Tuesday, September 29, 2009

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I got more information and numbers. The food log for three days last week was analyzed. Good news and a lot of adjustments. First, calorie intake was below target. I get to eat more. When we started this, a maintenance calorie intake of 2,700-2,800 calories was determined. If I wanted to lose weight, we backed off 500 calories per day, thus a 2,200 calorie plan. I find that when I stay at 2,200 calories and below, I do lose weight.

Of equal, if not more, importance is the quality of the calories you eat. I have some changes to make. First, I’m consuming too much salt and not enough fruits and dairy. It appears to me that I need to substitute my salty snack for dairy and fruit snacks. Yogurt would make a good substitution.

On some days, my total fat intake is too high, even though I was within my calorie guidelines.

My vegetable intake was low, also. I’m supposed to add more veggies to my meals. Now you get the picture – watch the sodium; increase dairy, fruit and vegetables; and watch the total calories. Recall my goal is to reduce another 10 pounds, slowly, and the 2,200-calorie plan is the target. I plan to make these changes beginning today and will do another food log next week or so to see if I’m getting better focused.

You can do the same thing I did. First, keep the food log. Really be precise. I guessed on some things, and it makes it more difficult to get good information. Second, go to MyPyramid.gov and go to the MyPyramid Tracker and find out how to do food logs and how to assess them.

Finally, portion control is so important. I plan to enjoy the food I consume and will cut down on the salt and total fat intake while adding some fruit, dairy and vegetables. Keep a food log, and determine your nutritional needs.

Bill Richardson

Assessing your diet every now and then is a good idea. When you make yourself write everything down, you become aware of portion sizes you may be consuming, your snacking habits, and many other things that you may not have noticed before. Controlling portion sizes and making sure we eat a variety of foods are important for good health. Just make sure you list everything, even drinks and a bite here and there.

The MyPyramid.gov site is the most comprehensive Web site on nutrition information, and the MyPyramid diet plan is the most researched diet in the world. There are countless research scientists that have spent their lives researching a particular vitamin or a mineral and, based on years of such research, the committee makes their recommendations on a healthy eating plan. You can plan a diet; analyze your diet; and find out about portion sizes, exercise recommendations and much more. For example, MyPyramid recommends eating 2 cups of fruits and 2 ½ cups of vegetables based on the fact that they provide many vitamins and minerals and they contain antioxidant phytochemicals that can help combat chronic diseases. You can assess your own diet using the MyPyramid Tracker. It is an online dietary and physical activity assessment tool that provides information on your diet quality, physical activity status, related nutrition messages, and links to nutrient and physical activity information.

You can also listen to various podcasts about diet and nutrition information. MyPyramid.gov offers personalized eating plans and interactive tools to help you plan and assess your food choices based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. I encourage you to explore the site and find all the interactive tools they have developed.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

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The DEXA results are in and reviews are mixed. The good, the bad and the ugly!

My first DEXA was Sept. 28, 2007. My weight at that time was 244.8. My weight today was 235.4, a loss of 9.4 pounds. That much I have kept off. The low point during the past two years was 223. So while I have reduced the weight, the year off writing the blog has resulted in a weight gain. Overall, I am still pleased because in 2005, my weight had ballooned to 258. We will set some weight loss goals later on in this blog. THE GOOD!

The next item of importance is the BMI and percent body fat measurements. As I reported to you recently, I prefer for my purposes the percent body fat number. In September 2007, that number was 32.4 percent. Today it was 33.7 percent. The low during the past two years was 29.2 percent. BMI, on the other hand, went from 32.2 percent to 31.1 percent. The lowest BMI reading was 29.5 percent. There is definitely room for improvement. THE BAD!

Another interesting factor is the fat/lean ratios. In 2007, the pounds of fat mass was 79.2 and today it was 79.3. I gained almost no fat tissue. However, the lean tissue went from 156.2 to 147.01 or 9.2 pounds of lean tissue lost. If I am interpreting this correctly, all my weight loss has been in lean tissue. THE UGLY!

