Tell Giselle: Letting the weight go

Last week’s column about the struggle to lose weight for bathing suit season included the recommendation to increase one’s water intake, starting with six sips at a time. Several suggestions came in that are also worth considering:

• Some people say they drink a lot of water, but when they stop to reflect on exactly how much, they come up short.

• One hydrator I know has a daily goal for water/fluid intake. If she’s in the office, she jots down the ounces on a notepad as she goes through the day. Or, if it’s the weekend, she keeps a mental count of where she is toward her goal that day.

• Another fairly easy weight-loss trick is to drink 16 ounces (or whatever you can stand) of water within 30 minutes of each meal. People who do this feel fuller at the meal and eat less.

Those three examples that were shared with me, if incorporated with regularity, can help to make the entire weight-loss project less frustrating as a person may see success sooner. Plus, it is a less expensive way than some other approaches to achieve weight loss: water, good water, is not hard to come by for most people in this country.

An important consideration when hydrating is to be sure that one’s electrolytes are not being flushed away by intaking excessive amounts of water. I learned this months ago after I had a tachycardia event (fast heartbeat). The cardiologist recommended I increase my electrolytes with my water so as to help maintain a steady heartbeat. Sodium, potassium and magnesium are essential for many bodily functions, but particularly critical for the heart’s function.

If you choose to be on a hydration protocol, consider your electrolytes with the same scrutiny as you do with your calories, fat and carbs. Supplement with over-the-counter electrolyte packets that you stir into your water, or consume foods or liquids that contain those essential minerals.

Too much of a good thing is not a good thing, and that is the case with water. Having said that, it’s pretty well established that many of us are not taking in enough water to keep us at optimal levels of fitness.

What the electrolytes can also help with is feeling more energized. This is a benefit with any weight-loss endeavor, particularly calorie restriction, as sometimes we will feel fatigued and think it’s time to eat, when in fact, we are deficient or low in electrolytes. That’s the time we may reach for something to eat, rather than replenish our energy with a low-calorie hydration. You can add some citrus juice to water, with a bit of sodium and, if necessary, a magnesium capsule. Best to discuss this with your medical professional to be sure you are doing this electrolyte protocol correctly for your own health conditions or special needs.

Now, as to letting the weight go: Yes, it is a decision that one can make or dismiss. We who have our cognitive abilities, do have the agency to choose to change, and in myriad ways. Many people who no longer want to hold on to an unhealthy behavior may come to that realization only after they have had a health scare. For example, when my father learned of the seriousness of his health status, including a cancer diagnosis, he stopped smoking cigarettes. It took the scans and the blunt words in the lengthy medical report to wake him up from a long, deep denial.

He just quit cold turkey. Went through three days of hell, he told me. For someone who had been a daily smoker for decades, it proved to me that radical change is possible. To do so will often require correct information.

A significant challenge for many who sincerely want to improve their health, particularly as it concerns their weight loss goals, is the amount of incorrect or confusing guidance we are given.

What is the better way to lose weight? That depends on whether or not there are other health conditions.

Someone who is diabetic or on the verge of that diagnosis may not have the same dietary requirements or restrictions as someone who is not dealing with that condition. Again, if you are serious about increasing wellbeing, get guidance from a medical professional. Request the necessary scans or lab work be done, including testing for thyroid function.

Recently, I took Tanka, my toy poodle, to the vet. Tanka had no visible problem or concern; I just thought an annual exam would be a good idea, as I do that for myself. Come to find out, his bloodwork revealed he has an underactive thyroid and high lipids in his blood. I changed the type of food Tanka gets and began him on daily thyroid replacement. Without that bloodwork, and the expertise of the veterinarian, my poodle would be eventually suffering a variety of ailments, including diseases related to unhealthy weight gain.

Email Giselle with your question at [email protected] or send mail: Giselle Massi, P.O. Box 991, Evergreen, CO 80437. For more info and to read previous columns, go to www.gisellemassi.com.