I have been debating about what to write my next blog about, but one thing keeps coming to mind.
Where do you get your nutrition information? Who can you trust?
It's no secret that the weight loss and diet industry in the US and many other areas of the world rakes in billions if not trillions of dollars each year. The freedom of information on the internet and TV allows anyone to advertise their ability to DROP 30lbs in A WEEK! or whatever their miraculous claim may be, and the advertiser may have never even stepped foot in a basic nutrition class. While some claims may seem obviously fabricated, there is that gray area. What if a DOCTOR recommends a diet pill or amazing diet plan? Does that suddenly make it legit? Here is a simple litmus test to follow when evaluating nutrition information to see if it is valid.
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. This may seem like common sense, because it is common sense. Remember the last weight loss advertisement you saw on TV with miraculous "before" and "after" photos -- the ones where the person goes from frumpy and fat to ripped and lean like a professional body builder? Many companies hire formerly fit athletes who were recently injured or hospitalized and may have gained some weight due to being inactive. When they lose weight, their bodies will be able to get back to that extremely toned physique that the average couch potato is not going to be able to train their muscles to achieve no matter how hard they try. The ephedra diet supplement (also known as ephedrine or ma huang) was marketed for weight loss for years -- only to find out that, by the way, it can kill you -- but you can still easily find it sold on the internet and likely in several stores. Maintaining a healthy dose of skepticism when approaching any nutrition information is not only safer for you, it's just plain smart. Take the time to find unbiased research that backs up the information you're given. PubMed, Cochrane Reviews, and the National Institutes of Health are some good places to start.
What is the source of the nutrition information? A friendly, good looking doctor espouses the benefits of an extremely low carbohydrate diet. Coming from a doctor makes it sound legitimate and safe, right? What if I told you that doctor's degree is in journalism or marketing, and he's never taken a nutrition class in his life? This is a more common phenomenon than you might think. Gary Taubes, who hails himself as a self-proclaimed medical and nutrition guru, has Master's degrees in applied physics, aerospace engineering, and journalism. I don't know about you, but I certainly don't go around the country lecturing about physics -- I've never taken a physics course in my life and don't know the first thing about it, so how Mr. Taubes can presume to know anything about nutrition AND people believe him is beyond me. Jeffrey Smith, the man behind the "Institute for Responsible Technology", a leading proponent against genetically modified foods (GMOs), has a marketing degree -- absolutely no science background. Two doctors of biochemistry and food science made a website refuting every single claim in one of Smith's books, backed with research evidence. Yet Smith still tours the country and gets on TV as an expert on GMOs.
So where should you turn for nutrition information? Your neighborhood Registered Dietitian (RD) is a good source -- but again, maintain a healthy dose of skepticism. Even the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association) has corporate sponsors that include Coca Cola, Hershey's, PepsiCo, Mars Incorporated, General Mills, Kellogg's, Soyjoy, and the National Dairy Council. A Hershey bar and a 2-liter of Coke sure don't sound like good nutrition to me, and whatever they may say, I can't believe that corporate sponsorship like that is not going to make an organization at least a little biased. Not every RD specializes in weight loss therapy or nutrition for a particular disease, so again, do your homework. Find a resource you are comfortable and feel safe with, and keep asking questions.
Be on the lookout for biased research. The Corn Refiners Association puts out all of the ads about how great high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is. Not to be outdone, The Sugar Association puts out almost as much material about how fantastic cane sugar or beet sugar is. Research studies both parties site were funded by, guess who -- the Association that wants the result that says their product has some benefit over the other. While the HFCS debate is a topic for another blog post, the point is: find out who did the research quoted and how they were funded. Any legit research study must state any conflicts of interest for the authors, usually towards the end of the article.
In most cases, every popular diet or nutrition guru has a grain of truth somewhere behind what they're touting. Unfortunately, the rest of what they promote may be a lot of smoke and mirrors. But if you do a little research yourself and keep questioning what you're being told, you won't fall victim to the next potentially dangerous nutrition fad promoted by Joe Schmo with research paid for by the company that makes the product. It's your health and nutrition; take control of it.
Showing posts with label diet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diet. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
What diet is right for me?
The most common question I get asked when people find out I've lost a lot of weight is: "How did you do it?"
