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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (June 20, 2018)
14 Wednesday, June 20, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Fit For Sisters Andrew Loscutoff Columnist To weigh or not to weigh every day It is common advice: Weigh yourself once a week. Dieters are com- monly told, “Just stick to the plan, and the weight will come off.” Then they step on the scale, and nothing has changed. This frustration is blamed on slow metabo- lism, hormone dysfunction, or some other discrepancy in weight loss that doesn’t correlate to reality. Read further to discover how, and why, the scale may be a helpful daily tracker to weight loss efforts. In a registry of people who have lost significant amounts of weight, those who kept the weight off were daily weighers. They build this practice into daily life as a measure of how they’re doing. Perhaps it’s just the type of people they are, but regardless, it is successful. Another study found that the more fre- quently a person weighed, the more weight they lost. While some reading this have been down this road before, let’s discuss the mechanisms that might fool our scale-standing friends into weighing more or less. First, dietary carbohydrate: carbohydrates in particular are a good way to pack on water weight: 1g of stored muscle glycogen carries 3g of water. Since our body can store up to 500g in the muscles and 100g in the liver, that’s around 4 pounds of water and 1.5l pounds of glycogen. Anyone who has started a low-carb diet knows this as the first week of the diet is shedding this weight (and probably not very much fat). A high-sodium diet can influence the saturation of our cells and cause water retention. This can also amount to several pounds. The mechanism behind this is the equilibrium of flu- ids in our body needs to be maintained on a pH level. Therefore, the high sodium needs to be balanced with more fluids until the sodium is excreted. Another way to make for a distorted scale weight is bingeing on foods the day or night before the weigh- in. This is not actually get- ting “fatter” overnight but rather the slow process of digestion. It takes up to 72 hours to eliminate a large meal. Keep this in mind, as there are times when out-of- normal eating (especially a lot of meat) can keep a few pounds pending in the large intestine for a day or two. Compromised sleep leads to an increase in cor- tisol (the body’s stress marker) which in turn down- regulates satiety (feeling of satisfaction with food) and up-regulates fat storage. In one study, participants did two trials, sleeping for 8 hours or 5 hours while trying to lose weight. The result: 3.3 vs. 1.3 pounds of fat loss. With all these prob- lems, the scale, which is an accurate measure of abso- lute weight, might actually become a grey area regard- ing how much you are los- ing. The argument for the scale is that stepping on daily brings the matter forth in your mind. It’s a primer for the day. You recognize where you’re at and can reason out why the weight is were it is. Once a data- bank is created over several weeks, a trend emerges. Look at weekly average or bi-weekly averages as a valid measure. If you are weight train- ing or using vigorous exercise as a weight-loss mode, you may experience gained muscles mass (and decreased fat mass) as well as the body storing more carbohydrates. This ought to be considered as well. A body-fat measurement after a month would be applica- ble — and you would then be able to correlate the scale with body fat proportions. Some people who pos- sess a defeating mindset might discourage them- selves with weighing every day. This is a major con- cern, one that must not be overlooked. The anxious, perfectionist mindset which will only obsess over their weight. In this situation, it only makes things worse to weigh every day. Dissociate the weigh-in from self- worth. Imagine all the other benefits healthy eating and exercise are providing. If it doesn’t get better over time, discontinue weight loss until the anxiety or self dep- recation subsides. Others can help and a support team is often necessary to lose weight and keep it off. The scale is an excel- lent tool, but it has to be used consistently. With weight constantly fluctuat- ing, weighing once or twice a week will not give a good data set. Knowing how the body reacts to different dietary inputs and exercises it is important to recognize a trend, not an absolute value. A pound or two is easily lost or held onto. Once the trend is set in the right direction, it will be a long journey. Know this and use the scale as the guiding compass. Sisters salutes... • Jim and Sally Maxwell wrote: We want to congratulate Ray’s Food Place manager Jeff McDonald on the grand re-opening of the Ray’s food store here in Sisters. Congratulations to all the wonderful staff who worked so hard while always friendly and helpful. Three cheers! • Lorraine Barrier wrote: Tom Barrier, a Sisters vet- eran, recently received some good news. Tom served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to May 1967. As the result of early release from active duty in May 1967, due to his per- sonal feelings regarding our ridiculous involvement in the Vietnam War, his pro- motion to 04 Major was delayed. After he was reassigned to the Army reserve in 1967, the 04 Major promotion wasn’t initiated until 1975, at which time he was retired from the inactive reserve status after 24 years of federal service. After a period of years, the Army Reserve finally tracked Tom down about four months ago and notified him of his promotion to 04 Major US Army Infantry. He proudly wears the insignia today. • Adriene Steffan, a 7th grade student at Sisters Middle School has earned a position on the Oregon National Junior High Rodeo Team and will be traveling to Huron, South Dakota June 24-30 to compete in the 14th annual National Junior High Finals Rodeo in barrel rac- ing, breakaway roping, and goat tying. FREE PELVIC FLOOR WORKSHOP PRESENTED BY Dr. Ann Griffi n & Dr. Sarah Conroy, Bigfoot Wellness & Carolyn Janke, Studio Rebloom SUNDAY, JUNE 24 3:30-4:15 at Studio Rebloom, 413 W. Hood Ave. • How the pelvic fl oor affects knee, back and neck pain • How mind-body connections strengthen the pelvic fl oor 541-321-6570 Smile, Sisters! We’re committed to your dental health! Exceptional Health, Prevention & Aesthetics For Your Family! Trevor Frideres d.m.d. Ben Crockett, d.d.s. p 541-549-9486 f 541-549-9110 410 E. Cascade Ave. • P.O. Box 1027 • Sisters Hours: Mon., 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Tues.-Wed., 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; Thurs., 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Carpet • Upholstery Tile • Grout • Area Rugs Hardwood • Granite & Tile Polishing Look for us on the Web at BendCarpetCare.com Thank you for your business! LOCAL FOR 24 YEARS! Licensed, Bonded & Insured 541-549-1175 541-815-1208 We’re in Sisters! Stop by our offi ce and meet our staff, 8:30 to 5, Monday through Friday, 473 E. Hood Ave. Ste. 201 (above La Magie Bakery). www.worldschildren.org This ad sponsored by The Nugget Newspaper
