When interviewed on a network news show today (December 20, 2014), Dr. David B. Samadi, Chairman of the Department of Urology and Chief of Robotic Surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and contributor to the weekly Sunday Housecall program, was asked to comment on safe eating over the holidays and how to lose weight in the long term for those who were overweight.
He managed to state in a matter of just a few sentences just about everything a person needs to know to lose weight and establish healthy eating habits. I am hoping to find his presentation online in video format but if not I thought I would try and share his recommendations here—even if I cannot do it so succinctly.
- First, believe it or not, get enough sleep (at least seven hours). Adequate sleep is needed for all around good health including the physical and mental well being needed to manage sound weight loss.
- Do not look for a one solution fits all approach. It does not matter whether you subscribe to a certain diet regimen or not—every individual needs to follow a diet they can make work for themselves. We all have different tastes.
- Manage the portions of food you eat. Your body size and activity level can only absorb so many calories without your getting overweight. Choose smaller portions (In other words, count calories and don’t eat too much.)
- Eliminate as much as possible the three major contributors to poor health and overweight: salt, sugar and white flour. Learn to eat healthy, natural foods instead.
- Drink 3-4 cups of coffee or tea every morning to stimulate your metabolism and 7-8 cups of water every day which will stave off hunger and helps with metabolism.
- Get enough regular exercise (thirty minutes a day recommended), even if it is only walking.
Ah! Humans. We have such a propensity for making easy things hard.
There are many options we might consider to help us lose weight and get healthy, but in a nutshell, the things that count most are these basics. If we consistently follow these steps we are certain to get our weight under control permanently.