CHAPTER 5
LOSING WEIGHT AND KEEPING IT OFF
Lots of people start working out to lose weight. And for some people, once they start exercising, especially if they’re doing it for the first time, the pounds just melt off.
1 Do some detective work. Take some time to identify the most likely culprits for the unwanted weight. Are fried or sugary foods too tough to resist? Is it hard to avoid noshing whenever free food is within arm’s reach? Are you too tired and busy to shop and cook healthy meals? Or do emotions—like boredom, anxiety, nervousness, depression, and joy—send you straight to the fridge? For most people, a wide variety of factors lead to unwanted pounds. The answers can lead you to your best first steps. If intense emotions are driving you to eat, identify alternate routes that will offer relief without derailing your weight-loss goals. You might reach out to a friend, get more sleep, or sink into the distraction of a good book or movie.
2 Get moving. It’s difficult to lose weight by just cutting calories. Reducing calorie intake through diet and exercise is the most effective way to shed unwanted pounds and keep them off. It’s ideal to develop a regular exercise routine of three to four times a week. But also try to incorporate more activity whenever you can. Take the long way to the restroom, take the stairs rather than the elevator, park your car as far as you can from the front door. Set a timer to chime every hour so that you get up from your seat.
3 Plan ahead. Everyone has their weak moments—situations where they find it tough to make healthy choices. Make a list of those occasions and settings where your diet tends to take a detour. No healthy lunch options at work? Pack your own. Devour everything in the fridge in the 10 anxious minutes after you walk in from work? Have a snack on the way home and precook a dinner you can reheat right when you get there. If you go off the rails late at night, once the kids are in bed and you finally have a chance to decompress, think of another activity far from the kitchen that helps you relax. Try a book, a shower, a call to a friend, a hot bath, a fun movie. Hate to cook or don’t have time for it? Plan ahead and order premade foods or convenient healthy foods.
4 Fill up on fruits and veggies. Compared with other foods, produce is low in calories and high in nutrients, fiber, and water, all of which will help you lose weight without being hungry. Fill half your plate at every meal with fruits and vegetables. Divide the other half between whole grains, heart-healthy fats, and lean protein—lean cuts of meat, beans, tofu, or low-fat dairy—to keep you feeling fuller for longer.
5 Don’t drink your calories. Stick to calorie-free beverages like water or hot tea. A 20-ounce soda can pack 240 calories and 65 grams of sugar. Even a 16-ounce hot chocolate with fat-free milk can have up to 360 calories. Add whipped cream, and you have an entire meal’s worth of calories before you’ve taken your first bite. If you love specialty drinks, choose a smaller size with fat-free or low-fat milk and skip the whipped cream and syrups.
6 Don’t do anything drastic. It’s hard to feel bad about your body or have a burning desire to be leaner. Everyone wants to get thin now. But crash diets that promise to help you do that—by limiting you to a small group of foods, drastically reducing your calorie intake, or requiring you to buy certain engineered foods—won’t work. Even if you lose weight fast, you’ll likely regain the weight and then some. If you want the weight loss to last for life, you need to make changes that you can sustain for life.
7 Set smart calorie targets. Eating three meals each day keeps your metabolism revved, keeps you burning calories, and prevents you from getting so ravenously hungry that you eventually eat everything that’s not tied down. If you restrict your meals to fewer than three per day, you’ll be more likely to go overboard as soon as anything edible is within arm’s reach.
• WOMEN: Aim for 300 to 500 calories a meal.
• MEN: Aim for 400 to 600 calories a meal.
• WOMEN AND MEN: Aim for 100- to 200-calorie snack(s).
8 Keep track. Studies show that people who track the calories they consume lose weight and keep it off more than those who don’t. And there’s good reason. When you have to track your calories, you see the sources of empty calories that are low on nutrients. To accurately track calories, you have to measure out portions—another practice that’s proven to aid weight loss.
9 Do not make weight the only measure of success. Even as you get fitter, you may not see results on the scale. Keep in mind: Muscle weighs more than fat, and hydration, hormones, time of day, and other factors can all have an impact on the numbers on the scale. Don’t measure success with the scale alone. Are your pants getting looser? Are you getting more compliments? Do you have more energy? What about your blood pressure, cholesterol, and other markers of chronic disease: Which way are they moving?
10 Just practice; don’t try to be perfect. Realize that it’s okay to indulge on occasion; one extra treat will not doom your dieting efforts. Everyone goes overboard from time to time. When you do, try not to wallow in guilt or anxiety about it. You can’t control the past; all you can control is the choice you can make right now. Work in enough foods that feel like rewards so that you don’t feel deprived and primed to binge on a regular basis. Remember, it takes time, effort, and practice to form new, healthy eating habits.
Which Diet Is Right for New Runners?
Google “diet” or “quick weight loss” and you’ll get hundreds of options, from supplements to books to detoxes, diets, and magic plans that make bold promises for instant, permanent results, with little work required by you.
You won’t be hungry! Eat whatever you want! Indulge! Lose 25 pounds by the end of the week!
While deep down we all know that to lose weight you must eat less and move more, it’s hard to resist the lure of these diets. So what place does each of them have in your new, active running life?
The truth is that diets are a lot like training plans. There’s no ONE diet that’s best for everyone. Only one healthy eating strategy is best for a particular person at a particular time. Each diet has its benefits and drawbacks for new runners. The most important factor in any diet is how well it helps you meet your goals and fits your needs, and how well you can maintain the healthy eating habits for life. Here is a comparison of some of the more popular diets on the market now, and their benefits and potential drawbacks for new runners.
Low-Carb Diets
A number of popular diets fall under the umbrella of carbohydrate-restricted diets. The Zone Diet, Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet, the South Beach Diet, and probably the most famous, the Atkins Diet, advocate low-carb eating with generous portions of protein and fat.
Any low-carbohydrate diet—technically—is defined as an eating plan consisting of less than 20 percent of a day’s calories from carbohydrate, or approximately 20 to 60 grams per day. Each has a slightly different twist. Atkins calls for perhaps the most drastic reduction—less than 40 grams of carbs per day at first—reasoning that this forces the body to burn stored body fat and release an energy source known as ketones. Another popular plan, The Zone Diet, restricts carbs to 40 percent of daily calories and calls for the balance to be split equally between protein and fat.
PROS: Proponents claim that weight loss will naturally follow elimination or restriction of sugars and carbohydrates. And indeed, you’ll see fast results. Carbs cause your body to retain water. So when you slash carbs, you retain less water, and the water in your system is flushed out. (Plan for lots of extra pit stops.) And you’ll see numbers you like on the bathroom scale. Also, because many of these diets allow you unlimited fats and protein, you can indulge in carb-free, animal-based foods you might have previously written off as off-limits, such as eggs and bacon. And because fat and protein are digested more slowly in the body, you’ll feel fuller for longer and avoid feelings of deprivation that can lead to a binge down the road.
CONS: Short-term, these diets appear to be safe, but there are lingering concerns about long-term safety, and research has yet to determine the impact of such diets on the development of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and kidney disease, not to mention nutrient deficiencies. Because you eliminate many food groups when you go low carb, you can develop deficiencies of vitamins A, B6, C, and E, as well as thiamin, folate, calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, and fiber. In addition, you might find yourself suffering from headaches and constipation, which are common complaints among people following low-carb diets. And you might be wondering what happens when you start adding carbs back into the diet. Alas, some of the weight you lost is sure to return, and you’re bound to experience the frustration of “yo-yo dieting.”
Are they safe and healthy for runners? Carbs are your body’s preferred source of fuel. That is, it’s the nutrient that your body can most efficiently convert into the energy you need to run strong, without leaving you with any GI distress. (It’s generally recommended that runners get 50 to 70 percent of their daily calories from carbs.) The body digests fats and protein more slowly. So you won’t feel as energized on the run, and to avoid GI distress, you may have to be more careful about what you eat prerun.
High-Protein Diets
In recent years, high-protein diets that fall under the “paleo” umbrella have become more popular. Many of them focus on replacing carbohydrates with protein, reasoning that the body digests it more slowly—so you feel fuller for longer—and that it helps build and repair your working muscles.
These diets, which generally stress foods that can be hunted, gathered, or fished, is based on the theory that our bodies are designed to eat like our caveman ancestors; they’re not designed to digest the processed foods that are the basis of the standard American diet. Advocates say that the packaged processed foods lead to inflammation and chronic diseases, from heart disease to diabetes and joint pain. They generally advocate sticking with various grass-fed meats, wild fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, fruit, and vegetables—which are generally high in protein and fiber and low in carbohydrates—and avoiding grains and starchy vegetables. Healthy fats (olive oil, fish oil, avocado, herbs, and spices) are also recommended. Generally off-limits are dairy, grains, legumes, starches, alcohol, processed foods, sugars, and sugar substitutes.
