Living Healthy : Tools for Successful Weight Loss

1. Living Healthy: Tools for Successful Weight Loss Wayne Larsen CSCS B.S. Exercise and Sports Science University of Utah

2. Overview: • America’s obesity epidemic • Metabolism and energy balance • Successful weight loss – what really works? • The role of aerobic exercise • Applying the FITT principle to weight loss • Debunking a few myths!

3. America’s “Obesity Epidemic” • Health Risks • Type II diabetes • Hypertension • High cholesterol • Heart disease • Gall bladder disease • Osteoarthritis • Respiratory problems • Some cancers • Hernias • Varicose veins • Complications in surgery/preg CDC stats on obesity: • 1960: 13.4% of Americans • 1999-2000: 30.9% of Americans • Affects 1 in every 3 adults, 1 of every 6 children

4. So What Happened? • No one decides to become overweight! • Most weight gain is result of complicated changes in our environment: • Calorie-dense food more readily available • Opportunities for physical activity are lacking • Stress and other emotional triggers to eat are high • Our goals: • Increase awareness of these problems • Find workable solutions • Individual responsibility- chose to act rather than be acted upon!

5. Causes? • Physical inactivity • Modern technology has dramatically decreased the necessity to move • Busy lifestyles make time more and more scarce • Cycle of deconditioning/fatigue makes exercise less and less appealing • Estimates are that <30% of Americans exercise 30 min/day, and 40% don’t’ exercise at all

6. It all comes down to energy balance! • While many factors contribute to obesity, ultimately a positive caloric balance is the cause. • Positive energy balance • Kcals in >(RMR + Activity + TEE) • Negative energy balance • Kcals in < (RMR + Activity + TEE)

7. Balancing the energy equation: So how many calories should I take in?

8. Energy Out: your daily expenditure

9. Energy Out: your daily expenditure • Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) • Kcals/day at quiet rest • Lean body mass (muscle) is most significant determinant of RMR • Very low calorie diets reduce metabolic rate • RMR tested by measuring resting O2 uptake • Can be estimated using prediction equations

10. Energy Out: your daily expenditure • Physical Activity • Most variable AND changeable! • Includes structured exercise, lifestyle activities, and involuntary movement (i.e. fidgeting) • Increases RMR by 25-40% • Significant in weight gain/loss!

11. Energy out: your daily expenditure • Thermic effect of food • Energy required to digest, absorb, process food • Approx. 10% above total energy consumed • Fat is far less thermogenic than carbohydrate • Protein is more thermogenic than carbohydrate

12. Set-Point Theory • The set-point is a kind of “thermostat” for fat -set at higher levels for some, and lower for others. Each person’s set-point is defended by hormones that dictate hunger and metabolism. • The body cannot tell the difference between dieting and starvation; long term caloric deprivation signals the body to turn down it’s metabolic rate to maintain the set-point. Calories are burned more efficiently, so even a stringent diet may not elicit weight loss. • Exercise is the only known way to “re-set” this internal thermostat, and LOWER one’s set-point.

13. Successful Weight Loss = • Aerobic Exercise PLUS • Strength Training PLUS • Sound nutrition PLUS • Behavior modification RESULT: A NEW LIFESTYLE

14. How to determine my “ideal” body weight?(and is there such a thing?!?) • Advantages of body composition measurement • Measure fat mass and fat-free mass • Accounts for differences in denser tissues like bone, muscle • Proportion (and distribution) of fat is link to health risks • Allows for healthy and realistic weight loss goals to be set

15. Methods for measuring body composition • Skinfolds • Bioelectrical impedance • Underwater weighing • DXA (dual x-ray absorbtiometry) • The gold standard measure • Easy, comfortable to use • Quantifies fat and lean components • Tracks regional changes in fat and lean tissue, as well as whole body

16. How to determine my “ideal” body weight?(and is there such a thing?!?) • Health goals vs. appearance goals – do they coincide….? • Being thin doesn’t guarantee health • Being heavier doesn’t have to be unhealthy • Even a small weight loss (10% of body wt) can significantly decrease health risks • Physical activity and cardiovascular fitness are much more predictive of health than body weight

17. Applying the F.I.T.T. Principle to Weight Loss • Frequency: • > 5 days per week • Higher freq. = increased caloric deficit • Cross-train to minimize boredom and risk of overuse injury • Lower freq. needed to maintain a given level of fitness than to attain it

18. The F.I.T.T. Principle and Weight Loss • Intensity: • Initial intensity moderate, or HR of 50-70% • Progress to vigorous, or HR of70-80% But don’t I need to keep my heart rate in the 50-70% “fat burning zone” to lose weight?!?

19. Myth #1: The “Fat Burning Zone” Fact: A higher percentage of calories from fat are used at lower intensities Fact: Even though the percentage of calories from fat decreases with increased exercise intensity, the absolute number of fat calories rises. Fact: You don’t’ have to BURN fat to LOSE fat…a calorie burned is one less stored as fat!

20. Interval Training • Interval training refers to mixed-intensity exercise. • Intermittent, harder efforts (70-90%) of • 10 sec.-3 min. • mixed in with exercise performed at a more comfortable pace • Interval training aids weight loss • Burns more calories within the same time period than does steady-state exercise • Interval training creates a greater post-exercise caloric burn, Keeping metabolism elevated longer. • Anyone can do interval training. • Not just for athletes • Work/rest ratios can be self-determined based on RPE • Intervals can be done in any exercise mode

21. Applying the F.I.T.T. Principle to Weight Loss • Time: how long should I exercise? • ACSM: 20-60 min/day • 150 min. per week for weight loss • Data support threshold of 200 min./week as most effective (National Weight Loss Registry) • 10 min, 2-3x/day confers same health benefits as continuous ex • When it comes to weight loss/maintenance, more is better!

22. Intensity vs. Duration: which is more important? • Inverse relationship between intensity and duration • In early stage (base-building phase), duration is more important than intensity • Build duration gradually (<10%/week) • Focus is consistency; 5-7 days/week • Add intervals and increase intensity once duration of 45 min. is comfortable • Fitness easier to maintain than attain

23. Myth #2: “Working out in the morning means I can relax the rest of the day” • Termed “compensation” in weight loss research • Compensating means the caloric deficit created during exercise is rendered ineffective by decreased activity through the rest of the day • Fact: the small activities of daily life add up to significant calories burned • Fact: the less you can sit during the day, the better • Fact: fidgety people are rarely overweight!

24. Applying the F.I.T.T. Principle to Weight Loss • Type of exercise (mode) What is the “best” exercise for weight loss???

25. The Answer: The one(s) you will DO! J • Vary your routine often • Make it social! • Try NEW stuff…take risks!! • Find something you ENJOY • Set a GOAL….dream big! • Other Considerations: • Orthopedic conditions • Weather • Skill • Accessibility/convenience

26. Two more myths..... • Exercise will increase my appetite and make me eat more! FACT: Most report a decrease in appetite, and an increased awareness of “fullness” FACT: eating “more” may not be bad, it food CHOICE is better • “It takes too much exercise to burn a significant number of calories – it’s easier to just eat less” FACT: A 30 min session of exercise may only burn 300 calories FACT: Even at only 3-4x/wk, over a year creates a 13-23 lb loss FACT: Exercise becomes more effective as fitness level increases: • Increased exercise tolerance: ability to burn more calories before fatigue • Improved fat metabolism: adaptations that increase ability to burn fat • Increase in post-exercise metabolic rate • Increase in resting metabolic rate: relative to increases in lean mass