Keeping it Off - Through BIG Life Events

TIS the season to get married...at least for a large handful of my closest friends. I couldn't help to think that they all will start participating in 'loose it for the wedding' type fitness classes. In some cruel way I think, why can't you have that attitude all the time? Be fit and be happy! But for most people, that's just not the case and a lot of the time, it has nothing to do with will power. But for those of you that have will power, here are some tips or reminders on how to keep it off during life's big events (that includes babies. which I'm pretty sure comes after marriage and sitting in a tree).

Several Fat Traps: Getting Married, The Holidays, Having a Baby, and Menopause. 

Several Tips to Avoid the Traps:

A: Getting Married
1. PORTION CONTROL: Women tend to eat more when dining with their significant other, than when they eat with a handful of girls. As a general rule, you should keep to the dietary guidelines portion suggestions OR eat  fist full of carbs, a palm-full of protein, healthy fat and fill your plate with non-starchy vegetables. Another great tip is to use smaller plates: no, not the bread plate - but the salad plate - the middle sized plate that you probably never use. In my life, I have to use portion control DAILY. My significant other eats over 3,000 calories a day (where I lean more towards the 1200-1600 calorie/day). I eat off the salad plate, and he eats off the diner plate. End of story and end of him mocking me for eating 'nothing'.

2. LEAVE THE HOUSE: Be social, go to the gym, go the beach, get a dog - and walk it. Once you move in together or get hitched, it may feel like something has to give. Keep your girl time by making gym dates (not always food dates). And bring your man along with for some good old fashioned man time.

3. NO MO' DRAMA: Alternate days to choose dinner - just because he likes Steak and Potatoes every day, doesn't mean you have to eat it. Trust me - if my man had the control on dinner every night, I'd weigh 300lbs. Instead, I ask for his recommendations and then make it healthy. He might complain, but by the end of the meal (when his plate is clean and there is a look of contentment on his face) I know I've done good for all. It's ok to cheat - but cheating is the exception, not the rule.


4. HONEYMOON DONT'S: Don't forget to go on a jog, or a swim, or something active every day (this can include sex). A lot of couples stop their aggressive work out habits at the honeymoon, and from there can gain 6-10 pounds of additional, permanent weight. Keep up your hard work through out the year. You'll be happy you did for when the holiday's come around.

B: Holidays
1. SWEAT MORE: Bump up the intensity during the holidays. We all become indoor creatures of habits because it's cold outside - but that doesn't mean you have to pack on the pounds.  Holidays usually mean LOTS and LOTS of calories you don't eat regularly. If your regular diet gets blown out of control, you have to pump up the iron (or the jams) to thwart off the extra pounds. Seems simple but if calories in = calories expended, you'll maintain weight. If calories in is greater than calories expended...they'll add up on your waist line.

2. NO DOGGIE BAGS: Grazing on leftovers for weeks will do you in! Save treats for the special events. You DO NOT have to eat that pumpkin pie until it's gone. Trust me.

3. DRINK LESS: Booze = extra empty calories. IT might be fun, but try to keep your limit to 2-3 or one per day.

C: Having a Baby
A married woman who has a baby gains an average of 20 lbs over 10 years according to the AJPM. Women also face an average of 7% increased risk of obesity over a lifetime per child born. That means, after three kids you have a 21% increased risk of developing obesity. Pregnancy increases insulin production and accumulation of fat. Beat those states with the following rules:

1. EAT: you need to eat every three hours, otherwise, you'll get worn out and famished, and binge!

2. EAT WHAT IS YOURS: Don't eat your kids' food. Stock healthy foods with low prep time, like canned tuna and frozen vegetables.

3. BURN: Breast feeding can burn an extra 300 calories per day - but that's just an extra half pound per week. You still need to exercise regularly and eat right to get your body back. Keep working!

Childhood Obesity & Ethnicity Correlation

Up to 1/3 of the childhood population has a BMI greater than 85% for age and more than half of these children have a BMI greater than 95%. Obesity is a serious health concern for children and adolescents. According to the CDC, the percent over overweight children from ages 6-19 rose to over 11% from 1963 to 2002. 

In a recent NHANES survey, it was found that obesity prevalence among children and adolescents showed no significant changes between 2003-4 and 2005-6. Based on that study, 16.3% of children and adolescents from 2-19 were obese, at or above the 95^th percentile of the 2000 BMI for age growth charts. A normal BMI is 18.5-24.9, overweight is 25.29.9 and obese is over 30. Data from the NHANES surveys (’76-80 and ’03-06) show that the prevalence of obesity has increased: for children aged 2-5 years, prevalence increased from 5% to 12.4%; for those aged 6-11, prevalence increased from 6.5% to 17%; and those aged 12-19 years, prevalence increased from 5% to 17.6%. In the past two years, however, it has not significantly increased. 

One of the national health objectives for 2010 was to reduce the prevalence of overweight from the NHANES III baseline of 11%. However, the NHANES 1999-2002 overweight estimates suggest that since 1994, overweight youths has not leveled off or decreased, and is increasing.  NHANES has shown that adolescent non-Hispanic black boys experienced the largest increase in the prevalence of obesity (12.2%) compared to the increase among Mexican American (7%) and non-Hispanic white boys (4.4%).  Mexican-American children ages 6-11 were more likely to be overweight (22%) than non-Hispanic black children (20%) and non-Hispanic white children (14%). In addition to the 16% of children and teens ages 6-19 who were overweight in 1999-2002, another 15% were considered at risk of becoming overweight (a BMI for age between 85^th and 95^th percentiles. 

Minority populations in 2003-04 were at greater risk of being obese or overweight than non-minorities. Mexican and African American children aged 2-10 who had BMI values greater than 85% made up 37% and 35.1% of these populations of children compared to non-Hispanic white children of the same age and range, who made up 33.5% of these populations. 

Expert panel recommendation includes the following:

1)      Structure of the home environment to make healthy food choices easily available and remove accessibility to tempting energy dense foods – don’t bring it in the house and you won’t eat it. Or buy smaller portion size treats.

2)      Parents, family and caregivers should be good examples and consume healthy foods themselves, to avoid ‘do as I say, not as I do” mentality.

3)      Caregivers should be consistent in the practice of these healthful feeding styles.

4)      Avoid food as a reward (especially for good behavior). Use time spent together playing outside or completing an activity together as a reward instead.

5)      Establish daily meal and snack times.

6)      As a caregiver, decide which foods will be provided to the child and when. It’s up to the child to decide how much to eat.