American Medical Association Family Medical Guide - American Medical Association [47]
About three fourths of the calories you burn every day are used to meet your body’s basic needs—sleeping, digesting food, and breathing. Any additional physical activity will burn extra calories. You use only a small number of calories when you sit quietly, but you can burn many more when you walk, ride a bike, jog, swim, lift weights, or play tennis. Engaged in the same activity, a heavier person burns more calories per minute than a lighter person does. For example, a person who weighs 150 pounds burns one third more calories than does a person who weighs 100 pounds. Working harder or faster at a given activity only slightly increases the number of calories you burn. Increasing the amount of time you spend on the activity is a better way to burn more calories.
WARNING!
Over-the-Counter Weight-Loss Drugs
Many over-the-counter weight-loss drugs contain phenylpropanolamine (PPA), which is also found in some over-the-counter nasal decongestants. (In 2004, the FDA banned the use of ephedra, also called ma huang, in over-the-counter products.) PPA can increase the risk of stroke from bleeding in the brain. Read all package labels carefully, and do not buy any over-the-counter drugs that contain PPA.
If you plan to start a weight-loss program to lose more than 20 pounds, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor first, especially if you have a health problem, are significantly overweight, or have been inactive for a long time. In the meantime, here are a few helpful suggestions for successful weight loss:
• Get support from friends and family.
• Focus on the many positive health benefits you will get from losing weight.
• Eat smaller, more frequent meals.
• Don’t skip meals, especially breakfast.
• Set reasonable goals.
• Make gradual changes in your diet and level of physical activity.
• Exercise for at least 1 hour each day.
If You Are Underweight
Some people are underweight because of an eating disorder (see page 725) or because they have a condition, such as cancer, that causes weight loss. Because they need to maintain their weight or even add pounds, they have to take in more calories each day than they burn.
If you are underweight, you can do a number of things to gain additional pounds. Choose high-calorie foods, but make sure that they are rich in nutrients; good examples are peanut butter, cheese, and milk shakes. Eat high-calorie fruits such as bananas, dried fruit, and canned fruit in syrup. Eat high-calorie vegetables such as olives, avocados, and corn. Eat two or three snacks between the three main meals of your day, but leave plenty of time between your meals and snacks so that you don’t feel stuffed.
Add extra calories to your meals by using milk instead of water in soups and sauces. Put a slice of cheese over a baked potato or on your sandwich. Mix wheat germ or powdered milk into casseroles. Make high-calorie shakes with fruit juice, yogurt, and bananas, or buy liquid nutritional supplements.
4
Reducing Stress
The stress response is how the body reacts to threatening, overwhelming, or challenging circumstances. People can experience stress in many different types of situations, positive or negative. Some types of stress—the kind you experience when training for an athletic event, practicing for a piano recital, or meeting a deadline at work—can be useful because you learn or benefit from the experience. Other types of stress—losing a job or being unable to pay your bills—can be emotionally devastating and can affect your health.
The length of time stress lasts is the major factor in how harmful it can be to your health. Acute stress can be severe, but it doesn’t last very long. You may have a tight deadline at work, but as soon as it’s over, your body recovers from the pressure. In