Is bariatric surgery all that it is cut out to be?

Hi Gary

Wanted to share this with you -----Look at this - I now weigh the lowest I have in years. Been scrapping windows for hours and hours and still not finished - great exercise obviously :) Will send a photo when I get one.

Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Without you sharing your wonderful knowledge and ongoing support and passion I would still be suffering and my body slowly shutting down, and taking more and more medication. Also couldn't have got through losing my DAD, one of the closet women (aunty) in life AND my husband of 20 years all in one year!

Love ya dude :)

(name withheld)

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Gary:

(The following is published with permission)

This lovely woman has had a lifelong struggle with her weight, finally resorting to stomach reduction surgery.  While she lost a lot of weight initially, much of it was gradually regained.  When I met her for the first time, she was extremely tired, depressed, overweight and, in my opinion, over medicated.

Hair Tissue Mineral Analyses, first performed in 2012 and then repeated in 2013, confirmed that she was malnourished, a common consequence of stomach reduction surgery.  In addition, she had a significant accumulation of lead in her body, possibly due to home renovations (lead paint).  Lead may cause symptoms like depression, brain fog, fatigue, joint pain and osteoporosis.

In my opinion, her stomach reduction surgery was an abject failure and left her with more problems than it has solved.  At the time of her first consultation with me she was on multiple medications including Citalopram for depression, Levothyroxine for an underactive thyroid. Tranexamic acid for heavy menstrual bleeding and Omeprazole for reflux!

Now drug free and much better off!

I am delighted to report that she no longer has any need for drugs and is all the healthier for not doing so!  Her improvement in health is reflected in her body composition stats below.  I want to add that she deserves all the credit; I merely offered her guidance and support - she did the hard work.  Talk about patient!

Here are some charts for my delighted client.  The body composition readings are from her Salter 9106 scales which are inexpensive, simple to use and incredibly reliable.

Note her slow, steady loss of total weight, fat while gaining lean muscle, water and even bone!
Slow weight losses from exercise with a nutrient dense diet and supplementation is the way to go.
Her latest readings are 74.4 Kg and 28.6%.

Evidence of poor adrenal and thyroid function and generally malnourished.  This is typical of bariatric surgery and starvation-based weight loss programmes.
Elevated lead which is associated with fatigue, depression, aches and pains, brain fog, cardiovascular
disease, diabetes and osteoporosis.

Thyrodine test shows very low iodine status as well as possible interference with iodine usage
due to toxic halide exposure (fluorine, chlorine and bromine).  Saliva iodine should be at least 20 ppm.
Urine iodine should be half that of the saliva levels. No wonder her thyroid was unwell!

Test and sort out the iodine problem and the need for thyroid medication may disappear.
Why does your doctor not do this?
Is it because iodine can not be a high value patent medicine?

Is bariatric surgery really the Holy Grail of weight loss?

Stomach reduction surgery (bariatric surgery) is growing in popularity, promoted as a wonder solution for obesity.  The promoters of this high value surgery highlight the upside while downplaying the negatives of which there are many.  Sneaky tactics are used to highlight the upside: Most people undergoing this procedure will lose significant weight over the first years; however, after about five years the weight may start piling back on while diseases of malnutrition begin to set in such as fatigue, diabetes, arthritis and heart disease.  The promoters of bariatric surgery get around these "minor" problems by only measuring and highlighting the benefits of the first three to five years.  If they were to monitor post-surgery for 10 years, the gloss would be taken completely off the covers of their flash promotional brochures.  

Are they in it for the health of their patients, or in it for the money?

About this website 

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation. Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.

Candida and Fungal Infections? Gary Moller recommends you explore this programme: Click Here!

Is green coffee bean extract safe and effective?

As far as I know this weight loss extract is "safe" when taken at the recommended doses and it may assist weight loss.  But, like most "Miracle Weight-Loss" products, initial claims seldom stack up over the long term.  Out of a population of 300 million Americans, there will always be a handful of miracle tales; but what is their health like five years from now?  The vast majority of weight loss programmes are abject failures over the long term.  Most have disastrous rebound effects - Even more weight gain.

If its sounds too good to be true - it probably is

Green coffee contains caffeine. Therefore, it can cause caffeine-related side effects similar to any caffeinated product.

