Saturday can be the worst enemy for our waistlines and those who exercise for weight loss, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
They found that study subjects on strict diet and exercise programs tend to lose weight more slowly than expected because they eat more on weekends than during the week. The investigators report their findings in the advance online publication of the journal Obesity.

Past research had confirmed that people tend to gain weight during the holidays, particularly between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, but this is the first study to carefully monitor daily body weight for several weeks throughout a year, and to demonstrate that increased caloric intake isn’t just a problem during the holidays. It also happens on most weekends.

“We thought weekends would present a problem for some people attempting to lose weight, but the consistency of our finding before and during the interventions was surprising,” says first author Susan B. Racette, Ph.D., assistant professor of physical therapy and of medicine.

“People on diets often don’t lose as much weight as we would expect, and this finding helps to explain why,” she says.

“Planning ahead can’t be emphasized enough,” Racette says. She recommends packing healthy food if you’re running errands, eating a little something so you aren’t starving when you arrive at a party, even packing a light lunch before going to the kids’ ballgames so that you have a choice other than junk food at a concession stand.

“In addition, she says, “paying closer attention to portion sizes can enable a person to enjoy the weekend without sabotaging weight-control efforts.”

By: Jim Dryden of Washington University In St. Louis – Tue, 07/01/2008 – 16:01

So this article brings to our attention that weekends are a universal weight management challenge. Whether you call it Shabbos, or Shabbat  and keep kosher and fit, support can be found at startfresh.com Many kosher consumers in the New York area are familiar with the flagship Start Fresh program. The program which was founded in 1980 by Erma S. Bressler has gained national fame in the Jewish and kosher communities.

“Over the years, while we helped our clients lose weight and become healthier, we received phone calls from relatives and friends in other states and countries asking for classes in their neighborhoods. We filled the request for the local neighborhoods” says Marcia Bodenstein current CEO and everyone’s favorite instructor. “Now anyone with internet access can reach us.”

The website includes a diet program with full menus , a kosher recipe library, shopping lists, exercise plans and more. You’ll find lowfat recipes from gefilte fish to kugel and tzimmes along with motivational articles about how to deal with traditional foods especially on Shabbos and Holidays.

Join in July for a free sample package of Start Fresh low-fat  biscotti and Start Fresh lite popcorn delivered to your door.

Visit www.startfresh.com  now and sign up for our weekly newsletter a get a FREE CD featuring Marcia.

Labriut!