Weight (fat) loss tips

To maintain a stable weight, your energy intake needs to equal energy output. If your energy output is higher than your intake, you lose weight. Conversely, if energy intake is higher than energy expenditure, you will gain weight. The sensible answer to losing excess fat is to exercise a little more and eat a leaner diet with plenty of fruit, vegetables and cereals. Population statistics in the US show that the prevalence of obesity is rising and this coincides with less physical activity and more energy intake (men have increased calorie intake by almost 200 and women by more than 300 daily). Even though fat consumption has dropped as a percentage of calories, total fat and carbohydrate consumption has increased. Australia is showing similar trends. We are eating more for many reasons. Increased portion size, more snacks and soft drinks, and more food away from home. Being aware of your own food indulgences is one way to curb excess intake.

Protein, fat and carbohydrate diet myths: shift your thinking from macronutrients to whole foods
The Nutrition Editorial Team of the HEC are continually amazed and dismayed at how colleagues and the public are so besotted by macronutrients (i.e carbohydrate, fat and protein) which come not only in various forms and accompanied by various vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, but are also found in various culinary combinations. All of this needs to be translated into food which in turn needs to take into account all the combinations and permutations of macronutrients. It is far too simplistic for long term health to focus on macronutrients only. In the short term certain macronutrient combinations may help weight loss, but in the long term whole foods must be addressed for optimal health. We know from our studies (Food Habits in Later Life) that it is possible to achieve optimal health with a spectrum of macronutrient combinations provided the food orientation is towards plants and there is real biological variety amongst the foods and key items like legumes and fish are included. This means that the fats, proteins and carbohydrates will be consumed from relatively unrefined sources (e.g nuts, seeds, wholegrains).

You don't need to change everything you eat to lose weight
Total energy consumed is the major factor in weight gain. You can eat some fats without gaining weight, but only if they are consumed within a low energy density diet. In order to achieve a low energy density diet, you do not need to completely alter your eating habits.

Don't ignore calories and watch your portion size
A common strategy for weight loss is to eat less fat rather than fewer calories combined with exercise. Many foods advertised as low-fat are not lower in calories than those they replace. Numerous studies have shown that the most successful weight maintenance programs combine lower energy intake with increased physical activity. Fad diets that concentrate on single foods or food groups may receive media attention, but they are not recommended from a view of long-term success or safety.

Eat more low energy dense plant food
Foods which have a low energy density density like most plant foods are preferred (i.e low calories for every gram of food), but some nutritious energy-dense foods are also acceptable in small amounts, including nuts, avocados, extra virgin olive oils and olives.

Eat more reduced fat dairy foods
A new study published in Obesity Research April 2004 found that people (sample size of 32) consuming more calcium, and in particular calcium from dairy foods, lost more weight and fat than others eating the same calories. This small study suggests that a high calcium dairy-rich diet contributes to greater weight loss than does a simple reduction in calories. These findings need to be replicated. Other observational studies have also shown that people consuming more milk or yoghurt weighed less and had less body fat.

Eat less refined grain products
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2003; 78: 920-7 by Liu and colleagues concluded that weight gain in 74,091 US nurses between 1984 to 1996 was related to the intake of refined high glycaemic index grain products (like white bread, white pasta). Women who consumed more fibre and low GI whole grain products consistently weighed less than did women who consumed less wholegrains. Not all studies have found that low GI diets promote more weight loss than high GI diets. Some obesity experts believe a low GI diet is an ideal compromise between a low fat diet that is difficult to follow in the long term and very low carbohydrate diets that may be nutritionally inadequate.

Eat less foods with unhealthy 'hidden' fats but include foods with healthy fats
Evidence from nutrition surveys suggests that consumers are reducing intake of margarine and oils, often for reasons of weight control, but are inadvertently consuming 'hidden' fats in processed foods. This trend could result in inadequate intake of unsaturated fats, vitamin E and other antioxidants found in spreads/oils. In contrast to previous low fat messages, the Australian Heart Foundations recommendations in 2002 do not include reducing intake of margarine spreads and oils. At least 1-2 tablespoons of unsaturated margarine/oils a day are needed to achieve the desirable intake for omega 3 and omega 6 fats and this amount of added fat should not jeopardise weight loss if 'hidden' fats are kept to a minimum. Keep 'hidden' fats in processed foods and animal foods to a minimum, this will help keep saturated fat intake low. Use a variety of margarines and oils, especially ones high in monounsaturated fat, omega 3 fats and antioxidants such as extra virgin olive oil, canola, peanut). Choose foods containing "natural" (unrefined) fats (e.g nuts, seeds, avocado, olives, soy, fish) and limit intake of animal fat and vegetable "shortening or fat". Rather than having most of the recommended amount of added fat with bread, reserve some margarine/oil for meals to improve the palatability of vegetables, fish and legumes. Fat can also help improve the absorption of antioxidants from the vegetables.
A study published in the December 2003 issue of the Journal of the American Diabetes on 54 overweight, postmenopausal women showed that they were able to lose weight by simply limiting fatty ingredients and foods from their diet without overly restricting other foods. This approach resulted in their diets becoming low in energy density. That means eating a large amount of food that is relatively low in calories - this tends to fill people up so they don't overeat.