Caffeine is highly addictive.  Caffeine is often the hidden contributor to ailments such as insomnia, nervousness and restlessness, stomach upset,nausea and vomiting, increased blood pressure, muscle pain, headaches and migraines, anxiety, agitation, ringing in the ears, and irregular heartbeats. Stopping it after habitual use can be extremely unpleasant.  In my experience, few actually succeed long term with getting rid of caffeine completely.  So take care when it comes to popping pills that may contain hidden stimulants.  

After the initial weight loss, the weight may pack right back on with alarming vengeance, leaving you most unhappy and hooked on a drug.

Be wary of any product that claims to burn fat:

http://blog.garymoller.com/2009/05/hydroxycut-products-recalled-after-one.html 

You may be wondering why don't you hear these tales of negativity and caution in mainstream media?  The answer is very simple:

• Caffeine and weight loss are multi-billion dollar industries with massive marketing clout.
• They drive not only the research but also the "good news".
• Media are not about to mess in their nest when it comes to who fronts up with the advertising dollars, so nay-sayers barely get a mention.
• Medicine, including Dr Oz, are constantly searching for the next miracle product to enthrall their audiences and to dupe the public into thinking that there really is a "quick-fix" cure for everything.  By the time that latest miracle product has run its commercial "product life-cycle", attention will have refocused onto the next miracle product!

Like any other stimulant drug, caffeine may damage the adrenal and thyroid glands if used regularly.  In the presence of low glandular activity (Often the big driver for weight gain), caffeine should be avoided while implementing a nutritional balancing programme, with modest exercise, to bring glandular function back to optimum.  Doing so through a nurturing (nutritional balancing), rather than forcing (caffeine) approach, energy and vitality will be restored and long term weight loss will be the result.

About this website 

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation. Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.

Is there a better alternative for weight loss than bariatric surgery?

A morbidly obese teenager and her mother consult a weight-loss surgeon about bariatric surgery for weight loss.  The surgeon advises mother and daughter that she is a good candidate for surgery; however, she needs to lose at least 10kg before they can safely do the procedure.

Mother and daughter leave the consultation rooms with excitement and are straight into diet and exercise to shed those excess kilograms.

Three months later, they are back at the consultation rooms where the weigh-in shows that she has lost over 15kg!  "Wonderful results!", she is told.  "We can now proceed with the surgery".

Now what's morally and professionally wrong about this story?  Of course, the young woman and her mother should have been told to go away and lose another 10kg, and then another.  Bariatric surgery, in her case, would have been unnecessary, if she had been keep on her present course of voluntary weight loss.

Instead the surgery went ahead.  She would have lost weight from the surgery but been shouldered with a lifetime of dependence on vitamin pills, B vitamin injections and chronic health problems over the short and longterm.

My observation of bypass surgery is that there are initial and often dramatic weight losses, along with improvements in related health problems like diabetes and joint pain.  However; much of these benefits are cancelled out as the years progress.  Issues related to malnutrition begin to take hold, diabetes reappears, deathly fatigue sets in, as does depression, blood pressure may be sky-high and the weight may gradually begin creeping upwards.  What also creeps up are the number and potency of medications - blood pressure pills, diabetes medication and antidepressants are some of the most frequently prescribed.

Health issues that develop years after a procedure are often dismissed as unrelated

Bariatric surgery costs approximately $20,000 in New Zealand.  This does not include the cost of treating the not so infrequent complications that can be many times more expensive than the initial surgery.

Not measured are the social consequences that may cancel out some of the benefits of weight loss.  In some societies, it is an insult not to heartily tuck into the meal prepared by your host.  Dating usually involves sitting down and enjoying a meal prepared by the suitor, or relaxing in a fine-dining restaurant.  Socialising with your workmates may including downing a beer or two.  It is not relaxing to know you may have to leave the room, sometime through the meal to vomit.  It may be easier to avoid the discomfort and embarrassment of such occasions and remain a house hermit.

Obesity usually runs through a family.  The father having the surgery does nothing for the rest of the family, including the children.

Treat the family dynamics - not the individual!

My healthy alternative to bariatric surgery

If I was approached by the Government, which now funds these operations out of tax-payer dollars, what would I do with $20,000?  Here's an example of the plan:

Treat the entire family - not the individual

This is self-explanatory and common-sense.  If family dynamics relating to eating, exercise and socialising are  not taken into account, then failure is certain.

Be sensitive to ethnic needs

Eating is central to most societies and social occasions and food choices are important.  These must be taken into account when counselling on food choices and eating practices. 

