Getting to a healthy weight takes discipline
Reported November 02, 2009
Rene Balderas, coowner of a San Antonio interior design company, knows his weight to the pound, but that wasnt always the case. I wasnt into weighing myself, I was trying to ignore the problem, but Im pretty sure I was 230 plus, he said last week.
Balderas was profiled in this column last year. His story is an inspiration for readers seeking a healthier lifestyle, but still searching for the way forward. At 42, Balderas vowed to end a life of overeating and a high fat, Tex-Mex diet. That decision, coupled with Balderas love of cycling, created the necessary circumstances for him to embrace a new level of wellness and fitness. It also meant learning basic nutrition, and forgoing junk food, as well as fried foods, sweets and large portions of carbohydrates.
Balderas weighs almost 50 pound less than he did this time last year. Thats dramatic progress. But there are no secrets or shortcuts. Hes done it with discipline, but also with the natural high that comes with setting and achieving a life-changing goal.
Recently I invited readers to keep a food journal as a way of tracking their food and beverage consumption. Balderas recently handed over a seven-day food diary for my review.
Heres my assessment: Balderas has made terrific progress. He currently weighs 183 pounds and is 510. His body mass index (BMI) is 26, just above the ideal range of 18.5 to 24.9.
His new goal is to lose a bit less than 10 percent more of his current body weight to attain a healthy weight and further reduce health risks.
To his credit, Balderas eats breakfast each morning. But he starts his day with a bowl of Smart Start Cinnamon Raisin cereal, a good choice in name only. A smarter choice would be to find a cereal with more fiber and less sugar. Balderas should break the habit of adding an extra teaspoon of sugar on top of the 15 grams per serving the cereal already contains.
Eating cereal for breakfast is a great way to meet your daily fiber needs if you choose cereals made with whole grains. Read the package label and make sure it says 100 percent whole wheat.
Making such a choice will help Balderas reach the guidelines for men under 50 of 38 grams of fiber daily. Women under 50 require 25 grams of fiber per day.
Balderas met or exceeded recommendations to consume at least five daily servings of fruits and vegetables on the weekends, but did less well during the work week. Adding fruit to his cereal could satisfy his sugar craving. Forgoing iceberg lettuce for a green lettuce variety will increase his nutrient intakes while adding vegetables into entrees and as side dishes will help him eat more vegetables during the week.
When it comes time for a snack, he should eat more nutrient-dense snacks rather than potato chips or other processed foods. Try whole grain crackers with hummus, celery and peanut butter, or apple slices and popcorn.
The Balderas activity calendar includes the Halloween weekend Tour de Gruene cycling event and, this month, the San Antonio Rock ‘n’ Roll half marathon. Balderas is on his way to a great finish at year’s end. Start now and in a year you might find yourself charting the same wonderful progress.
Siobhan Walsh is a registered dietitian. Her Smart Choices column appears every other Monday in SA Life.
Source : www.mysanantonio.com