PROS: You may feel better overall and lose some inches around the waist as you cut out empty calories and trans fats—all of which are from the processed foods. You won’t go hungry. Studies have shown that people who eat more protein—about 30 percent of total calories—are less hungry and take in less calories. Not to mention, your body has to spend more energy—burn more calories—to digest protein than it does for carbs and fat—which is another way it promotes weight loss. And studies have shown that those who upped their protein intake were 50 percent less likely to regain the weight they’d lost. They also lowered their percentage of body fat.9
CONS: Because these diets are so high in fiber, your digestive health may improve, but it may be tough to get through a long run without a few pit stops, or hitting the wall. Though lots of protein can be taxing on the kidneys, many health experts consider a higher protein diet safe. It’s common for those following high-protein diets to report feeling deprived at first, when they start slashing carbs (and junk foods) from their diet. But over time, many report becoming accustomed to eating cleaner.
Are they safe and healthy for runners? Because these diets are very low in carbs and higher in fat, they are not the best choices for runners. The body runs most efficiently when it’s using carbs for fuel; the body has a harder time converting fat to fuel. So you may feel sluggish while you’re adjusting to this new diet. And if you’re running longer distances—say up to a half-marathon or a 10-K—it may be challenging to find any sports energy gels or chews that meet the parameters of the diet.
Detox Diets
The concept of cleansing the body of a buildup of toxins is not new. Indeed, detoxification and cleansing practices have been around for centuries, and they become popular again every now and again. Historically, detoxification-type diets were based in religion or self-purification and commonly involved fasting. Ancient Ayurvedic medicine, dating back prior to 400 BC, frequently recommended diets that cleansed the body of impurities by eliminating various food groups and instead focusing on eating plants.
Today a diet is commonly classified as “detox” if it involves a change of eating patterns with the goal of ridding the body of toxin buildup. These types of diets vary from those that involve a 2-day fast to others that call for a 21-day detox, during which time dieters must eliminate certain food groups or even drink “cleansing” beverages on a daily basis. Generally, these diets promise quick weight loss, healing, and cleansing and a renewed sense of better health. The idea is that by eliminating certain food groups, some of the toxins linked with those foods—like caffeine or alcohol—are eliminated, and the detox purportedly gives the body a break from foods that are considered hard to digest and absorb, like meat, cheese, and processed foods. In theory, as a result of avoiding these food items, the body uses less energy to digest food and fight off toxins and frees up energy to heal. While not all detox diets are solely focused on weight loss, the eating is so restrictive that weight loss often follows.
PROS: Quick results; because you’re consuming so little, the weight immediately drops off.
CONS: Generally speaking, it’s best to avoid these kinds of diets. While you may lose weight in the short term, they don’t nurture the kind of lifestyle change and nutrition improvement that are essential to losing weight and keeping it off in the long term. Plus, you won’t have the energy you need to exercise, which is critical to sustainable weight loss. Probably the most frustrating part of these diets is that once you finish the detox and return to your old eating habits, the weight you worked so hard to lose is certain to return.
Are they safe and healthy for runners? Some serious, negative, long-term consequences can come from detox diets. Short term, you might suffer from negative drug–nutrient interactions or you may even find some potentially toxic components in so-called “cleansing” products. And if you are suffering from a chronic disease like type 2 diabetes, these diets could put you at risk for other complications. As a runner, detox diets are likely to derail your training. You’re likely to feel fatigued due to too few nutrients, and you may spend extra time darting for a porta potty thanks to the “cleansing products.” Bottom line, think twice before jumping into a detox diet with both feet.
Commercial Diets
Many people turn to commercial programs like Weight Watchers, Medifast, or Jenny Craig for weight loss.
PROS: Some commercial weight-loss programs can be very effective in not only helping with weight loss but also helping to encourage general lifestyle changes. For instance, in Weight Watchers, foods and drinks are assigned point values according to the nutrients they provide and overall calorie contribution. This encourages people to learn how nutritious certain foods are. They also require members to weigh their foods—which teaches portion control, another important tenet of long-term weight loss. Some programs also include weekly meetings led by trained instructors and require weekly weigh-ins and accountability. This type of program also encourages exercise, as working out can “earn” you more points. All of this includes the social support and counseling that research has proven can be so helpful to weight loss. A recent study published in the British Medical Journal,10 which compared six different weight-loss programs, found that people who use these programs are just as successful at weight loss—and sometimes more so—than if they’d simply joined a health club or sought one-on-one counseling. In the studies, people kept the weight off for a year. Many of the programs provide online support in addition to in-person meetings, so people can take advantage of that even if they don’t live near a regular meeting place.
CONS: Some commercial diets—namely those where you have to buy that diet brand’s food either in the grocery store or through the mail—can be difficult to sustain. Once you stop buying the food (which has controlled portions) and return to eating regular food that you prepare, the weight is sure to creep back. The foods on the system don’t come cheap either, so you may see your grocery bill swell. And one other drawback: Mail-order diets are not designed family style. So you can expect to receive your food in the mail and still need to prepare a meal for the rest of the family. Finally, if the diet cuts calories too rapidly, you may not have the energy you need to work out. And that can make the weight loss more difficult.
How Running Changed My Life
Andy Aubin started running, lost 133 pounds, and gained confidence
Andy Aubin had come to accept his size—and his extra weight—as a fact of life.
But once his daughter Tessa was born, “It just wasn’t acceptable to be that overweight anymore,” he says.
Aubin had tried lots of diets—from Weight Watchers to a chicken soup diet—and the diet would always work for a little bit, then fizzle out. “I’d lose interest and end up back where I started,” he says. The same went for exercise. “I tried to start a Couch to 5-K plan a half-dozen times, but I was in such poor physical condition that I could never keep up with the first workout of the first week. I would repeat it over and over and just get frustrated and quit.”
Then one day, he got winded going up a flight of stairs.
“That was the tipping point,” he says.
He started with a training plan to build up to running 1 mile. That got him accustomed to exercise and gave him the confidence that he could do it. He progressed and now runs 3 miles three times a week, cross-trains, and strength trains.
He went from 328.8 pounds to 195. He’s now 20 pounds lighter than what he weighed in high school. But even more important is the confidence he gained along the way.
AGE: 36
HOMETOWN: Hatboro, Pennsylvania
OCCUPATION: Insurance broker
How did you get started? I couldn’t focus on just the eating or just the working out. I needed to focus on the food and exercise at the same time. I knew I needed something different, even more introductory than Couch to 5-K. I found a plan that let me build up to 1 mile in 4 weeks with workouts three times per week. It eased me into running a mile, got me used to being active, and showed me that I can do it. I finally experienced some success, which gave me the confidence to try the Couch to 5-K workout.
What was the biggest hurdle, and how did you get over it? Lack of information. I was so far out of shape that I just didn’t know where to start. It was really overwhelming.
What is the biggest reward of your running life? I’m doing things that I used to think were impossible. I finished the 10-mile Broad Street Run and two half-marathons. It’s empowering to be able to do something you never thought was possible. Now I don’t view anything as undoable. Nothing is off the table. That doesn’t make it free or easy. But now I have the confidence to know if I’m willing to put in the work, there’s nothing that can’t be done. It carries over into work and relationships and everything else in real life. Running really showed me that.
What was your weight-loss goal? I started at 328.8, and my target was 225, which was what I weighed in high school. I hit my goal weight within 6 months, then I lost another 20 pounds. I am holding stable at 195.
What is the secret to your weight-loss success? Getting active and cutting calories at the same time. I wanted multiple ways to measure and motivate myself so that if I had a crappy week on the scale, I still could draw confidence from some great runs. I started counting calories using the MyFitnessPal app. That helped me determine how many calories I should be eating without slapping me in the face with it. It doesn’t say, “You have to have broccoli,” but when you eat two slices of pizza and see that an entire bag of broccoli has less calories than a half slice of pizza, you learn. I adjusted what I ate so I could stretch the calories and feel full all day, rather than being so ravenous by mealtime that it was a feeding frenzy. I started eating tons of fruits and vegetables, air-popped popcorn, lean meats, and turkey.
What advice would you give to a beginner? It’s easy to get overwhelmed. It’s going to take some time and break it down to manageable pieces. Don’t focus on 3.1 miles; it feels impossible. Just focus on running for 60 seconds. But trust the plan and trust yourself. And it will really surprise you what you can do.
Why Some Calories Matter More Than Others
If you’ve been trying to lose weight, you’ve probably heard this rule: It’s just a matter of calories in, calories out. That is, simply burn more calories than you consume, and the pounds will melt off. Right?