Correct metabolic imbalances and better manage any health issues

This is done with a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis.  No need to say more about this as there is plenty to read about this on my blog.

Assign a personal chef and a nutritionist to the family

The nutritionist would visit the family to analyse their diet, organise their pantry and take them on shopping expeditions.  There would be weekly home visits to ensure progress and compliance.

The chef would be in the home each evening for the first week, teaching the family how to cook healthy meals.  This would reduce to once or twice a week thereafter.

Assign a personal trainer

Every morning at 6am their personal trainer will be knocking on the door to take the family through their paces.  This may be a brisk walk in the morning sun or a strenuous cross-fit class.

Duration

We would go pretty hard-out for three months.  It takes at least eight weeks for old habits to be replaced by new, healthy ones, so 12 weeks is sensible.  After three months there will be a gradual withdrawal of the service gradually cutting the family loose to be fully independent of outside help.

Can I do this all for $20,000?  I could do it for half that - But I'll take the 20k, thanks.

"Sounds like a good plan, Gary, so what's stopping you?"

It will never happen.  It is pure fantasy.  People have been brain-washed into expecting the easy quick-fix.  They have been soothed into a sense of false security about the safety and the wonders of high-technology medical solutions.  I don't wear a white coat.  In addition, all the funding has been corralled by a small group of elite professionals and there is no way hopeful interlopers, like Gary Moller, are ever going to get their dirty little hands on THEIR money!

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About this website

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation.  Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.

Losing weight and feeling great! Feedback from a Happy Camper

I have had on going health problems since a teenager and after recently going through IVF at the age of 30 and giving birth to my son who was 4months premature, my body took a huge fall. I packed on 20kgs which i just couldn't lose after countless drastic diets or starvation, and numerous attempts at exercise which always ended up in injury. My skin was dry, itchy and had blemishes, my hair was dry and brittle, I was constantly tired and feeling sick and dizzy, my body ached, i had major mood swings, i was constantly getting viral and bacterial infections. All this started to slowly bring on depression. The thought of having another child seemed far too scary with the condition i was in and i really couldn't figure out how to get myself well. So after hearing raving reports about Gary, i thought i'd better get serious and go and see him.

From what i'd heard about the results people have had, i was already sold and fully believed in his methods of treatment, though i never really knew the extent of which i would see results. 

So i went in like a bull out of a gate and did everything Gary recommended. He diagnosed me with a zinc deficiency and gave me a regime of zinc, iodine, vitamin C and silica plus. In the first 3weeks, I felt absolutely awful, broke out in a crazy rash and just felt overall unwell. Through this i kept in close contact with Gary and he told me to stick in there, i will get results soon. Soon was right! after those 3weeks, I dropped 10kgs and the following 2weeks i dropped another 3kgs and the weight is still shedding every day. I feel better than i've ever felt...for a start, i don't feel sick, i have lots of energy, my skin has cleared up, my hair feels soft, my moods have evened out and i'm not getting any viral or bacterial infections anymore. I am full of life. 

I am now training to compete in the Outrigger World Sprint Champs in August this year and feel like i can achieve this with my new lease on life. Gary has further given me the Super Smoothie and Vitamin D to help over the winter season and with the added fuel to train. I would not be able to reach this goal had i not taken that first step and gone to see Gary. I am unbelievably grateful and am a staunch advocate for what Gary and Alofa do. They truely do save lives!

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About this website

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation.  Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.

I have lost nearly 8 kgs in a year without really trying

HTMA 2009: Crohn's, sore knees, fluid retention, migraines.
On medications.

HTMA 2010: Crohn's and other long-standing health
problems no longer a bother.  No medication.
Significant weight loss.

Hi, just a note to Gary about my weight etc..... because I've been doing what he has advised so he'll be interested.

The data is taken from the scales you sell.

fat  low   20.2% - Was 27%
bone 2.1kg - Was and still is 2.1kg
water  56% - Was 51%
muscle 38% - Was 36%
weight 52.7 kgs - Was 60.2kg

I have lost nearly 8 kgs in a year without really trying.

Major changes
I am exercising a lot harder but then I am able to which I couldn't before. heaps of weights and cardio. Eating a boiled egg and two toast for breakfast  keeps my energy really steady and I don't get hungry till lunch.
Protein mainly for lunch.
Salad and protein for tea. No starchy carbs for tea.