Eat less 'junk' food i.e energy dense nutrient poor foods
The growth in the take away food industry and the size of food portions have often been blamed for the obesity epidemic. A study from the United States in 2003 published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has confirmed the belief. It took food survey information on tens of thousands of people aged over two years of age across a time span of about 20 years. The study found that: the percentage of calories consumed at home declined, suggesting people were eating out more; total calorie intake went up; and food portion sizes increased significantly. The average salty snack went up by 93 calories, soft drinks by nearly 50 calories and hamburgers by nearly 100 calories. Most of the increases were in fast food establishments except for hamburgers, cheese burgers and desserts where the increases were greater at home than outside. The only takeaway food which didn't change was pizza. This study highlighted that it is not enough to recommend which foods to eat - information on portion size is also needed.

Changing when you eat will help
- Some of the factors that can lead to weight gain include:
- Night eating
- Social eating
- Habitual eating
- Eating food while drinking alcohol.
If you can avoid eating at these times, and keep to regular meals, it will help you to lose weight. You could also try to eat less food at each meal and increase the number of high fibre, high carbohydrate, low saturated fat meals and snacks throughout the day. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1996) reported that stomach capacity can increase if large individual meals are eaten. This may then increase the amount of food a person needs at each meal before they feel 'full'. This is not a reason to starve yourself if you're trying to lose weight. Skipping meals is not recommended. In fact, if you skip meals, you may eat more when you do eat, and this may lead to a larger stomach capacity.

'Crash' diets make you gain weight in the long run
Most people who need to lose weight try dieting, which is a short term solution that only increases your body fat levels in the long run. The body responds to periods of deprivation or semi-starvation by lowering the metabolism. When dieting ceases and normal eating is resumed, the body burns even fewer calories than before because the metabolism is less efficient. Also, most of the weight lost during a crash diet is water and muscle tissue, not body fat. We need muscle tissue to burn kilojoules. Every time you crash diet, you lose a percentage of muscle tissue, which means your body can't burn as many kilojoules as it could before dieting.

Meal replacements - do they work?
see article on meal replacements

Get moving
Studies show that Australians are actually eating healthier diets than ever before, yet the incidence of people of excess weight and obesity is climbing every year. This is because we have become more sedentary over the years. For most of us, physical activity is no longer a natural part of our lifestyle so it must be structured into our daily schedule. However, many people feel too busy or too tired to exercise regularly, when in fact exercise actually increases energy, thus, leading to less tiredness. There is a misconception that exercise has to be strenuous in order to do any good, but that isn't the case. Even moderate amounts of physical activity can speed up the metabolism and aid weight loss. A new study published in the January 12, 2004 Archives of Internal Medicine.finds that physical activity in previously sedentary adults led to weight loss even when they were not dieting and had been encouraged not to lose weight. Middle-aged, overweight men and women were divided into four groups of about 30 and studied for three years. Groups were instructed to get low amount of exercise at moderate intensity, low amount at vigorous intensity, high amount at vigorous intensity, or remain sedentary. Controls gained weight and body fat while all three exercise groups lost both weight and fat. The participants took two to three months to work up to their assigned level of activity. The lowest amount of activity was equal to walking for 30 minutes daily. This led to a 4.4 pound (2.0 kg) weight loss, which is not much, but was statistically significant. Given that the participants did not diet and were encouraged to maintain weight, this is a very positive result. Both longer duration and greater intensity of exercise led to more weight and fat loss. This is the first controlled study to report on this.

