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Nutrition should be ‘Fad-free'
By Clint Wolf
News Editor
Portion control, exercise best ways to lose weight experts say
The advertisements on television and in magazines are very enticing. They make eye-catching claims such as “lose 20 pounds in two weeks,” or “drop 10 pounds without exercise.”
These claims sound too good to be true. In some case they are not true, and in the cases that are true, there are reasons to worry about risks to personal health for such rapid weight loss.
Nutrition experts across the country are putting the bright lights on fad diets in March, which in National Nutrition Month, and the theme for this year's celebration of nutrition is � Percent Fad Free.”
Fad diets are popular because many people want to lose weight so they can look and feel better. But, according to Karen Jaskula, a registered dietitian at Beloit Memorial Hospital, it is better to lose weight through proper nutrition and exercise.
“Depending on the fad diet you choose, the health consequences can be severe,” Jaskula said. She added, if a person follows a fad diet and doesn't lose the weight, that will only discourage the person and will ruin his or her morale.
The first step is how to recognize a fad diet. First, fad diets usually are rigid, allowing a person only to eat certain kinds of food or food combinations. Second, they promise rapid weight loss. Any diet that promises you will lose 10 pounds in a week is down right scary, Jaskula said. And third, the diet may promise results with no increase in physical activity.
Other signs of fad diets are ones that draw simple conclusions from complex medical research or they limit food choices and don't encourage balanced nutrition by eating a variety of foods. And, there are those diets that require you to spend a lot of money on seminars, pills or pre-packaged meals.
Jaskula said losing weight often isn't easy. She gives people the advise, “you didn't gain the weight overnight and you're not going to lose it overnight.”
Weight loss will take some resistance to temptation, some exercise, some modification of some recipes and some portion size control. But the best advice she can give is to individualize your diet.
“The best diet is the one you can follow - one you can stick with,” she said.
As an example, she noted liquid diets, such as Slim-Fast and Cambridge Diets can result in weight loss, but she noted people cannot live on a liquid diet forever. Many times once people lose the weight, they stop the liquid diet and many gain weight back once they are on solid food again. Other diets such as a high carbohydrate/low fat diets may be a good idea, but not very realistic for the long term.
Jaskula recommends eating a variety of food to get the proper nutritional value out of food, but eat smaller portions.
“Increase fruits and veggies, decrease fat and increase exercise,” Jaskula recommends.
Eating breakfast always is a good idea. A healthy breakfast gets the metabolism started after a long nightly fast. And people who eat breakfast are less likely to overeat during the day.
Don't drink your calories, Jaskula recommends. With the exception of low fat milk, most fluids such as juice don't fill you up as much as whole food. A glass of orange juice for example, will not fill you up as well as eating an orange. Drinking plenty of water during the day is recommended, however, to fill you up and to keep the body hydrated. Six to eight glasses of water a day is recommended.
Making slight changes in some of your favorite recipes also may be a good idea. If a recipe calls for a cup of whole milk, use 2 percent milk or skim milk instead. Instead of a cup of sour cream, use nonfat yogurt or 1 percent cottage cheese.
Weight loss tips
Practice portion control - Eating smaller portion of food is one of the best ways to lose weight. A plate of pasta or a 10-ounce sirloin is not one portion.
Eat breakfast - Eating breakfast gets the metabolism going. Don't skip meals because when you're very hungry it's harder to practice portion control.
Eat slowly - It takes the brain 20 minutes to register that your body has had enought to eat. Slow down at meals to give your body time to recognize when it's full. Put the fork down between bites. Engage in conversation at the meal.
Don't drink your calories - An orange will fill you up better than an glass of orange juice. Fluids are not as filling as solid food.
Set realistic goals - Healthy weight loss should be gradual. Aim for no more than one to two pounds of weight loss a week. Any more and you are losing water and lean muscle tissue.
Indulge yourself - If you feel like a cookie, have one. Don't completely deny yourself the foods you love, but practice portion control and moderation.
