Weight Management

Food for Thought…

What are your favorite foods? What makes those foods your favorite?

Why do you eat?

1. Hunger – the body’s physical response to food

2. Appetite – a desire to eat1. Sight or smell of food2. Time of day3. Your mood

3. Satiety – the full feeling

Breakfast is important!

When you wake up in the morning, you haven’t eaten for 10 to 12 hours!You need glucose (energy) for your brain to function!

Food provides energy

Calorie = measure of energyHow excess food energy is stored

Carbs Fat Protein

Glycogen Body Fat

How much energy do you need?

How much energy you need depends on how much energy your body is using.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Definition: the minimum amount of energy needed to keep you alive when you are in a rested, fasting state, such as just after you wake up in the morning.

Calculate your BMR

An easy way to find out your approximate BMR is to add a 0 to your body weight.EX) If you weigh 135 pounds…your BMR would be 1,350.

How many calories do you need?

BMR + how active you areThe more active you are, the more energy your body uses.The amount of energy needed for an activity also increases as body weight increases.

Energy Balance

When the amount of food energy you take in (eat) is equal to the amount of energy you use (activity) you are in balance

Energy In Energy Out

Gaining Weight

Eating more calories than you burn will cause you to gain weight

Energy Out

Energy In

Losing Weight

If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight.Energy In

Energy Out

Health Problems from being overweight

Heart disease and high blood pressureCertain forms of cancer: prostate, colon, and breastType 2 diabetesSleeping problems

A growing problem

Overweight – heavy for his/her size (10% over highest recommended weight)Obesity - a condition in which there is an excess of body fat for one’s weight (20% above recommended

weight range)

Weight trends in the US

With more and more fast food restaurants

and kids being less active due to computers and

television, the obesity rate is growing throughout the

United States.

In the following video watch the growing trend from

1985-2010.

Maintaining a Healthy Weight

What determines your weight?

Heredity

Lifestyle

Certain conditions that have been passed down from your

parents.

Habits and behaviors that you choose that could influence your

health.

Body Composition

Definition – the ratio of lean body tissue (muscle to bone) to body-fat tissueWays to measure body composition

BMISkinfold TestHydrostatic weighingElectromagnetic

Body Mass Index

Index of weight in relation to height

Lose Fat…Not Muscle!

Faster weight loss usually means loss of water and muscle

½ pound – 1 lb per week is recommended1 lb/week = 500 calories/day

(eat less or exercise more)

Going ON a diet suggests that you will go OFF…

Diets are usuallyTemporary. Instead you should aim for lifestyle

changes!

If you are underweight…

Gradually increase your food intakeSnacking – eating more frequentlyChoose nutritious foods high in calories

ExerciseStrength

training

Fad Diets

A diet that requires major changes in your eating habits and promises quick results

Low carb diets

Ex) AtkinsIdea is that if you

restrict carbs…your body will burn fat

Problem – your body needs carbs to burn fatNot healthy in the long-term because they are low in grains, fruits, and veggies

Liquid formulas

Ex) SlimfastLowers the number of calories per day by replacing meals with liquid This can be dangerous – most likely not getting all of the nutrients your body needs!

Stimulants

Ex) Ephedra, CaffeineReduce appetite and give a feeling of energyBad side effects – nervousness, dizziness, headache, increased blood pressure, heart attacks, and seizures

Fasting

Ex: Not EatingWeight loss is initially rapid as the body uses fat stores for energyBody proteins are broken down to provide the missing energy = loss of muscle mass

Diet Pills

A pill that causes you to lose weight without the need for low calorie diets and exercise

No SAFE pill exists!

Surgery

Gastric bypass – changes the structure of the digestive tract

by bypassing part of the stomachLap Band – an adjustable band that makes the opening of the stomach smaller

Reduces the amount of food you can eat

Weight loss- the safe way

Lifestyle changeBalance your calorie intake with your exerciseChange the habits that lead to weight gain

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders

Conditions that involve an unhealthy degree of concern about body weight and shape and that may lead to efforts to control weight by unhealthy meansMay include

Never eating enoughDieting excessivelyEating only certain types of foodsEating too muchNot responding to natural feelings of fullness or hunger

Body image

How you see and feel about your appearance and how comfortable you are with your bodyHaving a healthy body

image means you accept your body’s appearance and abilities

Common eating disorders

AnorexiaBulimiaBingeing or binge eating

Anorexia

Involves self-starvation, a distorted body image, and low body weightSigns/symptoms

Intense fear of weight gainOverexercisingPreferring to eat alonePreoccupation with caloriesExtreme weight lossLoss of menstrual periodsHair loss on headDepression and anxietyWeakness and exhaustion

Bulimia

An individual repeatedly eats large amounts of food and then uses behaviors such as vomiting or using laxatives to rid the body of the foodSigns/symptoms

Preoccupation with body weightBingeing with or without purgingBloodshot eyes and sore throatDental problemsIrregular menstrual periodsDepression and mood swingsFeeling out of control

Binge eating

Eating large amounts of food in one sittingAbove-normal body

weightBingeing episodes

accompanied by feelings of guilt, shame, and loss of control

Some examples are…Bingeing every once in a while, not regularlyPurging after eating small amounts of foodDeliberate dehydration for weight lossHiding food

Eating behaviors that are not severe enough to be classified as a specific eating disorder are consideredDISORDERED EATING PATTERNS

Could you be at risk of having an eating disorder?

Warning signsPreferring to eat aloneBeing overly critical about body size and shapeThinking about food oftenWeighing everydayEating a lot of “diet” foods

Getting help

Professional help from physicians, psychologists, and nutritionists is essential to manage and recover from an eating disorder

Who has the ultimate control over your body?