All the fat that I thought was there to stay because of age 48 has gone. My tummy button has gone insidey outty again and i am no longer embarrassed of my arms or legs. I'm not skinny, just really healthy toned.

Oh, and my digestion has improved heaps since I stopped the cereal and fruit for breakfast. It obviously didn't agree with my body at all.
"C"
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Gary:

One of the most remarkable things about people is this: If we simply correct what we see with the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis, health improves.  Sometimes, aliments for which there is no real cure, such as Crohn's, simply disappear ("spontaneous remission").

In "C's" case, she has had a long struggle with Crohn's which is an inflammation affecting any portion of the digestive tract.  There is no cure - only management.

Some observations about her Hair Tissue Mineral Analyses


The sodium level has decreased since the previous test. This is frequently reflective of either an alleviation of physical and/or emotional stress or possibly, an ongoing toxic metal elimination (some heavy metals cause sodium to be retained in the tissues, and when removed, excessive sodium retention will naturally decrease). Since high tissue sodium levels are associated with inflammation, a reduction in sodium may indicate an improvement in tendencies toward inflammatory processes, allergies, migraines, anxiety and hyperactivity.


The mineral potassium has been associated with adrenal glandular activity. Reduction of tissue potassium levels frequently indicates a decrease in excessive adrenal cortical activity.  An improvement of this would also indicate a reduction in stress and stress-related conditions, including fluid retention, digestive disorders, acne and colitis, fatigue, transient hypertension and limb spasms.

Low copper may be associated with cholesterol abnormalities, collagen disorders, adrenal fatigue and low thyroid.

 High zinc relative to copper may be associated with premenstrual syndrome, including migraines and fluid retention.

As you can see from the HTMA charts above, change is very slow, even with diet changes and pumping in nutritional supplements.  In my opinion, this is a never ending exercise with constant adjustments, simply because the natural processes of ageing - along with infections, injuries and stress - tend to push us into nutrient deficiencies, excesses and relative imbalances that ultimately lead to the breakdown of general health and eventually, death.  The key to good health and longevity lies in being successful in getting the nutritional ratios in the HTMA centered and keeping them there no matter what.  Easier said than done!

In theory, ill health can not be present when the nutrient balances are in perfection.  I have now done HTMA on hundreds of people and have yet to find the perfect person!  We are working on it.

"C" is now well down the road to good health.  The good news for her is this:  If she is feeling great now, her HTMA reports indicate that there is much, much more to be gained.  All she has to do is keep on doing what she is doing and she will continue to notice subtle improvements in her sense of health and vitality.

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About this website

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation.  Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.  Please give me your support by subscribing to my free email updates. Please shop at my Online Store. Please encourage your family and friends to do the same. While we may not always be able to compete with the big operators on price, we aim to more than compensate through personal service!


Your email address:

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Do you have a question?  Email Gary: gary@myotec.co.nz. Include any relevant background information to your question.  Please be patient and be aware that I may not be able to answer every inquiry in detail, depending on workloads (My paying clients take precedence!). I will either reply by email or, most likely, by way of an article (Personal identifying details will be removed before publication).

Ask the weight loss expert teleseminar invitation

If it's weight loss you are seeking, then I urge you to invest 60 minutes of your time to find out how to start moving towards the body, health, energy and lifestyle you desire. It's a great time of the year to get a boost, so read on to see what we have in store for you. 


Next week, I'll be joining forces with Craig Elliot, Mindset Coach and creator of the GET THE FAT OUT OF YOUR HEAD course to bring you a free tele-seminar, which I hope you can tune in for! This is something you can listen in on from the comfort of your own home,just by picking up your home phone and dialling in. 


You need to register for the call first though - to do that go to Ask The Weight Loss Expert


Here are just some of the things you will learn: 
=> How a low fat - high carb diet makes you fat. 
=> How calcium makes you fat and wrinkles your skin 
=> How a low salt diet makes you fat and tired 
=> How ICL hair tissue mineral analysis can help you lose weight 
=> How to use mineral therapy to bring about healthy weight loss 
=> How to work all the above to be in your favour to make you lean and full of beans. 



Craig's intention is to extract as much useful information for you as he can in the 60 minutes we have and to get to the most pressing questions you have - which you can either ask as part of registering for the call or on the call live which we encourage you to do. Craig will also share a few mindset tips to support you applying what you learn and to cultivate a slim, fit and healthy mindset.


