Physical Activity Recommendations for Weight Loss

To maximize benefits, exercise should be done in at least 10 minute bouts. For weight loss or weight maintenance, follow the recommendations below:

1. At least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week.

• Aerobic activity not only burns calories, but it also keeps your heart healthy.

2. At least twice per week, participate in strength training exercises like weight lifting or weight baring activities.

• Strength training increases muscle mass. When muscle mass increases more calories are burned to maintain this new mass. With more muscle, more calories are burned to stay alive, which means metabolic rate increases. This can help aid with weight loss.

*Table estimates calories burned on average based on different weights. Actual calories burned may differ based on intensity of workout and person’s weight. Talk with your doctor to ensure your health is compatible with exercise. (Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/SM00109)

Submitted by:
UTK Dietetic Intern

Exercise Tips for Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance

Exercise can help at every age and is essential to any weight loss or weight maintenance regimen. If calories burned are greater than calories taken in, then weight loss will occur. Many people feel overwhelmed when it comes to exercise. The good news is that you can start out slow then build up, and every bit helps. Check with your doctor to ensure it is safe for you to start exercising.

Here are some tips if you are just starting out:

• Read about the benefits of exercise for motivation
• Exercise offers many benefits for physical and mental health
• See this website for examples: http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/health/index.html
• Start slowly by introducing exercise bouts lasting about 10 minutes a few times a week
• Don’t over-do exercise at first to avoid soreness or feelings of inadequacy
• Set goals for exercise
• Make specific and reasonable goals to stay on top of exercise
• Example: I will exercise for 45 minutes next week. I will break this down into 15 minutes of exercise on Monday, Wednesday and Friday after work. I will record my exercise in a diary.
• Track your exercise (minutes and type) in a physical activity diary
• Reward met exercise goals with a non-food treat
• Example: Shopping, fishing, hiking, or spending time with a loved one you don’t see often.
• Make it fun
• Pick activities that are enjoyable
• Get an exercise buddy
• Set time to take each day for exercise
• Take an hour of TV time or find other time to make for exercise; this will help make a habit of being active
• Exercise with friends or family
• Get a support system in place to help stick with an activity plan
• Example: Exercise with your spouse, best friend or dog.

Submitted by:
UTK Dietetic Intern

9 Tips for Eating Healthy on the Run

As a dietetic intern with a small budget, I am always looking for a great deal on my grocery items. I tend to look for items at the grocery store that are healthy, budget-conscience, and pack easily without spoilage. For this reason, I have compiled a list of ways that I have survived on a dime, and on the run!

1. Marked-down groceries. These deals are found in most every store. My personal favorite is when I can find marked-down produce. In the Knoxville area, I have found a few places that sell good products for cheap. At Food City, there is always a discount produce rack. On any given day, there will be 8 yellow bananas for around $1.00. At Kroger, when it is close to the sell by date, I like to buy guacamole, because it will be half of the price, and the product is able to be frozen for longer keep. Finally, at Big Lots, there is a bread rack. Name brand breads of all kinds can be found for about $1.10. **Note: Many of the items described in this section are close to their sell-by date. These items should be consumed soon and/or stored safely for long time use (such as frozen). Always remember, “if in doubt, throw it out”.
2. Couponing. Couponing has become a revolution. I, personally, do not contribute much of my free time to coupon cutting, but know that these can save money at the register. Coupons can be found in the paper, online, in some magazines, and from writing in to the company.
3. While you are at home, create a written meal plan for the week and make a grocery list of things that you need to make these items. While you are at the store, stick to the list. This seems simple, but store marketing is tough. If you stick to the list, it cuts down on money spent on impulse buys.
4. Use one thing many times. One of my favorite examples of this is a can of tomato sauce can be used for pizza, pasta, and chili, all in the same week. One can of tomato sauce is priced around $1.00, and can feed you for a week. This concept can be used with beans (beans, chili, salad topper) and chick peas (chili, salad topper, and hummus).

A Dietitian's Review of The Dukan Diet

The Dukan Diet has become well known thanks to Kate Middleton and the media attention surrounding the royal wedding in April. Other celebrities are said to have adopted the French weight loss plan that emphasizes a high-protein, low-calorie diet. But is The Dukan Diet an appropriate weight loss plan? You can read the review by Karen Ansel, MS, RD, CDN on the American Dietetic Association's website. For more information about ADA's Consumer Diet and Lifestyle Book Reviews, please see the following information.

Because new diet plans and books seem to come out daily, the American Dietetic Association spokespeople review a number of diet books to help you understand which diets are reasonable and which should be avoided. They ask such questions as:

• What claims does the author make?
• What does his or her diet plan entail?
• Are there nutritional weaknesses in the plan? Strengths?
• What’s the registered dietitian’s bottom-line assessment of the book?

As registered dietitians, ADA spokespeople have the knowledge and expertise to help decipher fact from fad in order to help you develop a healthy eating plan that is right for you.

Information from American Dietetic Association's Media Press Room.