CHARACTERISTICS OF SAFE AND EFFECTIVE WEIGHT LOSS PLANS: CHARACTERISTICS OF SAFE AND EFFECTIVE WEIGHT LOSS PLANS:

Transcription

1 CHARACTERISTICS OF SAFE AND EFFECTIVE WEIGHT LOSS PLANS: CHARACTERISTICS OF SAFE AND EFFECTIVE WEIGHT LOSS PLANS:

2 COMMERCIAL WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAMS Commercial weight loss programs such as Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutri-System and Diet Center usually offer a 1,000 to 1,500 calorie diet and individual or group counseling. Few participants succeed in keeping weight off long-term. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) brought action against some companies and is challenging their weight loss and maintenance claims. Jenny Craig Weight Loss Clinic Characteristics: Weekly classes and individual counseling sessions. Both Jenny Craig preportioned foods and grocery store foods are used. Provides lifestyle management, motivation and nutritional information. Strengths: Emphasizes behavior education and practical eating skills. Expected weight loss 1 to 2 pounds per week. Exercise encouraged. Comments: Based on sound weight-loss principles, focuses on weight management, no wild claims or promises. Has a center-based or online option. COMMERCIAL WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAMS Commercial weight loss programs such as Weight Watchers usually offers a 1,000 to 1,500 calorie diet and individual or group counseling. Few participants succeed in keeping weight off long-term. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) brought action against some companies and is challenging their weight loss and maintenance claims. Weight Watchers Points Plus Program Characteristics: Group meetings for education and support. Individual counseling available. Integrates food, behavior, social support, and exercise. Calories not counted daily. Lifestyle fit and convenience is paramount. Weight Watchers food available, not required. Points plan gives points to food based on calories, fat, and fiber. Each person receives a daily point allotment based on current weight. Plan to stay within daily allotment. Strengths: Nutritionally balanced. Emphasizes slow, steady weight loss. Teaches how to maintain ideal weight. Personal daily exercise plan. No good or bad foods. Focus on sustainable, healthy lifestyle. Comments: Lifetime membership by maintaining weight within 2 pounds of goal weight for six weeks.

4 EXAMPLES OF INEFFECTIVE DIET PRODUCTS Diet patches. Removed from the market by FDA in early 1990 s because they were ineffective. Magnet diet pills. Claim they flush fat out of the body. Certain bulk fillers. (such as guar gum) May cause internal obstruction. Electrical muscle stimulators. FDA may remove from market if promoted for weight loss. Appetite suppressing eyeglasses. Claim colored lenses project image on retina and decrease appetite. Magic weight-loss earrings. Supposedly control hunger by stimulating acupunture points. WEIGHT LOSS PRODUCTS Diet drink powdered formulas usually are mixed with a glass of milk and are substituted for one or more meals. Many users of these shakes report feeling constantly hungry and regain the lost weight when they give up the shakes. By relying on shakes, dieters follow artificial dieting methods and avoid learning how to select healthful food to fit their lifestyles. Herbalife Nutritional Program Characteristics: Replaces 2 meals a day with Herbalife shakes and tablets. Strengths: One meal per day of regular food advocated. Shakes generally include nonfat dry milk. Weaknesses: Heavy reliance on Herbalife powders and tablets. Suggested rate of weight loss is too high (2½ to 7½ pounds per week). Comments: Weight loss is never fun and easy as claimed. Reliance on a specific product does not teach healthy, lifelong eating habits.

6 WEIGHT LOSS PRODUCTS Powdered diet drink formulas usually are mixed with a glass of milk and substituted for one or more meals. Many users of these shakes report feeling constantly hungry and regain the lost weight when they give up the shakes. By relying on shakes, dieters follow artificial dieting methods and avoid learning how to select healthful foods that fit permanently into their lifestyles. Ultra Slim Fast Characteristics: Weight loss program recommends two shakes/day (powder and milk), a snack and a complete dinner of 500 to 650 calories. Strengths: Plan encourages regular exercise. Weaknesses: Promotes use of Ultra Slim Fast Frozen Entrees and snack bars. Does not teach good eating habits. Comments: Difficult to maintain weight loss once shakes are discontinued. WEIGHT LOSS PRODUCTS Diet Pills Containing Guarana Characteristics: Major active component is caffeine. It contains twice the amount of caffeine found in coffee beans with concentrated formulas having much higher amounts. Weaknesses: May lead to insomnia, nervousness, anxiety, headaches, high blood pressure and heart palpitations. Comments: Theory is that it increases metabolic rate, suppresses appetite and enhances physical and mental performance. Caffeine may suppress appetite somewhat at high amounts, but does not increase calorie expenditure.

