What can I do to stop from eating so much after 12 noon? That's when I eat the most. I often don't eat dinner because I have eaten so much at lunch.

Are you eating breakfast? Often people who avoid breakfast overeat the rest of the day. So, eat a balanced breakfast. If you aren't ready to eat first thing in the morning, pack some healthy foods for a midmorning snack. Then when it is time for lunch you won't be so ravenous. Many people find that eating their main meal at mid-day works best for them. There is nothing wrong with having lunch be your biggest meal of the day, as long as you are making healthy choices. Some people are simply hungrier during the day than they are at night at dinner time. We are all so different, find what works best for you and stick with it! A good website to check out is www.eatright.org.

Remember to drink lots of water to help you feel full. When you are properly hydrated your energy level increases, so you will feel more like exercising.

Also, remember to exercise. Find time during breaks, lunch or after work to get a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five days a week. Bring walking shoes to work and walk with a friend. Exercise will help burn up calories, help you to feel so great, you won’t think about eating! Actually, many people find exercise diminishes appetite! Remember eat and exercise to live and enjoy living!

I don't seem to be losing weight even though I exercise at least 4 days a week for about 30-40 mins. (I do brisk waking) I have modified what I eat I have cut the portions of what I eat. Can you give me some examples of a balanced diet for a day?

Congratulations! You are on the right track! Forty minutes of brisk walking 4 times a week is great in the exercise area. If you’re not reaching your weight goals, I would look at a few things. Add another day of exercise to your week. At what intensity are you working? You should be working hard enough to break a light sweat and have labored breathing. The workout should be challenging, but not so hard that you feel like you can't keep it up. The "talk test" is an easy way to know if you're working hard enough. While you're walking, you should be able to speak short sentences. If you are so out of breath that you can't talk at all - you're working too hard. If you are able to have a long conversation with ease, you're not working hard enough. Make sense? You might try increasing intensity during of your walks. Once you are warmed-up, walk a little faster for a minute or two. Then return to your usual pace. Then in a few minutes, pour on the steam again. These short bursts of higher intensity may help you better achieve your weight goals. Don’t forget to cool down and stretch after your walk.

In the food arena, eating smaller portions of balanced meals is the best way to go. Try to get the bulk of your diet from vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein. An example of a balanced day's meal would be:

• Breakfast - a bowl of whole-grain cereal topped with fruit & skim milk, glass of juice/milk/coffee
• Lunch - a sandwich of turkey, lettuce & tomato on whole wheat bread with mustard, side salad, piece of fruit
• Dinner - grilled, skinless chicken breast (marinated for flavor) with a side dish of steamed broccoli and rice.

That's just one example. If you have any dietary restrictions, please take those into consideration. Here's a great website for more healthy eating tips: www.eatright.org. You are on the right track. Make a few adjustments and enjoy good health!

I am new to the Charlotte area. I am looking for a personal workout trainer and nutritionist. I am 54 years old, in excellent health and used to working out on a regular basis. Please advise me of anyone you might recommend or a source which can direct me in the right direction.

Most fitness facilities have personal trainers. Visit the Mecklenburg Council on Health and Fitness site www.fitmeck.com for a fitness professional who can direct you to someone qualified. Carolina SportsLink, a free magazine on sports, health and outdoors, offers all types of ideas for fitness opportunities and the people who are leading them in Charlotte. Websites such as www.ACEfitness.org, www.ascm.org or www.NCSA-lift.org can help you find certified personal trainers in this area. To find a nutritionist, contact the Charlotte Dietetic Association at www.eatrightcda.org.

