose weight.
This herbal tea is made from leaves of a plant native to South Africa. It has been proven to strengthen the immune system and enhance weight loss. For one thing, rooibos tea infusions containaspalathin, a flavonoid which reduces stress.
This tea also contains antioxidants and minerals that help maintain optimal health. If you dont like caffeine, this is the perfect tea for you since its naturally caffeine-free.
Drinking bilberry herbal tea before meals can help suppress appetite. This herbal drink also helps regulate blood sugar levels and fights inflammation.
You wont need to add sweeteners to this tea since it is naturally sweet. In fact, you can drink it to curb nighttime sugar cravings. Its worth noting that bilberry and rooibos are herbal drinks not from the tea plant, but theyre marketed similarly totea.
Green tea comes from the same plant as white, black and oolong tea. But these teas offer different benefits due to the unique ways they are processed. Various studies have suggested that green teaboosts metabolism and promotes fat loss. Most of green tea benefits are attributed to caffeine and potent antioxidants called catechins.
According to this study, participants who took 690mg of catechins a day (equivalent to 4-5 cups of green tea) for 12 weeks, lost an average of 2 more pounds than those who didnt take catechins. Plus, research shows caffeine can promote weight loss.
Oolong tea can help you lose weight and keep it off. It boosts metabolism and blocks excess calories from being stored as fat. In one study, participants who drank oolong tea lost 6 pounds in 6 weeks.
Replacing sodas and fruit juice with oolong tea will make it easier for you to reach your weight goal.
White tea has been proven to boost metabolism and block formation of new fat cells. This study found that white tea helps break down the fat cells in your body.
In another study, participants reduced their waistlines by 10 percent after drinking white tea every day for 12 weeks. Aim to drink 2 cups of white tea a day.
Which tea has helped you lose weight?
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
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5 Healthy Tea Infusions That Aid Weight loss - Care2.com
Posted: April 11, 2017 at 9:41 pm
When Mama June Shannon rose to fame on the TLC reality show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, viewers witnessed her binge-eat huge portions of junk foodand serve her family "sketti," or spaghetti doused in ketchup and butter. But after some time out of the public eye, Mama June Shannonrevealed her weight loss transformationand the results are shocking. The 37-year-old, who used to tip the scales at 460 pounds, has shed 300 pounds and is now a size 4.
Shannon underwent an intense series of operations that started with gastric sleeve surgery, which shrinks the stomach's capacity.This was the worst surgery, Shannon toldPEOPLEof the procedure. So painful. Then, she had breast augmentation, as well asskin removal on her neck, arms, and stomach. Doctors removed 9 pounds of loose skin from her midsection alone.
Those surgeries did not come cheap. Her surgeon told PEOPLE that the total costwas around $75,000. Watch the video above for a cost breakdown of all her weight loss procedures.
While $75,000 sure sounds steep, it may be worth a lifetime of wellness for Shannon. She explained to PEOPLE that whileshe's still adapting to her new healthy habits,she's determined to maintain her new weight. And she has an answer for those who say she "cheated" her way to self-improvement:Its not like ImMiss Plastic, she said to PEOPLE. I dont consider a tummy tuck or face skin removal plastic surgery. I believe its something that makes you feel better than you did with the skin hanging."
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See How Much Money Mama June Spent on Her Shocking Weight Loss Transformation - Health.com
Posted: April 11, 2017 at 9:41 pm
Women's Health | 'I Tried This Crazy Weight-Loss Gadget And It Actually Kind Of Worked' Women's Health Though that wasn't too surprising since Facebook knows allincluding that I'm an insatiable cookie monster. (Speed up your progress towards your weight-loss goals with Women's Health's Look Better Naked DVD.) As someone who writes about weight loss ... |
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'I Tried This Crazy Weight-Loss Gadget And It Actually Kind Of Worked' - Women's Health
Posted: April 11, 2017 at 9:41 pm
I have been doing yoga for almost one year now. While my focus is the other benefits it comes with, I have to confess that time and again, I have noticed my weight stabilize and even drop a few pounds.
So, it is an open secret that yoga being a physical activity, can most definitely lead to burning of calories and at times, weight loss. The bigger question however is, how many calories does yoga burn?
