Doctor's advice: Don't diet, go for weight maintenance during holidays

Starving yourself is a bad idea amid the sight of all the food this holiday season.

 

With "temptations" laid out before tables in Filipino houses over Christmas and New Year, an endocrinologist said Tuesday that instead of depriving oneself, a person on a diet may call time-out and just look into maintaining weight through the holidays.

 

"The purpose of our diet is weight loss ... It's very hard to do that during the holiday season, so what I can advise is weight maintenance," said Dr. Sheryl Tugna, diplomate of the Philippine Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (PSEDM). "Before ka magsimula ng masama mong balak sa Pasko, you check your weight. Then, ang target mo 'wag ka nang mag-add to that. Kung ano 'yung weight mo [before Christmas], i-maintain mo na 'yon."

 

At a health forum organized by the Philippine College of Physicians, Tugna, an endocrinologist, joked, "I won't advise rin something na hindi ko kayang gawin."

 

She added: "Weight maintenance 'yung target natin, not weight loss... [dahil] kahit saan ka pumunta, they offer you food. Napakahirap nu'ng temptation."

 

Tugna also advised those who have been working on losing weight to keep on exercising, especially "if you overeat."

 

"It will help you burn more calories. Mapapagod ka sa exercise mo, parang sayang naman 'yung na-exercise mo kung kakain ka nang marami," she said.

 

Obesity and other health problems

 

Tugna said keeping tabs on one's weight is important -- even beyond the holiday season -- in order to avoid becoming obese, or "having too much body fat," which could lead to other health conditions, like high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and diabetes.

 

In the Philippines, individuals with body mass index of 25 and higher are more at risk for certain obesity-related conditions.

 

Data from the Food and Nutrition Institute shows that as of 2011, 22.3 percent of Pinoys are overweight, while 6.1 percent are obese.

 

"Kapag obese tayo, mataba tayo, malaki ang tiyan. Ang malaki ang tiyan, tataas ang level ng cholesterol natin... These fats will clog your arteries. 'Yung taba mag-iipon siya, magbabara siya sa ating blood vessels. The artery is in the heart. Para siyang tubo -- diyan dumadaloy ang dugo papunta sa katawan natin, so walang babara. Kapag sa puso napunta, magko-cause 'yan ng heart attack. 'Pag sa brain naman, magko-cause ng stroke," she said.

 

In a separate press release, Dr. Timothy Dy, head of Aortic Endovascular Unit of the Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center, said at least 30 percent of all deaths in the country are caused by heart and vascular diseases, including heart attacks, stroke, and ruptured aneurysms.

 

Dy noted, "There is traditionally an increased incidence of these during the Christmas and New Year holidays."

 

For his part, Dr. Nelson Lee, of the thoracic cardiovascular surgery arm of Chinese General Hospital pointed out that Filipinos should also be aware of aneurysm, which develops "when the wall of the aorta deteriorates due to deposits of cholesterol, thus weakening it." The aorta becomes thinner as it enlarges, which then makes it "vulnerable to rupture."

 

Two kinds of aneurysms Lee pointed out are abdominal and thoracic, or one that occurs in the chest area.

 

"Unlike the increased rate of heart attack survival, the chances of surviving [these types of aneurysms] are only 22 to 55 percent, even if a patient makes it to the hospital. Half of patients rushed to the hospital do not make it there alive. For those that do reach the hospital, around 40 percent die after emergency repair of the aneurysm," Lee said.

 

Dy added that those at risk of cardiovascular diseases may also be at risk for aortic aneurysms.

 

Count your calories

 

Keeping this in mind, Tugna said people should go for healthier options for their holiday feasts, with plenty of vegetables and fruits, as well as choosing fish and chicken over red meat.

 

She also said that people, especially those monitoring their weight, should count their calorie intake. A "regular male" may take in 2,000 calories a day, while recommended calorie intake for females vary from 1,800 to 2,000 -- both genders still depending on body mass index.

 

In a separate interview with GMA News aired on "24 Oras" on Tuesday, Jovita Raval, spokesperson of the National Nutrition Council, pointed out: "Usually mataas sa calories 'yung tatlong 'ma-' na tinatawag natin -- mamantika, matataba, at matatamis na pagkain."

 

 

A sample list of Pinoy favorites during the Christmas season and their calorie count are as follows:

- Puto bumbong - 252 calories

- Bibingka - 320 calories

- one cup of spaghetti - 250 to 300 calories

- 100 grams of lechon - 250 calories

- one bottle of beer - 140 calories

- tall cafe latte - 320 to 340 calories

- one slice of chocolate cake - 400 to 500 calories.

 

With these in mind, Tugna advised people to use simple "strategies" in conquering Christmas and New Year feasts, such as using smaller plates, taking small portions of many dishes instead of taking a lot of just one, and not take home food from a gathering.

 

She added, "Kapag 'di niyo na kaya, 'wag niyo nang ubusin 'yung pagkain. Kung hindi rin masarap, 'wag niyo nang pagtiisan." — JST, GMA News