Eat, Drink and Be Merry, for Tomorrow We Diet

Sugar Busters!: How This Diet / Weight-Loss Program Works

2006-08-21T06:48:00.000-07:00

Sugar Busters!: How It Works: "Sugar Busters!

Sugar Busters!

How It Works

The below referenced article, discusses how the Sugar Busters! diet / weight-loss program works.

The authors use basic science to explain their theory -- up to a point. A snack or meal that is high in carbohydrates (of which sugar is the basic building block) raises the level of glucose in the blood stream quickly. This stimulates the pancreas to release the hormone insulin. This release produces too much insulin, say the authors, so that the body is not able to convert that glucose into glycogen (which is used for immediate energy needs). Alas, the body's ability to store or hold glycogen is limited to a measly few hundred grams -- an average of 700 grams can be stored in the liver and muscles.

The result of that insulin production is stored fat. And the body has uncanny ability to hang unto it, like it or not, in the form of that spare tire around one's middle, those thunder thighs, and that belly. And, wouldn't you know it, the body can store thousands of grams of fat. All of this was incredibly useful for our forebears before the invention of fast-food joints, when the next meal might be long off, and fat could be converted into energy as needed. But while we no longer need this efficient system of packaging, we're stuck with it.

However, a high-protein, low-carbohydrate meal causes only an imperceptible rise in blood glucose and consequently a very small rise in insulin but a significant increase in the glucagon level, claim the authors. What is glucagon? The other hormone secreted by the pancreas that helps regulate blood sugar and "promotes the mobilization of previously stored fat," according to the authors. "[As] you burn food reserves for your energy requirements between meals, high levels of glucagons will allow that energy to be derived" from your stored fat reserves. Furthermore, the elevated glucagon level stays high for quite some time "so you can keep on burning that mobilized fat."

Insulin, on the other hand, "inhibits the mobilization of previously stored fat," they warn, "even if one is on a rather skimpy, but glucose-generating, diet." All this explains why people eating a diet high in white-flour pasta cannot burn fat even when food intake goes down.

The most controversial claim of the Sugar Busters! diet is that by keeping the need for insulin low by eliminating or severely restricting certain foods, we can reduce insulin resistance, a condition wherein our bodies have become insensitive to normal levels of circulating insulin in the bloodstream. Insulin resistance results in obesity and frequently is the culprit behind type 2 diabetes, or the non-insulin-dependent form of the disease. "Fifty percent or more of insulin resistance can be reduced or even reversed as insulin resistance does not totally depend on our inherited genes," say the authors.

Does this sound like the diet / weight-loss program for you? We will see what the critics say about the diet next.

Sugar Busters!: What You Can Eat

2006-08-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

Sugar Busters!: What You Can Eat: "Sugar Busters!

The following represents the food choices you can have on the Sugar Busters! diet /weight-loss program.

What You Can Eat

While the authors say there are only a few things you cannot eat on the diet, these banned foods include some of the more common staples of the American diet: 'You must virtually eliminate potatoes, corn, white rice, bread from refined flour, beets, carrots, and, of course, refined sugar, corn syrup, molasses, honey, sugared colas, and beer.' A short list, but note that you must stop eating all refined sugars.

The basic plan is to eat high-fiber vegetables, stone-ground whole grains, lean and trimmed meats, fish, and fruits. If you choose alcohol, you should drink red wine. Bake, broil or grill meat, and cook with an oil that is high in mono- and polyunsaturated fats and low in saturated fats, such as canola. You eat three meals a day of moderate portions, and you can have snacks such as fruit and nuts, although fruit should be eaten by itself. And fruit is preferred over fruit juice, and best eaten a half hour before the meal.

You should eat:

Meats, including:

* Lean beef and pork
* Canadian bacon
* Poultry
* Game meats, such as venison
* Fish and shellfish

Vegetables, including:

Beans
Lentils
Peas
Spinach
Lettuce
Squash
Zucchini
Mushrooms
Asparagus
Artichokes
Cabbage
Celery
Cucumbers
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Eggplant
Onions

Fruits, including:

Apples
Lemons and limes
Pears
Cherries
Raspberries
Kiwis
Grapefruits
Apricots
Melons other than watermelon
Tomatoes
Tangerines and oranges

You also can have dairy products, and whole grains and cereals --- just don't add sugar to them! Spices and dark chocolate are also permitted. You should not eat:

Baked beans
Carrots
Corn
Ripe bananas
Raisins
White bread, pasta, rice
Potatoes
Beer
Bacon, fried chicken, most cold cuts

We will take a look at more about this diet / weight-loss programs later.