You'll also be able to get access to more of his material if you are on the call - his approach is all about having the right mindset to make all that you need to do on a physical level do-able, easier and self sustaining. 


Just a heads-up... We only have 100 phone lines available on this conference facility (actually 98 because Craig and I will take two of those lines)... If you want to get in on this call, then don't waste any time - go grab your seat for this special teleseminar... 


Note; If you are calling in from New Zealand (or outside of Australia)then even though the seminar is free, there will be your usual toll charges for the call which will just come in via your phone bill. Craig worked it out to be under $20.00 which may vary a little depending on who you are with. 


I hope you join me on the call! 


Gary

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About this website

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation.  Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.  Please give me your support by subscribing to my free email updates. Please shop at my Online Store. Please encourage your family and friends to do the same. While we may not always be able to compete with the big operators on price, we aim to more than compensate through personal service!
Your email address:

Powered by FeedBlitz

Do you have a question?  Email Gary: gary@myotec.co.nz. Include any relevant background information to your question.  Please be patient and be aware that I may not be able to answer every inquiry in detail, depending on workloads (My paying clients take precedence!). I will either reply by email or, most likely, by way of an article (Personal identifying details will be removed before publication).

From Sweet Toothed Lump to Sword Fighter

Here is an inspirational article that was published in the October Issue of NZ Walking Magazine:

From Sweet Toothed Lump to Sword Fighter

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About this website

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation.  Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.  Please give me your support by subscribing to my free email updates. Please shop at my Online Store. Please encourage your family and friends to do the same. While we may not always be able to compete with the big operators on price, we aim to more than compensate through personal service!

Your email address:

Powered by FeedBlitz

Do you have a question?  Email Gary: gary@myotec.co.nz. Include any relevant background information to your question.  Please be patient and be aware that I may not be able to answer every inquiry in detail, depending on workloads (My paying clients take precedence!). I will either reply by email or, most likely, by way of an article (Personal identifying details will be removed before publication).

Nutrition Experts denounce Detox Diets

"Detox" diets are an unhealthy way to lose weight after the holidays, experts say.

The controversial diets often involve fasting and avoiding food groups to cleanse the body of toxins as people try to lose several kilograms in a short time.

Christchurch public health nutritionist Bronwen King said most people went on detox diets because they had been overeating.

"They've been eating too much and drinking too much and feel they've got to do something about it."

However, extreme detox diets were "one of the worst things you can do to your body", she said.

"If you take in very few kilojoules, the body adapts by getting by on less. When more food comes on board, the body puts it away into fat stores because it doesn't know when you are going to starve it again."

Most of the weight lost when people went on detox diets was water.

A better way to lose weight was to eat sensibly and be active, King said.

"I'd advise people to enjoy good healthy food, but people want quick fixes," she said.

"They think they should do something drastic, but the drastic measures aren't the ones that are going to work long-term."

Dr Jane Elmslie, a registered dietitian at Otago University, said detox diets were nothing more than "a quick fix".

"My view is that at best detox diets ... represent a very temporary solution to the problem of Christmas weight gain," she said.

"They may be harmful in people who have diabetes or eating disorders and in growing children, teenagers, pregnant women and older adults.

"They are not safe for anyone as a long-term weight-loss strategy because they can cause electrolyte imbalances, muscle as well as fat loss and a reduction in metabolic rate," the dietitian said.

Source if story: Stuff

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Gary comments:

I got into the detox business mainly because I had an upsurge of inquiries from people who had or were doing extreme detox diets, mainly the "Lemon Detox". They were seeking advice about how to alleviate problems with extreme fatigue, muscle cramps, heart palpitations and sleep problems that arose or got worse while on these diets.

My initial advice was to simply stop doing these stupid programmes; but my research into the matter and a number of nutrition courses attended over the last few years led me to think otherwise. "Maybe there are good detox programmes?" In fact there are and I settled on one that was has been developed by a NZ herbalist, Brett Elliot of Tauranga.

I have now had dozens of people complete Brett Elliot's Herbal Detox programme and the results have been impressive. The consistent result is people look much more healthy after completing the detox and issues like pain and fatigue definitely diminish or even disappear. Squishy belly bulges and hard liver under the ribs disappear. Some have been able to safely reduce or cease some or all of their medication for conditions like high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol.