I'm often tempted to make up an outlandish reply like, "I stood on my head for 3 days and ate nothing but bacon and the weight just fell right off!" But the point is, most of us already know HOW to lose weight. Use up more calories than you put in. So, either exercise more, eat fewer calories, or do a little of both. Every successful weight loss plan in the world is some variation of this principle. It's not some magic secret we have yet to unlock about the human body, and I am certainly not hiding it.
What many people really need to know about weight loss comes down to three main factors...
What diet is right for me? Not every diet is one-size-fits-all, works for everyone. One of my favorite quotes is, "What is popular is not always right, and what is right is not always popular." Just because it's trendy to take HCG drops and severely restrict your calories, doesn't mean that is what's going to work for you (nor is it necessarily safe, but that's another topic).
Many people find success in more structured plans like Weight Watchers and NutriSystem that try to take the guesswork out of counting calories and provide you with a set amount of "points" or food for you to eat for the day. Group support is a very important part of many programs, like Overeaters Anonymous and similar programs. Some people like the simplicity of plans like SlimFast, soup diets or juice fad diets -- most meals become predictable, planned, not something you have to think about anymore. The best question to ask yourself when seeing if a diet is the right fit for you is: "Five to ten years from now, do I see myself still following this diet and still enjoying it?" If the answer is no, then perhaps you need to do some more research and look elsewhere. If a diet is not enjoyable, sustainable, and do-able long term, then what is the point in throwing your time, money, and energy into it? Find a diet plan you really enjoy and WANT to do. If you can't find one, make your own! My current diet is a bastardization of what I learned in Weight Watchers -- high fiber, low fat, lean protein -- but I don't count any "points", because that drove me batty after a couple years. I only weigh myself once a month so I'm not so fixated on the ever-fluctuating number on the scale. I try to listen to my body and adapt my diet to what's going on in my life at any given time -- because that is what works for ME.
Am I ready? The most underrated, unmentioned factor in weight loss is mentality, and to a lesser extent environment. I am by no means a psychologist, but there were many times in my life when I was not ready to lose weight -- not because I couldn't buy the foods needed or start an exercise plan, but because my head was not in the game. True, lasting weight loss involves a commitment to yourself, to get back on the horse and keep trying every single day even if you fall off the wagon for the umpteenth day in a row. There is no shame in falling off a diet -- we are human, and our bodies AND minds need different things at different times. But if you can't mentally pick yourself up after a fall, dust yourself off and say, "Today is a new day." -- then perhaps now is not the time to be forcing the weight loss issue in your life. Weight loss takes a commitment to yourself and also compassion for yourself. You've got to want it, you've got to be hard-working, but you also have to be forgiving of yourself. This is the hardest thing to find, and something I still work on everyday. Only you know what you are ready for and what you are capable of -- but only if you try to find out. If you're not ready right now, that is OKAY. Just keep checking back from time to time to see if you are ready to make that life-long commitment to a better you.
Can I adapt? Weight loss is not about supermodels in teeny bikinis, beach vacations, free clothes, endorsement deals, and happiness like the media portrays. Weight loss is hard, and life changes around you at the same time as your body. The diet that worked for you at the beginning will need some tweaks and adjustments as you get to the weight your body is meant to be at, and it takes work to find that magic balance in diet and exercise to keep your weight stable for the long haul. The people around you may react differently to you at a lower weight, positively AND negatively. There will be bumps along the road, probably even some violent turbulence from time to time. You need to be firm enough to stick to your plan, but also flexible enough to take changes in stride and adjust. To me, losing weight is not the hardest part-- keeping it off through all of life's ups and downs is the struggle. Continually be willing to adapt to your situation and your surroundings, and you will find that balance of diet and exercise that fits in your life, right here and right now.
Many of us expect "skinny" people to just automatically be happy, when often losing weight will bring up new challenges and problems in your life. Weight loss is not a magic cure-all to every problem. But if you follow the right diet for you, are mentally ready to commit to it for life, and still have the flexibility to adapt to changes in your life around you, you'll find that success you're looking for. And it will feel pretty sweet to sit back and say, "Look how far I have come. Now I just have to keep going."
*Disclaimer: I do not endorse nor dispute the effectiveness of any diet plans linked in this blog. The links are provided for informational purposes only.
