Fad diets Ask the Dietitian Michele Lucas RD CDE WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: Weighing t much is nt gd fr yur health. Being verweight increases yur risk f health prblems, like heart prblems, high bld pressure, diabetes, and sme kinds f cancer. A calrie is a unit f energy that yur bdy gets frm fd. Calries are stred as fat if yu eat mre calries than yu need. The best way t lse weight is t eat fewer calries and becme mre active. Yu burn mre calries with regular exercise. Fewer calries are then stred as fat. Try t burn abut 400 t 500 mre calries per day than yu take in. This will result in a gradual weight lss f abut a pund a week. Genes and Hrmnes Humans cme in the wrld with dzens maybe hundreds f genes and assciated hrmnes that determine calries that we cnsume and calries we burn thrugh physical activity. Any thing left ver is stred as bdy fat. Thrifty Gene Hypthesis Peple with thrifty gentypes prepare fr the hard times by cnsuming and string mre calries then the expend. The truble is there are n hard times. WHAT MAKES YOU FAT
LOW FAT DIETS MAIN IDEA: calries frm fat, especially saturated fat, are the enemy. Eating lts f plantbased fds is generally als emphasized. PRO AND CONS: Extremely lw-fat diets can actually reverse the heart disease. Yu must be able t distinguish between gd fats fund in fish and vegetables, and bad fats, fund in butter and prepared fds. EXAMPLES: Ornish, Pritikin LOW CARB DIETS MAIN IDEA: the number and type f carbhydrates are limited s that the bdy s glucse and insulin levels can be manipulated in an effrt t make weight lse easier. PRO AND CONS: The taste buds are satisfied by eating plenty f rich fds. A recent study suggest that lw carb diets favr frmatin f kidney stnes. EXAMPLES: Atkins, Sugar-busters, Zne LOW CAL DIETS MAIN IDEA: By making sure that yu eat fewer calries than yu burn yur are bund t lse weight. The best results require an increase in exercise. PRO AND CONS: Desn t require dietary supplements. Whether it s calries, pints r prtin sizes, yu have t cunt smething. EXAMPLES: Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers
WEIGHT LOSS TIPS INSTRUCTIONS: Fllwing are tips that may help yu lse weight and keep it ff. Ask yur caregiver fr the best diet plan fr yu. DIET PLANS: D nt try a crash r fad diet that suggests yu eat less than 1000 t 1200 calries each day. Keep yur kitchen full f healthy fds n yur diet plan. Eat healthy fds frm all 5 fd grups each day: breads, dairy, fruits, vegetables, meat and fish. Eat nly small amunt f fats, like 1 t 3 teaspns each day f ils, nuts, dressings, and margarine. Bake, rast, r bril yur fd instead f frying. FIBER High fiber fds help with weight lss because they help fill yu up. Yu may feel full lnger because sme kinds f fiber help fd stay in yur stmach lnger. They als help prevent certain kinds f cancer if eaten ver lng perids f time. Eat high fiber and starchy fds, such as whle grain breads, pasta, and ptates. Other high fiber fds are cked dried beans, raw r steamed vegetables, and fruit. Yu shuld eat 5 r mre fruits and vegetables each day. The vegetables may be eaten raw r steamed. Eat cked vegetables withut sauces and with little margarine. FLUIDS: Drink 6 t 8 (sda-pp can size) glasses f liquid each day. Or, fllw yur caregiver's advice if yu must limit the amunt f liquid yu drink. Sme times when yu feel a fd craving, yu are really mre thirsty than hungry. S, make sure that yu have water and ther lw calrie liquids available all the time. Limit fruit juices t 1 t 2 small glasses per day because they are high in calries.
Limit hw much alchl yu drink. Alchlic drinks have many calries and can weaken yur will pwer with fd. Alchl can als make yu hungrier than usual. PROTEIN FOODS: Make sure yur diet plan allws plenty f prtein while yu are lsing weight. This will help yu feel strnger while yu are eating a lt fewer calries. Chse meat, fish, and pultry that is very lean befre cking. Remve all fat frm meats and skin frm pultry befre cking. Nuts and seeds are high in fat s limit the amunt yu eat. D nt eat mre than 3 t 4 eggs a week. Use lw fat and fat-free dairy prducts, salad dressings, and cheeses. SNACKS: Fresh vegetables with fat-free dip are a healthy snack fd. Fat-free rice cakes and rye crackers cntain fiber and starch which helps yu feel full. Avid fds high in sugar, such as candy, ckies, and pastries. Als, avid high fat snacks, such as nuts, regular chips, and chclate fds. Instead try baked r fat-free chips, air-ppped ppcrn, r fresh fruit between meals. MEALS: Enjy yur fd by sitting dwn and eating slwly. Mealtime shuld be relaxing and enjyable. D nt skip meals. Missing a regular meal can make yu even hungrier at the next ne. Yu may then vereat withut meaning t. Many peple d nt like breakfast. Even s, try t eat smething light in the mrning. It will give yu energy fr the busy time f day and may prevent a binge later.
EXERCISE: Check with yur caregivers befre starting t exercise if yu have nt been exercising. Wrk with yur caregiver t plan an exercise prgram special fr yu. Find several types f exercise that yu really like and wrk them int yur schedule. Meet with an exercise "buddy" wh will help yu stay active. Many health clubs have evening and mrning hurs which are helpful. Even 20 t 30 minutes a day f activity will help yu lwer yur weight. It will lwer the fat percent f yur bdy weight and raise the amunt f muscle yu have. This increases the number f calries yu burn each day. SUPPORT: Meet with a weight lss supprt grup r friends wh are als trying t lse weight. Sharing with thers will help yu stay excited abut yur weight gals. Other peple can give yu gd feedback n yur prgress. Talk t yur caregiver mnthly t be sure yur diet is wrking. Tell him r her if yur diet is t hard t fllw r makes yu t tired. WEIGHT GOALS Weigh yurself nly nce a week r less. This keeps yu frm wrrying abut small daily changes in yur weight. Ask yur dietitian r caregiver t help yu decide n a sensible weight gal. Yu shuld nt lse mre than 1 t 2 punds a week. There may be weeks when yu d nt lse any weight. This is nrmal. But, stay n yur diet and yu will again start t lse weight.