The February 2009 issue of Consumer Reports has a great article about dieting on a budget. I’m tempted to write about the whole thing at my personal finance blog. Today, however, I want to share a subsection of the story, a brief overview of the secrets to becoming (or staying) slim.
In 2007, Consumer Reports surveyed over 21,000 readers. The respondents were divided into four categories: “always thin” (16%), “successful loses” (15%), “failed dieters” (42%), and about 27% of people who didn’t fit into any of the categories. Based on the survey responses, the following six behaviors were identified as “secrets of the slim”:
- Watch portions. Of all the factors measured by Consumer Reports, portion control had the highest correlation with a lower BMI, especially among successful losers. (62% of successful losers did this, but only 42% of failed dieters.)
- Limit fat. Restrict fat to less than one-third of daily calorie intake.
- Eat fruits and vegetables. The more fruits and vegetables respondents ate, the lower their BMI.
- Choose whole grains. The slim consistently choose whole grains over refined grains.
- Eat at home. This one surprised me, though maybe it shouldn’t have. From the article: “As the number of days per week respondents ate restaurant or take-out meals for dinner increased, so did their weight.”
- Exercise. Regular vigorous activity of 30 minutes or more was “strongly linked to lower BMI”. Strength training was much less common among failed dieters.
The study also revealed some behaviors that weren’t associated with being thin:
- Cutting carbs, which was actually associated with increased BMI. (Note that correlation does not imply causation.)
- Meal frequency. Neither the “many small meals” nor the “never eat between meals” approaches seem to matter.
- The consumption of lean protein at most meals didn’t seem to make a difference on its own. (The implication being, I guess, that it might help in combination with other practices.)
The entire article is interesting, and not just the small section I’ve highlighted. Elsewhere in the February 2009 issue, there are also stories on healthful eating on a budget, pedometers (my beloved Omron HJ-112 came out on top!), and inexpensive exercise equipment.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Boy, I am glad you addressed the meal frequency thing. Lots and lots of people still believe that rubbish.
All points are good. Sounds like a decent article out of the many poor, dogma laden articles written about fat loss and keeping it off.
It’s imperative to realize that, through all this “mental masterbation” in the news, that real fat loss (or fitness maintanance) comes down to “don’t eat crap, keep portion sizes low, and exercise”. How many ways do people need this to be said? It’s so very plain. I’m sorry for being blunt, but it’s important that bluntness needs to be delivered.
If someone is “trying” to lose weight and it’s not coming off, the person should go back to this tenant. Is the person still eating crap, in large quantities, and staying sedentary? If yes, then it’s time to make some changes. Yes, it’s hard. Yes, the security blanket of certain foods may be removed. Yes, one might have less time for Facebook or videogames or blogging or TV. Bet the tradeoff is the health, fitness, or body shape that the person really wants.
My sternness is purposeful. I too have my own challenges, and hear others’. But I recently heard a presentation by Patch Adams (the original, not Robin Williams portraying him in a movie). He said that Americans “are ‘becausing’ ourselves to death”. We have an excuse for everything. ‘I can’t eat healthfully for myself because…’ ‘I can’t exercise 30 minutes a day because…’ …
Really? In a 15-hour awake time in a day, 30 minutes can’t be in-movement? Really? Those donuts-snacks-pizzas-crackers-candy jump out of the cabinet and down one’s throat?
It all comes down to common sense without ‘becauses’. We don’t need multiple articles proving the same “secrets” over and over again. What are all those articles doing – do we really need ‘that last article’ so we know what to do? No. We know what to do. There’s no magic bullet. Sure, one form of activity may be more pleasurable to an individual than another, but it still comes down to making the commitment to put down that candy, cracker, or chip — and getting some [literal] kicks away from the chair, couch, or computer seat.
The eating at home point doesn’t surprise me at all. When you eat at home, the meals you prepare will generally be healthier than anything you’d get at a restaurant, especially a fast food restaurant.
- Dave
As someone who’s focused both on weight loss and also on learning to manage my personal finances right now, I’m very glad you posted about this article! There are lots of people trying to lose weight in this country . . . and lots of people trying to get a grip on their finances, too. I’m glad that weight loss on a budget is being written about more often these days.
