To Diet or Not to Diet: That is the Question
RobinMillerMD
Posted: May 3, 07 1:59pm In my experience as a physician, "diets" don't work. My patients may lose weight for a while, but in the long run, they almost always gain it back. The patients that keep their weight off are those who make lifestyle changes. They are able to take the principles of a given diet and use them to help them make healthy food choices. Some people do well staying away from carbohydrates, others may do better counting their calories, and still others may do well with something called the Cheater's principles (that's me!). What diet programs can you learn from? Here are four: Weight WatchersThis program offers group support, addresses serving sizes, and is easy to follow. Weight Watchers uses a Flex system. This allows the participant to eat anything they want. However, food servings are assigned a certain number and you are allowed only a specific number of points to eat each day. ("Bad" foods are assigned high points.) You could conceivably blow all your points for the day in one meal. Members of weight watchers go to monthly group support meetings where they are weighed and counseled. Once a member reaches their goal weight and maintains it for 6 weeks, they become a Lifetime member. This entitles them to go to meetings for free as long as they maintain their weight within 2 pounds. Weight Watchers is one of the most successful programs in the country. The South Beach DietThis diet emphasizes the difference between eating "good" carbs and "bad" carbs. Good carbs have a low glycemic index, meaning that the sugar in the food is released slowly (brown rice, for instance). Bad carbs release sugar quickly (an example is white bread), contributes to food cravings, and can lead to Type 2 diabetes. It encourages use of good fats (fish) over bad fats (red meat), and the diet has three phases: Phase 1 lasts two weeks and cuts out most carbohydrates (bread, potatoes, rice, grains, cereals, fruits); Phase 2 adds back whole grains and fruits; and Phase 3, which is the maintenance phase, adds more portions of fruits and grains. This diet does not require counting calories and helps one to establish a new pattern of eating. The guidelines are very clear. AtkinsThis diet has been extremely controversial. It involves the restriction of carbohydrates to switch how the body burns calories--from burning sugar, to burning fat and protein. The induction form of the diet restricts the amount of carbohydrates to just 20 grams per day. That amounts to very few carbohydrates. Most protein bars have more than 20 grams of carbs. The body then goes into a state of ketosis burning fat. If anyone is doing it, you will know it. Ketosis has a distinct odor. The maintenance phase of the diet allows for fruits and berries, but to the level that weight loss is maintained. This diet is expensive, but for many it has been successful. Those that maintain with the Atkins diet eat fewer calories. But the limited amount of fiber and nutrients from fruit and vegetables, and the large amount of saturated fat consumed, is a concern to many experts. And a new study has found that people who are deprived of carbohydrates perform poorly on cognitive tests, especially when it comes to speed. This is definitely something you'll want to consider before starting the Atkins regime. The Mediterranean DietThis is the diet recommended by the American Heart Association. It has been found to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and is good for weight loss. The best part about it is it tastes great. It is based on the diets of Mediterranean countries. This diet recommends fruits, vegetables, fish, olive oil, fiber, and red wine. (I bet you can tell which one I like!) What appeals to one person may not appeal to another. That is why it is good that there are so many diets to choose from. The key is to find out which one works for you. Once you figure that out, you can stick to the principles of a particular approach. Note:If you want to follow my Cheater's version, basically, you eat a good healthy diet all week and you pick one day a week, or one day every two weeks, to cheat. That day you can eat whatever you like -- some people feel it kind of jolts their metabolism -- and then, you go back to "being good" again. What causes weight gain are the daily cheats. Those extra 100 calories a day can add 10 pound in a year. People who do the weekly or biweekly cheating don't feel deprived and usually can make it a whole week or two without any daily cheats, and it works for weight loss and maintenance! Have Something to Say? | ADVERTISEMENT  |
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Posted: Nov 19, 07 12:48pm
I have to agree that in my experience diets are short lived successes at best and more often result in lower self esteem than lower weight.
I did have a positive experience with a group that used the 12 steps as an avenue to search out the reason for overeating (and under eating and using food for other needs than nourishment). However, even there, food issues were sometimes addressed with "food plans", which by any other name is a diet.
The other 12 step programs have the advantage of saying "just don't ________" (drink, gamble, do drugs). To just not eat is to turn a very dangerous corner when it comes to food addiction.
What it comes down to in my book is being willing to live with your body and making changes where appropriate. In other words, if you are eating too much, cut back on consumption.
If you don't make money, don't spend money. If you don't burn calories, don't take in excess calories. ]
I will say that weight watchers (joined it when I was pregnant) and the south beach (read the book) plans both seemed very smart approaches to weight loss and some are very successful with a good approach. But if a good diet "worked", no one would need another and another and another good diet. Some of us need to look much deeper and have the support of those around them and of themselves to achieve their goal.