Congratulations for being diligent about eating vegetables as a snack! Vegetables are nutrient dense and the lowest calorie foods we can eat. Any vegetable can be eaten raw. Here are a few suggestions: grape tomatoes, summer crooked neck squash or zucchini, cucumbers sweet bell peppers of any color (the small ones are great for snacking), broccoli, cauliflower, green peas - still frozen, and mushrooms. Try these without dressing or dip to taste how flavorful they are without the added calories. If, after trying vegetables unadorned, you prefer dip, find one that is low-fat and low calorie. A low-fat coleslaw is also a great snack because cabbage is very nutritious. Dried fruits make a great snack, however they are more calorie dense and their sweetness may encourage you to eat more than a serving! One fourth cup is a serving of dried fruit. Fresh fruits; the size of a tennis ball are considered one serving as well. How about trying Jicama or Ugli fruit? Good luck in trying new foods.
You can check the Produce for Better Health Foundation website at http://www.5aday.com or www.eatright.org. They both have great nutrition information, including information on serving sizes.

Find a pedometer that measures steps only. There are pedometers that measure distance, but we find that most people don’t take the time or can’t figure out how to calibrate them. Make sure your pedometer has a “leash” with a clip that fastens to your clothes. This will insure you won’t lose it. Local sporting goods stores have pedometers and here are sites on line that have reliable and not too expensive pedometers: www.americaonthemove.org or www.creativewalking.com. Remember to set goals and record your physical activity. Enjoy the journey!

Consult with your physician again to find out what types of exercise you can safely do. The YMCAs of Charlotte have a physician referral program which your doctor can use to help you in your desire to become more active. Once you have determined what you can participate in, figure out what you enjoy doing. Do you prefer exercising alone or do you like the company of others? Are you motivated to exercise at home, or do you need to go to a place that is designed specifically for physical activity. Charlotte has a wealth of fitness facilities from private businesses to the YMCA, YWCA, Jewish Community Center, Ray’s Splash Planet, Aquatic Center, Park and Recreation facilities as well as parks, greenways and trails to walk or hike. CPCC offers fitness classes throughout the year at great prices. Many schools will allow you to walk on the outdoor tracks. Many sports and activities groups get together to exercise together. Go to www.fitmeck.com, www.runcharlotte.com or www.activezach.com for more information on local opportunities and events.

Certain carbohydrates are crucial in the diet of a person with Diabetes. The most important thing is to recognize what foods have carbohydrates and try to eat a similar amount of carbohydrate at each meal. It would be good for you to get some nutrition counseling to be sure of a balanced intake to maximize your health status. This is an expense which is covered by insurance with a MD referral. The American Diabetes Association website www.diabetes.org is a great resource Also, you may want to go to www.eatright.org and for more information about healthy eating.

It depends on the length of your stride. The literature says between 2000 and 2200 steps equals a mile. If you wear your pedometer all day, you'll be getting a lot of jiggles registered as steps! Make sure some of your steps are "fitness steps” - walking "like you mean it"! Many Americans are obese. Obesity contributes to some chronic illnesses. We must get more active - so all movement counts, but the "walking like you mean it" must be part of your daily total. You don't have to work hard and sweat, but you can't stroll either! Remember also, you can get your fitness steps in short segments - 10 minutes here, 15 minutes there. You don't have to do continuous physical activity to receive health benefits.

You have asked an excellent question. The size of fruits and vegetables as purchased in the grocery store varies greatly. Some large fruits count as 2 servings. Below is a list of serving sizes for different fruits and vegetables. A cup of soup that is all vegetables counts as 1 serving. Soup with pasta and meat you can increase the portion size slightly. One serving is:
1 medium apple or orange: the size of a tennis ball
1/2 cup chopped raw vegetables or fruit: baseball size
1/4 cup dried fruit (raisins, apricots, mango): a small handful
1 cup raw leafy vegetables (lettuce, spinach
Stir-fry with 1 cup of mixed broccoli, carrots, and mushrooms (= 2 vegetable servings)
1/2 cup cooked or canned legumes (beans and peas)
5-6 baby carrots

You are right! The BMI is antiquated, however it is the scale that is currently being used. You are also right that for someone who is in good shape with strong muscles and low body fat, the BMI isn’t an accurate measure of your weight status. Measuring body composition with calipers can work, but is not an exact science. It is prone to operator error. To get the most accurate body fat measurement, try the Bod Pod or underwater weighing at UNC Charlotte. Contact Karl DeBate at UNC Charlotte 704-687-4626.

