Who Cares What They Weigh?

I'm well into my third year as a Health Coach, and I've come to learn something about people's attitudes.  In particular, I've learned a great deal about people's attitudes toward their weight.  And some of it has surprised me. 

I've learned three things about people and weight.

First, most people would like to weigh less than they do.  Not so much with younger people, but very definitely this is true after folks reach middle age, 40 or thereabouts.  Today, the average American is 20-30 lbs overweight, or two dress sizes, or 4-6 inches in their waistline.  That's a fact.  But what's disturbing is that the population of overweight (including obese) people has more than doubled in the last 30 years (1980-2010), and now constitutes almost 70% of our population.

So, many of us look around and say, "Maybe I should lose some weight, but I'm not doing too badly compared to all these other folks."  That leads to postponement of any serious attempt to bring weight under control.  The availability of ever-more popular loose-fitting clothing enables us to ignore what we know is a growing problem.  In fact, elastic waist-bands and over-sized sweatshirts have made a big contribution to our national weight problem because the first and most obvious sign of excess weight gain is tighter fitting clothing.  Almost all my clients have testified to me that they had reached the point where they had two wardrobes: stuff that fits, and stuff that hasn't fitted for two years or more, but they still wished they could wear.

Second, the majority of people does not think they can lose weight and keep it off.  At least not without doing something that is (a) difficult, (b) expensive, and (c) inconvenient.  Or some combination of these three features.  In some cases, they have tried different things, only to lose heart after several weeks or months. 

Many diet plans require obsessive calorie counting or point counting.  Exercise routines usually require many hours of time every week to have any significant effect.  And personal trainers, although effective, can be pretty expensive.

Studies have shown that the average dieter gains back more weight than they lose in a 24-month cycle.  This is almost always caused by the individual returning to his or her "old ways" as soon as they get close to their weight-loss goal.  One or two rides on this merry-go-round teaches people that they "can't" lose weight, even if other people seem successful.

Third, people look for excuses to avoid changing their lifestyle, even if it is destructive.  Based on my experience (and the experience of thousands of other health coaches) I can safely say that most people are overweight or obese because of life-long bad habits, not genetics or allergies or low self-esteem, or stress, or their work schedules, or... or... etc.  We humans can rationalize anything, even when we want to achieve something else.

The good news is that changing some of the simplest habits of eating and exercise can have a dramatic effect on weight and well-being.  One example: eating meals only 2 or 3 times each day is a common habit acquired during our youth.  For most of us it means gorging on twice as many calories at a sitting as we can effectively use.  The answer:  eat smaller meals more often, at least five or six a day.

Another habit is eating carbohydrates at every sitting.  Ours is a carb-heavy world.  No one needs to seek out carbohydratess as part of their diet; they're everywhere!  Learning how to include protein at every meal is the key to weight loss, energy maintenance, and long-term health.  But you need to know what foods will provide protein, and then include them in your meals, while weaning yourself off the excessive carbs in the American diet.

So, that's two of the "bad" habits that cause poor health.  There are other habits, as well, which need to be addressed.  Eating, drinking, sleeping, walking, and travelling all involve habits that can work against your long-term health.  Over the next few blog posts I will introduce you to ways that you can start changing your world for the better.

Can I Drink Alcohol and Still Lose Weight?
It is a question that is on the minds of weight loss hopefuls at any cocktail party, but the answer is much more complicated than counting calories. Unlike carbohydrates, protein, and fat, alcohol is not an essential source of calories, nor is it significant source of vitamins and minerals your body needs to function. However, I know quite a few people that swear by a drink or two every now and then. Their alcohol consumption has not thwarted their svelte physiques, but are they the exception or the rule? All things being equal, if you continue to burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. And while drinking on its own may not inhibit weight loss, depending on the frequency and level of consumption, the effects of drinking alcohol could have a negative impact on your ability to eat good food, sleep well, and lead a healthy lifestyle.

Alcohol and Calories
Pure alcohol serves up 7 calories per gram, almost twice as many calories as carbohydrates and almost to the tune of the 9 calories in a gram of fat. That makes that cocktail, margarita or mai tai a heaping mound of calories in a small glass. Just a 1.5 oz shot of 80-proof gin, rum, or vodka can add 100 calories to any drink. Dark liquors such as whiskey or tequila have a similar calorie count. Wine is a little more forgiving, at an average 120 calories in a 5 oz. serving. When you think of the addition of fruit juice, soda, or grenadine, you’re looking at a calorie-infusion that could add up to meal-size calorie counts. If you want to save calories, have alcohol straight, or mixed with club soda or seltzer instead. Beyond the calories, something else to consider is alcohol's ability to lower inhibitions.

Alcohol and Metabolism
A beer belly is not caused by alcohol alone, but there are some direct correlations between alcohol and fat metabolism. Just as you feel yourself “loosen up” after a drink, your metabolism does slow down when alcohol is consumed. Specifically, the body can not digest alcohol. When consumed, your metabolism slows down its energy conversion of fat and carbohydrates to get rid of the alcohol in your body. Manuel Villacorta, MS, RD, CSSD, a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics shares, “Drinking alcohol stops fat metabolism in the liver causing it to build up around the waistline.” Of course this "build up" only happens in the presence of excess calories. In addition to staying under your calorie limit, rev up your metabolism by staying active and not skipping meals after drinking.

Alcohol and Sleep
Even if you do control your alcohol calories, and keep your metabolism revved, consuming alcohol can have a major effect on your ability to have a good night’s sleep if you consume it right before bed. Michael Breus, PhD tells WebMD that even if alcohol helps you go to sleep, it’s detrimental to your sleep experience. “It will keep you in the lighter stage…it will also wake you up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, it will also dehydrate you which can affect your sleep.” He explains that alcohol consumption inhibits “deep sleep” stages 3 and 4, “where we see the increase in growth hormone, the cell repair, and the overall damage-from-the-day repair.” He continues that the resulting fatigued feeling can rob a person from feeling refreshed in the morning. Lack of sleep could affect not only your ability to workout effectively, but it could also hinder your well-intentioned eating habits. Just as you should aim to not eat 2 to 3 hours before bed, you should give up the glass or bottle within this time frame to enjoy a good night’s rest.