CDF
Posted: Nov 28, 07 2:39pm
Wow. Good stuff on this page! Doc Miller is right. In the long run diets do not work. Try this team, with your doctor's okay, start running. Run what you can at first. Then after a week or so start timing yourself at a specific distance. Then beat that time. Over time increase your distance. Before you know it you will be losing some kind of weight and your eating habits will change. Dont worry about how foolish you might look running. Just go out and do it. If running is not for you then do a brisk walk. Bottom line is you must get out and exercise. This is the key.
Posted: Nov 28, 07 2:50pm
I'm in complete agreement with diets don't work in the long run. I've found a relatively healthy diet, moderation and activity works best for me.
And I've been pretty lucky in that I don't really care for sweets and really like vegatables. Salty/savory snacks are my weakness.
Really like the idea of a periodic cheat, it lets me feel like I'm not depriving myself. I get a small bag of Cheetos once a month.
Even my co-workers let me know "it's Cheetos Tuesday" and I've inspired them to take the stairs to the 2nd floor bathrooms and breakroom. I think they're embarrassed that I'm in better shape then they are (most of them are in their 30's).
Posted: Nov 28, 07 3:07pm
Since the word diet means "what you eat", the word itself means nothing.
I have a method of keeping excess pounds off that works great. It is not easy. I will not share my method. I just share the results.
I love to observe behavior. It can be very funny. Many Americans believe that they should be able to eat whatever they want, when they want. And anyone can, obviously. Then we have lots of drugs to deal with the denial when the human body responds to one's rights to eat what one wants, when one wants.
When one eats for two or three, they get to be the size of two or three. The solution? Eat for one, be the size of one.
If one has indigestion, howz about slowing down the digestion? Why does everyone always need to be digesting? Who said you need three meals an hour? When did Americans get so damned thirsty? Everyone seems to now carry around their own replenishment of water, as if they'll die if they don't. Wow.
There is no secret to not weighing much. In countries that have not much food, obesity is as rare as the food. Probably so is the denial.
Since I have never accidentally eaten anything, I can't blame anyone but the mug in the mirror for any mud flaps and spare tires. Since I have never saw a fat skeleton, I cannot say that I am "big boned".
Bejamin Franklin said it so well. "Eat to live and do not live to eat".
That is the "No diet diet". Discipline weighs ounces, regret weighs tons. In this instance, literally.
Great article.
Posted: Nov 30, 07 11:04am
Just loved that comment!!!!!!! So very true-- sadly enough. there is no magic anything that will make us lose excess weight and keep it off. In my experience, it has taken lotsa life altering changes (diet and exercise) to lose 40+ pounds and keep it off for the last 4 years. And it looks like i must spend the next 50 years of my life doing the same.......kinda like brushing your teeth every day.......
Posted: Nov 28, 07 3:21pm
"Eat right" -not correct answer in the poll, I think. What it means? Are other diets "right"? :)
I answered "Mediterranean" in the poll questions because I got a really good result using a diet from French dietologist Michelle Montiniaque (sorry, maybe spelling is not completely correct). It's not a diet in fact, but the way to develop good habits in eating. Now I'm so accustomed to eat "right" that it became part of life...
Posted: Dec 8, 07 5:38am
In my experiences, diet never works. to diet is to deprive yourself for a period of time, and if you don't deprive yourself you are off your "Diet" Attitude, behavior change, attitude and choice. To live, is to eat, make wise choices, I did, and I still am.
Posted: Dec 8, 07 9:29am
I agree, and everyone needs to make the choices that work for them. What you can do with "diets" is take away information that can work for you. The Mediterranean diet has great recipes, for some people with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes, there are parts of the South Beach Diet that may be beneficial....you get the idea.
Posted: Dec 8, 07 5:49am
Lifestyle change has been the only thing that has worked for me. The worst part was the withdrawal from all the SUGAR. Look at the ingredients. The only bread I have found with no sugar is Ezekial. Even "light" nonfat yogurt has SUGAR. I buy "goat milk" yogurt (plain) and sweeten it with stevia (thanks for the tip Robin). And, I eat lots of fiber and raw veggies. The gym is no longer a "dreaded" activity. It is something I look forward to.
It took a while. But, my Russian wife was a real inspiration. She never bitched or nagged. She just set an "example". And, after having been to Russia many times, I can see the attitude there and in other countries about food is WAY different than the US.
We are a nation of "fatasses". I was one of them. It gives one a different outlook on life to change lifestyles.