Of course, there are many people who should not do this herbal detox programme. This is mostly to do with timing and commitment and there is little point in doing a detox if one is basically lean and healthy. If a person has an eating disorder then a detox programme is not for them that is for sure! If a person is on medication then it is advisable to consult the prescribing doctor before doing any kind of detox, simply because the elimination programme may reduce the uptake of the medicine.

Success is assured if the programme commences at a time when you know you have about three months of stability in terms of work, home and social life. There is little point in being halfway through the programme and then having a round of indulgent social events to mess it all up! Starting the programme after a round of indulgency is good psychological timing on the other hand.

Couples who do it together have better success because of the mutual support they give and not having to prepare special meals for one or the other.

The detox programme works in very well with the ICL Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis and the Active Elements programmes. These provide longterm nutrition guidance and therapy. The Herbal Detox programme is used to clean out the system after which these longterm therapies can then kick in. This staged mix of therapies works very nicely in practice for most health issues. Brett Elliot has recently launched a Herbal Slim package that is worth looking at for those seeking safe, longterm weight management.

What I like about Brett Elliot's Herbal Detox programme is that is based around a vegetarian diet that uses all kinds of delicious New Zealand sourced foods. There are a number of protocols that you can follow that are outlined in the booklet that comes with the detox pack. The protocol I favour is the the 10 day detox: Short, sharp and over with in next to no time. There is a lead in period of several days, then you take the herbs full on for ten days and then its over! However; its not all over. Of course, it is nuts to go to all the trouble and expense of a detox programme and then slip right back into old unhealthy habits.

The detox programme is like a rite of passage: Once finished you are into a new beginning. The idea is to keep the basics of the new diet going while carefully adding in a little meat, eggs, fish and other sources of protein. Regular exercise, sunshine, fresh air, laughter, rest and relaxation complete the healthy new lifestyle.

So, while I agree somewhat with the experts quoted in the article above about the limitations of detox programmes, I feel they are exposing their own lack of practical grounding in nutrition. This sort of generalised bagging of a type of therapy that has been around for a very long time does nothing to promote health and wellbeing. They make my job all the more difficult by causing widespread confusion.

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Email Gary: gary at myotec.co.nz (Replace the "at" with @ and remove spaces). Please include any relevant background information to your question.

How much weight can I lose and in what time frame from walking on a treadmill?

How much weight should in what time frame can i lose walking on a treadmill at 3.4mph for 45 minutes 6 days a week ? i am a 39 yr old female
"K"
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Gary advises:

Unfortunately there are too many factors at play to be able to give a definite answer to your question. But I do have some comments and recommendations for you.

Weight lost slowly is weight least likely to be regained.
If you lose just a kilo a week over several months as opposed to several per week for a month, then you are most likely to keep that weight off. This is because the gradual weight loss is the result of subtle changes in daily behaviour that are sustainable.

Think about lean and fat weight.
When losing weight, you want to be losing fat and not lean tissue including muscle. As one gets older, one of the best measures of health and vitality is lean weight. If you are on an exercise programme you want to be doing one that increases lean weight while getting rid of excess fat weight.

A kilo of fat takes up much more volume than a kilo of muscle.
This explains why a fit, lean person sinks and an unfit, fat person floats. If you are on a balanced health and fitness programme, it is possible and often desirable that you will gain a kilo or two in weight during the first 6-8 weeks. This is because weak and wasted muscles will respond to the unfamiliar exercise by getting larger and harder.

Lean tissue burns fat.
As your lean weight increases, so does your ability to burn fat during exercise and even at rest. This explains why a fit and toned person has a more stable body weight than their unfit equivalent. After 6-8 weeks the participant in a balanced fitness programme should notice a steady decline in overall body weight. This is because the initial gain in lean muscle levels off while the steady loss of body fat that was initially masked by the lean weight gain continues and even accelerates.

The best measure of success is not weight.
The best measure is body dimensions and your feelings of energy and vitality. Use a tape measure to compare loss of girth about the thighs, hips, tummy and chest. How clothes fit are a good measure. Think about how quickly you skip up the steps to home, rather than how much you weigh. Thin is not always healthy.

Walking is a wonderful exercise but not enough on its own. You need to add upper body exercise in the form of lifting weights from the ground to above the head, if you are not doing so already. Walking is great for the circulation and the muscles from the hips down. Do not neglect the muscles and bones from the hips up. Think of a balanced workout for the entire body.