Exercise - Make an effort to get extra steps throughout the day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park the car farther away from the office. Walk the dog or play catch with the kids.
The advertisements on television and in magazines are very enticing. They make eye-catching claims such as “lose 20 pounds in two weeks,” or “drop 10 pounds without exercise.”
These claims sound too good to be true. In some case they are not true, and in the cases that are true, there are reasons to worry about risks to personal health for such rapid weight loss.
Nutrition experts across the country are putting the bright lights on fad diets in March, which in National Nutrition Month, and the theme for this year's celebration of nutrition is � Percent Fad Free.”
Fad diets are popular because many people want to lose weight so they can look and feel better. But, according to Karen Jaskula, a registered dietitian at Beloit Memorial Hospital, it is better to lose weight through proper nutrition and exercise.
“Depending on the fad diet you choose, the health consequences can be severe,” Jaskula said. She added, if a person follows a fad diet and doesn't lose the weight, that will only discourage the person and will ruin his or her morale.
The first step is how to recognize a fad diet. First, fad diets usually are rigid, allowing a person only to eat certain kinds of food or food combinations. Second, they promise rapid weight loss. Any diet that promises you will lose 10 pounds in a week is down right scary, Jaskula said. And third, the diet may promise results with no increase in physical activity.
Other signs of fad diets are ones that draw simple conclusions from complex medical research or they limit food choices and don't encourage balanced nutrition by eating a variety of foods. And, there are those diets that require you to spend a lot of money on seminars, pills or pre-packaged meals.
Jaskula said losing weight often isn't easy. She gives people the advise, “you didn't gain the weight overnight and you're not going to lose it overnight.”
Weight loss will take some resistance to temptation, some exercise, some modification of some recipes and some portion size control. But the best advice she can give is to individualize your diet.
“The best diet is the one you can follow - one you can stick with,” she said.
As an example, she noted liquid diets, such as Slim-Fast and Cambridge Diets can result in weight loss, but she noted people cannot live on a liquid diet forever. Many times once people lose the weight, they stop the liquid diet and many gain weight back once they are on solid food again. Other diets such as a high carbohydrate/low fat diets may be a good idea, but not very realistic for the long term.
Jaskula recommends eating a variety of food to get the proper nutritional value out of food, but eat smaller portions.
“Increase fruits and veggies, decrease fat and increase exercise,” Jaskula recommends.
Eating breakfast always is a good idea. A healthy breakfast gets the metabolism started after a long nightly fast. And people who eat breakfast are less likely to overeat during the day.
Don't drink your calories, Jaskula recommends. With the exception of low fat milk, most fluids such as juice don't fill you up as much as whole food. A glass of orange juice for example, will not fill you up as well as eating an orange. Drinking plenty of water during the day is recommended, however, to fill you up and to keep the body hydrated. Six to eight glasses of water a day is recommended.
Making slight changes in some of your favorite recipes also may be a good idea. If a recipe calls for a cup of whole milk, use 2 percent milk or skim milk instead. Instead of a cup of sour cream, use nonfat yogurt or 1 percent cottage cheese.
Weight loss tips
Practice portion control - Eating smaller portion of food is one of the best ways to lose weight. A plate of pasta or a 10-ounce sirloin is not one portion.
Eat breakfast - Eating breakfast gets the metabolism going. Don't skip meals because when you're very hungry it's harder to practice portion control.
Eat slowly - It takes the brain 20 minutes to register that your body has had enought to eat. Slow down at meals to give your body time to recognize when it's full. Put the fork down between bites. Engage in conversation at the meal.
Don't drink your calories - An orange will fill you up better than an glass of orange juice. Fluids are not as filling as solid food.
Set realistic goals - Healthy weight loss should be gradual. Aim for no more than one to two pounds of weight loss a week. Any more and you are losing water and lean muscle tissue.
Indulge yourself - If you feel like a cookie, have one. Don't completely deny yourself the foods you love, but practice portion control and moderation.
Exercise - Make an effort to get extra steps throughout the day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park the car farther away from the office. Walk the dog or play catch with the kids.
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