More information is coming out about the abuses at “The Biggest Loser.”  In a May 22, 2016 New York Post article, written by Maureen Callahan, entitled “‘Biggest Loser’ drugged us so we’d lose weight”, it reports how participants were supplied with illegal (Ephedra) and legal drugs (amphetamines, diuretics, water pills, etc.) to promote weight loss. As I have always maintained, shows like these strive for dramatic effect, are abusive, and take advantage of the participants. Even if any of these abuses did not occur, the process of trying to lose weight so fast, in a sequestered environment, is in my view, a recipe for disaster. So my suggestion is to vote with the remote, and avoid watching these types of “reality” shows.

So to continue my thoughts from my previous blog entry, I thought it best to go over some additional actions, strategies and thoughts about maintaining one’s weight loss:

— I believe it is critically important to recognize that you are susceptible to weight gain, so you have to be constantly aware about what you are eating, and how much you are exercising.

— Unless you working out really hard (like you are having a difficult time speaking while you exercise and you are sweating profusely), I would avoid any sports drinks as they are high in calories and sugars. What I do is brew my own iced tea, called Sportea, and I use it instead of a sports drink, and as a beverage.  Water is great alternative, and I drink lots of water during the day, but sometimes you need something different, so that is why I use Sportea.

— Avoid alcohol, as it has sugar and is high in calories, but not much nutritional value. Instead, if you want a drink in your hand at a party, get sparkling water.

— Completely avoid all sugar or sugar-substitute drinks. The sugary drinks are high in calories, and the sugar-free ones can have a detrimental affect on your metabolism.

— Weigh yourself every day, and make changes to what you are eating, and your level of exercise, based upon being able to maintain your weight loss. Even when I travel, I bring a scale with me so I can weigh myself, and track what my weight is doing during the trip.

— Allow yourself one day of the week, for me it is Saturday, where you allow yourself greater freedom what you can eat. This way you do not go crazy, but even on this day, I try not to eat foods that are too high in calories.

— Be prepared to deal with injuries from exercise. I have had many injuries over the years, but a recumbent bike and elliptical allow for low impact exercise. Running, or even walking, however, do involve impact, so during those times I had injuries, e.g, when I had a sore Achilles, or shin splints, so I could continue to maintain my exercise routine on my bike, even when I was not up physically to run/walk, play tennis, etc.

— Exercise first thing in the morning before you eat, and in the evening, exercise after you eat.

— Have a decent breakfast in the morning to get your body’s metabolism going, and do not eat too late (near your bedtime), since you are taking away time from your body to process the food you ate for dinner before your metabolism slows down when you sleep.

— Watch less TV, and get outside more.

— Eat whole grains, and fresh fruit, but stay away from dried fruit since they tend to be high in sugar content. Also, for a snack, think about having air popped pop corn, not popcorn cooked in oil, and if you want to flavor it, lightly spray it with olive oil and add spices.

— Use smaller plates for your food, which help maintain portion control.

— I do not count calories, as I find this too burdensome, particularly when dining out, but I do keep in the back of my mind generally how many calories I have taken in that day.

Well, that is all for Part 2 right now. Maybe I will add some further thoughts at a later time.