Do not fall into a pace and distance rut.
What I mean by this is do not walk at just 4.5km/hr for 45 minutes every day. The body is inherently lazy and it will quickly get lazily used to the monotony. “Ho-hum: another 45 minute plod – time to go to sleep”. You must keep surprising your body by mixing up your sessions. Never do the same thing two days in a row. Do a short, fast walk today. Make the next a long two hour one. Then the next can be short with hills. Keep your body guessing about what is going to be thrown at it. Keep it on its toes and it will respond by getting stronger and stronger instead of falling asleep on the job. Got the idea?
Walk outdoors and get healthy.
Save the treadmill for the really nasty weather. Do every walk you can outdoors in true outdoors Kiwi tradition. It is healthier. Suck in the fresh air, get the bright light on your face, listen to the birds, and admire the views. Go with your friends; make every walk an adventure of discovery. Walk different suburbs and admire the gardens. Explore the trails about the city outskirts, walk the Tongariro Crossing. Save what you would spend on the gym and walk the Inca Trail of Peru next year.

Should I be incorporating some sort of weight training into my exercise workouts to help build some muscle?

Hi Gary,

Hope I am doing this right. Would love some advice as I havent a clue what i am doing.I am a 42 year old married, mother of 5. Last September I decided to change my lifestyle considerably as i was 134 kilos and feeling everyone of them. (Although my top weight was 140 kilos 3 years ago).

It is almost my 1 year anniversary of these changes and i am now 72 kilos! Really pleased with myself, and havent been this low since I was a teenager.

Now, I am doing approx. 1 1/2 hours- 2hours exercise each day, not counting work (part-time shelf stacker at the local supermarket). This exercise constitutes walking, biking and an elliptical trainer my brother gave me.

I am loving the changes (and comments), however I have an awful lot of loose skin, not too worried about this as feel it is the price you pay for getting so overweight to begin with. I am wondering whether I should be incorporating some sort of weight training into my schedule to help build some muscle.

My eating is pretty good, not as good as it could be, but compared to what it was, not too bad, I take no supplements at this stage.

Any advice would be magnificent as I am really flying blind here.

Thanking you in anticipation,

"J"
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Gary replies:
Congratulations on your dramatic change in lifestyle and associated weight loss! And my apologies for taking so long to respond to your inquiry.

With regards to the loose skin, it is possible that it will be less obvious with time. Women are a little more prone to wrinkling and loose skin with ageing compared to men. This is because a woman's hormonal makeup makes for less robust collagen which is more liable to damage such as from stretching or excessive sun exposure. There are a number of nutritional strategies that one can use to improve collagen health, including extra vitamin C, regular bone broths (rich in minerals and gelatine), supplementary MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), flax oil, vitamin E and even some glucosamine and chondroitin. I would add lots of bright fruit and berries to the diet. These are all very good for the skin. Then you could add some extra silica to the diet. If you need any supplements like silica or MSM, you can get these from www.myotec.co.nz . Contact me if you need sorting through the confusion of options that I have just listed.

Moving on to your question now:

You should be adding weight training that is additional to the shelf stacking that you do in the supermarket. As one gets older, strong bones are important and the exercise you are doing is wonderful; but only for your hips and lower down (The cross trainer is a qualified exception). You need to add exercise that works the muscles and bones from the low back and upwards. In effect, you are setting out to exercise the muscles that defy the pull of gravity.

There is an added benefit of lifting weights: Packing on a bit of extra muscle helps keep that excess fatt you lost from coming back because healthy muscle burns calories like crazy when working out and even a little while at rest. The other benefit is the muscle will help fill out some of that loose skin such as is commonly seen on the upper arms of women who have lost weight.

You need to be doing some repetitive lifting that takes a weight from ground level to stretch above your head. Pages 111-112 of my book on back pain describes this exercise and how to do it safely. You can add all kinds of other exercises but these are optional. I prefer to use body weight, rather than machines. You can do exercises like kneeling press-ups and even just hanging from an overhead bar and lifting your legs in a reverse sit up. This exercise helps keep you tall and straight while conditioning the abdominals. I must make a You Tube video about this topic soon, so please keep a watch for it.

You do not need any expensive equipment for your weight training. Get a couple of discarded 2-4 liter plastic containers with handles handles from the supermarket and fill with either water or sand.
1 liter water = 1 kg weight.
Choose a weight you can lift about 15 times before losing form, then do 2-4 sets of about 14 repetitions between other exercises. Add a little more weight over the months as you get stronger. You never need more than about 4 kg per arm.