We all know that paring our bodies down to a healthy weight is one of the best ways to prolong life, but did you know eating a low-calorie, high-nutrition diet—in and of itself—can help you live longer?

In the April 5, 2006 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Luigi Fontana, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of medicine at Washington University in St. Louis, said that their studies had shown that after an average of six years on a calorie-restricted diet, people’s hearts functioned like that of much younger people. In the same issue of JAMA, researchers at Louisiana State University reported that six months of calorie restriction reduced fasting insulin levels and body temperature, two key markers of aging.

However, the trick of a low-calorie diet is to still consume enough nutrients. Achieving that balance is the focus of a group called the Calorie Restriction Society. The group, which calls themselves CRONies (Calorie Restriction with Optimal Nutrition), have developed ways to achieve the balance consistently. The group’s focus is specifically prolonging life, not weight loss. Fontana has conducted research with the group and found that their hearts appeared more elastic than those of similar age and gender. Specifically, their hearts were able to relax between beats in a way similar the hearts of younger people.

Fontana and his team’s studies are still ongoing, but if their hypothesis proves true, it could be just one more reason to eat a diet packed with as much nutrition and as few calories as possible.

For those of us considering lap-band surgery, eating a low-calorie, high-nutrition diet could be a good lifestyle choice. Since eating less will be a fact of life after surgery, it would make sense that we get the most bang for our new stomach capacity. Our bodies need certain nutrients to function properly, and in our efforts to shed weight, we shouldn’t deprive them of what they need.

Last spring, Massachusetts state Rep. Byron Rushing sponsored anti-weight-bias legislation which would outlaw discrimination based on a person’s weight. While he’s proposed similar legislation in the past, this bill received much more attention.

“What was clear from the public hearing we had is there is a growing number of people who think this should happen and an even larger number of people who think we should at least be talking about it,” he said in the article. (You can read the article here.)

The argument against legislation: “Legislation happens when people are too childish to police themselves,” said Sue Ann Jaffarian, author of the Odelia Grey mystery series starring a 220-pound heroine who is a reflection of her creator.

“But, as a fat woman, I don’t want a green light,” said Jaffarian, 55, who worries that such a law would validate what some consider unhealthy weight. She added, “The downside of legislation is that the prejudice would go more underground.”

The argument for legislation: “I think it would help mostly because it would send a message that fat people are equal citizens. It’s not in the litigation rates, but the rights consciousness that comes after legislation,” said Anna Kirkland, an assistant professor of women’s studies and political science at the University of Michigan.

“Right now, fat is just a marker of bad character, an undesirable personal trait that people bring on themselves,” said Kirkland, who prefers the word fat to the ambiguity of overweight and the clinical-sounding obese. “What you’re doing is forcing the law to force social change.”

Your thoughts?

I’ve never been good at juggling. Once, during a nightmare experience at  Girl Scout camp, I tried to juggle three balls at once. Balls everywhere. Me, ducking. Laughter. It wasn’t pretty.

I still can’t juggle. And now that real life has replaced Girl Scout camp, I find that I have more balls in the air than I can manage. Husband. Toddler son. Extended family. Job. House. All those balls in the air. And, at times, they all come tumbling down around me.

It’s at those times that I find myself swinging through a drive-through instead of cooking at home, or skipping that walk around the block so I can clean my house.

I can tell when my priorities are out of whack. I’m cranky. Tired. I feel like I have sludge in my system—I’m not running efficiently.

It takes a few days to get back on track. I tell my husband that he’s in charge and I go for my walk. I insist on fixing a super-healthy meal and then I go to bed with orders that I’m not to be disturbed unless there’s a fire –or George Clooney calls.

What do you do to stay on track? Do you find it hard to keep your health a top priority?

Exercise will be a big part of your recovery and your life soon after your Lap-Band procedure. There are a myriad of choices when it comes to exercise, but the hands-down easiest, cheapest and most beneficial is walking.

It seems that putting one foot in front of the other for at least 30 minutes a day will increase your fitness level, burn calories and make your heart healthier. 

And the only equipment required: shoes.

Finding a good pair of shoes can be a challenge, but the good folks over at The Walking Site outlined what you should look for:

1. It’s important to remember that there is no best shoe. The best shoe for you is the one that fits your foot the best.

2. Look for a low, supportive heel that rounds (or bevels) in. A thick heel or one that flairs out will cause your foot to slap down rather than roll. This slows down forward momentum and increases the occurrence of sore shins.

3. A walker’s foot hits heel first and then rolls gradually from heel-to-toe. So, you will need a flexible sole and more bend in the toe than a runner. You should be able to twist and bend the toe area.