Well, this question has been posed time and again, and time and again, the answer is the same; it depends. There is no standard number of calories burnt while doing yoga. The burnt calories depend on a number of factors. Curious? Find out more!
Come on, I bet you saw this coming right? Well, yoga, just like any other physical activity, leads to more calories burnt with an increase in the duration of the activity, up to a point. For instance, a person doing yoga for 30 minutes will shade an average of 300 pounds which doubles if the yoga session doubles in duration, while the calorie intake remains constant.
This way, you can lose more calories by increasing the duration of your workout up to a reasonable time, say a maximum of one hour doing yoga.
Studies have shown that the heavier a person, the more the calories burnt in any physical activity yoga included. Thanks to the guys at Harvard Medical, this theory has been put to test.
It shows that time held constant, individuals with different body weights burn different amounts of calories in different physical activities, including yoga. This goes out to prove that the weight of a person is a determining factor in the number of calories burnt during yoga.
Yoga comes with a lot of benefits and then some. The burning of calories is one of them. It should however be noted that, yoga alone is not the best kind of physical activity for burning calories. As much as you can increase the duration of a yoga session to burn more calories, you will still not burn calories effectively to result in weight loss.
What you can do, however, is to incorporate yoga into another physical activity. For instance, practice yoga with weights. You can also include yoga into your workouts such that, on your rest days, you can be doing some yoga to burn a few calories while enhancing your flexibility and stretching out your body. This way, you will still do yoga and be able to burn a significant amount of energy.
Moreover, focusing your mind on burning calories while doing yoga will lead to your mind being distracted which defies the whole purpose of yoga. That said, Namaste my friends and make sure you enjoy yoga as much as you can. As usual, your questions and comments are most welcomed, so keep them coming.
This article was written by Nancy Moore
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The truth about yoga and weight loss - Starts at 60
Posted: April 11, 2017 at 9:40 pm
The key to lasting weight loss?
Losing the weight quickly. Here's why: It may give you a psychological boost that helps you stick to your new habits; in studies, fast weight loss led to more pounds off overall plus longer-term success in keeping it off. However, anyone can do a cleanse or an extreme plan, says Lisa Lillien, founder of HungryGirl.com and author of the new book The Hungry Girl Diet. But the minute you stop, you gain the weight back and havent learned anything. We interviewed top nutrition and fitness experts to get their best advice for quick and safe weight loss.
That should be the time between your last bite at night and first in the morning, says Lauren Slayton, RD, author of The Little Book of Thin. If you finish dinner at 7:30, that means no eating until 7:30 the next morning. Need motivation? Tell yourself, Go to sleep now, wake up wow, says Slayton.
If its a clich diet trick, its for good reason. People confuse hunger with thirst, especially when theyre trying to stick to a weight-loss plan and may expect to feel hungry, notes Lillien. When you find yourself walking toward the kitchen, get a glass of water instead of food.
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One, am I hungry? And two, what am I hungry for?" says Jennipher Walters, a certified personal trainer, co-founder of Fit Bottomed Girls LLC, and author of The Fit Bottomed Girls Anti-Diet. "You could be procrastinating, or bored, or stressed. Or maybe you just really need a hug. Distract yourself for five to 10 minutes, a buffer time to decide if youre really hungry. That can have a big impact on quick weight loss.
Choose wisely: Walters recommends beginning dinner with a broth-based soup or a salad. It fills you up and elongates the meal, which prevents you from scarfing down your food, she says. To avoid eating too quickly, keep your entre and sides off the table until you're done.
Supersize your veggies, pleads Tosca Reno, author of The Eat-Clean Diet series. Two sprigs of asparagus is not enough, she says. One of the biggest mistakes Reno sees clients make is eating too much of everything else. If you eat proper portions of just two food groupscarbs and meatyou will accelerate weight loss and improve your health. Tip: Pasta should be the size of your fist; meat should be about 3 ounces, about the size of a deck of cards or bar of soap.
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Don't deprive yourself; deprivation is not a great place to start, says Walters. If you want to stop drinking soda, dont just cut it outfind something else with bubbliness, like seltzer or flavored water, to replace it.
If you know you have something indulgent to look forward toa piece of high-quality dark chocolate, say, after dinnerit may be easier to turn down other temptations, such as office birthday cake, says Walters.
