Weight-loss tips for men: Listen to your body

　　I wrote, “Eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full – a simple piece of advice”. But is it that easy?
A reader commented on that tip which I included in the June 2009 issue of Healthy Food Guide magazine.They said this wasn’t good advice for weight-loss because it’s near impossible to trust your appetite when you are trying to lose weight.
When I was over 130kg, if someone had told me I should “eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full”, there’s no doubt I would have had a similar reaction – in fact I still feel that way sometimes! But if you ask a bloke who has never struggled with weight and body image issues, this tip is just commonsense.

The difference is in the function of a person’s appestat (that part of your brain that tells you when you are hungry and full). In my view, this ‘appestat’ is both physical and psychological: although we have physical hunger and fullness cues, we can confuse physical hunger with some other type of desire – favourites for men include relieving boredom, anxiety, anger or frustration. The function of the physical side of the appestat is the basis of the normal ‘portion control’ weight-loss advice as this will give your body a chance to physically register the food and respond with a physical signal of fullness.
This can work but it’s not ideal advice for everyone as portion control will certainly not satisfy psychological hunger. This is not to say I don’t attempt to control portions – it’s just that sometimes I don’t have enough food and other times I have too much, and these days I try to let my body tell me which is which.
Recognising feelings of hunger and fullness is a fraught business, and it can be tricky explaining to those trying to lose weight what people who have never had weight issues experience. By allowing your body to call the shots I think you can reinstate the function of your physical and psychological appestat (most of the time) and develop a relationship with food that feels more natural.

Weight Loss Surgery’s Family Effects

　　In the study, researchers observed the weight and lifestyle changes of 35 people who had gastric bypass weight loss surgery and their families, including 35 adult family members and 15 children under age 18.
One year following the bariatric surgery, the weight loss in the patients was typical for those who undergo weight loss surgery, about 100 pounds.
When researchers then looked at obese adult family members they also found a significant weight loss, from an average of 234 to 226 pounds. In addition, average waist circumference decreased among obese adult family members.
The study also showed that obese children of people who had weight loss surgery had a lower than expected BMI (body mass index) for their growth curve one year later after the surgery, but this was not considered significant. BMI is a ratio of weight in relation to height used to indicate obesity.
One year after the weight loss surgery, the study showed the people who underwent surgery and their family members had adopted healthier lifestyle habits. For example:
People who had a gastric bypass increased their mental control of eating and decreased uncontrolled and emotional eating.
Adult family members of people who had weight loss surgery also decreased uncontrolled and emotional eating.
Children of people who had bariatric surgery were twice as likely to report being on a diet.
Children had fewer hours spent watching TV and increased hours of physical activity.
"If one member of the family makes drastic lifestyle changes following surgery, it is possible that other family members will adopt similar healthy habits," the researchers write.

