Women & Weight Loss: Why the Difference?

With Ernest Quin of Physician Directed Hy-Tch Weight Loss

So, why do men seem to keep winning on the reality television show, “The Biggest Loser?” Well, it is not simply coincidence. In fact, men generally have an easier time losing weight than women because of their physical makeup and because of some of their dietary preferences.

It is a well-known fact that the more muscle you have, the more fat you will burn. Your metabolism will be higher, and your body will process the calories you consume much more quickly. Men tend to have a physical makeup that contains more muscle tissue than women; however, women can be very successful at losing weight using some of the same approaches as men.

According to Ernest Quin of Physician Directed Hy-Tech Weight Loss, most diets don’t work for men or women because they’re temporary. “After a person loses the weight, providing they stick to the diet, they gain the weight back because they return to their old eating habits. Weight loss programs that use meal replacements have the same problem. Once they stop purchasing the pre-packaged meals (which can get expensive), they gain the weight back,” says Quin.

Successful weight loss is truly about changing your lifestyle. There are many fad diets out there that may help you lose 2-15 pounds quickly, but many people quickly regain that weight once they stop the diet. Why does this happen? It happens because people return to their eating habits (which were generally poor) after they discontinue the diet.

Some points to consider when trying a true weight loss program is to consider how you are going to maintain your new body once you are finished with the program. If you simply have replaced your meals with meals from a program, but didn’t learn what the calorie intake and nutritional value of the meals were, you have not learned the skills to change your lifestyle when you return.

Keep in mind, exercise is important. However, if you are taking in 5000 calories a day, but only burning a fraction of those through exercise, then you are not going to lose or maintain any weight loss.

“A successful program measures a persons metabolism (which can be different from one person to the next) in order to customize a nutritional weight loss program for that individual,” says Quin.

Other considerations in choosing the right weight loss program for you:

• Program should have no meal replacement

• Program should not be a “one size fits all” weight loss program

• Program should strive toward lifestyle change for permanent weight loss

Men tend to carry their weight in different areas than women. For example, men tend to gain weight in the belly area, where women tend to put weight on in their lower body such as legs, buttocks and abdomen. No matter where your problem areas are, the process if very similar: exercise regularly, and eat properly.

A true commitment is necessary to losing and maintaining weight regardless of your program. Too many people begin a program, only to slowly fade off the regimen and never fully completing the lifestyle change necessary. This is where you see the Yo Yo dieter.

So, when you sit down and start looking at your weight loss opportunities, do the research. Take the time to find a program that meets your needs, and has the best possible outcomes for long term maintenance. You will be happy you did so.

Get Fit Challenge Update

It’s 8 a.m. on a Wednesday morning and Elizabeth is already on the treadmill warming up. Her trainer, Brian Gambino, BACSCS, is finishing up with one of his other clients. These days are beginning to work their way into Elizabeth’s routine, a routine that she says she needs to keep herself on the fitness trail.

At 28-years old, Elizabeth had the foresight to notice that she did not like the path her health was taking. Overweight, but recognizing she needed to improve her health, Elizabeth faced the same obstacles many people do… she didn’t know how to get started.

This is now changing with the help of her trainer, Brian, and Bally Total Fitness. Brian has several accredited personal training certifications including: ACSM, Health & Fitness Instruction; NSCA, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and ACE. He is a past Personal Training Director for Bally Total Fitness and has been involved in personal training for over nine years. Elizabeth has her work cut out for her!

In their initial session, Brian set up a program for Elizabeth that involves cardiovascular workouts 5-6 times per week, accompanied by three days of circuit training. He also provided nutrition information and assigned Elizabeth to keep a food diary that she brings to him for evaluation.

“Our goals are to get her moving again and back into workouts. We want her to lose weight and just get healthier,” says Brian. “What I’ve set up for her is a three times per week total body workout that includes her major muscle groups and helps burn calories. Then she does two different modes of cardiovascular exercise, such as the treadmill and the elliptical.”

