Food and Fitness for Weight Control

By Kyle Roderick
ThirdAge Staff

More than 55 percent of all Americans are overweight. At any given mealtime, one-fourth of men and almost half of all women are trying to lose weight. If you think the answer is a low-calorie diet, think again. The answer involves eating a healthy low-fat diet and exercising on a regular basis.

"If you want to have a healthful eating style, you need to burn enough calories to be able to eat a reasonable amount of food," writes Felicia Busch, M.P.H., R.D., F.A.D.A., author of The New Nutrition (Wiley, 2000). "Too often we think of balancing the calorie equation by cutting back on food intake. It's time to refocus on the other side of the equation -- the output or expenditure of calories."

Toward that end, an efficient way to boost metabolism and thus burn calories is by doing resistance training, or weight training exercises. For example, you may lift weights, jog while wearing ankle weights or perform Pilates exercises, which involve resistance yet are designed to avoid joint strain. Another way to ensure efficient exercise is to work out for longer periods at your usual intensity. (Exercising more vigorously at any given workout may not increase the calories you burn by significant amounts, writes Busch.)

Keep in mind that excess calories from fat are more fattening than extra carbohydrate calories. While the body has a limited ability to convert carbohydrates into body fat, it can continue storing fat calories long after being diagnosed as obese.

The next time you contemplate scarfing down a few handfuls of potato chips, realize that if you eat 100 excess calories from fat, 97 of them will be converted to body fat. Eat a bowl of cereal instead, and you'll consume 100 extra calories from carbohydrates. However, only 77 of them will turn into fat, while the rest will be used for energy.