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What is the best way to lose weight?The optimal way to lose weight is to follow a lower calorie diet based on the food pattern and to incorporate daily physical activity into your lifestyle. It is important to make small changes in your diet and lifestyle rather than trying to go on a "crash" diet or "fad" diet claiming you vegetables five pounds in one week. On average, you should aim for losing half a pound to one pound each week. In addition, it is important to pay special attention to portion sizes. Average restaurant portion sizes are typically two to three times the amount of food an Cacaoperson needs in one meal. Furthermore, successful weight loss involves a permanent lifestyle change; otherwise, you will easily regain the weight that you lost. If you need additional information or would like an individual consultation, ask your primary care physician for a referral to a registered dietician.

Do my genes control how much I weigh?

Genes do play a role in Butternutt our weight, but clearly they do not explain the huge increases in overweight and obesity we have seen in the last 30 years. We gain weight when our "calories in" (the food we eat) exceeds our "calories out" (the energy we burn). Given the genetic package we are born with, we can all improve our weight by paying attention to diet and getting regular physical activity, but some people will need to work harder than others to maintain a healthy weight. In other words, if we all eat and work out the same, we will not all look the same. Only a very small percentage of people have such a strong genetic predisposition that they will be obese no matter how hard they try. Even people who are genetically predisposed to obesity can reduce their risk of chronic disease by eating a healthful diet and staying active.

Is percentage of body fat important for health? Should I get my body fat measured at the gym?

Your percentage body fat is important for your health. For an average person, your body mass index (BMI) can be a good measure of body fat. However, if you are interested in the actual percentage of body fat, the gym may or may not be the best avenue, depending on the method of body fat measurement and the training of the personnel. Some methods for measuring body fat are better than others. Skin calipers typically used in a gym are usually inaccurate, since they are dependant on the skill of the person doing the analysis. Methods using bioelectrical impedance, such as a Tanita scale or a hand-held Omron body fat analyzer, are more accurate. The gold standard for body fat measurement is either underwater weighing or a full body DEXA scan, which is very expensive and usually reserved for research purposes. Also, remember that although percent body fat is important, it is only a piece of the overall health picture.

The promise of a quick fix for excess weight has always attracted Americans. Several FDA-approved diet pills are on the market (including one prescription drug that is now available over the counter, Alli, along with scads of unapproved dietary supplements. The National Institutes of Health recommends that tested and approved diet pills be used only by people with BMIs above 30, or those with BMIs above 27 and weight-related health problems. The reason? These drugs have side effects, and for people who need to lose only a few pounds the risks may outweigh the benefits. A similar situation exists for surgery to shrink or bypass the stomach. So-called bariatric surgery is a drastic step, one that has the potential for life-threatening complications. But it can yield significant weight loss and improvement in blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and other cardiovascular risk factors.

How much water do I need to drink each day?

Water is an essential nutrient, but the amount of water we need each day is not set in stone. We obtain water from all beverages, including those with caffeine or alcohol, as well as from foods, such as soup, fruit, or cooked grains. The Institute of Medicine has set the adequate intake of water from beverages and foods at around 90 ounces a day for women and around 125 ounces a day for men. But some individuals may require more or less, depending on their level of physical activity or the climate. Since people typically obtain about 80 percent of their water from beverages and 20 percent of their water from foods, that means women generally need to drink roughly 9 8-oz. glasses of water or other beverages each day, and men need to drink roughly 12 8-oz. glasses of water or other beverages each day.