Often after working out, notes Lillien, people tend to overcompensate (I just did Spinning, I can order the French toast at brunch!) and eat more calories than they burn. That's less likely to happen if you write down what you eat. "Its just about being more aware so you make better food choices, she says.
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A lot of people think that a low-fat yogurt and fruit is a healthy breakfast, but its not that satiating, so you will be hungry again soon, says Walters. She recommends a morning meal that includes a balance of protein, fat, fiber, and veggies, such as a veggie egg scramble with avocado or cheese, or oatmeal with fruit and nuts.
Everyone has foods that make them want to keep eating more, says Lillien. When craving starchy picks like chips and pasta, she continues, instead, I use tofu shirataki noodles made from tofu and yam flourthe whole bag has 40 calories. Reno advises clients to get hidden foods out of the house so you don't have that crutch when you feel a need to binge. Chances are youre eating too much of them, she says.
Sugar is an addictive ingredient, says Reno. The more you eat it, the more you want. When you decrease your intake, your body will keep asking for it, but after two or three days, youll be amazed by how your body responds. If you dont feel like reading food labels, just try switching from processed choices (say, an energy bar) to whole ones (like an apple).
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Its not just soda. Healthy-sounding juice, iced tea, and other beverages can be big calorie bombs. But cut them out, and you'll watch the number on the scale start to drop instead. Sometimes a bottle of iced tea or juice has 2.5 servings, says Lillien. Read labels and youll see its just not worth it.
If youre stuck in an elliptical rut, ditch the low-key cardio for some circuit training or interval training, says Walters. In circuit training, youre doing strength training and cardio at the same time, which gets your metabolism up and burns fat, she says. A good interval workoutwhere you alternate short bursts of all-out effort with less-strenuous recovery zonesis super effective and challengingit will shake you and your body out of your comfort zone, says Walters.
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13 Quick Weight-Loss Tips Even Nutrition Pros Approve ...
Posted: April 11, 2017 at 9:40 pm
Kenny Jastrow, Shannon Medical Center 12:28 p.m. CT April 11, 2017
Kenny Jastrow, general surgeon at Shannon Medical Center(Photo: Shannon Medical Center)
Obesity is a rapidly increasing epidemic more than one third of the adult population in our country is obese. This serious condition leads to additional health problems including diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
If left untreated, obesity can be fatal.
Higher medical costs are another cause for concern regarding obesity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state medical costs for obese patients are about $1,500 higher than patients of normal weight.
Bariatric surgery is a tool to help obese patients with their battle to regain control of their health. Sleeve gastrectomy, a type of bariatric surgery offered nationwide, is now available via the Shannon Weight Loss Center.
The goal of bariatric surgery is to reduce the patients caloric intake and to curb hunger. The sleeve gastrectomy is a restrictive procedure which narrows the size of the stomach, causing the patient to consume fewer calories. The operation removes the receptors that trigger hunger which causes the appetite to decrease.
Bariatric surgery is a permanent change to the body. The team at the Shannon Weight Loss Center must make sure patients are mentally and physically capable of tolerating the procedure. Therefore, we follow patients pre-and post-operatively to help them succeed. National standards are used to determine if a patient qualifies for surgery.
Patients should expect to lose 60 to 70 percent of their excess body weight after the sleeve gastrectomy procedure. How quickly the weight is lost varies for each patient. They may be able to stop taking medications and reverse conditions such as hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Surgery is only one part of our patients weight loss journey. We can make sure the operation is a success, but the patient plays a huge role in making sure the surgery is successful.
They must adhere to a diet and make sure they exercise. The post-operative follow-up is intense because we want to make sure they are adhering to the program. Patients are given a bariatric manual that offers an in-depth look into the operation itself including pre-and post-operative care and dietary plans.
We think it is important to offer this procedure to patients locally. We have had patients undergo the surgery and they go off their medications, their diabetes improves, and their blood pressure goes down. These factors combined can provide long-term quality of life. It is a huge help to some of our patients and that is always our goal.
For more information about the sleeve gastrectomy procedure, please call the Shannon Weight Loss Center at 325-481-2344 or visit shannonhealth.com/services/weight-loss-center.aspx to read the testimonial of a patient who is experiencing a second chance of life after her surgery.
