Retiree loses 76 pounds through diet, exercise and patience
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- It's an industry that has made billions making promises we can't keep. You've probably heard the words "instant weight loss" or "miraculous results" more times than you can count. So how do you separate fraud from fact?
In a country with instant coffee, drive-thru lunches and microwavable dinners, it is no surprise we have become accustomed to the "quick fix." However, when it comes to losing weight, Patrick Mulqueen knows there is no such thing as immediate results.
Mulqueen's weight battle began when he retired four years ago. The lack of physical activity, combined with old eating habits led him to pack on the pounds.
Within a couple of years, Mulqueen weighed 240 pounds.
"One day I thought, well, I have to do something about this," Mulqueen said.
Friends and family members recommended quick diets and weight loss pills -- but Mulqueen saw a common flaw in their advice.
"The people I knew that tried those couldn`t show any success," Mulqueen said.
So, Mulqueen turned to the YMCA -- starting a journey to health that was admittedly slower, but with a better rate of success.
"It took some exercise and a change in what I ate," Mulqueen said.
Colleen Kristbaum is a registered dietitian at Wheaton Franciscan. Looking at a list of the best-selling diet pills on Amazon.com, Kristbaum sees none she'd recommend.
"Anything that says 'quick weight loss' I would question. They don`t always tell you on the label what`s in the product. There have been studies that show everything from glass particles to animal feces," Kristbaum said.
Kristbaum says any pill approved by the FDA will say so on the label, but just because it's on the shelves, doesn't mean it's healthy.
Government oversight of this industry is so limited, companies don't have to prove much to sell their product.
"They're basically basing it on if they received a complaint or it there's been a death by using a product. Then they are investigated," Kristbaum said.
When it comes to diet books, it is best to make sure the author is a registered dietitian from an accredited university.
If that's not the case...
"Expect very little in the way of good nutrition advice," Kristbaum said.
In general, it is best to avoid extreme detoxes and diets that promise instant results, or eliminate entire food groups.
A healthy weight loss goal is about one to two pounds a week.
Mulqueen owes his success to the YMCA's Silver Sneakers program, which introduced him to weight lifting, power walking and yoga.
He has also learned what fatty foods to avoid in a diabetes prevention class.
At 66 years old, he is back to the weight he was at age 20.
My weight today is 164 pounds. It`s just a whole change in my personality. The American public is used to the fast immediate gratification, that`s why we have drive-thrus because they are quick. If you have a goal of improving your health, it`s going to take some time," Mulqueen said.
If you're really struggling -- ask your doctor for a referral to a nutritionist.