To Diet or not to Diet, that seems to be the question that many people ask themselves when trying to lose weight. There is no question that weight loss is one of the most frustrating tasks you may ever undertake. What’s the best approach? When it comes to diets, there seems to be a million experts on the topic. Some say eliminate fats, others say eliminate carbohydrates and eat more protein, still others say drink grapefruit juice or cabbage soup or take this supplement or this medicinal shake, and so on and so on. The list of diets is long. The problem is that these approaches may work in the short-term but fail to hold up over time. Plus, eliminating a whole food group will lead to boredom with food choices. Our goal is to get you feeling better, eating better and living better. It does not have to be complicated!

When thinking about weight loss, you must remember that you will not lose the extra weight overnight and, more importantly, remember that there is no magic bullet. To be successful at long-term weight loss, you must eat right, exercise more and stay motivated. Exercise alone will not get it done. Proper meal planning is a must.

We do not prescribe a “Diet”. Instead, we want you to focus on the foods you are eating and become more aware of how those food choices can be promoting weight gain or assist with weight loss. The nutrient content of your foods can influence your health.

Fruits & vegetables are key ingredients to healthy food choices. These foods have been shown to improve health by reducing the risk of cancer, diabetes, and weight gain. It has also been shown that those consuming more than 9 servings a day of fruits and vegetables lower blood pressure levels and heart disease risk factors. Of course, how you prepare these foods can change their effects on your body.

“Very Low Calorie Diet” usually refers to a diet plan that provides less than 1000 calories per day. While this would promote short-term weight loss, it does not meet the body’s need for other vitamins & minerals. These types of diets can lead to nutrient deficiencies and imbalances that can be dangerous. If attempting to follow this style of dieting, a physician must closely monitor your progress to help avoid potential complications.

“High Protein/Low Carbohydrate”Diets generally promote weight loss through the restriction of carbohydrate foods. While this might help you to reduce the amount of soda, cake & cookies you generally eat, it will also restrict your intake of fruits and certain vegetables. Another component to these types of diets is that fat content is usually excessive. As you know, for anyone with a personal or family history of heart disease, excessive fat intake is not recommended. Early weight loss on these diets is usually the result of fluid loss. As you progress through the diet, weight loss shifts to muscle & fat breakdown. The biggest drawback of these diets is the restriction of fruits and vegetables. As with the Very Low Calorie Diet, you can run into nutrient deficiencies if followed for extended periods of time. In addition to missing vitamins and minerals you will also have a reduced fiber intake. We need fiber in our diet for a number of reasons, for most people, fiber helps with avoiding constipation.

“Low Fat Diets” usually promote weight loss through cutting down on fat intake. Because fat can contribute a large amount of calories, cutting back can help. However, fat is not the only source of calories in most diets. For example, regular sodas, sweet tea, fruit drinks and juices are all fat free but provide significant amount of calories. A regular soda, such as Coke or Pepsi will have 150 calories in a 12 oz. can. Fats are not a bad thing. We actually need some fat in the diet to help with bodily functions. Fats, especially mono-unsaturated, provide the body with essential nutrients and help protect the heart.

Successful weight loss will involves reducing calorie intake. Those able to lose weight and keep it off not only reduce calories but also exercise more frequently. Don’t let advertisers, family and friends confuse you. We need to take the complexity out of our dietary habits. Remember, a balanced diet which includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, with whole grains and is your best choice. Taking the time to plan and prepare more foods on your own will also help you meet your health goals.

Still not sure where to start, give us shout and we’d be glad to help you out! It was Buddha that said, “Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters the most.” As we start this New Year, it is a great time to find that new, healthier You!

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change.

~John