Unfortunately, it’s not that simple—or that easy. Some calories actually do count more than others. Sure, there are 100 calories in 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips, and the very same 100 calories in 2 cups of baby carrots. But there’s a huge difference in the way that those two different foods affect your appetite, your energy level, and your longterm health. Here’s what you need to know.
Look for colors. About half of each meal should be fruits and vegetables. Not only are they low in calories, high in fiber, and filling, but a wide variety of produce will provide nutrients and minerals that help stave off diseases like cancer and keep your bones, muscles, metabolism, heart, and lungs in top form. Dark green veggies like kale and spinach will give you iron to maintain the health of red blood cells, which deliver oxygen-rich blood to the body; oranges and strawberries provide vitamin C to help the body absorb the iron. Red tomatoes and peppers have vitamin C, lycopene, lutein, potassium, beta-carotene, and vitamin B6. Blueberries, blackberries, beets, and eggplants are sources of potassium—which helps the muscles contract properly—and anthocyanins, which help prevent cancer. Orange and yellow fruits and vegetables like corn, butternut squash, pineapple, yellow peppers, mangoes, carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and apricots are rich in beta-carotene, lutein, potassium, manganese, copper, folate, and vitamins C, A, and B6.
Find the fiber. Found in fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains, fiber fills you up fast with less calories, and because it takes longer to eat and digest, it keeps you feeling satisfied longer. Aim for 25 to 35 grams of fiber each day. Spread your fiber intake throughout the day and try to consume at least 5 grams of fiber per meal. Water-soluble fiber, found mostly in fruits, vegetables, and beans, helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Insoluble fiber, found mostly in whole grains, keeps the colon clean, which may help prevent cancer and digestive disorders. To avoid an upset stomach, be sure to get the timing right. It takes about 2 hours for fiber to leave the stomach and get to the intestine. So save high-fiber foods for after your workouts, or consume them at least 2 hours beforehand.
Don’t fear fat. In recent years, low-fat and fat-free products have flooded the market. But we now know that unsaturated fats like the ones you can get from olive oil, avocados, canola oil, nuts, seeds, and almonds actually help boost your heart health. They also leave you feeling fuller for longer and even lower risk of injuries like stress fractures. Stay away from saturated fat and trans fat; they raise your “bad” cholesterol levels and decrease your “good” cholesterol levels, and that can raise your risk for heart disease. You still want to keep fats in moderation. Learn more about the difference between good and bad fats on this page.
Watch the sugar. Sure, a few tiny hard candy treats seem harmless enough—after all, one bag has only 250 calories and 2.5 grams of fat. But the 47 grams of sugar per serving has a cascade of negative side effects: You’ll get a sugar high and crash that will send your energy levels on a roller-coaster ride and set the stage for more cravings down the line. Indulging those cravings can lead to weight gain and health problems like type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Look for products with the fewest grams of sugar and aim for less than 2.5 grams of sugar per 100 calories. The World Health Organization recommends keeping sugar intake to no more than 10 percent of daily calories. For many folks that’s a limit of 50 grams of sugar per day. Aim much lower if you’re trying to shed pounds. Your best option for a sweet treat is fresh fruit, which provides vitamins and minerals along with fiber. If you must indulge in candy, enjoy it right after a tough workout. In the 20 to 30 minutes immediately following a run that’s longer or faster than you usually go, your body is especially efficient at metabolizing sugar. In fact, pairing these carbs with protein will help your muscles recover.
Measuring Weight-Loss Success
With all the choices out there, it’s hard to figure out which measure of weight-loss success matters most. The scale isn’t always the best one. After all, on any given day, factors like how much water and salty foods you consumed, the timing of your last meal, and hormone fluctuations can have a big impact on what the scale says. And yet these factors have nothing to do with how your healthy eating habits are going. Here’s everything you need to know about how to measure weight-loss success, from M. Nicole Nazzaro, Runner’s World contributor.11
The Bathroom Scale
What it measures: How much you weigh.
PROS: By watching this number from week to week, you can see trends and determine if your exercise habits and diet are leading you down the right path. Also, by carefully watching the trends (from week to week—there’s no need to step on the scale more than a few times a week), you can put a quick stop to “falling off the weight-loss wagon” rather than realizing a month later that those late-night ice cream cones totally derailed your efforts. It’s okay if your scale doesn’t cost hundreds of dollars and isn’t precisely calibrated; the important thing is to watch the trends (is it going up, down, or holding steady?), not the actual number.
CONS: Not every scale is calibrated, so if you jump from scale to scale, you might see numbers that are higher or lower than reality. It’s best to use the same scale and watch the trends. The numbers can fluctuate from hour to hour (depending on what you ate or drank). Weigh yourself just after a heavy lunch, and that may be enough to ruin your day. If it plummets, you may feel free to go back for seconds (and essentially undo all of your hard work!). Finally, optimal health isn’t all about the number on the scale. A scale can’t tell you other important health factors such as cholesterol and blood pressure measurements. Some can tell you your percentage of body fat, but unless you laid down quite a bit of money for the scale, don’t bet your life on the accuracy those metal pads report.
Body Mass Index (BMI)
What it measures: This is a measure of how much you weigh in relation to your height. A BMI of 25 or higher means you’re at high risk for weight-related chronic diseases. The most healthy levels are between 18.5 and 24.9. Research suggests that BMI is most closely related to percentage of body fat.
PROS: It is a good tool to use to monitor whether or not your weight may be increasing your risk for future diseases.
CONS: You can have a very low percentage of body fat, a high percentage of muscle mass, be completely healthy, and still have a BMI that registers in the overweight or obese range. In addition, if you’re under 5 feet tall, you might have a high BMI that doesn’t accurately depict overweight or fatness. Adult BMI values should not be applied to children or adolescents or pregnant or lactating women (they have unique BMI standards), frail elderly, or even highly muscular individuals.
Body Fat Percentage
What it measures: Also known as “body composition,” body fat percentage can range from 2 to 70 percent of body weight. For men, the ideal body fat is 8 to 24 percent of body weight; for women, the ideal is 21 to 35 percent. Some athletes have even lower levels of body fat. (It is not recommended that men dip below 5 percent; women below 12 percent.) Reducing your body fat percentage can help you run faster, as extra body fat can slow you down and put additional stress on your joints. That said, insufficient body fat can lead to injury and other health complications. The most accurate ways to assess body fat, unfortunately, can be expensive. A DEXA scan (which stands for dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) is available at some hospitals, doctors’ offices, research centers, and universities. Another method, The Bod Pod (which is air displacement plethysmography), is available at some universities, community colleges, and gyms. Other methods are less expensive and more accessible but not as accurate. The scales (or handheld devices) often used at gyms use bioelectrical impedance analysis (or BIA) to assess body composition. Essentially, the tool is based on the conductive properties of different tissues in the body. It sends a painless, low-energy electrical current to and from the body, and, theoretically, fat tissue resists the flow of this current whereas muscle tissue (which has a higher water and electrolyte content) does not offer much resistance. The machine converts this resistance into an approximation of total body fat as long as hydration is normal. So if you take the tests while dehydrated or waterlogged, the results will be off. At a gym, a personal trainer can use calipers to measure skinfold thickness to measure your body composition. This is based on the theory that subcutaneous fat represents a certain proportion of total body fat and you can measure it by checking a few select sites on the body (including the chest, abdomen, triceps, and midthigh). This fairly inexpensive test can be somewhat accurate if the technician who is using the calipers has experience, uses high-quality calipers, and uses the right equation to translate all of those measurements into a total body fat percentage.
PROS: Body composition can be used to monitor your health and to track changes over time. If you hit a weight plateau, while the number on the scale may not be moving, you can still see success as your percentage of body fat decreases while your percentage of lean body mass increases.
CONS: Many methods are used to measure body fat percentage, but not all of them are accurate. Even under the best conditions, most methods still have a margin of error of 3 to 4 percent, which means you might get a value that either inflates your ego or offers you false reassurance. Remember, every person has his or her own optimal level of percentage body fat and weight for top performance, so no all-encompassing number should be applied to everyone.
The Dream Jeans Test
What it measures: How many inches you’ve lost and how well you’re toning up based on the ability to fit into your favorite pair of skinny jeans, or any other coveted, make-you-feel-great piece of clothing.
PROS: There’s no pressure to hit a certain number on the scale, and there’s no temptation to check back again and again to see if your body fat percentage has changed overnight. This test also requires very little equipment to run.