8 WEIGHT LOSS PRODUCTS St. John s Wort Supplements Characteristics: Claims that supplementing with St. John s wort will decrease appetite and promote weight loss. Weaknesses: Side effects may include gastrointestinal stomach discomfort, tiredness, insomnia and mild allergic reactions. Comments: According to the Food and Drug Administration, St. John s wort has not been proven safe or effective for weight loss. Not recommended for children or for pregnant or breast feeding women. WEIGHT LOSS DIETS AND BOOKS Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution Robert C. Atkins, M.D. Another book: Health Revolution Characteristics: High protein, high fat, low carbohydrate diet. Claims that the diet may help people with food intolerances or allergies, heart disease, diabetes, yeast infections. Megavitamin/ mineral supplements daily. Strengths: Weight loss likely will result because the eating plan is low calorie. Blood levels of triglycerides may decrease due to limited carbohydrate intake. High fat intake provides a sense of fullness for a long period of time. Weaknesses: Nutritionally unbalanced. Recommends as little as 15 grams of carbohydrate a day. No bread, pasta or cereal. Low in fruits and vegetables. Ketoacidosis (body using protein for energy instead of carbohydrates) is encouraged. Comments: Does not teach good eating habits. Can be dangerous. Claims are not nutritionally sound. Initial weight lost may be water loss.

10 WEIGHT LOSS DIETS AND BOOKS The Carbohydrate Addict s Diet Rachel Heller, M.D. and Richard Heller, M.D. Characteristics: People become addicted to sugar because of its effect on insulin levels. Lose weight by controlling the addiction. Two meals a day consist of high protein foods with very low carbohydrate foods. The third meal is high carbohydrate foods balanced with equally high protein foods. Strengths: Very few. Does allow selected vegetables. Weaknesses: Nutritionally unbalanced. Some recipes provided are high in saturated fat. Does not promote an overall healthy eating plan. No structured exercise program is recommended. Comments: Not based on scientific evidence. Carbohydrates, especially from whole grains, fruits and vegetables, are important components of a healthy eating plan. WEIGHT LOSS DIETS AND BOOKS Dieting for Dummies Jane Kirby, R.D. and The American Dietetic Association Characteristics: Provides scientifically sound information about many topics related to weight loss. Includes sections about developing a relationship with food, a plan for healthy living, shopping, cooking and dining out. Strengths: No dietary restrictions or weight loss gimmicks. Promotes eating well-balanced meals and exercising to achieve weight management. Weaknesses: None. Comments: Realistic plan for weight control. Advocates reasonable and attainable lifelong healthy eating and exercise habits.

12 WEIGHT LOSS DIETS AND BOOKS Eat More, Weigh Less Dean Ornish, M.D. Characteristics: Life Choice vegetarian diet. Low in fat, high in complex carbohydrates and fiber. Believes large changes are easier to make than moderate ones. Includes over 250 appetizing recipes. Ten percent of calories from fat. Strengths: Heart healthy diet. Does not limit amounts of food (no counting calories). Encourages moderate exercise. Weaknesses: Advocates giving up all meat, poultry, fish, oils, dairy (except nonfat) and products exceeding 2 grams of fat per serving. Comments: May be difficult to follow long-term, especially for non-vegetarians. WEIGHT LOSS DIETS AND BOOKS The Zone Diet Barry Sears, Ph.D Characteristics: Enter the Zone maintains that carbohydrates are bad because they raise blood sugar levels and cause the release of the hormone insulin. Claims insulin makes it difficult to become thin by turning carbohydrate foods into fat rather than using them for energy. Strengths: Promotes eating regular meals low in calories. Restricts fat to no more than 30 percent of total calories. Weaknesses: Promotes diet higher in protein, lower in carbohydrates than recommended. Carbohydrates, not proteins, are the preferred source of energy. If protein is used for energy, nitrogen must be removed. This can overtax the kidneys. Excessive protein intake can increase the risk for gout. Metabolic pathways supposedly connecting diet, insulin-glucogen and eicosanoids sound impressive but do not exist. Carbohydrates and insulin don t make you fat. Eicosanoids don t cause disease. Comments: The Zone is based on half-truths, mixed messages and theories, no grounded in peerreviewed research. There is nothing magical about The Zone Diet, it s just a very low-calorie diet.