Nutrition for generally fit and healthy older adults

　　Research shows that remaining active can help to maintain both mental and physical health. Keeping up the activities you enjoy doing will help to maintain physical fitness and preserve muscle tissue. Preserving your strength will help to maintain your independence. Remember, activity doesn't necessarily mean joining an exercise class. Gardening, walking to the shops and housework can all count as types of activity too.
Energy requirements can decline with age, particularly if physical activity is limited, but the need for protein, vitamins and minerals remains the same. It's vital that food choices are nutritionally dense, which means you still need to eat a variety of foods to get all the vitamins and minerals you need, but with fewer calories. If you're overweight or obese, it's even more important to be calorie conscious.
Advice to restrict fat intake, particularly cutting saturated fat to improve heart health, remains true for older people who are fit and well. A dietary survey of older people showed most eat too much saturated fat. Above the age of 75, fat restriction is less likely to be beneficial, and isn't appropriate if the person is frail, has suffered weight loss or has a very small appetite. In fact, in these situations additional fat may be used to increase the calories in meals and snacks to aid weight gain. Read our tips for tackling nutritional problems for older people.
Dehydration can make people feel drowsy or confused, it's important to drink, even if this means extra trips to the toilet. The risk of dehydration can be higher in older people because their kidneys don't function as efficiently as those of younger people. Older people are also not as sensitive to the feeling of thirst. Fluid intake doesn't just mean water - it can also include such drinks as tea, coffee, fruit juice and squash.
Generally fit and healthy older people should limit foods and drinks that are rich in sugar, as it can impair dental health and contribute to weight gain when energy intake is too high. But for people who have a poor appetite, or who have lost weight, sugar-rich foods can be a useful source of calories.
Anaemia is common in older adults. Poor absorption of iron, due to changes in the gastrointestinal tract, blood loss and the use of certain drugs - together with a poor dietary intake - may be causal factors. Make sure your iron intake is sufficient by eating red meat and foods from non-meat sources (such as fortified cereals, dried fruit, pulses and green leafy vegetables) every day. Absorption of iron from a meal containing non-meat sources is maximised by consuming foods rich in vitamin C at the same time (such as a glass of fruit juice, fresh fruit or vegetables).
Zinc is needed for a healthy immune system and to support the healing of wounds including pressure ulcers. Rich sources include meat, pulses, wholemeal bread and shellfish.
Adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D may help to slow the rate of calcium loss from bones, which starts at the age of 30 and accelerates considerably in later years. Calcium-rich foods (milk and dairy foods) should be eaten every day.
Vitamin D comes mostly from exposing skin to sunlight, although some foods such as oily fish and fortified spreads and breakfast cereals contain vitamin D. As you get older it's advisable to take a vitamin D supplement, as your body isn't able to get enough from the diet and British weather alone.
Older people may have low vitamin C intakes if not consuming enough fruit and vegetables. This may be because crisp fruit and vegetables are often avoided if their teeth are in poor condition or if they have badly fitting dentures.
Regular check-ups with the dentist can help to ensure that teeth remain healthy, enabling older people to continue to enjoy a variety of foods that will help maintain overall health.

Healthy Eating Pyramid and Healthy Eating Plate

　　There are a lot of similarities between the Healthy Eating Pyramid and the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid. However, the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid is representative of a traditional diet followed by many people in Mediterranean countries such as Greece and Italy, updated in 2008 to reflect new scientific developments. The Healthy Eating Pyramid, also updated in 2008, is based on the most up-to-date research in nutrition and health, and it has a more varied dietary pattern to meet the preferences of different ethnic groups.
The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid is rich in vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, nuts, and seeds, with cheese or yogurt eaten daily in low to moderate amounts. It is low in red meat, with fish encouraged at least twice a week, and with fish, poultry and eggs replacing beef and lamb. The main sources of added fat are olive oil and nuts. Sweets are limited as occasional treats, and fresh fruit is usually served for dessert. Red wine is consumed with meals, in moderation. It also recommends daily physical activity.

The Healthy Eating Pyramid is similar to the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid in that it emphasizes plant foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains) and recommends limiting red meat and sweets. It also recommends choosing healthy sources of protein, from plant foods (nuts, seeds, beans and tofu) and from fish, poultry or eggs. Like the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid, it is built on a base of daily exercise, emphasizing the importance of weight control. But there are a few specific differences:
The Healthy Eating Pyramid has less emphasis on dairy products than the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid does, and it notes that it is fine to obtain calcium and vitamin D from a supplement rather than from dairy.
On the Healthy Eating Pyramid, potatoes and refined grains (white rice, white pasta, white bread) join sweets, red meat and butter in the "use sparingly" tip of the pyramid.
The Healthy Eating Pyramid allows for more flexibility in the diet, to accommodate cultural food choices. For example, vegans or Asians could use tofu as a protein source. Oils used are more varied, including peanut, sunflower, sesame, soy bean, and canola oil. Alcohol can be consumed from wine, beer, or spirits, as long as it is in moderation.
The Healthy Eating Pyramid recommends a daily multivitamin supplement plus extra vitamin D.