Weight Control
Maintaining a healthy weight is an important step in safeguarding your heart health. But that’s a lot easier said than done, leading many people to try one fad diet or another. The problem with many of these diets is that they are unhealthy because they don’t provide adequate nutrition—some even eliminate entire food groups. These diets may help you lose weight temporarily, but once you go off them you are more likely to regain all the weight you lost—and sometimes more!
The Heart and Stroke Foundation offers the following strategies for managing weight in a healthy manner:
- Start every day with a healthy breakfast
- Aim for five to ten servings a day of vegetables and fruits, as recommended by Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating
- Choose whole-grain breads and cereals whenever possible
- Read the nutrition facts table on food labels and use the information to make healthy choices
- Drink lots of water throughout the day
- Avoid sugary drinks and alcohol
- Choose lower fat dairy products (such as skim milk and low-fat yogurt)
- Eat three meals and two snacks a day at regularly spaced intervals
- Stay away from super-sized portions and second helpings
- Avoid “unconscious eating”—nibbling without paying attention to what you eat
- Look for the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Health Check™ symbol on food packages
- Try to get 30 to 60 minutes a day of moderate activity (such as taking a brisk walk) most days of the week. It will not only help you control your weight; it will also contribute to your overall health.
If you have any questions about the role of weight control in health management or about weight control products, your Sobeys Pharmacist can answer them.