Kenny Jastrow III is a general surgeon at Shannon Medical Center.
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HOUSE CALL: Comprehensive approach to weight loss - San Angelo Standard Times
Posted: April 11, 2017 at 9:40 pm
Psychology Today (blog) | Intermittent Fasting to Lose Weight, and Other Benefits Psychology Today (blog) More work needs to be done to sort out the ideal frequency with which you should fast to lose weight. Interestingly, IF doesn't appear to make you hungrier on days you eat. In fact, studies (link is external) show people actually eat 20% less on eating ... |
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Intermittent Fasting to Lose Weight, and Other Benefits - Psychology Today (blog)
Posted: April 11, 2017 at 9:40 pm
WESTON, WV--(Marketwired - April 11, 2017) - The hCG diet has been around for decades but is often misunderstood. Although quite effective in promoting rapid weight loss, it can be risky. The original hCG diet was developed by Dr. ATW Simeons in the early 1950s as a starvation-based diet that limited daily consumption to 500 calories. Dieters lost up to one pound per day by following an extremely low calorie diet and intaking small doses of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin).
hCG is a hormone produced during pregnancy that contains 244 amino acids and has been linked to rapid weight loss by supposedly reducing "abnormal" fat from cells and around internal organs. When applied to a starvation diet like the original hCG diet, however, it can result in negative effects like extreme weakness, hair loss, and muscle decrease. Over time, the original hCG diet, also known as the Simeons method, became regarded as 'unsafe' by medical professionals, nutritionists, and leading weight loss centers like Diet Doc.
While the original hCG diet based on the Simeons method has been discredited, researchers have learned a lot about the hCG hormone and safer ways to apply it. Now, higher calorie programs for hCG treatment are available. These programs generally involve undergoing hCG treatment while consuming between 800 to 1250 calories every day. Individuals are able to lose weight consistently and the negative side effects seen with the Simeons method are minimized.
Diet Doc, a nationally recognized weight loss program, has continuously discouraged the Simeons method of hCG dieting and suggests high-calorie programs that involve safer weight loss. Doctor-supervision and diet customization based on nutritional needs are also highly recommended.
Regardless of their weight loss history or individual struggles, Diet Doc helps patients develop an individualized diet based on their nutritional needs or even their genetics. All Diet Doc programs, provide a doctor-supervised, customized diet plan. Instead of encouraging patients to adopt harmful dietary practices with no prior medical knowledge, Diet Doc consults with patients to provide a detailed weight loss plan based on their nutritional needs and medical history.
Losing weight with Diet Doc is safe, simple and affordable. Nutrition plans, exercise guidance, motivational support, and dietary supplements are all part of the package. Over 90% of Diet Doc patients report an average weight loss of 20 or more pounds every month and long-term weight loss maintenance is made possible through continuous counseling.
Patients can get started immediately, with materials shipped directly to their home or office. They can also maintain weight loss in the long-term through weekly consultations, customized diet plans, motivational coaches and a powerful prescription program. With Diet Doc, the doctor is only a short phone call away and a fully dedicated team of qualified professionals is available 6 days per week to answer questions, address concerns and support patients.
Getting started with Diet Doc is very simple and affordable. New patients can easily visit https://www.dietdoc.com to quickly complete a health questionnaire and schedule an immediate, free online consultation.
About the Company:Diet Doc Weight Loss is the nation's leader in medical, weight loss offering a full line of prescription medication, doctor, nurse and nutritional coaching support. For over a decade, Diet Doc has produced a sophisticated, doctor designed weight loss program that addresses each individual specific health need to promote fast, safe and long term weight loss.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DietDocMedicalFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/DietDocMedicalWeightLoss/LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/company/diet-doc-weight-loss?trk=biz-brand-tree-co-logo
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Diet Doc Patients Avoid the Dangerous hCG Diet Plan and Lose Weight Fast With Doctor-Customized Diets - Marketwired (press release)
Posted: April 10, 2017 at 11:41 am
In the past, the 57-year-old Gilmer, Texas, resident would try fad diets that did nothing but leave her feeling frustrated, she said.
