Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Living Well

If you intend to lose weight this year, you are not alone.

Many people start off the new year with a resolution to lose weight, exercise more, dine out less or consume less fat.

In other words, to get healthy. Weight loss is about celebrating the benefits of a healthy lifestyle which incorporates body satisfaction, self-esteem and a realistic health goal.

People who do not make a commitment to change toward better nutrition may lose weight at first but tend to regain the weight they lose and then some.

So what changes in your lifestyle should you make?

Healthier eating and regular physical activity may be the answer to controlling your weight for a lifetime. Not only can a balanced diet and regular exercise make you feel better, but they are the keys to maintaining a healthy weight which may help prevent diet-related diseases in the future.

Being overweight increases the risk for developing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and certain forms of cancer.

Many quick weight loss diets essentially have two things in common: they are overly restrictive and the weight loss is usually temporary.

Current popular diets include: Sugar Busters!, Dr. Atkins Diet, Eat Right For Your Blood Type and Protein Power. Following restrictive diets like these can lead to initial weight loss, but can also set the stage for disordered eating.

If your goal is to lose a few pounds this year, start a balanced program of regular exercise and a healthy diet based on the Food Guide Pyramid.

This approach may not produce a rapid weight loss, but it will assure you meet your nutrient needs and will lead to body fat loss, not the water and muscle loss very restrictive diets bring about.

Most people want quick weight loss and an easy regimen to follow, but this isn't the best approach. The bottom line is, successful weight management takes a personal commitment which includes effort, perseverance and goal setting.

For more information about weight loss and diet-related diseases contact the Nevada County Extension office.