4. Next, look for a shoe that is light weight and breathable. The last thing you want is the clunky heavy leather walking shoe.

5. The most important thing of course is a shoe that fits properly. Be sure your foot has enough room in the toe box. There should be a thumbnails width (or about a half inch) between your toes and the end of the shoe. The shoe should be wide enough in the toe that your toes can move freely. Your heel should not slip, and the shoe should not pinch or bind, especially across the arch or ball of your foot.

6. Go shoe shopping at the end of the day or after your walk when your feet may be slightly swollen. Also be sure to wear the same socks you will be wearing during your walks. This can make a huge difference in how the shoe fits. Try on both shoes. Your feet may not be the same size (really!).

7. Do not shop when you are in a hurry. Be sure to walk around the store for a few minutes on a hard surface. If the store has an objection to this, find another store. It is worth the effort to find the right shoe for you and it is worth spending a few extra dollars.

8. Wear your shoes in the house for a few days to try them out. Don’t venture outdoors until you are sure the shoes are going to work for you. (If the shoes are not going to work out you will want to exchange them before scuffing them up outside.)

9. Keep track of how many miles you have put on your shoes, and replace them every 300 to 600 miles. (If you are wearing very light weight shoes, are overweight, or you are hard on your shoes stay toward the low end on mileage.) To extend the life of your shoes be sure to only wear them only for your walks. Also rotating two pair of shoes will give them time to “bounce back” between walks.

The Walking Site has some wonderful information and tips. Check it out.

Despite what they’d have you believe, your local gym isn’t the only place where legitimate exercise happens. In fact, in and around your house is a circuit-training course waiting to happen. The effectiveness of these exercise opportunities may surprise you. String a few together each day, and you’ve got a homemade exercise program that even Richard Simmons would dance about.

Walking

There are plenty of opportunities throughout your day where walking short distances to accomplish certain tasks can replace more sedentary alternatives. For instance, when you’re watching TV, place the remote beside the TV, and get up and walk over to change the channel. While you’re out, find the farthest parking space and make a little walk for yourself that way. Take the stairs instead of elevators. Walk instead of driving down to the corner store to pick up milk and bread.

Give your care some personal attention

No one—not even the highest tech automatic carwash—does a better job of cleaning your car than you, a bucket of suds, and a big microfiber towel. Not only can you pay extra attention to those stubborn bugs and sap, you’ll also work up a light sweat with all the “wax on, wax off” movements. Go ahead. Put some muscle into it. You’ll keep a few bucks in your pocket and, over time, drop a few pounds off your waistline.

Get into a sport

Your high school varsity jacket may be in mothballs, but that doesn’t mean the time has passed for you to be athletic. It could be softball, tennis, golf, swimming, or cycling, but whatever it is, make sure it’s fun and make sure you do it on a regular basis. Consistency is key!

Figure out what you’re burning

There are numerous other activities you can do to burn the calories. Check them out and find out how many calories you’ll burn by participating.

A new study adds to the growing body of evidence that being fit and overweight is better than just being overweight.

Last month, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York reported that at least half of overweight adults and close to a third of obese men and women, have normal blood pressure, cholesterol and other measures of heart health.

Judith Wylie-Rosett, a researcher on the study, says that being lean does not protect people, either. Close to a quarter of normal-weight US adults in one study had risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.
Add these findings to a 2007 study by the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina, and you have a case for striving for fitness regardless of your weight.

In the 2007 study, Steven Blair, a professor at the University of South Carolina, and his colleagues assessed the aerobic fitness, body mass index and waist circumference of 2,603 adults, ages 60 and older, and followed them for 12 years. During that time, there were 450 deaths. Among their findings:

• Fit older men and women who were at a normal weight, overweight or even obese had a lower risk for death during the 12 years than unfit people at a normal weight.
• The least fit in the study had a death rate four times higher than the most fit.
• In most cases, the death rates for those with higher fitness levels were less than half of the rates for those who were unfit but weighed similar amounts.

Blair says people who are sedentary can get themselves out of “the hazardous low-fit category” by doing 30 minutes of moderate activity, such as walking, at least five days a week. You can certainly be fat, even obese, and still be fit,” he said.

To be in the highest fitness category, you probably need to be doing 45 minutes or more of moderate activity five days, and some of that time should include vigorous activity, he says.

Goes to prove that getting and staying fit—even with moderate exercise—is key to your overall health.

As spankin’ cute newborn babies, our stomachs were tiny and sensitive. We could only hold a few ounces of liquid at a time and we had to eat every few hours to have all our nutritional requirements met.