CONS: Just like the number on the scale, the fit of your clothes throughout the day can vary based on simple factors like your beverage intake. Additionally, this method is not as easy to monitor and track for progress’s sake. Finally, the way your clothes fit doesn’t necessarily tell you how healthy you might be. Plenty of people with high cholesterol and blood sugar levels fit nicely into a size 2.
Running and Diabetes
Ask any runner, and they’ll tell you that if you want to get going, you will likely have to make quite a few major changes. That includes adjustments to schedule (those early morning runs require a predawn wake-up call), diet (more nutrients, less junk food), and overall attitude toward eating and exercise. But for the runner with diabetes, even more adjustments need to be made in planning and timing meals, medication, and exercise to maintain stable blood sugar levels before, during, and after the activity—and to stay safe and healthy.
There are many types of diabetes. Two of the forms of the disease are type 1 (also known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or juvenile-onset diabetes) and type 2 (also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or adult-onset diabetes).
Type 2 is the most common type of the disease; it accounts for 90 to 95 percent of diagnoses according to the American Diabetes Assocation. While athletes with type 2 often make their own insulin and rely on changes to the diet and exercise (and in some cases oral medications) to manage the disease, those with type 1 have absolute insulin deficiency, so they are treated with diet, exercise, and insulin injections.
If you’re overweight or obese and at risk of developing type 2 diabetes (or already suffer from the disease), one of the best things you can do for your health is to stay active and lose weight. (Exercise also benefits those with type 1 diabetes, even if weight loss isn’t necessary.) A regular exercise routine can reduce cardiovascular risk factors, improve body composition, improve insulin sensitivity, and even improve blood glucose control.
If you’re a runner with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, keep the following tips in mind to exercise safely and improve your overall health.
Talk to your doctor. This should be your first stop before starting any exercise program. You’re likely to get a pat on the back for your hard work, and get some guidance on how to tweak your medication schedule as you become more active or adjust your fueling to prevent extreme blood sugar highs or lows. A certified diabetes educator (CDE) or a registered dietitian (RD) can offer helpful advice as well.
Watch the sports foods. You may want to think twice before reaching for sports nutrition bars, drinks, and supplements that promise to make you faster or recover better. While the readily available carbs in these products can help to treat hypoglycemia, experts say that for athletes with type 2 diabetes, frequent consumption of extra calories while working out may cancel out the calorie burning effects of the exercise.
Plan ahead. If you have type 1 diabetes, it’s critical that you plan ahead and take precautions when working out long or hard to prevent extreme blood sugar fluctuations. This means that you may have to adjust your basal insulin or daily injections, or your pattern of eating. So talk to your doctor about your training regimen, goals, and blood glucose levels to see if your insulin regimen should be modified as you start working out. And be sure to regularly monitor blood glucose levels so you understand your body’s response to exercise.
Preempt low blood sugar. If you have type 2 diabetes and control it with diet and exercise, you’re not at increased risk of hypoglycemia when running. Participating in exercise while taking certain oral diabetes medications can lower your blood sugar, but that’s unlikely to cause hypoglycemia. However, some meds can lead to hypoglycemia, so check with your doctor to find out how exercise might impact your dosage. But if you have type 1 diabetes, you are at risk of hypoglycemia—especially when you have an unexpected opportunity to squeeze a workout in and your last meal was a while ago, or you covered your meal with insulin and now you want to exercise. Carbohydrate supplements can be useful in this type of situation and also when heading out the door for longer workouts. Added bonus? If you’re out on the road for much longer than 60 minutes, this extra carbohydrate can help maintain blood glucose levels, delay fatigue, and help you meet your pace and distance goals. How much fuel do you need during your workout? Experts generally recommend starting with 15 to 30 grams of carbohydrate every 30 to 60 minutes. Anytime you work out, be sure to take a sports drink, honey packet, or another fast-acting fuel in case you start to feel like your blood sugar is getting low.
Be prepared for an emergency. Anytime you go out on a run, be sure to wear identification that provides your name, your address, emergency contacts, and diabetes information.
Talk to your doctor about your medications. Individuals treated with insulin injections are more likely to see blood sugar fluctuations and hypoglycemia and therefore need to adjust meals, insulin, and exercise timing accordingly. These adjustments are highly personal, so be sure to work closely with your doctor, CDE, or RD to make the right adjustments.
Get the timing right. The beneficial effects of exercise on insulin sensitivity last for 24 to 72 hours (depending on intensity and duration of the workout). If you exercise relatively soon after a meal, the meal may not cause blood sugar to rise as much as it would have had you not worked out. So if you’re accustomed to a blood sugar spike in the hour or two following dinner, an evening run might be the way to keep blood sugar from spiking and—as an added benefit—you’re less likely to experience exercise-related low blood sugar. Again, talk with your doctor.
How Running Changed My Life
Aurea Nicolet-Dones became a runner, lost 40 pounds, and managed type 2 diabetes
Aurea Nicolet-Dones’s running life began in the emergency room. Coworkers had noticed that she was slurring her words; the typing on her screen was nonsensical. A colleague advised her to check her blood sugar, and it was three times higher than normal levels.
Nicolet-Dones had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes years earlier. She had gone to the doctor with blurry vision, expecting to leave with a prescription for eyeglasses. Instead, she left with a diagnosis. She was put on oral medication and a low-carb diet and told to check her blood sugar four times a day.
But by the time she ended up in the ER, she had become less vigilant in managing the disease. In the midst of working, getting a cold, and taking care of her 5-month-old daughter, she stopped taking her medicine and checking her blood sugar. Her family and friends had been concerned that she wasn’t taking diabetes seriously.
At the ER, a doctor explained that high blood sugar could lead to coma or even death and put her on insulin. That, she says, was eye-opening. She started walking regularly, then running on a treadmill, then entering some local 5-Ks.
“I decided I was not going to let this disease beat me,” she says. “I was not going to spend the rest of my life taking insulin.”
Now Nicolet-Dones weighs 179 pounds. She has gone from a size 22 to a size 10. She has finished a few half-marathons and is training for a marathon. She is now off insulin, oral medications, and the daily blood sugar checks and able to manage the diabetes with diet and exercise.
“But knowing that my children will watch me be a healthy and physically fit adult is the greatest reward,” she says.
AGE: 29
HOMETOWN: Puyallup, Washington
OCCUPATION: Program manager for state government
What’s your regular workout routine? I work out 6 days a week. I do 1 hour of personal training twice a week (weight training, TRX training, high-intensity interval training, and/or Zumba), run three weekdays, and then do my long runs on the weekends. My endurance has increased; the same activities don’t require as much of a recovery period.
What was the biggest hurdle, and how did you get over it? Finding time to work out is always a struggle for a full-time-employed, nursing mother with an infant and a toddler. During the week, I’ll run during my lunch hour, while my husband is cooking dinner, or after the kids are in bed. For my long runs, I run when my husband can watch the kids. If there isn’t time, he’ll take the kids out in a bike trailer while I run so that we can all get out. When we need to go somewhere (like the store or a family member’s house), my husband gets the kids ready, and I’ll run to wherever we’re going and meet them there.
What’s the secret to your weight-loss success? I donate the clothes that have gotten too big for me and then I refuse to buy those sizes again. This forces me to maintain or lose weight in order to continue fitting into my new, smaller-size clothes.
What kinds of changes did you make to your diet? I went from eating fast food every day to eating healthier foods in smaller portions more often. The rule I follow is: If you can’t tell what plant or animal it came from, don’t eat it.
What is the biggest reward of your running life? I was able to able to get my [type 2] diabetes under control—free of constantly worrying about my blood sugars! As I started to lose weight, I was able to reduce and then eliminate the need for insulin. As the weight loss continued, my doctor allowed me to reduce and eliminate all oral medications. I currently manage my diabetes with only diet and exercise, with my doctor’s monitoring.
Are there any special precautions you have to take to manage the type 2 diabetes? I still need to be cautious of letting my sugars get too low during a long run or intense workout. I do keep a blood glucose meter with me and check my blood when I am not feeling well. I only have to follow up with my doctor every 6 months to ensure that my diabetes is still under control.
What advice would you give to a beginner? Find what motivates you. Make small goals and when you reach them, reward yourself, and then make a new small goal. For example, each time I met a small weight-loss goal, I would get a relaxing massage.
Learning How to Read Food Labels
The old saying goes, Don’t judge a book by its cover, and when it comes to buying food, you really do have to look beyond the labels. It seems that most packaged foods claim to be “healthy” or “natural” or good for you in some way. But you really do have to drill down into the nutrition facts and lists of ingredients to find out if the product has the nutrients that you need, without the extra calories and junk that you don’t. Studies have shown that those who read food labels are more likely to lose weight than those who don’t. But labels can be confusing. Use the chart on the next page to figure out how healthy an item is.12
SERVING SIZE: Read this first. Some foods that look like they contain a single serving are actually two.
