Chapter List

• Introduction to Your Perfect Weight
• The Health Benefits of Weight Loss
• Setting Your Goal Weight
• A Beginners Guide to Cutting Fat
• Creating the Low-Fat Kitchen
• Shop Talk Developing Your Supermarket Savvy
• Low-Fat Cooking Tricks
• Nutrition Getting the Right Stuff
• Exercise Your Secret Weapon
• Resistance Training Pump Up Your Weight Loss Power
• Taming Your Stress While You Shed Pounds
• Change Your Ways Change Your Weight
• Jump-Starting Your Motivation
• Reader Survey Results
• Calling All Men
• For Women Only
• His Her Guide to Weight Loss
• Keeping Your Kids Slim
• Dining-Out Guide
• Special Situations
• Tips from Top Spas
• 20 Unexpected Reasons Why Weight Loss Fails
• Makeovers to Last a Lifetime
• Keeping It Off Forever
• Your Perfect Weight 52-Week Plan
• Your Perfect Weight Week 1
• Your Perfect Weight Week 2-5
• Your Perfect Weight Week 6-10
• Your Perfect Weight Week 11-13
• Your Perfect Weight Week 14-17
• Your Perfect Weight Week 18-20
• Your Perfect Weight Week 21-23
• Your Perfect Weight Week 24-26
• Your Perfect Weight Week 27-30
• Your Perfect Weight Week 31-35
• Your Perfect Weight Week 36-39
• Your Perfect Weight Week 40-43
• Your Perfect Weight Week 44-48
• Your Perfect Weight Week 49-52
• Your Perfect Weight Success Diary
• Sample Diary for Women
• Sample Diary For Men
• Success Diary
• Quick and Easy Low-Fat Recipes Breakfast
• Quick and Easy Low-Fat Recipes Dinner
• Quick and Easy Low-Fat Recipes Party Food
• Quick and Easy Low-Fat Recipes Brown-Bag Lunches
• Quick and Easy Low-Fat Recipes Desserts
• Low-Fat Survival Techniques for Thriving in a High-Fat World
• Never Say Never
• Training Yourself To Make Better Choices
• Slimmer Selections from Fast-Food Restaurants
• Surprise Some Foods Can Fool You
• One Hundred 100-Calorie Snacks
• Terms for Perfect Weight

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The Health Benefits of Weight Loss

Excess weight is bad for you. You already know that besides making you look less than svelte in your bathing suit, being overweight is just plain unhealthy. But exactly how unhealthy is it to carry around extra pounds? The answer, in a word, is very.

If you've ever needed to boost your motivation to eat better, exercise more and peel away that excess poundage, read on.

First and foremost, you should know that being overweight has been directly linked to the leading causes of death in this country today: heart disease, certain types of cancer, stroke and diabetes. In addition, excess weight is tied to a host of other conditions of varying degrees of severity, ranging from varicose veins to sleeplessness.

In short, the statistics are staggeringly in favor of achieving and maintaining your ideal weight if you want to live a long, healthy life.

And while the most significant health problems crop up when a person is clinically obese--that is, 20 percent or more above her ideal weight--it doesn't take a big weight loss to effect substantial health improvements. If you have high blood pressure, for example, losing just ten pounds can help reduce it, say health officials at the Michigan Department of Public Health.

"Look," you may well be saying, "I just want to drop a few pounds because I want to fit into that size-eight dress I have my eye on." That's fine. But just in case you need further incentive to launch a serious weight-loss and maintenance program, here are some of the main health benefits you'll reap almost immediately after you start to slim down.

