Great article on Why Fad diets could do more harm than good. Well it's more of a Q&A rather than an article. But read on:
The Question:
I have an abiding distrust of fad diets and wonder what we will see in terms of long-range health effects. Is it true that people can lose a lot of weight with these special diets? Seems suspicious to me.
The Answer:
Sophia Loren once proclaimed, "Everything you see I owe to spaghetti."
If Sophia can laugh in the face of "low carb" dietary fads, so can the
rest of us. A decade ago the clarion call was, "Eat carbs, not fat!" Now
it's "Eat fat, not carbs!" And, are Americans any lighter now than a
decade ago? Not even by an ounce. In fact, we have leaped nationally
from a population 50 percent overweight in the 1980s to the 65 percent
mark today.
The word diet comes from the Greek word diaita, which means "course of life." For way too many, this means a life-course dominated by an obsession with very specifically organized food programs, all promising to be The Answer to obesity. While many of the plans do contain scattered nuggets of scientific truth and some nutritional accuracy, most are simply The Answer to the authors' financial woes.
Why these diets seem to work, especially for those with 20 pounds or more to lose, is that the books regiment every aspect of food consumption. The dieter is told what to eat, when to eat it and, most importantly, how much to eat. The calories are all worked out in advance and, as long as the food is weighed and measured, voila. Caloric consumption is under control. But, is the new plan something that can be embraced over time, and is it healthy to do so?
The boring, totally hype-free truth is that weight loss occurs for the long term when slow and gradual lifestyle and eating behaviors are changed. The body is a perfectly balanced energy system and is a ruthless accountant when it comes to calculating energy in (food) and energy out (activity). In addition to portion control, cutting 500 calories a day, by reducing calories consumed and expending calories through exercise, a person can theoretically lose one to two pounds a week. This can be something as simple as both cutting out the latte and bagel at mid-morning and going for a brisk, 30-minute walk at lunch.
But, since we live in a society where food is accessible 24/7, offering a cornucopia of caloric carnage, many of us truly need a good, well-balanced guide to eating properly for general health as well as for weight control. The best programs out there do not restrict you to specific foods, such as grapefruit or cabbage soup. Weight Watchers comes out on top along with the D.A.S.H. Diet, and diets that tend towards high fiber, lean proteins and stick with low-glycemic foods.
This column cannot begin to cover all the books out there that contain good, solid, healthy information and plans. The best thing is to find a method that works for you and provides a lifestyle you can enjoy and employ over the long term. Consulting with a registered dietitian is also recommended.
The word diet comes from the Greek word diaita, which means "course of life." For way too many, this means a life-course dominated by an obsession with very specifically organized food programs, all promising to be The Answer to obesity. While many of the plans do contain scattered nuggets of scientific truth and some nutritional accuracy, most are simply The Answer to the authors' financial woes.
Why these diets seem to work, especially for those with 20 pounds or more to lose, is that the books regiment every aspect of food consumption. The dieter is told what to eat, when to eat it and, most importantly, how much to eat. The calories are all worked out in advance and, as long as the food is weighed and measured, voila. Caloric consumption is under control. But, is the new plan something that can be embraced over time, and is it healthy to do so?
The boring, totally hype-free truth is that weight loss occurs for the long term when slow and gradual lifestyle and eating behaviors are changed. The body is a perfectly balanced energy system and is a ruthless accountant when it comes to calculating energy in (food) and energy out (activity). In addition to portion control, cutting 500 calories a day, by reducing calories consumed and expending calories through exercise, a person can theoretically lose one to two pounds a week. This can be something as simple as both cutting out the latte and bagel at mid-morning and going for a brisk, 30-minute walk at lunch.
But, since we live in a society where food is accessible 24/7, offering a cornucopia of caloric carnage, many of us truly need a good, well-balanced guide to eating properly for general health as well as for weight control. The best programs out there do not restrict you to specific foods, such as grapefruit or cabbage soup. Weight Watchers comes out on top along with the D.A.S.H. Diet, and diets that tend towards high fiber, lean proteins and stick with low-glycemic foods.
This column cannot begin to cover all the books out there that contain good, solid, healthy information and plans. The best thing is to find a method that works for you and provides a lifestyle you can enjoy and employ over the long term. Consulting with a registered dietitian is also recommended.
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