I'm often tempted to make up an outlandish reply like, "I stood on my head for 3 days and ate nothing but bacon and the weight just fell right off!" But the point is, most of us already know HOW to lose weight. Use up more calories than you put in. So, either exercise more, eat fewer calories, or do a little of both. Every successful weight loss plan in the world is some variation of this principle. It's not some magic secret we have yet to unlock about the human body, and I am certainly not hiding it.
What many people really need to know about weight loss comes down to three main factors...
What diet is right for me? Not every diet is one-size-fits-all, works for everyone. One of my favorite quotes is, "What is popular is not always right, and what is right is not always popular." Just because it's trendy to take HCG drops and severely restrict your calories, doesn't mean that is what's going to work for you (nor is it necessarily safe, but that's another topic).
Many people find success in more structured plans like Weight Watchers and NutriSystem that try to take the guesswork out of counting calories and provide you with a set amount of "points" or food for you to eat for the day. Group support is a very important part of many programs, like Overeaters Anonymous and similar programs. Some people like the simplicity of plans like SlimFast, soup diets or juice fad diets -- most meals become predictable, planned, not something you have to think about anymore. The best question to ask yourself when seeing if a diet is the right fit for you is: "Five to ten years from now, do I see myself still following this diet and still enjoying it?" If the answer is no, then perhaps you need to do some more research and look elsewhere. If a diet is not enjoyable, sustainable, and do-able long term, then what is the point in throwing your time, money, and energy into it? Find a diet plan you really enjoy and WANT to do. If you can't find one, make your own! My current diet is a bastardization of what I learned in Weight Watchers -- high fiber, low fat, lean protein -- but I don't count any "points", because that drove me batty after a couple years. I only weigh myself once a month so I'm not so fixated on the ever-fluctuating number on the scale. I try to listen to my body and adapt my diet to what's going on in my life at any given time -- because that is what works for ME.
Am I ready? The most underrated, unmentioned factor in weight loss is mentality, and to a lesser extent environment. I am by no means a psychologist, but there were many times in my life when I was not ready to lose weight -- not because I couldn't buy the foods needed or start an exercise plan, but because my head was not in the game. True, lasting weight loss involves a commitment to yourself, to get back on the horse and keep trying every single day even if you fall off the wagon for the umpteenth day in a row. There is no shame in falling off a diet -- we are human, and our bodies AND minds need different things at different times. But if you can't mentally pick yourself up after a fall, dust yourself off and say, "Today is a new day." -- then perhaps now is not the time to be forcing the weight loss issue in your life. Weight loss takes a commitment to yourself and also compassion for yourself. You've got to want it, you've got to be hard-working, but you also have to be forgiving of yourself. This is the hardest thing to find, and something I still work on everyday. Only you know what you are ready for and what you are capable of -- but only if you try to find out. If you're not ready right now, that is OKAY. Just keep checking back from time to time to see if you are ready to make that life-long commitment to a better you.
Can I adapt? Weight loss is not about supermodels in teeny bikinis, beach vacations, free clothes, endorsement deals, and happiness like the media portrays. Weight loss is hard, and life changes around you at the same time as your body. The diet that worked for you at the beginning will need some tweaks and adjustments as you get to the weight your body is meant to be at, and it takes work to find that magic balance in diet and exercise to keep your weight stable for the long haul. The people around you may react differently to you at a lower weight, positively AND negatively. There will be bumps along the road, probably even some violent turbulence from time to time. You need to be firm enough to stick to your plan, but also flexible enough to take changes in stride and adjust. To me, losing weight is not the hardest part-- keeping it off through all of life's ups and downs is the struggle. Continually be willing to adapt to your situation and your surroundings, and you will find that balance of diet and exercise that fits in your life, right here and right now.
Many of us expect "skinny" people to just automatically be happy, when often losing weight will bring up new challenges and problems in your life. Weight loss is not a magic cure-all to every problem. But if you follow the right diet for you, are mentally ready to commit to it for life, and still have the flexibility to adapt to changes in your life around you, you'll find that success you're looking for. And it will feel pretty sweet to sit back and say, "Look how far I have come. Now I just have to keep going."
*Disclaimer: I do not endorse nor dispute the effectiveness of any diet plans linked in this blog. The links are provided for informational purposes only.
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