FATS: Total fat should be no more than 30 percent of total calories.
SODIUM: Aim for less than 200 milligrams per serving.
FIBER: Aim for approximately 25 to 35 grams of fiber daily.
SATURATED FAT: Less than 10 percent of calories should come from saturated fat.
TRANS FATS: Avoid them completely. If you must consume them, keep it to less than 2 grams per day.
INGREDIENTS: These are listed in descending order by weight. If an ingredient is near the beginning of the list, the product contains a large amount of it compared to the others. If the ingredient is toward the end of the list, the product contains only a small amount. A product with sugar near the end of an ingredient list is usually a healthier choice than a product with sugar as one of the first three ingredients.
DECODING FOOD LABELS
| WHAT IT SAYS |
WHAT IT MEANS |
| All natural |
The food is minimally processed and contains no artificial colors or ingredients. May still be high in sodium, fat, and salt. |
| Reduced fat |
Contains at least 25 percent less fat per serving than the original version. Watch for added sugar. |
| Low saturated fat |
Contains 1 g or less of saturated fat per serving |
| Low cholesterol |
Contains 20 mg of cholesterol or less per serving. Contains 2 g or less of saturated fat. |
| Low fat |
Contains 3 g of fat or less per serving |
| Light |
No standard definition. Sometimes means lower in fat and calories than similar products. |
| Cholesterol free |
Contains less than 2 mg of cholesterol per serving. But unless it contains eggs or milk, it didn’t have any to begin with. |
| Low calorie |
Contains 40 calories or less per serving |
| Reduced sodium |
Contains at least 25 percent less sodium than the original version |
| Low sodium |
Contains 140 mg of sodium or less per serving |
| Very low sodium |
Contains 35 mg of sodium or less per serving |
| Reduced sugar |
Contains at least 25 percent less sugar than the original version |
| Low sugar |
No standard definition |
| No sugar added |
Contains no table sugar, but there may be other added sugars or sweeteners like corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, glucose, maltose, or sucrose |
| Sugar free |
Contains less than 0.5 g of sugar per serving |
| Fortified |
Nutrients have been added that weren’t in the original ingredients. |
Kicking the Sugar Habit
No matter how health conscious you are, you’re bound to crave sweet things from time to time. But overloading on sugar can lead to lots of unwanted pounds and a wide range of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
In addition to sending your energy levels soaring. then crashing, overdosing on sugar sends your hunger hormones into overdrive. The satiety hormones that tell your brain “I’m full!” aren’t properly triggered, which means you end up eating more than you need to. Not only that, but sugar triggers a rush of endorphins, the feel-good hormone. Nice as that instant gratification might be in the short term, if you overdo the sugar too often, you’re likely to develop a craving for that sugar rush, which will lead to more extra calories and more excess weight gain.
So it’s no wonder that experts recommend limiting sugar intake. If you’re a woman, limit your intake of added sugars to 25 grams per day. (That’s about 100 calories, or 6 teaspoons.) Most men should limit added sugars to 38 grams per day, which is about 150 calories per day, or about 9 teaspoons.
Here’s how you can shake the sugar habit.
Know where to find it. You can find sugar by checking the ingredient list printed below the Nutrition Facts panel on most packaged foods. Added sugar goes by many names and often ends in “ose,” such as lactose or maltose or sucrose. Other names for sugar include:
• BROWN SUGAR
• CANE SUGAR
• CORN SYRUP
• CORN SUGAR
• DEXTROSE
• FRUIT JUICE CONCENTRATE
• HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP
• HONEY
• MALTODEXTRIN
• MOLASSES
• SUCROSE
• RAW SUGAR
• TURBINADO SUGAR
Scan the ingredients. If sugar (or a sugar from the list above) is one of the first three ingredients, think twice before choosing this food. Ingredients are listed by weight, so the ingredients that are listed first make up a greater percentage of the product.
Add it up. To determine if a food has added sugars (and how much), you have to do a little math. First, look at the Nutrition Facts panel and the line for total sugars. There are 4 calories in each gram of sugar, so if a product has 20 grams of sugar per serving, that’s 80 calories just from the sugar alone. How do you know if any of that is “added sugar”? Look at the ingredient list and see whether it contains any added sugars (like those from the list on the left). If it does not, the food doesn’t contain any added sugars. The sugars that come from a natural sugar like lactose (milk sugar) or fructose (fruit sugar) are often considered “healthier” simply because they come from a food that offers other nutritional benefits like calcium and vitamin D (in milk) or fiber and vitamin C (in fresh fruit). But if you see an added sugar among the first three ingredients, the product contains significant “added sugars,” and it’s best to avoid it.
Aim low. Choose products with the least amount of added sugar. On any product, aim for no more than 2.5 grams of added sugar per 100 calories.
Go natural. Choose fresh fruit to satisfy a sweet craving; it provides vitamins, minerals, and fiber in addition to some hydration, so it will keep you feeling fuller longer.
Time it right. If you absolutely need a sweet, have it in the 20 to 30 minutes after a hard workout. During that time, your body is hyperefficient at digesting the sugar. Pair the sweet with protein, and this will kickstart muscle repair.
Choose an alternative. If you’re looking to add flavor to your food, reach for herbs and spices instead of sugar. Cinnamon and cloves add flavor to oatmeal, while oregano and rosemary add flavor to marinara sauce.
Know where it’s hidden. Foods like salad dressings and yogurt may not taste sweet, but sugar is often added to low-fat versions of products to make them tastier. Even foods like multigrain bread contain about 2 grams of added sugar per slice. Look for brands that have the label “no added sugar.”
Watch the substitutes. With all these dire warnings about sugar, it’s tempting to reach for calorie-free artificial sweeteners. Low-calorie sweeteners have led to the creation of a wide range of low-calorie products, which offer a healthier alternative for anyone watching their weight and those with diabetes, who must carefully monitor their carbohydrate and sugar intakes. Low-calorie sweeteners have been the subject of extensive scientific research and are generally recognized as safe by the FDA. While the research suggests that artificial sweeteners won’t make you eat more, many people report sugar cravings and a need for more food after consuming “diet” foods sweetened with sugar substitutes. In addition, many report that once they cut back on the artificial sweeteners, their cravings ebbed, and it was easier to resist sweet temptations and lose weight.
How to Make Your Favorite Meals Healthier
There are many ways to change your favorite recipes to make them lower in cholesterol, fat, sugar, and calories. For instance, you can save nearly 200 calories per serving by baking or grilling meat rather than frying it. You can save nearly 300 calories simply by replacing 1 cup of sour cream in a recipe with 1 cup of plain, low-fat yogurt.
The following tips will allow you to cut calories and fat while still enjoying your favorite recipes. In fact, you probably won’t notice a difference with many of these simple substitutions.
Avoid the Deep-Fry
Here are some healthier alternatives.
BAKE IT
GOOD FOR: Meat
WHY: Requires no oil, butter, or added fat
HOW TO: Use a covered container in the oven. If the cut of meat that you’re using is very lean, try adding a fat-free liquid, such as vegetable or chicken broth, to help keep it moist.
POACH IT
GOOD FOR: Fish, chicken, and eggs
WHY: No frying or high-calorie cooking additives required
HOW TO: Cook the food in a small amount of simmering water or broth. Be careful not to leave foods in simmering liquids too long. Overcooking will dry them out.
STEAM IT
GOOD FOR: Vegetables and fish
WHY: Helps maintain their vitamins and minerals
HOW TO: Arrange foods in a steamer. Add a small amount of water. You can also steam foods in the microwave in a covered dish.
SAUTÉ OR STIR-FRY
GOOD FOR: Meats and vegetables
WHY: Cuts or eliminates the amount of oil and butter used
HOW TO: Avoid butter, shortening, or grease. Depending on the amount of meat and vegetables, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil to lightly coat the pan and add more if the food begins to stick. Or use a nonstick skillet and eliminate the need for a lot of fat. Cook for a short time at high heat.
GRILL IT OR BROIL IT
GOOD FOR: Meats, poultry, fish, and vegetables
WHY: Reduces or eliminates the need for butter and oil
HOW TO: Coat the broiler or grill with vegetable oil (use tongs and a paper towel) to prevent sticking. You can keep the skin on the meat while cooking to keep the item moist, but your best bet is to remove the fat before serving.
ROAST IT
GOOD FOR: Meats and vegetables
WHY: Reduces need for butter and oil
HOW TO: Preheat the oven to 350º to 400ºF. Keep the meat moist by occasionally basting with wine, fruit juice, stock, or fat-free chicken or beef broth.
