To lose weight or not to lose weight?

[Salteen]

Ok, so most who have HIV aren't worried about gaining weight but I am.  I would actually like to lose 10 - 15 and then  I think I would feel a little bit better about myself.  I have a muscle build, am about 5'5 and weigh 150.  Any suggestions on how to do this wisely?  Keeping in mind that I am not on meds, and have a t cell count of 200 and a VL between 1,000-5,000.  I do exercise frequently, I try to get in at least 30 min a day.  My diet is ok not too horrible but not awesome.  Also keeping in mind I might have to go on meds soon...     

[qrky]

Best thing you can do is going to be diet and exercise.  Avoid everything white (flour, bread, white rice, pasta) because it's processed/refined -- that's a health thing for sure but eating less sugar and zero corn syrup (check labels, you'll be quite surprised where sugar can be hidden) is a big boost to your body that gives you better nutrition and less sugar.   Might want to avoid potatoes too though I never made that one work for me.  Weight-wise you're not too bad so just start walking whenever you have time - if you want to get really enthusiastic go to the gym.  Dropping processed/refined carbs and other carbs that do not help you much (bread and pasta being big ones) and walk, you'll see the weight drop.

-doug

[ndrew]

I never eat until I feel like I am bursting at the seams.  Smaller meals more frequently helps.  I try to eat whole grains, brown rice, fresh fruits and veggies as much as possible.  The added fiber slows digestion so your blood sugar doesnt spike and you feel full longer.

Cutting out (or down) meat, eggs and dairy can help according to research-

“People who switch to a vegetarian diet typically lose about 10 percent of their body weight,” says PCRM nutrition scientist Amy Joy Lanou, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. “Countless studies published in the scientific literature show that resolving to go meat-free in 2007 is the best way slim down and get healthy.”

The Findings:

In a study of nearly 22,000 people, Oxford University professor Timothy Key and his colleagues found that those who avoid animal products gain less weight over time than meat-eaters. The findings are published in the International Journal of Obesity.

A study of young Taiwanese women found that the vegetarians have slimmer waists and higher insulin sensitivity compared with omnivores. C. Hung and colleagues published the findings this year in the British Journal of Nutrition.

In a literature review published this year, Oxford 's Dr. Key and his colleagues found that vegetarians and vegans weigh less and have lower plasma cholesterol concentration than meat-eaters. The review appears in the Proceedings of the Nutrition Society.

A literature review conducted by researchers with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine notes that between zero and six percent of vegetarians are obese, while nearly 20 percent of the adult population in the United States is obese. Drs. Susan Berkow and Neal Barnard published the paper in Nutrition Reviews.

When individuals adhere to a low-calorie, low-fat vegetarian diet, they lose more weight and achieve greater decreases in blood cholesterol and blood glucose levels than if they follow a low-calorie and low-fat diet that includes meat. L. Burke and colleagues published these findings in the journal Obesity.

Vegetarians have a lower risk of metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease because they consistently consume higher amounts of protective foods compared with omnivores of the same weight. M. Vavlchovicova and colleagues published these findings this year in the European Journal of Nutrition.

-http://www.pcrm.org/news/release061219.html

Drew