We will now revisit the nutrition and exercise program to meet the following goals. Please remember this is very personalized for me and my goals. Your goals might be different, and you should focus on the things you want to accomplish.

The changes I want to see are:

Additional 10-pound weight loss (fat tissue).

Percent body fat below 30 percent and BMI below 30.

Increase HDL and lower LDL.

With the data presented and the goals noted above, we will look to the LSU AgCenter Web site to seek information on how to proceed. A huge part of this process is the food log. I will have the first three days of a food log completed tomorrow evening and ready for analysis. From that analysis, and given the data and goals above, a nutrition plan will be designed. In a similar manner, I have my exercise log reviews to see if there are recommendations in my exercise routine that need altering.

That fat-to-lean tissue issue needs addressing. I want to increase muscle mass, lose fat tissue and lower my weight overall by 10 pounds.

Should be interesting, shouldn’t it!

Bill Richardson

The chancellor has kept a good amount of the weight off, and that is the hardest thing to do. In study after study, most people gain all of the weight back and even more after a weight loss diet. Instead of trying to reach an ideal weight, which is impossible for most people, physicians recommend a 10 percent weight loss. This amount of weight loss can bring significant benefits and reduction of chronic disease risk. For the chancellor, a 10 percent weight loss would be 24.4 pounds or close to his desired weight of 223.

One of the effects of age on metabolism is a decline in resting energy expenditure (REE). Since metabolic rate accounts for roughly two-thirds of total energy expenditure, a decline in REE will lead to positive energy balance, if it is not offset by an equal decline in energy intake. What does that mean? It means that we need fewer calories as we age. In addition, physically inactive individuals lose about half of one percent of lean muscle mass every year between ages 25 and 60. This might not seem like much, but it can add up, and the result is the decrease in lean body mass seen by the chancellor over time and the increase in fatness most of us see as we age.

Lean body mass measure, however, varies slightly depending on fluid balance and other variables, so one assessment does not give a full picture. It did capture, however, the decline in lean body mass that occurs over time and with weight loss. From age 60 on, the rate of lean body mass loss doubles to about 1 percent. It doubles again at each decade past age 60.

The only weapon at our disposal to combat that is physical activity. As we age, we should plan on being more physically active if we plan on eating the same amount of food. Increased physical activity, and particularly weight training, can build lean body mass. Increased aerobic activity – walking, running, swimming – can reduce body fat. So it is important to engage in both types of physical activity – anaerobic, or body building, to build lean body mass and aerobic activity to reduce body fat.

In terms of Body Mass Index (BMI), the range with lowest relative risk of death is in the range of 22 to 27 for men and 21 to 27 for women. The relative risk of dying from chronic diseases increases rapidly when BMI increases above 27 in both sexes and particularly when BMI increases above 30. BMI can give an indication of fatness, and it is an easy measure to calculate. Increased (abdominal) fatness is better reflected by waist circumference.

The Centers for Disease Control offers two Web sites to help you calculate your body mass index and assess your weight.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

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I had a good week of exercise last week. Four good workouts all fit well within the 4-4-4 guidelines. For the next few blogs, however, I want to discuss the healthy and smart choice nutritional plan crucial to this blog’s message.

Tomorrow, I’ll get the twice-a-year DEXA procedure to measure body fat. Based on my limited experience and obvious lack of expertise, I like the body fat measure better than BMI (Body Mass Index). I realize everyone can’t get a DEXA exam. A lot of the literature focuses on belly fat and its implications for future health problems. The next blog will give us my official percent body fat and set the baseline for the blog.

The next step will be keeping a food log. I’ll do two, one for three consecutive days during the week and one for a three-day stretch over a weekend. These will be given to my specialists, and they will design a nutrition program and recommend changes in my eating habits. I expect to reduce calories and make sure that I’m eating a balanced diet. I am always amazed at how the calories add up. It seems like you are not eating much, but the number of calories just seem to sneak up on you. A detailed food log is the only way I know to get out in front of calorie control. For the next week or so, we will focus on the nutrition plan.