Your stomach will be in the same condition in the days immediately following your Lap-Band procedure. Before the procedure—and before you leave the hospital—you’ll meet with a certified dietician to review your diet.

Here’s a brief overview of the changes you’ll be making:

• During the first 3 to 4 days following your surgery, you must follow a clear liquid diet. Failure to do so can cause complications such as band erosion or slippage that may require additional surgery.
• No caffeine is permitted for the first three months after surgery. Carbonated beverages may cause gas, bloating and an increase in stomach size, so they’re off-limits, too.
• You’ll soon move onto a modified liquid diet. You’ll consume two ounces of a protein shake every hour for 10 to 12 hours a day and supplement with two ounces of other liquid food (like soup, baby food or sugar-free gelatin) three times per day.
• About six weeks later, you’ll be able to eat food that is shredded in a food processor prior to eating. Meats (or other forms of protein), veggies and salads are recommended. Starchy food and veggies—like bread and potatoes—should be avoided.

The importance of protein

You will be advised to consume 50 to 60 grams of protein daily to avoid protein deficiency.
(Trust us when we tell you that you want to avoid protein deficiency at all costs. It causes hair loss, fatigue, edema, muscle weakness and a delay in wound healing. Lack of protein may also lead to depression, anxiety, irritability, apathy and other mental health conditions. Not to mention, gallstones, headaches, low-blood pressure, anemia and an irregular heart rate. Not fun.)

When planning for your Lap-Band procedure, take into consideration your nutritional needs in the days, weeks and months following the procedure. Remember, your stomach will never hold more than 4 to 6 ounces per meal, so every bite should be nutritious.

I watched one of those morning news programs—you know, all features, no news. Some quasi-celebrity-nutritionist-to-the-stars was hawking her latest book. She covered all the basics: Eat veggies. And fruit. And whole grains. Exercise. All the stuff we’ve heard before.

 “It’s a lifestyle change,” she said, at least a dozen times. 

But what exactly is a “Lifestyle Change” mean?

So, I called my Godmother, a woman who recently had the lap-band procedure and who is making those “lifestyle” changes. Here’s the gist of what she said:

• To be literal, lifestyle change means that we change—our entire lives. It’s a whole-person change, and it starts from the inside out.

• Lifestyle Change is a step-up from dieting. With dieting, you restrict, you deprive, you sacrifice. It’s for the short-term—losing five or ten pounds before a big event. With lifestyle changes, you actually have to change. And that’s where it gets tough.

• Lifestyle Change begins with our thoughts—what we think about ourselves and what we deserve out of life. When we change our thoughts, we change our behavior. And when we change our behavior, change in our life happens.

• When we’re dealing with weight loss—or maintaining our goal weight—our thoughts greatly influence the food we choose to put into our bodies. Are we eating for emotional reasons? Stress? Or is it to fuel our bodies and our lives?

• It’s about making choices—and understanding why we made a certain choice at a certain time.

I wish the experts would better explain what a lifestyle change entails, and that it starts long before we sit down at the table to eat our meals.

What does “Lifestyle Change” mean to you? And how did you make the changes?

I had one of those days. The world beat down on me like it was the big foot and I was the bug. 

I feel fat, ugly and unloved, I told my husband.

At least you’re loved, he replied.

Wrong answer, I said. The right answer is: You’re pretty. You’re skinny. And  I love you.

It got me to thinking about how our personal thoughts influence every aspect of our lives.  I felt fat, ugly and unloved; hence I was fat, ugly and unloved.

I feel; therefore it is.

Years ago, I read The Feeling Good Handbook by David Burns. Written for those who suffer from depression and anxiety disorders, Burns does an excellent job of putting tools into our hands so we can change the feelings and behaviors that we want to change. (Clinical psychologists call this method Cognitive Behavior Therapy.)  With the help of this book and a good therapist, I learned to recognize those “fat, ugly and unloved” thoughts and turn them around.

Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. The night I felt fat, ugly and unloved, I turned to my weakness: Peanut M&Ms. After a handful (or two—okay, three), I realized that I wasn’t dealing with the root of the problem. I traced my thoughts back and realized that my self-confidence took a beating that day. A writing project that I busted my butt on was totally changed by some ego-wielding idiot with a red pen. I took it personally. And I took it out on me.

I worked out the fat, ugly and unloved feelings in my head. The next day, I worked off the Peanut M&Ms by taking a long walk up some hills.

As for the ego-wielding idiot with the red pen—I’m plotting my revenge.

What do you do to turn around your fat, ugly and unloved thoughts? Any strategies you wish to share?