Ogden Valley News | 2008-05-01 | Page 14

The Ogden Valley news Page 14 Volume XV Issue X May 1, 2008 Utah High School Looks Beyond its The Skinny on Lean Muscle Mass the faster we will burns calories. So, dietBy Chandra Barong Walls to Protect Students from the ers beware! More effective than a diet is a Weight—it creeps on slowly. Job chang- lifestyle change for the long haul. Nation’s Deadliest Trend—New, Eye-opening es, the Adding exercise to our lifestyle is also holidays, moves, pregnancies, illness, documentary spurs discussion on obesity epidemic Draper, UT- As the health of the nation’s youth plummets and their weight skyrockets, school administrators know they are fast becoming the frontline in the battle against obesity. Juan Diego High School is enlisting the help of prominent Utah Nutritional Biochemist Dr. Shawn Talbott this week. On April 24 and 25, Health Department Chair Caryn Ketchum invited Dr. Talbott to speak to health students and other classes. Dr. Talbott showed an extended trailer of his documentary “Killer at Large,” www. KilleratLarge.com, which recently was produced by Utah film company Shinebox Media Productions. Ketchum hopes this will prompt students to close the textbooks and participate in thoughtful discussion about the role they play in their own health. Ketchum also hopes Dr. Talbott’s insight will help them be a better influence on the health of their families too. School lunches, vending machines, video games, and billions of dollars in marketing toward children by fast- and junk-food companies are often tagged as key contributors to childhood obesity. This is a problem even private schools are forced to address. Even worse, when it comes to public schools, many critics are now taking aim at President Bush’s “No Child Left Behind” policy. “Killer at Large” goes into detail about how all these factors play a role in why childhood obesity has become so dangerously prevalent. In the documentary, Jeff Levi—of Trust for America’s Health—comments, “I don’t think ‘No Child Left Behind’ was designed to cause children to be less active, but programs like that create priorities for schools and physical education is not part of those priorities.” “The fitness levels of kids are just through the floor,” says David Gatti, a Murray, Utah middle school PE teacher. “I’d say that about 40 to 50 percent of my students look like they have not developed the motor skill of running.” While the effects of “No Child Left Behind” on academic performance are debatable, Coach Gatti worries aloud in the film. “Reading, writing, and math are important, but we’re not developing the whole student.” Talbott will follow the extended film trailer with discussion about what kids can do to take control of their own health at an early age. He will explain his years of research and what factors play a role in why some people gain weight even when they really try to keep it off or lose it. He will explain how managing stress from as early as possible is just as important as healthy diet and exercise. He will also teach them his “Helping Hand” method of portion control that grows with them. For a copy of the extended trailer or review copy of the film, contact Producer Bryan Young at [phone]. For information on Dr. Shawn Talbott or his engagement at Juan Diego High School, please contact Kerry Phillips (above). Licensed & Insured 801-920-4796 P.O. Box 745 Eden UT 84310 Office 801.745.6700 Fax [phone] KenTurnerRE.com Ken Turner Real Estate Presents... Seclusion Top of the World Views Awesome Beauty Backcountry Access injuries . . . here and there a pound, and then another five pound weight gain until, one day, you wake up, look in the mirror, and wonder how that 5 or 10 pounds added up so quickly! You decide to exercise or diet—or both—and you go at it with all the vigor and hope in the world. Each morning you step on the scale and peer at the little number that will either send your spirits soaring or send them plummeting into the depths of despair. Unfortunately, you end up plummeting far more often than you soar! When you were younger, it seemed like the weight came off so easily. Now, after two months, you want to scream in frustration. All the dieting and exercise seems hardly to have worked at all. What is the solution? Dealing with weight can bring a sense of frustration to even the most hopeful person. However, understanding the numbers will help. Our bodies our comprised of many things—including fat and lean muscle mass, both of which play a huge role in weight outcome. Here’s how the numbers add up: a pound of fat and a pound of lean muscle mass may weigh the same—1 pound. However, a pound of fat takes up more space than a pound of lean muscle mass. Lean muscle mass requires more calories or energy to maintain and sustain; fat require less. Now, here’s the trigger—as we age (after about the age of 21), our lean muscle mass begins to deteriorate. By age 40, an inactive woman will lose an average of ½ a pound of lean muscle mass each year! That means, by the time she is 80, she will have lost 1/3 of the lean muscle mass she had at age 40—which was already compromised. Also, if we consume more food, or energy, than