I strongly urge you, once you’ve received a go-ahead from your doc, to keep a detailed food log and ask your dietitian to review and make suggestions before you start a nutrition plan. To manage your weight, you need both calorie control and quality of nutrition. Most any calorie restriction plan might work, but quality of nutrition is crucial. Once the specialists review my log, we can discuss quality of nutrition as well as calorie control.

Stay tuned. We will reveal the DEXA data Thursday.

Bill Richardson

Here is a link to the report card of children’s health in Louisiana that we mentioned in this blog. The site includes both last year’s report card and this year’s.

Louisiana’s Report Card on Physical Activity & Health for Children & Youth

Thursday, September 17, 2009

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When this blog was first conceived, we had four objectives in mind. First, we wanted to highlight my personal story as an example of how one person struggles with changing to a healthy lifestyle that includes a nutritious diet. Second, we wanted to highlight the obesity problem in our state. Third, we wanted to highlight the nutrition information available through the LSU AgCenter’s Web site. And, fourth, we wanted to promote the use of agricultural products grown in Louisiana, with specific emphasis on fresh fruit and vegetables. As you read future and past blogs, you should see this general theme permeating the messages. And, while it isn’t one of the four themes, we do not promote any product or related commercial enterprise.

If you haven’t visited our Web site and reviewed the Smart Choices information, I strongly urge you to do so. When I talk about making smart choices in my diet, the AgCenter Web site is the source of the information. Knowledge is critical in fighting obesity in our state. We are fortunate to have not only the research conducted by the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, but also the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, which is also part of LSU. Using our network of extension offices throughout the state and 4-H, we are able to reach thousands of people of all age groups with the message. Research and outreach!

I find Thursday a challenge day for making smart choices. First of all, it’s getting close to the weekend, and I start thinking about some free time. Second, I’ve been in a diet mindset for the past several days, and I sometimes start to think a little lapse in my nutritional discipline won’t hurt too much. Sound familiar? Actually, there is nothing wrong with that. I try to follow these guidelines – moderation and smart choices. Enjoy yourself, but keep in mind moderation and smart choices.

As long as you are reading this blog, go on to the Smart Choices site and browse. Enjoy!

Bill Richardson

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

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A lot in the news this week regarding the state of our health in Louisiana – especially the health of our children. Pennington Biomedical has issued a report card giving Louisiana a “D.” Not a good grade!

Obesity remains a problem and is one of those journeys that will never end. Teenage obesity is reaching epidemic levels, especially in some parts of our state. One thing that we can do is be good role models for our children. Like drug and alcohol abuse, if we abuse our bodies with too much food, making poor choices and generally doing all the wrong things, how do we expect our children to behave? That’s one of the reasons I started the blog – to provide a forum for us adults to walk the walk. Make smart choices about diet and exercise.

The first football weekend was a smorgasbord of potential poor choices just tugging at my shirtail. Why is it that all my favorite poor choice items seem to appear on football weekends? Not many fruits and not many vegetables. I got a “C” for tailgating food consumption. I did stay away from the adult beverages, but those little baby sandwiches and the …I’m getting hungry thinking about it right now. I do have room for improvement. Then it rained all day Sunday, and you know rainy days and trips to the frig! I got a “C minus” for rainy Sunday snacking.

After thinking about it, these types of temptations never really go away, do they? We just have to fight through it and make the smart choices. We have six more tailgate parties, then Thanksgiving, the holidays, then Mardi Gras, then on and on and on. A “diet” is not the solution. How many of those things have you started on Monday morning?

The problem is complex, but the solutions while difficult are simpler. We are going to talk a lot about smart choices. Smart choices in eating lifestyles and exercise. Together we need to improve on the “D” grade for Louisiana, and I need to do better than a “C.”

Stay tuned. Lifestyle changes are not one-time band-aids, and we will explore how we can make those changes.