Is your doctor aware of your weight gain? Make sure there is nothing medically amiss. If you REALLY are eating the same amounts and types of food as you always have and you are gaining weight, it's time for a change! Start using the log on the Fit City Challenge website. People who keep track of input and output tend to be more successful. It can seem like a bother at first, but it really does help you know what you are eating and how active you are. Fill up on fruits and vegetables, and then you won't have room for junk food! The first weeks are hardest, but when you start to feel better, making healthier choices is easier. Before too long you'll find an apple or pear is more satisfying than a sugary, fat-filled snack - and less expensive overall! A great website is www.eatright.org. It has great nutrition information.

Are you active? We cannot eat and eat and expect not to gain. Maybe your metabolism has slowed down. Exercise can help you burn calories, up your metabolism, improve your feelings of self worth. Find an activity you enjoy - that way, you'll do it. If you haven't been active, start slowly so that you don't hurt yourself. If you feel successful, you will keep it up. You won't see results as quickly - but it took a while to gain the weight, it will take a while to lose it. Small steps in the right direction will get you to your goal. (Go to www.smallsteps.gov or www.americaonthemove.com.) Join a gym, the YMCA, YWCA or JCC. Park and Recreation has many indoor and outdoor facilities. Ray's Splash Center is free on Mondays to Fit City Challenge participants. Also, find a partner. Research shows that those who have a partner tend to stick with an exercise program. Find someone to walk or go to the gym with. Enjoy your slimmer, healthier self!

Use the new Fit City Challenge website to help motivate you. Logging your efforts can be extremely helpful and motivating. You’ll see how you are doing from day to day, week to week. It took you a while to get to this point, it will take you a while to lose the weight.

Go to www.americaonthemove.com or www.smallsteps.gov for ideas to help you get started. Oprah’s website may be helpful. Active Living Every Day by Steven Blair, Dunn, Marcus, Carpenter and Jaret is a great book that takes you through a 20 week program. The Town that Lost a Ton, Clemen, Kirkwood and Schell might be motivating! Fresh Start from the Stanford Medical School Health and Fitness Program is another self-help book.

Partner with someone. You are more likely to be regular with exercise. Do you have a friend, spouse, relative, church member you could encourage to walk with you (he or she needs it too)? Can you walk during breaks in the day with someone from work - instead of sitting and eating? A lot of people can only squeeze exercise in during work hours, so they get their exercise in small increments - like 10 or 15 minutes here and there. If you are at work, buddy up with someone who is trying to get healthy like you are. Support each other in making healthy choices! Don't be pig-out partners!!!

A couple of easy things to do would be to start a walking program and do some simple push ups, dips & sit ups at home. The walking, which is cardiovascular exercise, will help you strengthen your heart, burn calories & fat, and in turn help you lose weight. The push ups, sit ups & dips are great toning exercises for your upper body. All of that can be done without joining a gym or buying expensive equipment (besides a good pair of sneakers). Of course, Charlotte has many great facilities that will help you plan your attack on the flabby areas of your body. Whatever you do, include both strength training AND cardiovascular exercise.

Brand doesn't matter, fit does. Go to a store with personnel who have been trained in fitting shoes and who know their products. They will watch you walk and be able to figure out what type of shoe will work best for your feet and gait. You need support, stability and cushion in a walking shoe a representative from a local running store said that running shoes actually are best for walking, because you need "good forefoot flexibility" and running shoes provide that. You need cushion and a shoe that breathes because with activity your feet swell. Many walking shoes are leather which does not breathe. Spend time getting the proper fit. That way you’re not wasting your money on shoes that hurt your feet. Enjoy getting out in your new shoes!

Body Mass Index – By providing your age, height and weight we can calculate your BMI and show changes over time in your personal log.
BMI is only one piece of a person's health profile. It is important to talk with your doctor about other measures and risk factors (e.g., waist circumference, smoking, physical activity level and diet.) BMI alone is not diagnostic. It is one of many risk factors for disease and death. As a person's BMI increases, the risk for many diseases increases as well.

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