PrintBy Geoffrey Anderson Jr.
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Oprah’s weight is making headlines again: Gaining 40 pounds since 2006, the 5-foot-6-inch talk show queen has gone from a healthy 160 pounds to her current weight of 200. What led to the weight gain? Over the past three years, Oprah has had to deal with a number of obstacles, including a busy schedule, emotional eating, “yo-yo weight” and depression, according to her article in the latest issue of O.
These problems that Oprah faced – and continues to face – aren’t uncommon among women. Everyone’s had a time where they’ve been stressed or extremely busy, only to seek comfort in a certain food (and an unhealthy one, at that). Life happens.
But even though Oprah admits to having “fallen off the wagon,” she isn’t letting her weight win. She has resolved to restore her health and shed those extra pounds this year. Here at eDiets, we want her to succeed. That’s why we had our experts put together a plan for Oprah to get in the best shape – and health – possible. This is our suggestion to her, and best of all, this plan can work for anyone!
Which Diet and What to Eat
For optimum nutrition, eDiets Manager of Nutrition Support Tracey Ryan recommends the Glycemic Impact Diet. It not only limits simple sugars but also increases fiber intake to control hunger and keep a person full (plus the menu’s great!). Oprah is doing the right thing by cutting out refined carbs from her diet and focusing on whole foods like fish and fruit. But we suggest adhering to a particular plan – having structure to your diet helps.
A sample daily menu suggestion for people following this kind of diet: “For breakfast, have oat bran cereal with apples and walnuts,” Ryan says. “For lunch, a grilled chicken salad with crackers and fruit. And for dinner, broiled lemon fish with couscous and steamed snow peas.”
Fight the Food Habit
Emotional eating can be a tough habit to break – you’re eating in response to feelings and not hunger, Ryan says. And if you have a busy schedule like Oprah’s, you are likelier to eat unhealthy foods, either because you’re stressed out or you’re too busy to eat right.
So what should people with these issues do? Replace the food habits with something a little healthier.
“Compared with nibbling, physical activity and other non-food related activities offer a more lasting way to resolve your moods,” Ryan says. “Go for a walk or bike ride, read a book, take a bubble bath…most importantly, once she knows what situations trigger the cravings, avoid them if possible.”
Boost Results with Fitness
Dieting alone may help you lose weight, but exercise keeps you active, healthy and toned. Plus you build lean muscle, which helps keep your calorie-burning metabolism revved all day long!
eDiets Chief Fitness Pro Raphael Calzadilla recommends exercise 4-5 days per week for no more than approximately 60-75 minutes at a time. His ideal weekly plan includes three days of strength training for 30 minutes and 4-5 days per week of cardio for 30-45 minutes. However, for Oprah, he would first find out more about her wild work schedule, what time she likes to work out and what type of activity she enjoys when she works out.
“The four to five days per week allows for consistency but also provides recovery days, which fits into a well-being approach,” Raphael says. “In other words, it’s plenty of exercise but not an excessive amount. I would also change Oprah’s routine as needed based on her feedback… It would be structured and based on consistency but one that she would take through a lifetime.”
Set Realistic Goals
Setting unrealistic goals could discourage you if you don’t reach them immediately. We recommend that people starting out on a weight-loss plan make several smaller goals instead of one giant goal. That way, you can measure progress more easily and stay motivated as you reach each goal. And if you want to avoid the “yo-yo weight” Oprah experienced, remember that consistency is key.
“When you reach your weight-loss goal (or to maintain the weight you’ve lost so far), you do have a little more leeway with both what you eat and how much you exercise,” says Nicole Bengtson, an eDiets dietitian. “You may find that you can maintain your weight on 3-4 days of exercise rather than the 5-6 days that you needed to lose weight. Or you may find you can share a dessert with a friend when going out to eat without gaining weight. But don’t let your healthy lifestyle slide away by being complacent – always make your health a priority.
Our suggested plan for Oprah is one that can work for anyone with similar goals. As with all successful weight-loss diets, the key is finding a plan that fits well with your lifestyle. If you have questions about which plan could work best for you, please feel free to call our eDiets nutrition specialists at 866-756-0510 (10 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST, Monday-Friday
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