A healthier approach to exercise
The best approach to increasing the level of physical activity in your life is to take it slowly. You can increase your activity levels by simply increasing movement throughout the day. Any physical activity will help. Exercise does not have to be strenuous or painful in order to be 'good' for you. The human body is designed for movement and any physical activity brings benefits. Moderate intensity exercise - such as walking, grdening, cycling or even mowing the lawn - has been shown to help reduce body fat. Other suggestions for a more active lifestyle include:

Can you lose weight walking?
How intensely and how long do you need to walk to lose weight? It was reported in the 2003 September issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association that fast, slow, long duration or short duration walking all lead to weight loss.
This study investigated 200 women in a weight control program who were normally sedentary. They were assigned to one of four walking groups using a motorized treadmill for 5 days a week:
1. moderate intensity
2. vigorous intensity
3. moderate duration
4. high duration
The exercise was designed to burn either 1000 or 2000 calories a week for 12 months.
Women in all groups lost 8-12 percent of their starting weight after 12 months and there were no significant differences among the four groups. However, the women who walked at least 40 minutes a day lost more weight than those who walked less than 30 minutes daily. But, the women who walked the least maintained a six percent weight loss.

Play a sport that you enjoy
Walk instead of taking the car on short trips
Get off the train, bus or tram one stop early and walk the rest of the way
Play more outdoor games with your children
Walk the dog
Take stairs instead of lifts
Choose exercise activities that you think are fun, rather than those you
think are 'good' for you.

A healthier approach to food
The current wave of high-protein and low carbohydrate diets have offered new hope to people wishing to lose weight. Low carbohydrate diets do not present significant advantages to the dieter over a nutritionally adequate, plant based, reduced calorie diet. In fact, long term use of a low carbohydrate diet might put people at risk of a range of metabolic diseases without the achievement of weight loss which is sustainable. A review in the Journal "Obesity Research " in 2001 by Freedman et al concluded that a diet that is high in fruits and vegetables, wholegrains, legumes and low-fat dairy products, as well as being moderate in fat and calories will result in the greatest chance of weight loss and maintenance. This diet also assists fullness and satiety and can reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Low carbohydrate diets achieve very few of these aims.

You can lose body fat by making a few easy changes to your eating habits. It will help you lose body fat if you:

- Avoid crash diets.
- Eat a wide variety of food from all food groups.
- Have less food at each meal but increase the number of nutritious meals or snacks per day.
- Reduce your intake of energy-dense foods, which are low in nutrients - for example, soft drinks and lollies. Some energy-dense foods, which are high in nutrients, can be included in small amounts - for example, red meat, nuts, avocados, extra virgin olive oil.
- Cut down on saturated dietary fats and alcohol
- Try to eat more fresh foods and less processed foods.
- Avoid using food for comfort, such as when you are upset, angry or stressed.
- Try to stop eating once you've had enough. If you continue to eat, particularly foods high in saturated fat, the extra kilojoules will be stored in adipose tissue (fat).

Type of help available
If you have been a chronic crash dieter for a number of years, you might need professional help to reintroduce you to a healthy way of eating. If you are overweight, over 40 years of age or haven't exercised regularly for a long time, check with your doctor before you start any exercise campaign. For inspiration on healthier cooking, buy one of the many low fat recipe books available at bookshops and newsagents.

Where to get help
Your doctor
Dietitian.

Things to remember
- Crash dieting makes you gain more weight in the long run by lowering your metabolism through loss of muscle.
- Obesity rates are on the rise because the Australian lifestyle is becoming increasingly sedentary.
- Shift your thinking from macronutrients to whole foods
- Don't ignore calories and watch your portion size
- Eat more low energy dense foods like plant foods - this will help lower the energy density of your diet
Include a variety of high energy dense foods with healthy 'hidden' fats and nutrients like nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, virgin olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil,
- Eat more dairy foods - these foods have been linked to greater weight loss.
- Eat fewer refined grain products with a higher glycaemic index
- Limit foods with unhealthy 'hidden' fats likes commercial cakes, biscuits.
- Limit intake of 'junk' foods which are energy dense and nutrient poor e.g crisps, soft drinks
- Meal replacements may help some people kick start their weight loss but they are not an ideal way to lose weight in the long term
- Any type of regular physical activity, no matter how moderate, can help you to lose body fat if coupled to better eating
- You can lose weight (especially abdominal fat) if you walk for about 30-40 minutes daily (even if you do not reduce your energy intake)

Related articles:

Weight loss diets - background

Fatness versus Fitness

Weight loss misconceptions

Visceral fat

Low carbohydrate diets

Last Updated: October, 2004