"There was one called a grapefruit diet or something where you didn't eat anything but grapefruit," Henson said. "If you do something like that, that's what I meant by 'diet' being a failure."
She didn't consistently exercise, either. Although she didn't have any serious health conditions, she knew that her lifestyle was killing her. Henson was 5-foot-4 and 332 pounds.
Then, about six years ago, Henson was listening to the radio when an ad for Anytime Fitness blasted through the speakers. She said a quick prayer: "God, I wish we had one of those here."
Two weeks later, a gym opened in her neighborhood.
"I looked at it as an answered prayer," Henson said. "If that hadn't happened, there's a possibility I could have died or have any of the conditions associated with being obese. There's a history of heart disease and diabetes in my family. I was headed in that direction, and I didn't want to go there."
Ever since, Henson has been going to the gym daily with two of her friends and has been preparing healthier meals for herself. She has lost 175 pounds -- more than 50% of her previous body weight -- and she is keeping the weight off, she said. She has ditched fad diets and avoids placing too much emphasis on how much she weighs and instead focuses on how she feels.
But she remembers how easy it was to stick to the same old foods and avoid exercising, and how hard it was to find a healthier routine that led to long-term weight loss.
Experts are now trying to figure out why: whether it's because they don't realize they're at an unhealthy weight, because weight loss is hard or something else entirely.
The new paper showed that more than 30% of Americans said they were obese in 2015, compared with about 19% in 1997. Of those who were overweight or obese, about 49% said they were trying to lose weight in 2014, compared with about 55% in 1994.
"I've pondered that several times, as to why some people would want to be unhealthy when they can be healthy, but there are so many variables in someone's life that you don't know about," Henson said.
"I can't sit in judgment as to why that person wants to or doesn't want to. I just know what I needed and what I needed to do to change," she said. "You can't change what you've tried in the past, but you can set your sights for a better future.
"Everyone's on a different path, a different journey," Henson said.
For the new paper, "we hypothesized that the prevalent misperception may lead to a lack of motivation to lose weight. The current study just provides the missing piece of the puzzle," Zhang said.
"We are stuck in a vicious cycle. More people are getting obese; more are fine with their weight; when they are looking around, they find more persons with even larger bodies, and more are getting less motivated to lose weight, and in turn, we are getting even heavier," he said.
Dr. Randy Rockney, a pediatrician at Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island, has noticed the same thing happening among children, he said.
"Increasing obesity and overweight trends probably result in 'new normals,' " said Rockney, who was not involved in the new paper.
"Looking at society in general, overweight and obese people are less likely to perceive themselves as aberrant," he said. "It's really hard to lose weight, but it's not impossible, and I think there are a lot of people who have given up."
Rockney, 63, knows those challenges too well.
Standing at 6-foot-1, Rockney said his weight has fluctuated since he was in medical school, from the mid-180s to a high of 218, which meets the criteria for "overweight."
"The numbers are very sensitive to my weight," he said of his blood-sugar levels. "If I go up by five pounds, it will change the numbers adversely, and then, conversely, losing five pounds makes a significant improvement."
So Rockney decided to enroll in a weight loss study at work. He began calculating and restricting his fat and calorie intake, recording the foods and drinks he consumed, and weighing himself. He dropped to 193 pounds.
The weight loss was tough but not impossible, Rockney said. "I am more weight conscientious than I was, particularly regarding diet. I regained some of the weight I lost but remain well under where I started."
He said he currently weighs about 203 pounds, which technically still places his body mass index in the overweight category.
"A lot of physicians are conscious of this, that it's hard to preach healthy diet and exercise and healthy weight if you as a physician are not at a healthy weight," he said. "Among my patients and their families, excess weight continues to be a very common problem. We try to help them, but it can be challenging."
The new paper in JAMA included data on 27,350 overweight and obese adults who reported whether they were trying to lose weight between 1988 and 1994, 1999 and 2004, and 2009 and 2014.
"It's unfortunate that the current study was based on interviews rather than direct observation," Zhang said. "This is the reason we cannot rule out the possibility that many adults are actually fully engaging with a healthy lifestyle, but not on purpose to lose weight."
He added that the data did not include reports from the adults as to why they were not trying to lose weight, but he has some theories.
