Yes You Can - Fourth Edition - 191

Avoid keeping high-calorie, low-nutrient snacks around the house. Eat less fat and fatty foods. Eat less sugar and sweets. Eat only when you’re hungry. Be active. Know the danger periods during the day when you tend to overeat. Be prepared with other activities. Be forgiving. No one’s perfect. If you fall oﬀ your diet for one meal or one day, eat less the next meal or the next day. Lose weight gradually so your body can adjust to the change—one or two pounds a week is safe. If you lose weight gradually, you’re less likely to gain it back again. Long-term success depends on ﬁnding new and better habits of eating and exercise. If you want to lose weight, your dietitian can help you plan a diet that meets your needs. while improving muscle strength, endurance, self-image, and your ability to fall asleep and sleep well. Weight management can also help you manage muscle spasms and chronic pain, as well as your bowel program. All these beneﬁts will make it easier to accomplish everyday tasks and will help you live a longer, healthier life. However, most weight management programs aren’t designed for persons with SCI. Your nutritional needs and physical abilities aren’t the same as those of people in the general population. For example, if you follow a diet that’s low in carbohydrates and high in protein, you’re more likely to have kidney problems. If you exercise the wrong way, you can add stress and strain to your muscles and joints, which can cause chronic pain. In 1976, a team of University of Alabama at Birmingham [UAB] physicians, dietitians, and psychologists developed the EATRIGHT Weight Management Program. In 2003, UAB completed a four-year study of a modiﬁed version of the program developed especially for persons with SCI. Study participants attended 12 weekly classes to learn the necessary skills for eﬀective weight management. The modiﬁed EATRIGHT program was shown to be a safe and eﬀective weight management program that can reduce medical risks and improve quality of life for persons with SCI. To make this program available to the people who need it, the Paralyzed Veterans of America [PVA] made a grant to UAB to create the EATRIGHT Home-Based Weight Management Program for Individuals with Spinal Cord Impairments. This program uses videos and workbooks to guide people through the 12 elements of eﬀective weight management [SEE TABLE 4.b.B]. [For information on how you can take advantage of this program, see Resources at the end of this section.] The EATRIGHT® Home-Based Weight Management Program for Persons with SCI There are a million weight loss programs out there. Although many of them rely on reducing calories, the weight loss is often temporary, because people don’t go beyond weight loss to weight management. Weight management requires you to learn some skills that will enable you to maintain your ideal weight through diet, physical activities, and behavioral changes. Learning these skills will promote your long-term health. If you manage your weight, you can lower your risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, respiratory illness, pressure ulcers, urinary tract infection, urinary stones, and some forms of cancer. Weight management can help decrease feelings of anxiety, loneliness, and stress Section 4: Staying Healthy after SCI! | [ 191 ]

Yes You Can - Fourth Edition

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Yes You Can - Fourth Edition