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5 key strategies for effective weight management
There are many factors that contribute to weight gain, including physiology and physical activity. In this article you will find 5 key strategies for effective weight management in no particular order. While the strategies below do not guarantee immediate success, they will likely make a significant contribution in your journey to achieve sustainable weight management. 5 key strategies for effective weight management 1. Whole vs processed foods Eating more whole foods (e.g. vegetables, fruits, meat, poultry, fish, dairy foods, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds) as opposed to ultra-processed foods likely translates to greater satiety with fewer energy ingested. Whole foods are also less likely to spike blood sugar levels,…
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Winter weight gain
Winter weight gain is a well-documented issue around the world. There are several factors contributing to this, including the end of year holidays in the Northern Hemisphere. Winter weight gain due to holidays Studies have found people gain up anywhere from 0.41 to 0.88kg on average during the end of year holidays (Christmas, New Year, Thanksgiving in North America, etc.), which in the Northern Hemisphere occur in winter (1). This makes sense due to many factors that cluster around the holidays such as energy-dense meals and desserts, numerous social gatherings which involve food, increased alcohol intake, and a decrease in physical activity. Winter weight gain due to climate On the…
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Why bodyweight matters in sport
In recent years, there has been a tendency away from measuring bodyweight in the general population and within sport. While it is true that obsessing with the number on the scale can be detrimental to mental health and overall health by extension, there are several reasons why bodyweight matters in sport. In this article we will use the terms bodyweight, weight and mass interchangeably, with full knowledge that mass is the correct term. Why bodyweight matters in sport Weight and body fat percentage are not necessarily proxies for exercise performance. However, this does not mean getting on the scales is useless. Below are some of the several aspects of sport…
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New weightlifting categories
Olympic weightlifting is a weight class sport, meaning you compete against athletes that are within your particular weight range (plus gender and age range). A few days ago, the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) announced new weightlifting categories, which hadn’t changed essentially since 1998 (there was a minor change in 2017: one extra category added for women). Current weightlifting categories There are 2 sets of categories, one for competitions organised by the IWF and one for the Olympic games (approved for Tokyo 2020), which is essentially a subset of the former. 10 new bodyweight categories have been approved by the IWF Executive Board and will now be submitted to the…
