 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Too good to be true? Beware the quick-fix diet
By SALLY ANDERSON How shall I begin this process of losing weight? Now that I'm motivated to lose weight, I want to lose it quickly. Which diet program should I start with? I have so many friends on different diets, I'm confused about which one I should choose. If you share these thoughts, you certainly are not alone. Approximately 50-million Americans are "trying out" different diets. There are 30,000 diets on the market. More than $34-billion is spent every year searching for the magical and mythical potion to lose weight quickly. The reality is that, yes, you will lose weight in the beginning. Cutting back on any calories will cause a temporary weight loss, but just like the tide that goes out, it will surely return. It is easy to see why some people get hooked on diets. The average person wants a quick fix and a structured diet program. However, quick fixes don't get to the core of your weight problem. In addition to losing weight, you should want to improve your health. Fad diets, if continued long enough, could compromise your health. Many are deficient in nutrients such as carbohydrates, dietary fiber and essential vitamins and minerals. Some diets even falsely claim they are endorsed by the American Heart Association. The real American Heart Association's eating plan for healthy adults recommends the daily intake of fat to be no more than 30 percent of your total calories. It also recommends that you eat five or more servings of fruit and vegetables daily. Its diet has been well researched and is intended to be used not as a quick fix, but for a lifetime. Currently high protein, unlimited fat and limited carbohydrate diets are in vogue, even though the American Heart Association recently has released new guidelines that tell us there is no scientific evidence that protein diets will result in sustained weight loss. These diets all support the belief that carbohydrates are the "bad guys," and should be held accountable for the gains in weight. The theory behind these diets, simply stated, is that carbohydrates will raise your blood sugar and insulin levels and it is the insulin that will cause you to gain weight; cutting back on carbohydrates will cause insulin levels to drop, and presto, you will lose weight. Scientific information refutes this theory, suggesting that it is the obesity that sets off the high levels of insulin and not the insulin causing the weight gain. Yes, carbohydrates will increase blood sugar and insulin levels, but they do so for only a short period of time. Instead of carbohydrates being solely responsible for weight gain, it is the increase in the total amount of calories consumed that leads to an increase in body weight. Remember, a calorie remains a calorie, no matter where it comes from. The American Heart Association, American Dietetic Association, the American Institute for Cancer Research, the Surgeon General and the U. S. Department of Agriculture do not put their stamp of approval on any of these diets. The American Institute for Cancer Research has evaluated four of the most current popular diets: Dr. Atkins' New Revolution, The New Beverly Hills Diet, Protein Power and Suzanne Sommers' Get Skinny on Fabulous Food. Here are some of the possible health risks they observed: -- All are well below the average requirement for daily caloric intake, although they are not advertised as being low-calorie diets. -- All are deficient in many major nutrients such as fiber, carbohydrates and some vitamins and minerals. -- All are nutritionally out of balance, emphasizing too high an intake of protein and fat and too low an intake in carbohydrates. -- If these diets are sustained over an extended period, the lack of fiber may lead to gastrointestinal concerns. The high amounts of cholesterol and saturated fat increase the risk for heart disease and possibly some cancers. -- Two of the diets (Beverly Hills and the Suzanne Sommers Diet) encourage eating certain 'food combinations" at certain times and in a certain order, none of which is backed by any scientific research. Here are "red lights" to look for when you are thinking about going on a diet: -- Watch out for claims that sound too good to be true. Words such as miraculous, rapid weight loss, permanent weight loss are false promises. Do they reinforce the quick-fix fantasy by claiming you will lose more than 2 pounds a week? Some diets even claim you can take a pill and lose weight overnight. -- Are certain foods or entire food groups labeled as "good and bad"? Food aren't necessarily good or bad, though habits are. -- Is the diet well balanced nutritionally or does it recommend foods that are high in protein and fat and low in carbohydrates? -- Does the diet promote supplements and other health-related products, offering its own line of products? -- Does the diet stress the importance of exercise in a weight loss plan? One of the most well-balanced diets is the Weight Watchers program. It offers a healthy and safe weight management program as you learn how to change your dietary and exercise habits. There are no fancy metabolic theories, no measuring, no complicated counting and no foods that are prohibited, and you may have the luxury of an occasional indulgence. -- Sally Anderson is happy to hear from readers but cannot repond to individual queries. Write her c/o Seniority, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
From the Times Seniority pages |
