Weight Self-Management

Dear Readers, We are super excited to introduce our very first issue of Weight Self-Management! During my many years in publishing, I have had the pleasure of launching several special interest publications and new titles on myriad topics. I am particularly excited about Weight Self-Management. This title has been a labor of love for our entire team. Our Wellness titles have millions of readers, many of whom have provided us thoughtful feedback. Our 30+ years of knowledge and expertise publishing Diabetes Self-Management, coupled with what we have learned from our loyal audience, has given this title life. Our reader surveys have shown that most of us don’t have time to get to the gym every day. Balancing work, family and home often leaves little time to take care of ourselves.…

Whether you want to lose 20 pounds or 200, you will need to make lifestyle changes to achieve your weight-loss goal. You probably already know at least some of those necessary changes: cutting back on caloric drinks including soda, fruit juice, sports drinks and maybe even milk; being mindful of portion size; increasing your fruit, vegetable and fiber-rich food intake; and eliminating processed foods, including processed meats. You also may be familiar with the need to eat enough dairy foods, some proteins and fats and to ensure a mix of all foods in your diet. SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS But here is one of the most important nuggets: It is crucial to set realistic expectations. Amy Fischl, a registered dietitian at The University of Chicago Medical Center, stressed if a person…

“Eating stresses me out sometimes,” said Jenny, a 42-year-old department store manager who describes herself as somewhat out of shape. “I worry about my food. Is it good for me? Will it make me fat? Raise my blood pressure? Maybe that’s why I eat so fast. I can’t say I enjoy eating anymore.” Does Jenny’s story sound familiar? Modern culture, particularly the diet culture, can make food the enemy. It becomes something to worry about, not something to cherish and enjoy. When eating becomes a source of stress instead of a source of life, we have lost one of life’s great pleasures and weakened a vital connection to the world. According to Michelle May, M.D., founder of the website Am I Hungry, stress caused by a hostile relationship with food…

When we struggle with our weight-loss efforts, often our first thought is to find that stash of candy hidden in the back of the kitchen cabinet or the carton of ice cream tucked deep inside the freezer. But the real culprit could be clutter. According to the new Syracuse Study, spearheaded by Brian Wansink, Ph.D., director of Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab, and published in the journal Health, Education and Behavior, researchers found the combination of stress and a messy kitchen environment can lead to more snacking and therefore to increased calorie consumption. The good news? A few simple tips, tricks and techniques to organize your kitchen can help you focus on clean, healthy cooking and put you on the road to weight loss. First, take a moment to…

FRUIT SERVING One small apple or medium orange is the size of a tennis ball. PROTEIN SERVING 3 ounces of skinless chicken, fish or meat is the size of a deck of cards, smartphone or the palm of your hand. GRAINS(SUCH AS COOKED PASTA, RICE OR QUINOA) One portion is the size of an orange or your fist with your fingers tucked in. VEGETABLES 1 cup of cooked vegetables is the size of a baseball or an old-fashioned light bulb. CHEESE A 1-ounce serving is the size of a matchbox or breath mint container. LOW-FAT MILK One 8-ounce serving is equal to the size of one coffee cup (not mug). NUTS A 1-ounce serving is equal to the size of a shot glass. BEANS AND LEGUMES A ½ cup serving…

In the quest for health, popular fads — and even reasoned (but incorrect) science — have led us down blind alleys that ended up causing us more harm than good. Take fat. A fear of fat, based on clinical recommendations to eat low-fat foods, led health seekers to remove chicken skin, avoid red meats, switch from butter to margarine, boil pork and eat only lean protein for years. The results? Decades of low-fat diets have been tied to increasingly poor health outcomes and burgeoning obesity rates for Americans. But the tide is changing. New research is challenging our old ideas about fat and, believe it or not, it’s beginning to look like “fat and happy” is the healthy way to go. As long as it’s the right kind of fat.…