Posted by dreynold on February 10, 2009 | RSS Feed
Learning to Maintain Weight Loss
It’s that time of the year when people make the decision to lose weight. But after the hard work of losing weight, how do they maintain that weight loss?
Lauderdale County residents and participants in the Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s Walking and Eating program, Narzey Turner and Mabel and Richard Taylor have discovered the secret to maintaining their weight loss for the past four years. They eat more fruits and vegetables and walk an average of six miles a week.
Turner was overweight and had high blood pressure and high cholesterol when she started the program. After participating in Walking and Eating, her blood pressure and cholesterol dropped 27 points, and she was able to stop taking medication. Turner also lost 30 pounds in 10 weeks.
Mabel Taylor and her husband Richard also participated in the 10-week program. Like Turner, Mabel’s medication was altered by her physician and her husband lost 27 pounds in the class.
According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, most Americans consume a lot of calories, but not enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The typical American diet is high in saturated fat, sugar and salt, which add pounds and make us ideal candidates for heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and cancer. In addition, Americans do not get enough exercise and spend more time leading sedentary lifestyles.
Losing weight is a commitment and maintaining that weight loss requires the same level of commitment. In other words, it means making lasting lifestyle changes as the Taylors and Naz Turner have successfully discovered.
Contact Urban Regional Extension Agent Mary Andrews at (256) 766-6223 for more information about the Walking and Eating program in Lauderdale County.
