4 Common Weight Loss Questions Answered

As the Director of Nutrition at the Pritikin Longevity Center + Spa in Miami, Florida, Gayl Canfield spends her days educating guests on weight loss, healthy habits and how to enforce them at home. Guests at the renowned health and wellness resort attend 4-5 lectures a day, not just on nutrition, but on exercise and health issues as well. During a recent chat with Gayl, we tapped into her expertise to answer some of our most popular weight-loss related questions.

Q: We've heard that the best and healthiest way to lose weight is by losing no more than 2 pounds per week. Is that true?
A: That is the correct. In fact, we recommend 1-2, with 2 being the maximum. Losing any more weight is unhealthy, because you can't just ever lose fat tissue by itself, so when you lose weight you're also losing a little muscle mass. And losing a large percentage of muscle mass at once isn't healthy.

Q: How many days per week should we be exercising, and for how long?
A: Here at Pritikin, we follow the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines, which recommend physical activity six days out of the week. Basically, just try to be physically active almost every day. Whether that means going to the gym or going out for a walk, just keep moving. Try to get some variety in there, like cardio, strength training, yoga – it doesn't mean you have to go to the gym every day.

Q: What are some of the healthiest seasonal foods for summer?
A: We focus on increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, and summer's a great time for that. It's the healthiest food you can possibly eat, so get whatever is in season in your area.

Q: What advice would you give someone who wants to stick with a diet on vacation?
A: If you're eating in a restaurant, start your meal with salad and order vegetables as a side. I like to recommend people bring fruits as snacks on vacation. When you're out sightseeing, just having an apple or banana with you really helps as opposed to searching for something unhealthy.