Smoke-Free . . . and Chubby? People quit smoking for the same reasons they lose weight: to look better and improve their health. Problem is, some people who would like to quit keep on smoking because they're afraid that if they toss the butts they'll put on extra pounds. In fact, many ex-smokers do put on some pounds when they give up their cigarettes, for a number of reasons. First off, nicotine increases the metabolic rate, the rate at which you burn up calories. So as soon as you stop smoking, your metabolism is likely to slow, and the calories you normally consume won't be burned as efficiently. Second, to give their mouths and fingers something to do, many ex-smokers become nibblers, often unconsciously. So suddenly they're taking in more calories, whether they're aware of it or not. The result? Extra pounds. And third, nicotine suppresses the body's insulin levels. Insulin is the hormone that helps your body use sugar and keep your sweet tooth at bay. When smokers quit, they may find that they now crave cakes and cookies--not to mention more food in general, which suddenly tastes great because without tobacco their taste buds have sprung to life. So an ex-smoker's fear of gaining weight is very real. Yet it is possible to quit smoking and keep those extra pounds at bay. Here's what you can do. Eat a healthy, balanced diet. If you feel the urge to snack, have cut-up veggies, a handful of thin pretzel sticks, some sugar-free iced tea or mineral water. Satisfy your sweet tooth. Try low or nonfat frozen yogurt, nonfat frozen fruit bars or sugar-free versions of kids' fruit drinks. Keep your mouth busy. Chew on sugarless gum or "smoke" a plastic cigarette. Keep your hands occupied with needlework or gardening or by taking a computer class. Drink plenty of water. It will aid in digestion and help relieve the bloated feeling ex-smokers sometimes get. Use a food diary. "Your Perfect Weight Success Diary" will help you focus on any changes in your eating behaviors. Exercise. Especially if you tend to be inactive, you'll need to launch a workout schedule--even a modest one--to counteract your now-slower metabolism. Some ex-smokers report that beginning an exercise program a month or two before they plan to quit smoking is easier and ultimately more long-lasting than attempting both simultaneously. Weigh yourself once a week. The moment you notice a pound or two you didn't notice before, increase your exercise by an extra 30 to 60 minutes a week. Find a distraction. Start focusing on things other than smoking and eating. Clean out the garage, join a community project, take a workshop in a subject you've always wanted to explore. Check out a smoking-cessation clinic. Not only will these sessions help you kick your tobacco addiction but also they'll give you support for dealing with your food cravings. Give yourself a break. Maybe now's not the time to think about quitting smoking and maintaining your weight. After all, kicking the cigarette habit is an achievement in and of itself. If you find yourself gaining five or ten pounds and can't handle the thought of dieting, too, perhaps the smartest thing is to wait until you've been smoke-free for a while and then begin "Your Perfect Weight 52-Week Plan".

Having a Healthier Heart

Each year, more than 900,000 Americans die of heart disease. Almost half of these victims are women. Every year an additional 1.25 million have a nonfatal heart attack. And nearly one-third of adults suffer from high blood pressure, which can, among other things, lead to heart disease and stroke. A major cause of all of the above problems is overweight. Think about it: The more you exceed your ideal weight, the more your heart has to keep pumping to do its job and the greater the pressure you're placing on it.

But lose weight and high blood pressure almost inevitably drops. In one study done at the University of Pennsylvania's Obesity Research Group, people with high blood pressure experienced dramatic reductions in pressure even in the early stages of their weight-loss diet.

The kinds of foods you're eating will also affect your heart, determining whether your arteries are open and free-flowing or as clogged as a drain begging for Drano. A diet high in fat, particularly the saturated fat that comes from animal sources, causes arteries to plug up with a gooey substance called plaque. Blood has a harder time circulating through plaque-filled arteries. But a diet in which no more than 25 percent of calories come from fat keeps blood flowing smoothly and dramatically cuts your chances of having a heart attack.

Boosting Good Cholesterol

By now you probably know that LDL, or "bad," artery-clogging cholesterol is affected by the foods we eat--especially the amounts and types of fat. But did you know that you can also increase your HDL, or "good," artery-cleaning cholesterol, by being at or near your ideal weight? Regular exercise also helps.

"The younger you are and the less fat you carry, the better your chances of reducing your cholesterol levels to well within the desirable range--say, 175 to 195 milligrams total cholesterol per deciliter of blood," reports Louis J. Aronne, M.D., associate professor of clinical medicine at New York Hospital­Cornell University Medical College in New York City. (An HDL level of 60 milligrams per deciliter of blood or greater is considered good; at less than 35, it's a risk factor for heart disease. And an LDL reading of under 130 is desirable; it's risky when it hits 160 or above.)

Happily, you needn't wait until you reach your goal weight to see good HDL results. "Even rather small weight losses--10 percent of initial weight or so--will result in increased HDL levels," says F. Xavier Pi-Sunyer, M.D., director of the Obesity Research Center at St. Luke's­Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City.

Your cholesterol may rise as you get older, and while you can't do much to avoid birthdays, you certainly can start to lower your cholesterol readings by lowering your weight.