Stealth Swaps
Skim your soup. After cooking soups, stews, sauces, and broths, chill and spoon off hardened fat. This can save 100 calories per tablespoon of fat removed.
Go lean. Trim fat from meat before cooking. Remove the skin from poultry before eating it. Substitute lean ground turkey or ground round for regular ground meats such as hamburger.
Switch your dressings. Substitute low-calorie versions of your favorite sauces and dressings. Use vinegar, mustard, tomato juice, or fat-free bouillon instead of creams, fats, oil, and mayonnaise.
Avoiding Weight Gain When You Start Working Out
Being active every day and piling up the miles and minutes on the road burns a serious number of calories. But many folks step on the scale after they start an exercise routine only to discover that instead of dropping pounds, they’ve actually added some—a reality that seems both unfair and wrong. In some cases, it’s because the amount of food consumed has gone up along with—or even beyond—the mileage. In other cases, it has to do with factors beyond a person’s control, like hormonal fluctuations. Here’s why the numbers can go up and how to avoid weight gain when you’re on the run.
Think Harder about Hunger
If you have been sedentary in the past and are just starting to exercise on a regular basis, it makes sense that your appetite has climbed, too. “Your body is trying to help fuel your increased activity,” says Jenna Bell, PhD, RD, a nutrition consultant and fitness expert in New York City. “One of the ways it does this is by making you hungry.” It’s worse for women—researchers from the University of Massachusetts discovered that this heightened sense of hunger is stronger in women than men because exercise accelerates the production of appetite-regulating hormones, which prompts them to eat more. Men are not as vulnerable to hormonal fluctuations, making them less likely to put on extra pounds.13
So what should you do? If you have just finished a hard workout, by all means, have a recovery meal with a healthy mix of carbs and protein, or even a recovery smoothie made with fresh fruit and protein powder. Your muscles need fuel to restock your energy stores and speed recovery. But if you’re still looking for food beyond that, then it’s time to ask some hard questions, says Leah Sabato, MPH, RD, a nutrition expert specializing in obesity treatment and prevention. Are you truly hungry? Or are you actually thirsty, tired, or feeling some emotion that is prompting you to reach for food for distraction or comfort? “When your body truly needs food,” says Sabato, “you’ll experience fatigue, a rumbling stomach, or hunger pangs that accumulate over time.” If you have a craving for a specific food or feel the desire to eat come on suddenly or after an upsetting thought, chances are you’re not actually hungry, says Sabato.
To keep cravings at bay, remove temptations from your sight—if nacho cheese Doritos aren’t on the counter, chances are they won’t call your name. You can also try a diversion, like taking a walk. In fact, a walk may be just what you need if weight maintenance or loss is your goal. If you can’t fathom adding more activity in a day, trying using your stopwatch. Rather than engaging in a mental wrestling match between your urge to eat and your desire to “be good” and deny it, just wait for 20 minutes. Rather than the firm battle between “yes” and “no,” you just have to tell yourself “not yet.” Usually after 20 minutes have lapsed, the craving will likely not be as strong. It may even disappear.
SMART SUBSTITUTES
Make these smart swaps to reduce calories and fat from your favorite foods.
| REPLACE THIS |
WITH THIS |
| 1 whole egg |
• ¼ cup egg substitute
• 1 egg white plus 2 tsp oil
• 2 egg whites |
| 1 oz cheese |
• 1 oz low-calorie or part-skim cheese, such as farmer’s mozzarella, reduced-calories, or any cheese with less than 5 g fat per oz
• 2 Tbsp Parmesan or Romano cheese |
| Whole milk ricotta cheese (1 cup) |
• 1 Cup low-fat cottage cheese
• 1 Cup low-fat ricotta cheese (low fat is less tan 2% milk fat |
| Meat |
• Tofu cubes
• Cooked dried beans
• Cooked grains and starches |
• Sausage
• Bacon
• Deli meats
• Ground hamburger, ground chuck, or ground round
• Spare ribs |
• Ground sirloin
• Lean pork
• Ground chuck
• Deli turkey
• Chicken breast
• Tenderloin |
| Whole milk yogurt, plain (1 cup) |
• 1 Cup low-fat or fat-free yogurt |
| Whole milk (1 cup) |
• 1 Cup fat-free milk |
| Sour cream (1 cup) |
• 1 Cup blenderized low-fat cottae cheese with 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Cup low-fat or low-free Yougurt
• 1 Cup low-fat sour cream |
| Shortening (1 cup) |
• 1 Cup margraine
• 1 Cup light or low-calorie margarine
• ¾ Cup vegetable oil |
| Butter (1 cup) |
• 7⁄8 Cup vegetable oil
• 1 Cup tub margarine, reduced calorie
• 2 sticks margarine, reduced calorie
• Use butter-flavored powders to flavor foods instead of butter or margarine. |
| Light cream (1 cup) |
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil plus fat-free milk to equal 1 cup |
| Buttermilk (1 cup) |
• 1 Cup fat-free milk and 1 Tbsp vineger or lemon juice. Beat briskly and let stand 5 minutes
• 1 Cup low-fat buttermilk |
| Cream cheese (1 cup) |
• ¼ cup margarine blended with 1 cup dry, low-fat cottage cheese.
Add small amount of fat-free milk to blend. Salt to taste.
• 1 Cup low-far cream cheese |
| Heavy cream (1 cup) |
• 2⁄3 cup fat-free milk and 1⁄3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 Cup evaporated fatfree milk |
Avoid Entitlement Eating
You go for a hard workout, come home starving, and reward yourself with a stack of whole grain pancakes, scrambled eggs, a smoothie, and a side of bacon and toast. Before you know it you’ve consumed nearly 900 calories—quite a few hundred more than what you burned on the run.
To limit the effects of overcompensation—that is, eating above and beyond what is needed for recovery and eating back all the calories you just burned during the workout—it’s important to make smarter food choices throughout the day. Stick to whole, minimally processed foods that are rich in fiber and protein, which take longer to digest, keeping hunger at bay. Try to avoid falling into the “I deserve it” mind-set. Sadly, going for a run does not give you license to eat an entire batch of cookies.
The timing of the meals you eat can also help you avoid falling into the overcompensation trap. Schedule your meals so that you provide your body with enough energy to fuel workouts and your recovery, without overdoing it. If you eat a meal 2 to 3 hours before a workout, your body will be properly fueled for your run and you won’t feel hungry on the road. After a run, skip the recovery snack and instead sit down to a full meal within 30 minutes.
Think Beyond the Bathroom Scale
When you start exercising, you gain muscle and lose body fat. Muscle does weigh more than fat (which explains why the scale may have crept up a few pounds).
But there’s another common reason for weight gain in your workout life—you’re retaining fluid. Not only do runners typically drink more fluids in the days when they’re exercising more, but they also tend to eat more carbohydrates. And carbohydrate attracts water. This extra fluid ensures that you’re hydrated and well fueled. Fluid gains often disappear when you’re no longer loading up on carbs or hydrating quite as diligently.
Avoiding Weight Gain When You Can’t Work Out
If it’s easy to fall into weight-loss traps when you’re working out, then you know it’s really easy to gain weight when you’re sidelined. It can be hard to stay motivated to eat healthy when you can’t work out because you’re injured, busy, or just can’t get on the road. But it’s not impossible. Here’s what you can do to prevent the weight gain—and the emotional toll—during your time off.
Hide the scale. When you’re regularly working out, it’s a good idea to check in with the scale once a week, to see progress or to stop a landslide before it starts. But during your time off, try to stay off the scale every day, since your weight can fluctuate wildly throughout the day, depending on how much you drank, the amount of sodium you’ve consumed, and how much fat, protein, or carbs you’ve had. If the number on the scale consistently upsets you, be kind and hide the darn thing. Remember, progress also comes in the form of looser-fitting jeans and healthier cholesterol levels.
Treat yourself with a nonfood reward. Rather than rewarding yourself with food—even if it’s sugar free, fat free, or calorie free—pat yourself on the back with something lasting and nonedible. Get a pedicure, buy a new outfit, meet up with friends, get a new book or some new tunes.
Don’t stop moving! Light activity will help alleviate stiffness and soreness. If you are able, consider cross-training activities that don’t stress your aching joints but still help you maintain the fitness you worked so hard to develop. Even walking around the block will help burn more calories than sitting on the couch. Also, take advantage of opportunities to be active throughout the day: Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park in the farthest spot in the lot. Walk your errands in your neighborhood instead of driving them. Have a stress fracture? Get in the pool. The nonimpact activity will burn calories and build strength.