By changing up the machines Elizabeth uses as well as the cardiovascular workouts, Brian is trying to reduce the risk of repetitive injuries, as well as keeping her body guessing what is coming next.

Currently, Elizabeth is performing 6-9 different exercises each session at 12-20 repetitions. The circuit training allows for her to maintain an elevated heart rate so that she can continue to burn calories throughout her workout.

In just her first four sessions, Elizabeth has already increased some of her strength, as well as her cardiovascular endurance. She has increased her treadmill time from 20 minutes to 30 minutes, and Brian has noticed an increase in her strength.

Elizabeth’s submission for the Get Fit Challenge noted how she had a gym membership, had tried different workouts, but ultimately was unsuccessful because she was intimidated by the workout machines, as well as the lack of knowledge of what to do. Today, that is changing.

“I am pleasantly surprised (with the progress). I still don’t love the weight section and still find it intimidating, but the program Brian set up for me is super easy to follow. We walked through it 2-3 times the first day,” says Elizabeth. “I am the type of person that needs things neatly mapped out and structured. Brian has really helped.”

With just a few training sessions under her belt, there is no dramatic weight loss. And, as Brian points out, dramatic weight loss right away is not realistic.

“We can expect to lose one to two pounds per week for women somewhere between 4-6 weeks,” says Brian. “After that she will begin to burn more fat. Elizabeth has a great attitude and is fun to train. She makes the job more enjoyable.”

Brian has seen many people succeed in their attempts to improve their health and hopes that Elizabeth will be another one of those success stories.

We’ll continue to follow Elizabeth’s progress in our upcoming issues, including her results at the end of her three-month Challenge. Good luck, Elizabeth!

Weight Loss for Life

With Tom Rifai, MD

Statistics state that over 100 million adult Americans are overweight or obese. This may surprise you. After all, every day we read in the paper, see on television, or hear on the radio how obesity is a major risk factor for heart attacks, diabetes, cancer and more. So why is it that with all of this information so readily available to us through clinical studies and public awareness campaigns we are still seeing a rise in obesity in America?

Well, where do we begin to look for the answer? We hear experts say, “Carbs, no carbs; fats, no fats; count calories, cut portion sizes, eliminate sugars, exercise, do this, do that.” This jumble of information can be overwhelming to anyone just getting started on a weight loss plan.

According to Dr. Tom Rifai, a board certified nutrition specialist, for some people it is simply the lack of knowledge of how to start dieting. “The knowledge of what to eat is lacking for many people,” says Dr. Rifai.

The American lifestyle is set up for obesity to thrive, according to Dr. Rifai. Fast food restaurants, foods high in trans fatty acids, and a sedentary lifestyle has helped cultivate an obese society.

“It’s the environment, the environment, the environment,” repeats Dr Rifai. “It is at school, at work, at home. We can’t change the world, but we can change what foods are in our home.”

Many people try to diet, but still bring unhealthy foods into their home to satisfy other family members’ cravings. Dr. Rifai says this is dangerous for the person trying to lose weight because the temptation of the food is always there.

“Will power can only take you so far, and eventually you are going to give in,” says Dr. Rifai. “The key is to not bring any of the indulgences into the house and don’t use excuses like: ‘I have kids, and the kids like cookies.’ That is ridiculous. There is no rule that says kids MUST have cookies.”

Many times people set themselves up for failure to lose weight right from the start by setting their weight loss goal too high. According to the National Institute of Health’s guidelines on weight loss, as little as a 5% to 15% reduction in body weight for an overweight individual can have a dramatic impact on his/her overall health, lowering their risk of many diseases. For a 200 lb. person, this equals a loss of only 10 to 30 lbs. A person setting a higher weight loss goal may be focusing on an inappropriate and therefore unattainable weight.

“A good weight loss program involves a doctor, dietitian and a support group when necessary,” says Dr. Rifai, referring to those who are obese. Successful weight loss is a commitment. The patient must be committed to changing their eating habits, lifestyle and environment, according to Dr. Rifai.

