Karen's Keynotes
by Karen Armstrong, Human Development Extension Agent
Rolette County

The Weight Resolution

Tis the season for post_holiday guilt, not just about the extra money you spent over the holidays, but the pounds you gained.  Market reports show that sales of diet products peak in January and February, rise again in May and June. If you've resolved again this year to lose the same 10 to 20 pounds you've lost and regained so many times before, it may be time to reassess your goals and your action plan.

First, your goals. Do you really need to lose weight, or mostly regain a higher level of fitness? Short_term goals, like looking good for a specific event, can provide excellent motivation to follow a  weight_loss plan. However, to be successful in the long run, such goals need to be realistic and combined with an on_going long_term goal of slow weight loss, increased fitness and long_term weight and fitness maintenance.

Studies show that the more slowly you reduce your weight, the more likely you are to keep it off. The reason for this is a slow steady rate of weight loss insures that pounds come off as fat, not water and lean tissue. Secondly, the less drastic the calorie reduction, the less likely the body will re-adjust it’s metabolism.

When the body experiences a drastic cut in calories it re-adjust it’s metabolism rate becoming even more efficient at utilizing calories and performing body function on fewer caloires. Finally, it's easier to convert small reductions in calorie intake into daily habits that become routine than it is larger reductions.

A good recommendation for those with 10 to 20 pounds to lose is to reduce calorie intake by 250 calories each day. Assuming you're maintaining weight on your current daily calorie intake, reducing that intake by 250 should result in a 3500 calorie deficit in two weeks or a two_pound weight loss per month. Over a year's time, that's 24 pounds.

Sounds simple enough, but what 250 calories? Any 250 calories will do _ a candy bar, 25 potato chips, a handful of  peanuts, a cup of ice cream will all work. Foods high in fat are the best ones to target because fat is the most concentrated source of calories and studies indicate that it converts most easily to fat stores.

For your weight management program to work you need to avoid both the extra calories that contributed to your original problem and another 250 calories. Look at your usual diet and see where you can cut calories without foregoing nutritional value.

Perhaps the answer lies in using less margarine or butter on breads and vegetables, eating one instead of two or three rolls, substituting black coffee for your morning latte, switching from whole or 2 percent to non_fat milk, skinning chicken and trimming meats before cooking them, or selecting fresh fruit rather than fruit pie, select canned fruit in juices rather than heavy syrup for desserts. Whatever your choice or combination of choices, make them something that becomes so routine, you almost forget you're on a diet.

Also, there's nothing magical about 250. If 10 pounds is all you want to lose, you can cut back by just 100 calories a day and still reach your goal within a year's time. And, for someone who needs to lose 50 pounds or more, a somewhat higher reduction in calorie intake may be appropriate. A physician or dietitian can help determine a safe and effective level. Just remember, "slowly" is the password.

Reducing calorie intake in small ways and increasing your activity level will help you shed those unwanted pounds over time. Most likely the unwanted weight was gathered over time. Be patient with yourself and anticipate taking it off over time.

Rural Families Under Stress

Families in rural areas continue to face the stresses and challenges associated with uncertain market conditions and shifting governmental policies in agriculture. How those who work with families can most effectively help them and address their needs will be the topic of a training seminar on working with rural families under stress sponsored by the NDSU Extension Service and the Family Therapy Center at North Dakota State University.

The seminar, "Hard Choices in the Heartland: Working with Rural Families Under Stress," will feature Val Farmer, well_known rural psychologist, as well as university researchers and faculty.

The seminar will be held in Minot, N.D. at the NDSU North Central Research Extension Center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m on Tuesday, Jan. 29 "Individuals and families across the Great Plains region continue to deal with the personal, familial, and social impacts of the volatile agricultural economy," notes Sean Brotherson, extension family science specialist at NDSU. "This seminar will help professionals and others who work with rural families in any context to understand these impacts and learn specific approaches to dealing with issues ranging from generational concerns to family business partnerships to personal anxiety and depression."

The seminar is intended for professionals who work with those in rural communities, including educators, counselors, social workers, health care workers, clergy, attorneys, farm service workers, mental health professionals, extension agents, and others  who may be interested.

Topics to be addressed include retreats and other models for reaching out to rural families, family and social impacts of the rural crisis, interventions with family business partnerships, rural families and resource use, anxiety and depression, and sharing stories as a healing process. Professionals who will present at the seminarinclude:

* Dr. Val Farmer, Clinical Psychologist, MeritCare Health Systems

* Dr. Sean Brotherson, Extension Family Life Specialist, NDSU

* Dr. Tom Carlson, Asst. Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy, NDSU

*Margaret Lougheed, Quentin Burdick Center for Cooperatives, NDSU

Continuing education credits will be available to those who are interested. Interested persons can register for the seminar by calling Gail Slinde at the Ward County extension office at (701) 857_6450, by sending a FAX to (701) 857_6454, or by e_mail to { HYPERLINK "mailto:gslinde@ndsuext.nodak.edu."}gslinde@ndsuext.nodak.edu. Cost for the seminar is $35.00 and includes lunch and seminar materials. The limit is 80 persons. Please RSVP as soon as possible.

Calendar

14 “Got Calcuim”, 12:30 p.m. Dunseith Senior Center

16 “Got Calcuim”, 11:30 p.m. Rolette Senior Center

18 “Got Calcuim”, 12:00 noon Rolla Senior Center

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Updated January 18, 2002 Shelley Armstrong Webmaster