Cut back on calories. If you’re not working out like you usually do, you’re burning less calories. That means you need to cut back on how many calories you take in. So think twice before going in for seconds. Before you have yet another snack, ask yourself, “Am I really hungry?”
Don’t eat your emotions. So often, we’re eating not to soothe a growling stomach but to relieve boredom, anxiety, stress, sadness, or some other uncomfortable emotion. So find a solution that eases your discomfort without leaving you with extra pounds (and the regret that goes along with it). Go outside, knit, weed the garden, write a letter, call a friend, listen to some beautiful music, or just leave the kitchen so food will be out of sight and out of mind. On the fridge or the pantry, keep a list of safe alternatives to eating that you can refer to whenever a snack attack takes hold. (For more on this, see “How to Manage Emotional Eating” on the next page.)
Downsize portions and slow down. There are ways to eat less without feeling deprived. Use smaller plates, for instance. If you always serve dinner on a dinner plate, you’re bound to fill it up and even ask for seconds. Choose a smaller plate and you won’t be able to pile on quite as many calories. And slow down! Research has found that when people eat slowly, they actually take in less calories. Try chewing each mouthful at least 10 times. By the time your mouth is finished chewing, your stomach will have registered a full feeling and your brain will have gotten the hint that it’s time to stop chowing down.
Set a calorie goal and stick to it! Lots of resources are available to help you determine how many calories you need each day. You can guesstimate your calorie needs by searching on the Internet (which is not always accurate), logging in to an app (which is better but not always accurate), or calculating your needs based on your resting metabolic rate. Once you know your calorie “budget,” start keeping a journal and write down everything that passes your lips. Next to each food item, record the calories. Toward the end of the day, add up your calories to see how close you are to your limit. If you’re over, consider taking a walk to burn off some energy, and when dessert comes around, politely pass. If you finish the day with a calorie deficit, congratulations! You’re one step closer to losing weight. If you have lots of calories left over each and every evening, then it might be time to add a fruit or veggie (or some other healthy snack). You don’t want to be missing so many calories you miss out on vital nutrients, too.
TIPS TO AVOID WEIGHT-LOSS TRAPS
FUEL UP . . . WITHIN REASON. You need to eat before a workout, but you probably have enough stored energy to fuel you for a 3-miler, so skip the snack. Plus, it’s okay to be mildly hungry before a short workout. Research shows that exercise suppresses the appetite (so your stomach will stop growling once you start running).14
DRINK FLUIDS. Staying hydrated can help you feel better on the run and keep you from feeling hungry. Remember to hydrate before and after a workout and sip on (calorie-free) fluids throughout the day. For more on hydration, see this page.
FILL UP ON FIBER. High-fiber foods (fruits, vegetables, and whole grains) are low in calories but filling, which makes them great for weight control. But they also keep your digestive system moving, so avoid eating a high-fiber meal right before you run.
MAKE YOUR CARBS COUNT. Don’t fill up on junk carbs like those from simple sugars, sweets, and processed grains. Instead, carb-load with whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat bread, and vegetables, which are more filling and full of the nutrients you need for longterm good health.
Tracking Your Food Intake
Ruffin Rhodes reached his get-up-or-give-up moment at the age of 49. He was carrying 250 pounds around on his 5'6" frame; he was taking blood pressure medication and feared a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes was around the corner.
Some of the changes were easy to make immediately: He eliminated fast-food stops and lunch meetings.
But about 1 year into the effort, he hit a plateau. So he started using a calorie calculator and bought a digital food scale. And he was in for a surprise.
“I realized that my guesses on portion size were about 20 percent off the mark,” he says. “Measuring and tracking my food intake helped me to break that first weight-loss plateau.”
He has a scale at work and at home and tries to avoid eating out as much as possible. When he does, he looks up the caloric information online before he goes to decide what he’s going to eat. At business and social functions, he tries to stick to basic, nonprocessed foods. But the best part is, now that he’s used the scale for so long, he can more accurately estimate portion sizes when he doesn’t have the scale.
“I do get tired of the weighing sometimes and fall off the wagon every now and then,” he says. “But when I’m not tracking my portion sizes or weighing my foods, I do see a weight gain.”
Indeed, what Rhodes found confirms what scientists have said: One of the most powerful things you can do to shed pounds will happen when you’re not on the road or at the dinner table: That’s keep a food log.
One study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that among 1,700 overweight individuals, those who kept a food diary more than 5 days a week lost almost twice as much weight as those who didn’t, and they kept the weight off.15 There are plenty of apps on the market. Here is some of the information that you should include.
• FOOD
• CALORIES
• FAT
• CARBS
• PROTEIN
• FIBER
• SODIUM
• ACTIVITY
How to Manage Emotional Eating
To be sure, losing weight and keeping it off requires you to spend a lot of mental and emotional energy on food. Thinking about portion sizes, counting calories, adding up miles, and tracking calorie burn all consume a lot of thought.
But sometimes it’s hard to know: What’s the fine line between being conscientious and becoming obsessed? Here are some frequently asked questions and answers to help you find the mental and emotional balance involved with weight loss.
Now that I’ve got my weight under control, how do I keep it from returning to where it once was? Remember where you once were and how you got to where you are now, and keep your eye on where you want to go. Remember all of the hard work, sweat, and determination you’ve invested to get to where you are now. In the past, you might have lost control around certain foods or spent lots of time being sedentary, which might have led to the weight gain. But if you’re currently at a weight where you feel great, ask yourself, “How did I get here?” Chances are you arrived by saying no to indulgences, by making healthy choices more often than not, and by getting moving on a regular basis. Keep in mind that you didn’t reach your goal by making perfect choices about food and exercise all the time—just most of the time. None of us can avoid every single trigger food or resist every single offer of dessert or a second helping. Aim for balance, not perfection.
I’m in a terrible cycle. I am good about healthy eating for a while, then after a while, I inevitably end up feeling entitled to reward myself with the treats that I’ve been depriving myself of. Then I overindulge and end up destroying the progress I’ve made. What do I do? Think it through. If you just worked out for an hour and at the end of the workout, someone offered you a supersize serving of french fries, would you have it? Probably not. That’s because you’d be very aware that you’d be undoing all the progress you just sweated so hard to make. At the end of the day, we all have to learn how to strike the balance between knowing when to indulge and when to restrain ourselves. If you’ve been busting your butt because you didn’t like how you looked, how you felt, or how hard it was to do any physical activity, don’t undo all of your hours of sweat and sacrifice. Certainly, there is always room for indulging on occasion, but there’s a huge difference between that and completely falling off the wagon.
We do need to celebrate our efforts—and our successes—in order to keep up the good work. Otherwise, it’s too easy to dwell on the negative. But there are many other ways to “treat” yourself for all your diligence and hard work. Incentivize yourself with a new pair of jeans that fit your new figure, since your others are too big. Get some new running shoes, because you put too many miles on your last pair. Get a new haircut to match your new figure. Treat yourself to a massage to ease your sore muscles, or a manicure and pedicure. Whatever reward you choose, make sure that it nourishes and encourages your healthy habits—and weight—in the future rather than reversing all the hard work you did.
How often is it okay to indulge? Every day? Every week? Special occasions like birthdays, etc.? I am restricting my food but I am constantly feeling deprived. Then I end up ultimately justifying treats and losing control because I feel like I deserve it after so much deprivation. What do I do? It’s only natural to feel deprived when you are constantly saying no to your favorite foods. While some people may find that they do best on an “all-or-nothing” kick and simply must eliminate their trigger foods altogether, the majority finds that to reach their long-term weight-loss goals, they have to allow for a few treats now and then. This is fine to do. But set for yourself; a certain number of calories, or a certain number of days per week, or only on holidays. Pick a limit that you can stick with and feel good about. If you notice that over time you’ve allowed yourself more calories and more and more occasions for treats, then it might be time to try a no-treats detox for a few days, simply to get back on track.
What happens when I do fall off the wagon? I get frustrated and tempted to give up altogether, because it all feels too difficult and too overwhelming. What do I do? If you do get off track, acknowledge it and get back on as soon as possible. Ask yourself: Am I going to keep overdoing it? And ultimately regain the weight? Or am I going to get back on track and try again? Give yourself a deadline to restart your healthy-eating effort. When that time arrives, press the reset button and start again. You can’t rewrite the past, but you can control the future by taking the reins over what you do in this moment. And it is never too late to start again and make a healthy choice that will improve your physical health and self-image.
