Feb. 23, 2007 - Eat less and exercise more - the simple solution to weight loss - is not always simple, according to Dr. David Katz of Yale University. Here are some ideas Dr. Katz gave recently as keynote speaker of a recent conference:
-Don't make kids clean their plates. Help them learn to stop eating when they are no longer hungry. The old ploy about starving children in China is no longer valid, says Katz, because children in China are overweight as well.
-Realize that "all-you-can-eat" buffets really mean "you will get fat at no extra charge and spend thousands to repair the damage."
-Stop giving in to hocus pocus diets. All diets work but only when you stay on them.
-Eat a "reasonable" diet - one that emphasizes fruit, vegetables and whole grains and is low in calories and fat.
-Practice portion control. Don't eat a burrito as big as your head.
-Avoid salty, sugary and highly processed foods. These are the foods that encourage our tastebuds to overeat, says Katz. "Very few people binge on apples," he notes.
-Cultivate "skill" power. Learn to read food labels and steer clear of less desirable ingredients.
-Let no child be left (on their) behind. Katz explained a program of ABC's (Active Bursts in the Classroom) to help teachers incorporate short "bursts" of activity into classroom teaching. Find the details at www.davekatzMD.com.
-"Denial is not just a river in Egypt," Katz concluded. "The solution (to our worldwide obesity epidemic) falls to all of us to make healthy eating and physical activity the pathway of least resistance."