14 WEIGHT LOSS DIETS AND BOOKS The Ultimate Weight Solution (Dr. Phil s) Phil McGraw, Ph.D. Characteristics: Emphasized a psychological approach to weight loss to uncover one s personal truth: what you think about yourself and your weight. Encourages individuals to replace toxic messages with positive thoughts. Other keys to weight loss freedom include no fail environment, healing feelings, and circle of support. Indicates that foods that take time to prepare and chew promote weight loss. Strengths: Addresses emotional eating, encourages physical activity and adoption of positive lifelong eating and activity habits. Recommended foods are generally healthy (low-fat and high fiber). Weaknesses: Encourages use of Dr. Phil dietary supplements, shakes and bars, which are expensive and don t appear to be based on science. Menus, recipes and how to suggestions for incorporating foods into daily eating habits are not included. Supplements have been pulled off the market due to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) probe about false claims. Comments: Includes helpful insight into making personal lifestyle changes. Some recommendations WEIGHT LOSS DIETS AND BOOKS The Best Life Diet Bob Greene Characteristics: Provides a three-phase plan to lose weight. Phase 1: Increase movement, change poor eating habits. Phase 2: Eliminate six problem foods, increase activity, learn to control hunger. Phase 3: Lifestyle changes, provides lifetime eating and fitness plans. Addresses emotional aspects of overeating. Strengths: Focuses on lifestyle change rather than a quick fix. Weaknesses: Plugs specific brands of food, seems more focused on marketing than healthful eating. His recommendations are contradictory- advises avoiding high fructose corn syrup, yet puts a seal of approval on Yoplait yogurt containers which contain high fructose corn syrup. Comments: This book is popular because it is endorsed by Oprah. The advise is not groundbreaking -- just common sense eat less, exercise more, focus on healthful foods. The commercial aspect of this book can be a turn off.

16 WEIGHT LOSS DIETS AND BOOKS South Beach Diet Arthur Agatston, M.D. Characteristics: Based on glycemic index, promotes switching to good carbs to control cravings and prevent insulin resistance. Recommends good fats to protect the heart and control hunger pangs. Strengths: Emphasizes whole grains, legumes, low-fat dairy, vegetables, and heart-healthy fats. Weaknesses: Unnecessarily restricts high glycemic index foods such as carrots, bananas, pineapple, and other fruits. Justifies low glycemic foods with physiology present in diabetes patients, not healthy individuals. Difficult to maintain long term. Comments: Diet is low in calories, which is most likely responsible for weight loss. Diet plan dichotomizes foods into good and bad. WEIGHT LOSS DIETS AND BOOKS Eat This Not That: Thousands of Simple Food Swaps That Can Save You 10, 20, 30 Pounds-or More! David Zinczencko with Matt Goulding Characteristics: A guide to making better choices when eating fast food and in restaurants. Strengths: Easy to use, simple guide. Helps those who must eat fast food make more healthful choices and exposes drawbacks to meals that seem more healthful (ie high fat fish fillet at Burger King, high sodium salmon teriyaki at Macaroni Grill). Easy to carry around for quick reference. Weaknesses: Focuses only on eating out. Some of the suggestions are confusing or contradictory. Comments: A good resource for those who cannot cook at home for whatever reason. However, cooking meals at home is almost always more healthful that eaing out.

18 WEIGHT LOSS SUPPLEMENTS Green Tea Extract Supplements Characteristics: Pills contain polyphenols, which are extracted from green tea and are thought to be strong antioxidants. May help lower cholesterol and triglycerides, and enhance weight loss. Weaknesses: Extracts that also contain caffeine may lead to restlessness and/or insomnia. Comments: More studies are still needed to determine if green tea extracts are beneficial for weight loss. Choose extracts that have a standardized polyphenol content. People taking aspirin or blood thinning medications should consult their doctor before taking green tea extracts, because green tea extracts interfere with blood clotting. WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAMS NutriSystem Characteristics: Select a plan and 28 days worth of food (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert for each day). Food is delivered to you. Follow the meal planner provided while eating the delivered food and selected grocery items. Track weight loss and access counselors and educational tools online. Strengths: No points or calorie counting required. Food is pre-portioned. Social support, nutrition education, and exercise tips available online. Weaknesses: Uses NutriSystem food that can be expensive and does not simulate real life. Counseling not provided by registered dietitians. Comments: Offers a money-back guarantee. Center-based company has been replaced with an online option only.