Director, Emergency Services, Bikur Cholim Hospital
Here are the recommendations of UK Cancer Research for weight
management and my comments:
1) Keep to your meal routine. This may not be such a
good idea. It is always better to eat several small meals
instead of fewer large ones, and it is always better to eat
like an Israeli (that is, to eat your big meal in the middle
of the day) than like an American (big meal at the end of the
day). If you live a chaotic life and eat haphazardly, this is
not a good idea. If you eat in yeshiva then you have no
control over mealtimes, but you can try to be careful about
what you eat (more on this later).
2) Choose reduced-fat versions of food. We have
discussed this. Best bet remains to eat homemade instead of
processed foods whenever possible. Please note that chocolate
spread and petel (artificially flavored drinks) can
not be considered food by any definition.
3) Walk 10,000 steps, i.e., 60-90 minutes a day. Now,
I know it is tough with our lifestyles, but learn to manage
your time and you will find the time. I learn on an exercise
bike. Others do other exercise. Walking with your kids is
good for parent-child bonding as well.
4) Pack a healthy snack. Careful here. Do not be
fooled by vitamin fortified crisps or other similar items:
rubbish which is vitamin fortified remains rubbish. Another
"be careful:" Fat-free puddings are often high in sugar;
sugar- free treats are often high in fat. Pineapple and other
canned fruits are not beneficial if packed in syrup: one
company in Israel packs pineapple in natural pineapple juice.
Avoid tuna in oil. Tuna in water is the way to go.
5) Check fat and sugar content. Which has more
calories, pita or a roll? Which has more fat? Which more
sugar?
6) Practice portion control. Eating slower helps.
7) Stand up at least once every hour. Can't see how
this will help much. Walking back and forth will help.
8) Drink a lot of water. May fill you up, but I am not
a proponent of this since taken to the extreme it can lower
the salts in your body. And I am against drinking your
calories. Sugared drinks are empty calories.
9) Don't eat quickly. We discussed this.
10) Eat lots of fruit and veggies. I love fruits and
vegetables, and eat a lot of them. Get a good cookbook, and
learn how not to overcook your veggies. Yes, my friends,
beets cooked right are very tasty and yes my kids do eat
them. Roasting carrots brings out their natural sweetness.
Raw carrots add a crunch to salads and lend a change of pace
to cholent when added to the pot. Boiled fresh carrots taste
much better than frozen ones. Carrot tzimmes is an old
favorite, high in sugar, but it contains a vegetable
nonetheless.
Here are some of my additions.
1) Want to lose weight? Reward yourself for improvement.
2) Do not eat when you are bored or depressed. Do not treat
every day as a yomtov by eating special treats.
3) Do not do homework on the kitchen table.
4) Break bad habits slowly.
5) Involve your family in your weight loss scheme. Do not
bring into the house foodstuffs that will cause weight
problems.
6) Get a good recipe book. Husbands: learn to cook your own
meals, and avoid eating out of the house.
7) Food is a way to grow spiritually. If you think that way,
your waistline will not grow.
Write me in care of the Yated.