"First and foremost, it's painful. It's hard to drop pounds. Many of us tried and failed, tried and failed, and finally failed to try any more," Zhang said.
The researchers wrote that some overweight people are not trying to lose "due to body weight misperception reducing motivation to engage in weight loss efforts. ... The chronicity of obesity may also contribute. The longer adults live with obesity, the less they may be willing to attempt weight loss, in particular if they had attempted weight loss multiple times without success."
Yet Kelly Brownell, dean of the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University and an expert on obesity, said he would come to a different set of conclusions.
"I think there are other possibilities that might be at least as important. One is that almost everybody who is overweight has tried to lose, and people are recognizing more and more that it's a very difficult challenge," said Brownell, who was not involved in the paper.
"Most approaches to weight loss produce temporary loss. People tend to regain and then go on more diets later, and so some people feel that it's not worth the effort and that the risk of failure is too high," he said. "Most people who are overweight realize that there are negative consequences and would like to lose weight if they could. But they realize that it's a very hard path to go down and that most people are not successful.
"It argues more than ever for the importance of prevention, because once people become overweight, it's very hard to lose, it's even harder to keep the weight off, and therefore preventing the weight gain in the first place has to be a national priority."
The researchers of the new paper, however, also noted that primary care clinicians might not be discussing weight issues with their patients, something that has been found in separate studies.
"Further, this decline was greatest in patients with obesity, patients at most need for physician intervention," she said.
"This may be due to a variety of reasons, including physician discomfort with providing counseling, less time available due to increased other patient conditions or even a greater acceptance of higher rates of obesity," she said. "We know that if physicians simply tell their patients they are overweight, they are more likely to be successful in their weight loss efforts. Therefore, it's critical we find a way to help reverse these trends."
However, pediatrician Rockney said he hasn't observed a decline in weight-related counseling in his own professional experience.
"For a long time, I could sense a deep cynicism about addressing the weight problem," he said. "But in recent times, there are a couple of my colleagues who have really taken on the obesity issue with kids and are really pushing intervention."
Before his weight loss, Rockney said, he sometimes felt self-conscious counseling parents and children about losing weight.
That patient turned to his mother and Rockney and said, "Hey, I think we all could stand to lose 15 or 20 pounds," making a reference to the doctor's weight.
Now, "I feel more confident in terms of advising families, people, what it is that can work for weight loss," Rockney said.
He often advises his patients to eat a healthy breakfast daily and monitor their caloric intake for weight loss. For instance, a blueberry muffin can take up about a third of your daily calories, since it has almost 500 calories, he said.
Rockney also advises his patients to weigh themselves daily, as addressing a lapse in weight loss can prevent even more weight gain, he said.
"One important principle I learned and still think to myself is, 'don't let a lapse become a relapse.' That's where regular weighings help, because I can potentially intervene before things get out of hand," Rockney said.
He said his effort to maintain his current weight or even lose weight again continues.
Beyond the clinic walls, having discussions about weight can be even more uncomfortable, Penn State's Kraschnewski said.
"Studies tell us that the vast majority of people who are overweight are interested in losing weight, but interest doesn't necessarily translate to action," she said.
If a loved one's weight might be putting their health at risk, Kraschnewski offered some advice on how to discuss weight loss.
"Look for opportunities to have a conversation, such as if your loved one makes a comment about their weight. If they aren't happy with their current weight, offer to help them talk to their doctor or look for other weight loss resources in your community," she said.
"Think about ways you could be active together," she said. "Having a partner on the journey to a healthier weight is one of the most effective ways for people to be successful."
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Why are fewer Americans trying to lose weight? - CNN
Posted: April 10, 2017 at 11:41 am
By Pam Stuppy
Concerns about the growing number of individuals who are overweight or obese are well-founded. There are many people, however, who are struggling with the opposite weight issue unwanted weight loss. Reversing the trend of weight loss can be just as much of a challenge for them as losing weight is for overweight persons.
Numerous factors can contribute to unwanted weight loss. It could be due to certain medical conditions (such as intestinal problems, an over-active thyroid, etc.), chronic disease (like COPD, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.), symptoms from some medications (loss of appetite, taste changes, etc.), side effects from treatments for medical problems (such as cancer), emotional or mental health issues (anxiety, depression, dementia, etc.), extended illness, aging, alcohol abuse, or limited access to sufficient food (financial issues, transportation limitations, etc.).
