Arts Life
Health
Ups And Downs
Dieters work toward the right life-long habits.
RUTHAN BRODSKY
Special to the Jewish News
aurel Sills, clinical psychologist and personal life
coach in West Bloomfield, started thinking
about losing 15 pounds in September.
"Once you get past age 29 for the umpteenth
time, your metabolism slows down and it's difficult to
maintain your weight," explains Sills. "I've lost pounds
because I'm using some of the same coaching techniques
on myself that I use with my clients.
"First I prepaid a personal trainer for a series of work-
outs so that I wouldn't procrastinate about exercising and
I've made my weight goals accountable to him. I've also
become my own cheerleader and stopped beating myself
over the head when I cheat and go off the diet.
'And I'm keeping a journal about what I eat and how
much I exercise. It's not only to have a record of what I'm
doing but to show me, in black and white, the behavior
changes I'm making or not making and the end results."
Losing weight is the one experience in which the long-
time losers are the biggest winners. The problem is win-
ners are rare. Although dieters shed an average of 15-20
pounds over several months, most are back to their start-
ing weight in 3-5 years.
Dr. David Rosenberg, D.0, a general practitioner in
Farmington Hills with expertise in geriatrics, tailors his
dieting recommendations to each patient.
"Obesity can cause and complicate many medical con-
ditions," says Dr. Rosenberg. "Losing weight on the other
hand can lower heart disease risk, prevent diabetes, and
keep better control of hypertension and cholesterol levels.
"'When it's important for patients to lose weight, I may
recommend a prescription medication, more exercise, or
both. I may suggest to others that they look into a par-
ticular plan, such as Weight Watchers.
"What I do know is that people lose weight when they
eat less and exercise more. I also realize that many
patients won't stay with a program if they feel deprived of
their favorite foods or have little choice about what they
eat. They lose motivation, so I'm constantly following
through and giving patients lots of encouragement."
More than 50 million Americans try to lose weight
each year, spending more than $100 billion on a variety
of weight-loss programs. With so many plans available,
how do you find one that not only works but also is
healthy? Most of us talk to our friends and family. But
what works for one may not work for another.
"Name a diet and I've tried it," says Nadele Spiro of
Bloomfield Hills. "When I tried Weight Watchers, I ate
all my points by 3:30 in the afternoon. I tried the
Beaumont Diet, the Susanne Sommers Diet and the
L
Body Mass Index or BIM
tj
12/ 5
2003
104
The BMI is a measure of your weight relative to your
height. As BMI increases, the risk for some disease
increases. It is considered a reliable indicator of total
body fat although it does have some limits such as:
Canyon Ranch Diet. I have lost and gained a lot on all
of these diets.
"Right now, I'm working on a modified high-protein
diet with lots of water and I'm exercising. It's sort of a
modified South Beach Diet. So far so good."
For many, dieting is a way of life. Good nutrition, on
the other hand, is a more positive goal. Food provides
energy and nutrients that our bodies need to stay
healthy.
"Thank goodness I have a fast metabolism," says Pam
Marcus, yoga and pilates instructor and mother of three
school-age children. "I believe in moderation and I'm an
avid exerciser. At one time, I was a complete vegetarian.
"I still try my best to follow a healthy regimen and I
make it a point to listen to my body. That's not to say
when I'm busy car pooling and teaching I sometimes
don't have time for a meal and will stop at a Taco Bell
because I'm getting light headed. But that doesn't hap-
pen very often."
The good news is that none of us have to become
fashion-model thin to benefit from losing weight. Our
weight is governed by our genetic makeup and metabolic
rate. There's not much we can do to alter our genes and
metabolic speed-ups from exercise and supplements
work only temporarily.
The fact is, losing weight comes down to burning
more calories through daily activity than we consume.
While some people lose weight by cutting calorie
intake alone, few can keep that weight off without
adding physical activity into the plan. The key is to
make changes in our eating and activity habits that we
can maintain every day for life.
"I lost weight several years ago, kept it off for a time,
but then put much of it back on when I stopped exercis-
ing," says Julie Schlafer of West Bloomfield. "In the gym
or on the tennis court, I used to look at these women
with great bodies who were my age. I thought it wasn't in
my genes to look svelte like they did.
"Then I started talking with these gals and they told
me how hard they work at keeping their figures and how
much calorie control was a major part of their life. My
attitude changed. .
"I'm working with the Beaumont Hospital diet and
exercising again. I don't want to put in as much time and
effort as those gals, but I do want to improve how I look
and feel."
Yo-Yo dieting is not unusual among perennial dieters.
"I've lost 200 pounds at least 10 times," says Rabbi
David Nelson of Oak Park. "I've been dieting for 39
years, but it's difficult because I'm always invited to cele-
UPS AND DO'WNS on page 106
• It may overestimate body fat in athletes and oth-
ers who have a muscular build.
• It may underestimate body fat in older persons
and others who have lost muscle mass.
To calculate your BMI, go to the following web
address: vvww.cdc.gov/nccdphp
Boo Sakidot supervises Laurel Sills' workout.