Bill Richardson

(Editor’s Note: Dr. Roy is a member of the Research Advisory Committee responsible for “Louisiana’s Report Card on Physical Activity & Health for Children and Youth.”)

Many of us want quick fixes for our problems. However, our health is not one that we can do with a quick fix. To enjoy the best health and to minimize the incidence of chronic diseases, we must attend to these regularly by eating right and getting enough exercise. As the chancellor mentioned, here in Louisiana we have a serious problem with childhood and adult overweight and obesity. Children mimic what we do. We need to have them mimic our healthy behaviors such as eating healthy fruits and vegetables and exercising as a the whole family.

From the Pennington Nutrition Series, read Physical activity guidelines for children and Healthier diet of young children.

From the Women on the Move series from Southern University, here’s Behavior Change, Breaking the Habit Chain.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

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One thing that hasn’t changed over the past two years of this blog is the bombardment of TV ads concerning weight loss. I must be watching too much TV because it seems to me that the airwaves are filled with people hawking a product to help you lose weight. I’m sure, if followed, these plans are effective and help many people. My question remains, however, once you lose the weight, are you planning to stay on the plan? One thing often left out of the commercials is that if you go back to your old eating behaviors, you gain the weight back. I am a living example. Over the years I’ve lost several hundred pounds and gained the same several hundred pounds back. It was not until I got the motivation to change my eating habits and get a consistent routine for exercise that things began to stabilize.

Changing eating behavior is not easy. I really enjoyed my donuts. I still do, but now I eat very few – I mean very few. I found that if I make a few changes, they add up. Fewer calories, smarter choices and moderation when combined can make a big difference in your eating habits. Back to my earlier point about exercise being a lifetime commitment. Change in eating behaviors is also a lifetime commitment. You can’t just turn it on and off to lose a few ponds. Permanent change is the only way to go, and as you address diet, think permanency.

I had a great walk earlier this week and have one more planned before the weekend. Forty minutes, at level 4 intensity, and I plan to get in four workouts this week – 4-4-4. And that still doesn’t justify a donut.

Bill Richardson

According to a systematic review of exercise and weight loss research over 20 years, people who lose weight gain about 0.6 to seven pounds of the lost weight back each month until they reach their pre- loss weight. The research also found that if people engage in physical activity and burn between 1,500 and 2,000 calories a week in physical activity or exercise, there was less likelihood of gaining the weight back. What does that translate to in physical activity? This would mean that a 200-pound person who burns about 350 calories in one hour of walking at 3.5 mph would need to walk about five hours a week to burn 1,500 to 2,000 calories in a week. To find out how many calories you can burn in various activities, check out Exercise for Weight Loss from the Mayo Clinic. Being physically active is important for maintaining cardiovascular health and to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. And, according to research, it is never too late to start. Our muscles and organ systems respond, no matter our age.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

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I have my annual physical scheduled for early October. I do them religiously every year. I strongly encourage you to do, also. Prevention is certainly better than problems. Early detection of diseases sure seems to improve recovery rates. Just makes sense!

Obesity hasn’t gone away in the year since I stopped writing the blog. It was in the local news again today. You might want to read the article Obesity top concern in BREC survey. Barring medical conditions, which your doctor should advise you on, the obesity issue can be simplified. Moderate your diet and exercise. Simply put – burn more calories than you consume. I notice it in my day-to-day activities. When I stick to my exercise program and watch the quantity and the quality of calories consumed, my weight stabilizes and starts to drop. The degree of drop seems proportional to the quantity of exercise and my diet.

If you accept this premise and you are cleared by the Doc to get after it, then we need to discuss exercise and diet. For two years now I’ve been trying to stick to the equivalent of the 4-4-4 plan – exercise four times a week, for 40 minutes at level 4 on the treadmill. Level 4 on the treadmill is a 15-minute mile. I prefer walking outside and focus on four days a week for 40 minutes and walk at a 15- minute per mile pace. This may or may not work for you. I find it important to have someone or some ones to exercise with. I have a standing time and place two days a week with friends, where we will walk for at least 40 minutes – and, more often than not, an hour. That takes care of two times per week. I just have to motivate myself to do the other two.