More specifically, physical eating problems can be caused by poor appetite, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea or constipation issues, changes in taste or smell, problems with swallowing and/or chewing, chronic pain, or reduced thirst cues.
Lack of sufficient calories and nutrients can lead to a variety of health problems. Low intake can result in fatigue, which can prompt more sedentary habits, social isolation and reduced motivation for self-care. Inadequate food intake also compromises the immune system. This means a greater risk of illness and/or slower recovery from illness.
Poor dietary intake generally leads to reduced muscle mass and bone density. This can contribute to an increased risk of falling and fractures, difficulty accomplishing activities of daily living, reduced independence and a higher risk of acquiring some chronic diseases.
Addressing inadequate intake depends on the conditions creating the problem. In some cases, adjustments can be made to remove or reduce the cause of the eating issues. In others, it means making purposeful changes specific to the pattern of eating, the types of foods available, and access to enough food.
For healthy weight gain, some general guidelines are to increase the frequency of eating, increase the portion sizes of foods as possible, and to choose more nutrient/calorie-dense foods (more nutrients/calories for the volume of food consumed).
Rather than depending on feelings of hunger or thirst, it might be advantageous to consume foods and beverages on a schedule. A good plan might be to eat within about an hour of waking and then every two to three hours throughout the day. This spreads the food out to reduce the need for larger amounts fewer times a day. Being presented with large amounts all at once can seem overwhelming and can actually counter the desire to eat.
Many high-calorie foods provide empty calories meaning calories with minimal nutrients. Ideally, the foods consumed should provide nutrients as well as calories. There are numerous ways to slip healthy ingredients into foods to boost their nutrient content.
Some good choices for more calories might be dense grain foods like granola, dense breads like bagels, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, nut and seed butters, avocado, oils used in cooking or added to foods, fruit and vegetable purees added to foods like quick breads, cooked cereals made with milk, smoothies made with yogurt, cheese and veggie omelets, cooked whole-grain products, thick soups/stews rather than those with more broth, etc. Powdered milk or evaporated whole milk can be added to many foods to boost protein and calcium.
Having food always available is important. If grocery shopping is limited, one idea is to store larger amounts of less perishable and frozen foods. The individual or caregiver may also want to make bulk amounts of one-dish meals that can be used over several days and/or frozen in portion-sized amounts. These can easily be reheated as needed.
For nausea, foods that have a limited scent are often better tolerated. This might mean foods at refrigerator temperature or frozen items (like a yogurt and fruit smoothie, frozen fruit, frozen peas, etc.). Another tip is to have others do the cooking and avoid being near where foods are prepared.
For addressing disinterest in foods because of reduced taste or smell, try enhancing the flavors. Add more seasonings, serve foods warm, and try some new recipes. Eating with others in the home or out of the home in social environments can often encourage greater food intake.
For swallowing issues, modify foods so they are the appropriate texture for maximal swallowing ability. If chewing is an issue, focus on foods that require less chewing or again modify the consistency as needed. Softer foods might include eggs, yogurt, milk, fish, beans/hummus, melted cheese, pudding topped with soft or pureed fruit, oatmeal or other cooked whole grain (made with milk to add calories/protein/fiber), pureed fruit/vegetables, avocado, 100 percent fruit or vegetable juices, etc.
Beverages can be used not only to provide fluids, but also to add nutrients and calories. By consuming them toward the latter part of a meal or snack, they are then not replacing the nutrients and calories provided by adequate amounts of solid foods.
Unwanted weight loss can definitely be challenge to reverse, but the benefits of weight gain or stabilization are worth the effort when it comes to short- and long-term health and quality of life.
Pam Stuppy, MS, RD, CSSD, LD, is a registered, licensed dietitian with nutrition counseling offices in York, Maine, and Portsmouth. She is also the nutritionist for Phillips Exeter Academy, presents workshops nationally, and is board-certified as a specialist in sports dietetics. Visit http://www.pamstuppynutrition.com for nutrition information, healthy cooking tips and recipe ideas.
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Countering unwanted weight loss - fosters.com - Foster's Daily Democrat