I often overeat—or eat unhealthy things—because I feel emotional. Sometimes it’s when I’m sad, angry, bored, depressed, lonely, or tired, or even when I feel excited and happy. Sometimes it happens so quickly I feel helpless to stop it. How do I avoid it? One way to avoid letting strong emotions prompt eating decisions that you regret is to avoid situations where you’re going to be likely to act out in this way. Leave the room, step outside, or do anything you can think of to break the momentum between the strong emotion and your reach for the refrigerator door. Write down 10 things you can do when you are feeling very emotional and have been prone to overeat in the past. This list needs to include simple tasks that would genuinely offer you relief, distract you, be easy to do on the spot, and break the momentum, but that don’t leave you with the hangover of regret (and unwelcome news on the scale). For instance, you might clean the bathroom, make some scrapbook pages, take the dog for a walk, vacuum, step outside and look at the sky, count to 10, call or write a letter to a friend, pick up a favorite book, etc. Avoid making any of these tasks too big or so overwhelming that they’re too daunting to try.
How often should I get on the scale? I don’t want to let it ruin my day, and yet I don’t want to fall off the wagon completely. It’s a good idea to get on the scale once a week and at the same time of the day each time. Hop on the scale in the early morning, after you’ve used the restroom. The readout will be the most accurate, because during the day your weight will fluctuate depending on what you ate (salty foods?) and what you drank (too much water?). It’s best not to get on the scale multiple times a day; the wide fluctuations are not only false, they’re not good for your ego either.
The idea of eating healthy and exercising and losing all the weight I need to lose is just so daunting. I don’t know where to begin, and it’s easier to just say “I don’t care.” I’ve been eating this way for so long, and I fear and doubt I’ll be able to do it. How do I start? Take it in baby steps. Set a small goal for yourself. Research shows that even minimal weight loss—such as 5 to 10 percent of your body weight—can improve your health and reduce your risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. This means that if you weigh 200 pounds, you might think that you need to lose 50 pounds to be at your goal weight, but you need lose only 10 pounds to be closer to better health. This is much more doable. So set yourself some goals and make them reasonable. If they are too grandiose, you’re likely to fail and give up. But when the goal is achievable—say 1 pound a week or maybe ½ pound a week, you’ll be able to get a confidence boost as you meet the goal (and maybe even surpass it). And keep in mind that sometimes our markers of success don’t need to be the number on the scale. Maybe you need to improve your cholesterol by eating less saturated fat. Or maybe you need to reduce your blood pressure and so start eating more foods with potassium and less salt. Start with one meal, one day at a time.
You might try a clean-eating day in which you avoid—for just 24 hours—the food items and lifestyle choices that are derailing your fitness and performance goals. Maybe your trigger is alcohol, maybe it’s ice cream, maybe it’s huge bowls of pasta. Whatever it is (and it could be multiple items), set aside a time frame (say, 24 hours) to completely avoid this trigger. If you feel better after this time, then expand this clean-eating day to include not only your trigger foods but any food that’s not whole, not pure, and essentially not good for you. What should you avoid? Any processed foods, convenience items, or foods with a laundry list of ingredients. For just one day, maybe more, promise yourself that you will eat clean and focus on quality calories that do something for your body, your health, and your confidence. A clean-eating day is sometimes just the jump-start you need to get back on track when your dieting efforts go away.
Soft Drinks
When you do stop downing the sodas, you’ll likely feel better and you might be surprised cravings for it will subside. You might also experience another positive side effect—weight loss. When you regularly drink regular (nondiet) soda, you’re drinking hundreds of calories that are devoid of nutrients. Research has shown that your body doesn’t recognize the energy you drink in soda. That means after you drink it, you’re not full and you’re still hungry, even though you just consumed a meal’s worth of calories!
Sure, diet soda saves you the calories. And the majority of research suggests it doesn’t affect metabolism or appetite, but many people find that they lose weight when they drop diet soda.
But that doesn’t make it any easier to kick the habit. If you’re trying to stop drinking so many soft drinks, it’s important to have a plan in place for how you’re going to satisfy your thirst and your craving for flavor. Here are a few options to consider.
• Water flavored with slices of any of the following: lemon, lime, cucumber, mint, watermelon (consider keeping this mix in your fridge)
• Herbal/black/green tea. Add a hint of honey if needed.
• Low-fat milk
• Coffee—regular or decaf with a splash of low-fat milk (optional)
• Water with a hint of fruit juice
Promise yourself that you will not drink soda for a short period of time, like a day or a week and see how it goes. In that time, try out some of the beverages listed here. Chances are you’ll feel better, the cravings will subside.
SHOULD I TAKE VITAMINS?
Most nutrients should come from real food. Why? Real food offers a host of nutrients—and health benefits—that you won’t find in any pill. That said, in some cases there is a real need for vitamin supplementation. Research shows that certain populations—including pregnant and nursing women, women of childbearing age, endurance athletes, and vegans—have a greater need for nutrients and are at risk for certain vitamin and nutrient deficiencies.
And research shows that most people don’t get enough vitamin D (which boosts bone health because it helps the body absorb calcium) or omega-3 fatty acids (important for heart health). People who run a lot tend to be deficient in calcium, zinc, iron, and other nutrients.
But there’s no need to rush out and stock up on supplements just yet—unless your doctor has specifically recommended it. Popping individual vitamin pills may lead to overdosing on certain nutrients, which can have harmful side effects.
That said, almost all people can benefit from a basic daily multivitamin. These pills are like an insurance policy. They ensure that you get the nutrients your food isn’t providing, and any nutrients you don’t need will be flushed out of your body when you go to the bathroom.
You may not need a multivitamin if you consume a lot of meal replacements—like energy bars or shakes. Those items are fortified with all sorts of vitamins and minerals.
So which brand is best? Look for a product that is manufactured by a reputable company and has been lab tested for purity. Many of these pills carry the seal of the USP (US Pharmacopia), but not all do. Choose a vitamin that meets close to 100 percent of your daily needs (100 percent of Daily Value) in one dose or two. Don’t buy into a supplement that says it will help you lose weight. Those types of products may have harmful stimulants and side effects.
ESSAY
SOBRIETY TEST
By Caleb Daniloff, Runner’s World contributing editor
On most days from the ages of 15 to 29, I was either drunk or hungover, usually both. Drunkenness was my calling, and I worked hard at it—at bars, on the streets, behind the wheel. Needless to say, the only part of me that ran back then was my mouth, whether I was begging for a drink, fighting with a girlfriend, or trying to cajole a store clerk who had caught me stuffing a bottle of wine down my pants.
It’s been 9 years since I last wiped Budweiser foam from my lips. I don’t wake up hungover anymore, but I do wake up haunted—by who I used to be, by the people I’ve done wrong. On the days I don’t run, it’s worse.
Down by the river, the rain was coming down in sheets. The dirt paths were filled with long puddles. My gloves and socks were soaked, and without my glasses, the horizon was a blur. I just had to keep moving, one sloshing step at a time.
During my drinking career, I had been court-ordered to AA meetings, drug counselors, and group therapy, and I’d developed an aversion to these settings. So when I finally quit the bottle, I chose to go it alone, and at first, muscling through seemed to work. But as each sober year passed, the details of my offenses were dissolving, while my guilt calcified. The past had become a hard lump in my throat.
When I took up running, I discovered a powerful healing agent—a therapist’s couch, confessional, and pharmacy counter rolled into one. The head space that opened up during my predawn runs allowed me to embrace all the people I used to be, even the ugly ones, replacing callousness and narcissism with humility and clarity. I found not only a new central rhythm to my life, but a forum in which to confront myself.
Was it cowardly to write apology letters rather than look people in the eye? Have I avoided AA all these years because I’m afraid to say “I’m an alcoholic” in a roomful of people? The concrete sidewalk represented the hard facts I had to accept—that I’d cheated on girlfriends and abandoned friends. The bottle-strewn homeless camps I saw were cautionary tales.
Every lung-squeezing hill reminded me of the pain that precedes reward. One foot in front of the other, one run at a time. My apologies to those I’d harmed were all drafted at 6 miles per hour.
Some might suggest I’ve simply swapped one addiction for another. Yes, there is the swoon of endorphins, but what I’m hooked on is forward motion and progress, on overcoming and becoming. With its demand on the body and mind, there’s no room for false thoughts. I sweat out my anxieties and insecurities and parse through job and family challenges instead of drowning them in booze. Grinding out miles has never turned me into a monster, never once filled me with shame or regret.
I don’t know whether I’ll ever fully calm the waters of my past, but the steady drumbeat of my feet on the ground and my arms sawing through the rain help. For an hour at a time, I arrive at a place where I can throw my arm around that shy, insecure 15-year-old boy, where I can sit down that cocky 22-year-old, and where I can try to forgive the 38-year-old with sore ankles and sweat stinging his eyes.
No longer am I running from my demons. We pace each other, the past and me. And some days, I go faster.16