we can use, regardless of what our lean muscle mass is, our body converts it to fat, and too much fat, especially around the abdominal region, is dangerous. Abdominal fat is, in particularly, considered a risk factor for heart disease. So what changes do we make to stop the continued decrease in muscle mass, stop the increase of fat, and lose that excess fat we may already have? First, by making health-conscious choices about what we eat—choosing whole grains and fruits and vegetables over white bread and sugary, processed foods, and by becoming aware of our portion sizes and our body’s daily caloric or energy needs, we can, at the very least, stop the weight gain. One pound is made up of 3500 calories. So if we consume less calories than we expend daily, within reason, and consume nutrient rich foods when we do eat, we will slowly start a caloric deficit. As our body requires more energy or calories than we are taking in from food, our body will start to use its stored fat for energy. Here is where it gets a little tricky though. If we go on “quick fix” diets, most of the weight we lose is water, lean muscle mass, and some fat. So, when we stop dieting and go back to our old eating habits, we will find ourselves gaining weight because we now have less lean-muscle mass—thanks to the diet—than when we started, and our metabolism will have slowed down. Remember, the more lean muscle we have, another great choice. The U.S. Surgeon General recommends that Americans exercise most days of the week. The benefits are endless—including the control of depression, high blood pressure, and cholesterol. In addition, exercise helps lower levels of stress and anxiety. A blend of cardio exercise with strength training is ideal. Cardio exercises—such as running, biking, hiking, and walking—are great for the heart and can help burn off excess fat as it uses fat to fuel the exercise. Strength training is effective because it helps slow down the process of losing lean-muscle mass; thus, helping to maintain higher metabolisms. It also helps us feel stronger, more able to handle life in general, and physical activities such as gardening, hobbies, playing with the kids or grandchildren, etc. The most important thing to remember is that weight comes off slowly. Remember, it took months, or even years, to add that weight to your body; thus, it will take some time to take it off. Many people start out exercising hoping for drastic results within two months or less, and are often disappointed that their efforts and perceived sacrifices seem to have made little difference. But I do see success; and it’s usually from those who are the most committed to changing their lifestyles. Just be patient, it usually takes about two to three months for the body to begin changing—when it finally begins to realize that you’re serious! As a result, you’ll begin to feel stronger and your body will begin to look firmer. You’ll also begin to notice that you have more energy; you feel more “alive.” Around three to six months, the weight starts to come off. How quickly depends on an individual’s commitment—not only to exercise but to nutritious, well-balanced diets. The going may still be slow though. Usually, it is around a period of one year before people begin to notice a definite difference in their body’s form. The best part, though, is that most people who start to exercise to lose weight, stick with it for many other reasons. If you are looking for more information on diet and exercise, there are many good resources available. Books such as Bob Greene’s “The Best Life Diet” contains many great healthy and delicious recipes as well as basic information on the body and exercise. McKay Dee hospital staffs dieticians and they can also help with advice. Additionally, they can measure your metabolism. I have done this and it is a fairly interesting piece of information to have. You can also work with a personal trainer to get you started with an exercise program. Or, if you love hiking, take to the mountains! A last bit of advice—put that scale in a closet and only take it out to weigh yourself about once every two weeks to a month. Note: Chandra Barong is co-owner of High Altitude Fitness in Eden, Utah. For more information on programs available, call 745-2653. The Ogden Valley Land Trust—Building Sustainable Communities Through Conservation. 1.56 acre Dream Lot situated high on a hill, on a very private cul-de-sac, bordering open space Central Leech Field, Water, Natural Gas, Power, Phone, Stubbed to lot MLS# 712788 Lot # 55 Durfee Creek Ken Turner 801.710.8800 [e-mail] See this and other fine properties at www.KenTurnerRE.com $359,000 Holding conservation easements on nearly 6,000 acres in Ogden Valley, The Ogden Valley Land Trust is dedicated to the preservation and conservation of open space to enhance the quality of life in Ogden Valley. Please donate to The Ogden Valley Land Trust. Exclusive & Vacation Properties New Construction Developments 1031 Exchanges Investments For more information, contact Shanna Francis at 801-745-2688. The Ogden Valley Land Trust is a legal 501(c)(3) non-profit organization federally recognized to receive tax-deductible donations.