An interesting study has good news and bad news for anyone of us millions of people that are trying to lose weight. So what do you want first, the good news or the bad news?
Let's start with the bad news and get that out of the way. To lose weight and keep it off, a heart-healthy reduced-calorie diet is the way to go. Yeah, reduced-calorie means less food which is tough for some of us "foodies."
So what, you ask, is the good news? The good news is that regardless of differing proportions of fat, protein, or carbohydrate, you can still lose weight. That's right, you can choose the types of foods you still like as long as you reduce the overall calorie intake. Of course they should be heart-healthy versions of the food you like meaning low in saturated fat and cholesterol while high in dietary fiber. But still, the types of food you like!
According to report discussed in a press release, the 811 participants of a two-year study, on average, lost 13 pounds at six months and maintained a 9 pound loss at two years. Participants also reduced their waistlines by 1 to 3 inches by the end of the study.
In addition, participants showed other health improvements. All variations of the diets use helped risk factors including a reduction in triglycerides, a lower LDL (so-called "bad") cholesterol combined with an increase in HDL (so-called "good") cholesterol, and lower blood pressure. (Here's a little memory helper for remembering which is the good cholesterol and which is the bad: Think of the "L" in LDL as "Lousy" and "H" in HDL as "Healthy." A free tip, no extra charge!)
Here's the bottom line, right from the press release itself:
Previous studies have shown that a loss of 5 to 10 percent of body weight will help reduce risk factors for heart disease and other medical conditions. In this study, 15 percent of patients achieved a 10 percent weight loss after two years.
Just so you know, this study was not from some company trying to promote its own line of products. This was reported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services's medical research agency National Institutes of Health. Finally, there's some good news coming out of our government during these challenging times.
Links in this post:
Press Release "Heart-Healthy, Reduced-Calorie Diets Promote Long-term Weight Loss"
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health.
0 comments:
Post a Comment