Decreasing the Risk of Diabetes

Of all the major diseases, diabetes is the one most clearly linked to overweight. Of the 11 million Americans suffering from the disease, 90 percent have non-insulin-dependent (Type II) diabetes--precisely the type most closely associated with excess weight.

"There's no question that obesity is a major contributor to the development of diabetes," says Susan Zelitch Yanovski, M.D., an obesity expert at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases in Bethesda, Maryland. But here again, the news is good. "Even a modest weight loss," she says, "can significantly reduce risk for the development of diabetes, as well as improve the blood sugar of those who already have it."

Adds Dr. Pi-Sunyer, "In people with non-insulin-dependent diabetes, blood sugar levels improve within days after starting a weight-loss program, and in some cases medication can be greatly reduced or eliminated."

What's Up, Doc? (maybe it's your weight) Want to launch a weight-loss program? Consulting your physician for help and advice is a good idea, but don't assume that he necessarily practices what he might preach to you about a healthy diet. One survey revealed that more than half (55 percent) of U.S. doctors are overweight. And while they may know the value of eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, a scant 20 percent do so. A whopping 66 percent confessed that they ate some candy "in the past week." The survey was conducted in 1993 by Sudler and Hennessey, the health care and pharmaceuticals advertising division of Young and Rubicam. "I was surprised that so many physicians said they were overweight," says John Chervokas, the Sudler and Hennessey executive vice president who headed up the survey. "We received a much larger response from doctors than we had originally anticipated, which proved to us that the doctors are interested in the subjects of diet and nutrition. Or, maybe they're just interested in food!"

Preventing Cancer

While there's some debate over whether overweight is a factor in breast cancer, there is a distinct relationship between breast cancer and a high-fat diet, which generally leads to overweight as well. In Japan, where until recently fat intake was far lower than ours, the incidence of breast cancer was also far lower.

However, things are changing. As the Japanese eat more fat and their diet begins to resemble the typical high-fat American diet, they are experiencing more breast cancer.

Many experts now believe that limiting dietary fat to no more than 20 percent of calories consumed--a figure substantially lower than the government's recommended ceiling of 30 percent--is the ideal way to ward off breast cancer. But even if you lean more toward the higher percentage, you're still dramatically cutting your chances of getting breast cancer, which strikes one in every nine American women.

In addition to breast cancer, overweight women experience greater incidence of other types of cancer, including ovarian and cervical. "Studies have shown that obesity leads to increased levels of estrone, a cancer-promoting hormone," says Dr. Yanovski. "While not all of the evidence for this is clear right now, it is likely that being at a healthy body weight would help give protection from these forms of cancer."

In men, high-fat diets have been associated with prostate cancer, and so they, like women, would be wise to limit their dietary fat intake to no more than 25 or 30 percent of calories from fat.

Weight Down, Sex Up Want yet another good reason to lose weight? It'll give a boost to your sex drive! Ronette Kolotkin, Ph.D., director of the behavioral program at the Duke University Diet and Fitness Center in Durham, North Carolina, conducted a pair of studies examining the relationship between weight and quality of life. Sixty-four overweight people entering a typical one-month weight-loss program at Duke were asked to respond to statements about how weight affects their quality of life, including six about sexual life. * "I do not feel sexually attractive." * "I have little or no sexual desire." * "I don't want anyone to see me undressed." * "I have difficulty with sexual performance." * "I avoid sexual encounters whenever possible." * "I do not enjoy sexual activity." A month later, after completing a program of eating right, exercising and losing weight--on average 8 to 30 pounds--they were asked about the same six statements. To a man (and woman!), they answered quite positively. "They reported that now they felt more sexual desire and more sexually attractive," reveals Dr. Kolotkin. "What's interesting to note is that someone answering the questions might have lost 20 pounds and still have had 20 or 50 to go. So the point is, you don't need to lose all your excess weight in order to have a quality-of-life improvement--including your sex life."

Living Longer

Again, the Japanese seem to have many of the answers. Despite their unfortunate, and growing, fondness for our own beloved high-fat fast foods, the traditionally low-fat Asian lifestyle generally means a longer life: Japanese men and women have the longest life expectancy in the world.