Develop your own plan. Once developed you have to stick with it. I remember the advice of my doctor when he suggested the 4-4-4 plan. His final comment was, “Plan on doing this for the rest of your life.”

Bill Richardson

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I was a little nervous yesterday as I picked up the blood test. I wanted to compare this test with the last one I reported to you last August. It appears that if you sustain a healthy lifestyle, your blood chemistry will show the results. Below are the results.

	September ‘07	August ‘08	September ‘09
Total Cholesterol	199	172	160
Trig	112	129	120
HDL	42	45	38
LDL	135	101	103

If you look in the left column, you can see the September 2007 blood test taken when I first initiated the blog. You can compare that with the August 2008 test when I finished the first year and then with the right column one year later. The lifestyle changes that I made seem to have stayed with me. And, looking at the ranges, I have some additional room for improvement, raising the HDL, lowering the LDL and still lowering the total cholesterol. I’ll get my official weight next week when I do the DEXA, but my preliminary home scales indicate that I’d had a fractional weight gain over the past year.

So, if the healthy lifestyle recommended by nutritionists and reported in the AgCenter Web site work , why don’t more of us do it?

I would love to tell you that I was totally strict with my diet. No, I am human. But I did make changes that stayed with me. I tried to control total caloric intake, reduce snacking, eat moderate and well-balanced meals and, in general, become more cognizant of what and how much I ate. And, of course, there is room for improvement. But I ate good foods and didn’t go on any fad diet.

Starting next week, I’ll look again at the diet and start trying to ensure balance.

Finally, if you are reading this and thinking about adopting some of the things I write about, please see your doctor and get a check and his/her input before you start any diet or exercise program.

Bill Richardson

What the chancellor said is absolutely true. Your blood chemistry will not lie, even if we don’t always admit it to ourselves that we are not eating right or exercising. Since his blood lipid values are similar to the ones at the end of the year (August 08) he has maintained a healthier diet during the past year. As a nutritionist, I am very pleased. Many people follow a diet for a short while. But as soon as the weight is off, they are back eating the same things they ate before the diet, hence all the weight comes back.

The National Institutes of Health Recommendations for blood lipids are as follows:

ATP III Classification of LDL, Total and HDL Cholesterol (mg/dL)
 

LDL Cholesterol
<100	Optimal
100-129	Near optimal/above optimal
130-159	Borderline high
160-189	High
>190	Very high
Total Cholesterol
<200	Desirable
200-239	Borderline high
>240	High
HDL Cholesterol
<40	Low
>60	High

Following a meal plan based on MyPyramid will assure that there is a right combination of nutrients, protein and fiber for achieving good health, and including regular exercise will help with blood lipid level control. Make Smart Choices.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

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Gustav made a mess of things, one of which was my writing this blog. Just as we were about to finish up the year’s commitment – 2008, that is – to writing about my struggle to deal with a healthy lifestyle, the storm blew through, and my time was quickly devoted to other matters. Momentum for a blog was lost once we recovered from the storm.

We have found out over the past year that a great many people found the blog to be valuable and continued to read it, even if I didn’t write it. Many of our LSU AgCenter faculty and staff wrote blogs about their personal struggles and commitments to a healthier lifestyle. I have decided to once again contribute articles to the blog chronicling my own story. My writing will be posted on Tuesdays and Thursdays mostly, with other special blogs written as the mood strikes. Like the first year, I’ll make things personal and share the real down-to-earth stuff. And, we will prevail once again on the specialists to make sure what I say is correct, and the communications staff to ensure that my lack of English skills doesn’t embarrass me or the AgCenter.

I found that the things I set out to do in developing a healthier lifestyle have been hanging with me over the past year. I’ve kept most of the weight off, exercised more and changed many of my eating habits. Perfect? Nah – far from it – but appreciable change nonetheless. We will start on Thursday with a progress report.

Bill Richardson