Physical activity at this stage of life is vital. Excessive TV viewing in adolescents has been linked with inactivity which may foreshadow the development of obesity in an adult. Prevention strategies at this critical period are obviously preferable and easier than trying to cure overfatness later in life. More recognition needs to be given to this fact in public health approaches to the problem.

One prominent study carried out in the US has shown that strategies which decrease TV viewing and other inactive pastimes may be more effective as a fat loss technique in children than attempting to increase their involvement in physical activity and sports.

Myth-information. Any fat loss program that proclaims ‘no exercise, no effort’ needs to be looked at suspiciously. While it is possible to lose fat through diet alone, long term maintenance of fat loss requires at least a moderate level of physical activity.

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• Unlike carbohydrate and protein, fat is not finely balancec in the body.

• Fat (from the diet and adipose tissue) is the energy buffer for the body—it makes up the difference between what the body obtains from non-fat calories and what it needs.

• Alcohol is the highest priority fuel for burning, but unlike protein and carbohydrate, it does not reduce hunger.

• Energy balance and fat balance are essentially equivalent.

1. Reducing dietary fat in favour of carbohydrate and protein is likely to be the most effective long term dietary fat loss technique.

2. Alcohol denial may not be necessary on a fat loss program but restriction of dietary fat is advisable if mamtairiing alcohol intake.

3. Because alcohol in the body is only partially balanced, control of hunger may be more of a problem with alcohol consumption in terms of fat gain than the alcohol itself.

4. Carbohydrate intake in the presence of a low-fat diet can be surprisingly high, thus allowing for greater satiation and less hunger.

5. The use of a low-fat ad libitum eating plan, in contrast to reduced total calories may result in a less immediate weight loss, but a slower and more permanent reduction in body fat.

6. A low-fat eating plan is likely to be a much more liveable option for most people than trying to get them to eat less total food.

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At age 37, the Loch Arbour, New Jersey, resident noticed that even though her eating habits hadn’t changed, her waistline had expanded. Daily exercise was helping prevent serious poundage from accumulating. Still, she was roughly 10 pounds above her healthy weight, and she was worried about gaining more.

At first, she tried to control her calorie and fat intake by measuring her foods, even her snacks. It helped, but still she wasn’t satisfied with the results. She expected the pounds to come off faster. She decided that she needed to do something more.

Mary Ellen scrutinized her eating habits and quickly figured out that her problem wasn’t what she was eating at home. “I travel a lot, and I’m not a big fan of cooking, so I eat a lot of meals in restaurants,” she explains. “You go out to these places, and they just load you up with volumes of food. I was eating way too much.”

So, she reasoned, why not be as diligent about portion sizes in restaurants as at home?

The next time she ate out, she gave the idea a try. When placing her order, Mary Ellen also asked the waiter for a doggie bag. And \ when both arrived, she didn’t hesitate—she immediately divided : ^ the food into two portions, placing half in the bag. t

Success! No longer tempted, Mary Ellen ate what was left on her plate and took the rest home.

This technique, along with a healthy diet and regular exercise, helped Mary Ellen take off those pesky 10 pounds in about 6 months. She has kept her weight in check ever since, no matter what’s on the menu.

WINNING ACTION

Get half to go. According to Dale Hayes, R.D., a nutrition consultant in Billings, Montana, the portions that you get when you eat out are often two to three times larger than the portions that you eat at home. Even if you order a low-fat entree, you could be consuming an entire day’s worth of calories in one sitting if you eat the whole thing. So do as Mary Ellen does and ask for a doggie bag when placing your order. This way, you stow away temptation before it even has a chance.

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