By Dr. Park Chan-Joo
Every year, at around this very time, many people knock on the doors of oriental medical clinics looking for professional help in their quest to lose weight. However, some of the people seem to believe that they don't have to do anything themselves once they sign up for weight loss programs.
No matter how effective the program is, you can't benefit from it without continuous individual effort. The effort must be in the form of dedication to dieting and regular exercise. Which one is more important in losing weight?
If you concentrate only on reducing your total calorie intake without exercising, you might be able to lose weight as a result of reduction in muscles, fat and other body materials. But when you return to your previous eating habits, you'll easily regain the weight. In some studies, for example, among dieters who manage to lose 10 percent or more of their body mass, 80 to 95 percent will regain that weight within two to five years.
On the other hand, the calories that you lose through exercise alone are not as significant as many expect. For example, in order to burn the calories from one bowl of ramen (about 500 kcal), you have to run for an hour or do house chores for about 2 to 3 hours. It means that you should think long term when you plan on losing weight through exercise.
Even if you somehow get to your ideal weight, keeping to that weight is a different story. According to one study of people who lost weight, about 92 percent of people who successfully maintained their new weight did this through regular exercise. However, of the people who regained their old weight, only 34 percent exercised regularly. The result indicates that while it is not a failsafe method, exercising is an important part of weight loss maintenance.
Needless to say, a good diet and increased exercise is the mainstay in the treatment for weight loss and the key to stay in a good shape afterwards. Proper exercise combined with a balanced diet can result in a greater weight reduction than diet alone.
As for an effective diet, you should build a good eating pattern with consideration of the total caloric ingestion, types of foods, regular mealtimes and habits.
Also, remember that the total calories of foods can be greatly changed according to how it is cooked. For example, baked chicken breast has less calories than fried and marinated chicken and french-fries have definitely more calories than boiled potatoes.
What to eat is also important. If the total calories you ingest are too low or the foods are not nutritious or balanced enough, you'll eventually face some side effects including hair loss, dizziness, constipation and for women, menstrual problems.
As for mealtimes, it is well known that a light dinner is very important for weight loss as well as health. Make a habit of not eating after 7 or 8 p.m. In addition, you should eat slowly, which can activate the satiety center and make you feel full before leading to storage of excess fat.
It is natural that you become obese when your food intake exceeds energy expenditure. Consequently, keeping the balance of those two is one of the basic methods to stay in shape and stay healthy for the rest of your life.
Dr. Park Chan-Joo is the chief doctor at Tara Acupuncture & Oriental medicine (www.tara-clinic.com) in Seoul.