One such success story is Joe L. of Michigan. At 295 pounds, this senior citizen decided he was tired of being overweight. He made a commitment in July 2006 that it was time to finally shed the pounds that had accumulated over the last 45 years.

Joe’s story may be very familiar to many: “I’ve been on every diet. You name it. I could lose weight for major events such as my daughter’s wedding. I’d lose 25 pounds for pictures and everything, then I would gain 30 pounds back after. I started this program and I’ve lost 90 pounds in about 8 1/2 months. I never realized how bad I felt before I started this diet. I didn’t realize how much my weight impacted me after 45 years of consistently gaining weight.”

In addition to losing the unwanted pounds, Joe discovered that his health improved significantly. He was able to discontinue his blood pressure medication, reduce the dose of his cholesterol medication and begin resuming a more active life.

One of the keys to dieting is to “stay ahead of your hunger,” says Dr. Rifai. This consists of eating small, healthy portions of protein foods every 2-3 hours. This way you never get hungry and overeat.

“People can quit smoking, quit heroin or cocaine, but you can’t quit eating. We need to eat. The key is to not let yourself get hungry,” says Dr. Rifai. “Our bodies are designed to gain weight to survive.”

Exercise is another key element to losing weight, but it does not have to necessarily begin at the same time as the food modifications. However, an exercise regimen is important to maintaining the weight that you do lose, says Dr. Rifai. Unfortunately, our sedentary lifestyle doesn’t always lend itself to exercise.

“We went from building pyramids by hand back in ancient times to riding moving sidewalks from the north side to the south side of Somerset mall! I know it’s very stressful to walk that,” Dr. Rifai states sarcastically.

“Exercise can be as easy as parking farther away in a parking lot, gardening, mowing the lawn, or taking the stairs. It doesn’t have to be 2-3 hours in a gym.”

So many benefits can result from weight loss that most patients of Dr. Rifai’s find themselves with a new lease on life. The motivation that patients feel to continue the program and the benefits they reap from feeling better about themselves translates into more sustained outcomes.

“This is not a war on obesity for people, this is a war on poor lifestyle,” says Dr. Rifai. “Thus, the war requires a plan, and we give people that plan.”

Key mistakes people make is skipping meals to lose weight, says Dr. Rifai. By skipping meals, you are letting your body get hungry. When there is no nutrition in the body to feed from, then it starts feeding from your muscle, which in turn reduces muscle mass. With loss of muscle mass comes a decrease in metabolism, which in turn causes us to burn fewer calories and gain weight.

“Many people skip breakfast. You should never skip breakfast,” says Dr. Rifai. “You should always eat within one hour of waking. Think about it, you’ve gone through 7 to 8 hours without eating, and then you skip breakfast and add another 4 to 5 hours on to that time. You have to stay ahead of the hunger.”

Utilizing a multi-disciplinary approach to weight loss is the cornerstone to successful weight loss, believes Dr. Rifai. By exercising, changing your lifestyle and educating yourself on healthy foods, you are more likely to be successful.

“We teach you how to cook and eat properly. We don’t teach you to drink four shakes a day, because all you learn is how to drink four shakes a day. You don’t learn how to eat properly and nutritiously,” says Dr. Rifai. “There is a place for protein supplements, but as part of the whole program, not the focus of dieting.”

So, the question still remains. If we know being overweight is dangerous to our overall health, why do we continue to see obesity rising in America today? The answer may simply lie in knowledge.

Tom Rifai, MD, BCPNS, is a lipid disorder and bariatric specialist as well as Director of the UnaSource Weight Control Program in Troy, Michigan. He graduated with “Highest Honor” from Michigan State University with his Bachelors of Science in Psychology and Pre-Med in 1992. He received his Medical Degree from Wayne State University in 1999 and completed his Internal Medicine Residency at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, in 2003.

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