A new study has also shown that you'll function better as you age if you keep body fat down. Larry Wier, Ed.D., director of the health-related fitness program at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, studied 300 women and their ability to use oxygen during exercise. Although it had always been believed that your exercise efficiency inevitably declines with age, Dr. Wier learned otherwise. "We found that the more body fat a person accumulates over the years, the more of a decline he or she will see," he says. "Some folks over 75 are more functional than others who are much younger. As you grow older, it pays to keep your body fat low and your exercise high."

Building Better Backs and Joints

Extra pounds up front also invariably lead to extra stress on your back. It's believed that just 10 too many pounds around your abdomen, centered ten inches in front of your spine, means your back muscles have to exert a force of 50 pounds to counterbalance your gut.

"Over half of all Americans will eventually develop some back problems, and almost every physician will advise overweight patients with back trouble to reduce their body weight," says Dr. Yanovski.

Doctors also suspect that keeping your weight down will help prevent osteoarthritis by taking a load off your already-overworked joints, particularly knee joints. Nearly 10 percent of folks over 65--and more women than men--suffer from this wear-and-tear knee problem, and obesity is a major risk factor. But if, for example, a 5'4" woman who weighs 165 pounds loses 11 pounds and keeps it off, she can reduce her chances of developing this condition by one-third.

Your hip joints will also thank you if you keep your weight down.

Easing through Pregnancy and Childbirth

The closer you are to your ideal weight, the simpler your pregnancy and delivery will be, says registered dietitian Joann Heslin, author of 16 books and co-author of The Pregnancy Nutrition Counter. "If you're physically fit, you'll be able to endure labor more easily," she says. "But if you're heavier, you may complicate it, and you'll put yourself at greater risk should you require surgery--the doctor may have to cut through three inches of fat before she can get to the baby."

There's no real mystery about delivering a baby, Heslin points out--your body knows how to do it naturally. "But if you're in good shape to start out with, you'll help your body do its job nicely," she says.

Dr. Yanovski adds that an overweight new mom is more likely to develop such complications as pregnancy-induced diabetes and high blood pressure.

"Even though the diabetes usually disappears after delivery, a woman who's had diabetes during her pregnancy must work long and hard to prevent the development of diabetes later in life," she says. "A large number of these women do go on to develop Type II diabetes."

Fat: It Hurts More Than Your Looks Think a steady diet of fattening foods will just make your belly bulge? Nope. It can take its toll on almost every part of your body, and in ways that won't make you too happy. Here's how obesity can affect every part of your body.
Body Part	Problem or Condition
Brain	Stroke
Windpipe	Intensified snoring
Armpits	Excess sweating
Heart	Enlargement, erratic beat, other types of heart disease
Breasts	Cancer
Liver	Cirrhosis
Gallbladder	Gallstones, cancer
Kidneys	Kidney stones, kidney failure due to high blood pressure
Pancreas	Diabetes
Ovaries	Sterility, cancer
Uterus	Cancer
Cervix	Cancer
Hip, knee and ankle bones	Arthritis
Legs	Varicose veins

Getting Well and Staying Well

Any surgery you might need becomes far more difficult and dangerous the heavier you are. But, says Dr. Pi-Sunyer, "just a 10 percent reduction in body weight can reduce the duration of hospitalization and the incidence of postoperative complications."

When you lose weight by cutting fat, you're also giving a big boost to your immune system. That's what scientists at the USDA's Human Nutrition Research Center in San Francisco discovered after monitoring the changes in seven women they studied. Their diets had been reduced from about 41 percent to approximately 30 percent of calories from fat. While this is admittedly a modest study, it suggests that you can only do your immune system good by keeping your weight at a desirable level.

Boosting Energy Levels

Think of how perky you feel when you're lugging home 25 pounds of groceries. Not very? Then you'll have a good idea how an extra 25 pounds (or more) of body weight can drag you down and make you feel more tired and sluggish than necessary. One of the first things dieters report is how much extra energy they have after they've lost even 5 or 10 pounds. They also sleep better.

Many overweight people have a condition known as sleep apnea, and many of those who have it go undiagnosed. Not only do people with apnea snore but also their breathing passages become blocked. Typically, they wake up again and again or sleep fitfully, never getting adequate rest. "They get drowsy during the day and may start to fall asleep during meetings or while driving their car," explains Dr. Yanovski.

Dieting can help tremendously, she says, adding, "Sleep apnea is very responsive to weight loss."