The bloggers here at katom.com find that we tend to agree with David at Animal-Kingdom-Workouts.com, however, that being said, we also strongly adhere to the idea that eating out has become a part of the American social tradition – we go out to eat for birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, every Sunday/Wednesday after church, weddings, funerals, holidays, after work, for lunch at work, and any other reason (excuse?) we can come up with.
We also feel that, with a little effort and self-control, you can still maintain your weight goals while dining out. Here is a link to the blog we wrote called How to Stay Healthy While Dining Out.
@Lauren – You go, girl! I love it!
Last week at work somebody said to me,”you’re so lucky you’re thin.” Lucky?!? Like I won some lottery or something! I would have loved to say “I don’t eat crap and I run 50 miles a week. How is that lucky?” But I didn’t; I just said,”Thanks.”
Hi,
Could you please write some tips on how to train to be able to run for 5+ miles! I am not a runner by nature but would love to be able to run 3-5 miles/4x a week. How did you build up to where you are now where you are able to run 8 miles in one sitting or 10 Etc. Is it better to focus on speed first or endurance/stamina?
@Nat, getting better at running is just like anything else. Do it over and over and over. In time you will adapt and be able to run a bit further/faster each session. Just start slow and easy. Increase your pace and frequency over time.
JD,
When will we quit using the BMI as a measurement? It’s complete bung for a lot of us. It may be useful for people that don’t exercise but for those that are serious it’s not a good measurement at all IMHO.
I’m 6’3″ and weigh 270 lbs. By the BMI I’m severely obease, but it doesn’t account for muscle mass. I’m definitely over weight, but only by about 30 lbs. But according to the BMI I should weigh 190 lbs. That’s not going to happen unless I completely stop lifting and lose not only fat, but pure, healthy, muscle.
What other methods are actually accurate at measuring percentage of body fat? I’d be very interested in an article, or review, of the different measuring systems, and which are truly accurate.
The BMI clearly isn’t.
@ Nat – I’m a new runner and would recommend you check out the Couch to 5K program (just google the name.. it’s on coolrunnings.com I believe).
It’s very easy to hurt yourself early by doing too much too soon (which I have now done). I did not do this particular program, but I have talked to many who have. It takes you from sedantary to able to comfortably run a 5K over an appropriate number of weeks. It starts out nice and slow. Kind of like “Get Running Slowly”.
Nat,
I also reccomend you work on running differently than weight lifting, in which you systematically add additional weight. For your running, you might try some intervals(I wouldn’t reccomend more than once a week starting out) but focus more on steady running. Find yourself a measured course, and start running. You’ll probably find you walk more starting out, but then you’ll notice your run decreasing by seconds each week. Just keep at it.
Hey, great article! I always laugh when people discuss weight loss. There’s the “many small meals” camp vs. the “No S” camp (no snacks, no sweets, no seconds, except sometimes on days that start with S). And everyone is so sure theeir way is right.
Fact is, you need to pick whichever one works for you. I do better with 5-6 small meals a day. But sometimes, my work schedule doesn’t allow it. On those days I purposefully eat a larger breakfast and lunch so I don’t go hungry, and it still works.
Nat, I can also recommend the book “Running and Walking for Women over 40″. Even though I’m not quite there yet (next year), it’s a great how-to to start a walking program, increase to running 3 miles 3x a week, then increasing to become a “1-hour runner”. I’ve used it a couple of times now to train for 10k’s. (Unfortunately, I don’t like treadmill running enough to maintain my run schedule in the winter.)
Thanks for the tips! I will definitely try them.
@Lauren – this is very true. However, I would simplify it even more
1. Excersize More
2. Eat Less.
That is it. Plain and simple. One can even eat crap – just less. Not working? – implement rule 1 or 2. Not working still? – implement rule 1 or 2. 100 % of people who apply this formula will loose weight.
Cheers
Good comment, Marcia!
It’s all in what works for you. I’m much the same, I like smaller, more frequent meals, but I don’t always have time for that and then a standard three meals does me fine, with breakfast and lunch being the larger meals.
It’s entertaining, yet frustrating to see how many people think only ONE way (their way) is right.