Heather McCracken UCSD Nutritionist

OK. More than two weeks of the new year is over and maybe that resolution to lose those holiday pounds, to find your ideal weight, or to at least maintain an acceptable weight also may be over. But UCSD nutritionist Heather McCracken urges you not to give up on your resolutions too fast. Losing weight and getting in shape can be readily accomplished, she says, if you are armed with some basic weight-loss facts.

It all boils down to two basics:
diet and exercise.

No matter what programs may be "out there" on weight reduction, McCracken says, maintaining and losing weight amount to being conscious of and regulating diet and exercise. "To maintain weight, your calorie intake and calorie expenditure should be the same," says McCracken. "To lose weight, you need to decrease calorie intake and increase activity."

Simple basics. First, to diet.

McCracken says it is important to pay attention to just how much your are eating. "All foods can fit into a healthy diet," says McCracken. "It is a matter of portion size and moderation."

If you want to downsize your body, downsize your portions. A daily diet should include two servings of milk products and five servings of fruits and vegetables. When having soups, choose broth-based soups, as opposed to creamy soups. Choose high-fiber, whole-grain foods such as in cereals, whole wheat bread, brown rice, and whole wheat pasta. Choose lean protein-rich foods such as chicken, turkey, fish, lean ground beef and, when having steak, cut off all visible fat. Take a daily multivitamin. Drink at least eight glasses of water per day.

Yes, eight glasses. "I drink 10 or 12," says McCracken. "It flushes out excess sodium and byproducts of fat breakdown. It helps with the joints. It's better for exercising, and sometimes, drinking a glass of water can satisfy a feeling of hunger."
Food and drinks to limit or avoid include alcohol and high-sugar and high-fat foods, such as sodas, punches, fruit drinks, candy, cake, cookies, fried food, donuts, and fast food.

"This doesn't mean that you must go totally without something that is a treat for you," says McCracken. "You might set aside 100 free calories per day to do with what you want. Have a fun-size Snickers bar or a favorite cookie or air-popped popcorn."

McCracken says if there is something you really like, go for the real thing, rather than an artificial or sugar-free/fat-free substitute, but have a smaller portion and less frequently.

"Take time to savor that special treat," McCracken says, "and don't feel guilty."

McCracken encourages experimenting and trying different foods and says that reading labels is key to keeping track of the nutrition value and caloric content of foods.

As for portion sizes, here are a few examples: Fruits, 1 serving, a medium piece of fresh fruit or 6 ounces of fruit juice; vegetables, 1 serving, one cup of raw leafy greens or a half cup chopped raw or cooked vegetables; whole grains, 1 serving, a slice of whole grain bread or a half cup cooked hot cereal or 1 ounce cold cereal; lean meats and alternatives, 1 serving, three ounces skinless chicken or turkey breast or a half cup fat free cottage cheese; and fats, 1 serving, two teaspoons peanut butter or one tablespoon salad dressing.

Second basic, exercise.

“Ideally, we should exercise at least 30 minutes a day five or six times a week,” says McCracken. “Find out what you enjoy and do it. Walking, hiking, swimming, racquetball, tennis. Go with a buddy. Start out maybe twice a week and gradually build up, making small changes at a time.”
McCracken cautions that if you start out like gangbusters and commit to exercise six times a week, you may suffer both from soreness from overdoing it and/or burnout before you ever get in gear. Easy does it. Examples of caloric energy expenditure during physical activities include, for someone 120 pounds, walking, 4 mph, 51 calories for 10 minutes, 308 calories for one hour; bicycling, 6 mph, 35 calories for 10 minutes, 210 calories for one hour; aerobic dancing, 92 calories for 10 minutes, 553 calories for one hour, and running or jogging, 5 mph, 74 calories for 10 minutes, 442 calories for one hour. For someone 150 pounds, walking, 4 mph, 64 calories for 10 minutes, 385 calories for one hour; bicycling, 6 mph, 44 calories for 10 minutes, 262 calories for one hour; aerobic dancing, 115 calories for 10 minutes, 691 calories for one hour, and running or jogging, 5 mph, 92 calories for 10 minutes, 552 calories for one hour.

However you lose the calories, McCracken points out that you cannot "spot reduce." She says that genetics plays a large part in the shape of your body. Though you cannot change the basic structure, with diet and exercise you can learn to make the most advantageous use of the genes you have been dealt.

For overall fitness, not just to lose or maintain weight, McCracken urges reaching a target heart rate and maintaining that level of intensity for at least 20 minutes - be that in jogging/running, aerobic dancing, cycling or whatever your choice. This should be in addition to your regular daily 30 minutes of activity as you progress in your exercise regimen. This aerobic conditioning will improve the functioning of the heart and lungs.

And finally, strengthening exercises, with free weights or weight machines, add to a well-rounded fitness program. These levels of activities can all be reached in due time, as you gradually - and successfully - make your way toward a program fit for your needs.

A definite regimen to avoid, says McCracken, is the starvation diet of 400 to 600 calories a day, no exercise included, where 68 percent of lean body mass is lost, while only 32 percent of body fat is lost. In comparison, when eating foods greater than 1,000 calories a day and including exercise, only 21 percent of lean body mass is lost, while 79 percent of body fat is lost.

McCracken says that physical activity is probably the most important component in maintaining lost weight - and in maintaining muscle.

In the future, like next quarter, should you decide you would like structure and support in your quest for weight loss/maintenance and regular exercise, UCSD Recreation offers a personal wellness program each quarter for faculty/staff and one for students. It meets once a week with a personal trainer.

If you still need a dose of scare tactics to motivate you, consider this: According to the Mayo Clinic Health Letter, 300,000 deaths a year in the United States can be linked to obesity; 61 percent of Americans are overweight or obese, and Americans spend over $34 billion a year on weight-loss products and services.

In its coverage of "Weight Control: What Works and Why," the Mayo Clinic Health Letter says we are fighting the battle of the bulge, but losing, then asks why, offering food for thought.

"Simply eating too much and not being active enough is the cause of most obesity," the letter states. "But our approach may also be part of the problem. We tend to concentrate on losing pounds to improve appearance, when the primary focus of weight management should be to achieve and maintain health."