Sugar Busters! : What It Is This Diet / Weight-Loss Program?

2006-08-11T07:34:00.000-07:00

Sugar Busters! : What It Is: "Sugar Busters!

This is a review of the Sugar Busters diet / weight-loss program from WebMd.

"Cut Sugar to Trim Fat" proclaims the dust jacket of Sugar Busters! Inside the book, you read that "Sugar is toxic!" And that's the basic premise of the diet. The authors tell you to eliminate all sweets made with refined sugar and certain fruits and vegetables with a high-sugar content because they wreak havoc on your biochemical system. The diet also promises to lower your cholesterol, achieve optimal wellness, increase your energy, and help treat diabetes and other diseases.

So proclaims the diet that became a self-published phenomenon in New Orleans, until a major publisher released Sugar Busters! in 1998. It's still selling so strong in the hardcover edition that the paperback hasn't been released yet. The four authors are H. Leighton Steward, a former CEO, and three doctors from the Big Easy: Morrison C. Bethea, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon; Samuel S. Andrews, MD, an endocrinologist; and Luis A. Balart, MD, a gastroenterologist.

Although the authors say that counting calories or measuring food is not a part of the Sugar Busters! plan, they suggest you "look at portion size," which is another way of cutting calories -- even though they claim that "calories are not the answer to weight gain or loss." In addition, the authors point out that moderate exercise will not significantly affect weight loss if you continue to eat foods with high sugar content. Finally, they caution that the diet / weight-loss program is not for exercise fanatics.

We will examine what you can eat on the Sugar Busters diet /weight-loss program in our next posts.

How the Sugar Busters Diet / Weight-Loss Program Evovled

2006-08-10T06:58:00.000-07:00

The following story was written by David Mendosa with regards to how the Sugar Buster Diet / Weight-loss program evolved from one man's food lifestyle into a very popular low carbohydrate diet / weight-loss program today. Sugar Busters even promotes its on product line of foods.

It was over a business meal in a fancy Buffalo, New York, restaurant that the hottest new weight-loss and insulin-control program was born.

The program is called Sugar Busters! (For reading ease, we're dispensing with the "!" for the remainder of this article.) More then 300,000 copies of Sugar Busters: Cut Sugar to Trim Fat have been printed and shipped since Ballantine published the book in May. That's enough to drive the book to the top of bestseller lists from New York to Los Angeles.

One of the diners in that Buffalo restaurant that fateful night six years ago was H. Leighton Steward, who at that time was CEO of New Orleans-based Louisiana Land and Exploration Company, a Fortune 1,000 company that was the largest owner of coastal wetlands in the country. Steward is now vice chair of Burlington Resources, which recently merged with LL&E. A geologist by training, he was carrying 220 pounds on a 6'4" frame and concerned about his weight. His dinner partner that night was Victor Rice, who then chaired Verity Corporation and is now chair and CEO of LucasVarity PLC. Steward knew that Rice had lost 52 pounds.

"I watched what he ate that night," Steward recalls. "We had a big bunch of hors d'oeuvre and sautéed mushrooms and vegetables and stuff, and then we ate a big spinach salad with bacon chips all over it." There were several lamb chops on Rice's plate, and he had just ordered a second bottle of red wine.

"Victor, it was sure nice of you to get off your diet tonight so we could have this nice meal," Steward told the other businessman.

"Leighton, I am on my diet," was his response.

Steward was stunned. Rice's wife had found a French book in Europe by someone named Michel Montignac. "I had to get the English edition of the book, Dine Out and Lose Weight, out of our London office, because I looked for it for months here," Steward recalls.

Following Montignac's book, Steward lost 20 pounds by eating steak, lamb chops, cheese, and eggs. But although his wife recognized that he was looking good, she was worried because he always had high cholesterol. She insisted that he see a doctor.

The doctor was Morrison Bethea, a cardiothoracic surgeon in New Orleans. Steward didn't have a cardiovascular problem, but Bethea was friend and sometime golfing partner.

Both doctor and patient were surprised that Steward's total cholesterol had dropped 21 percent while his HDL or good cholesterol stayed the same. "Gosh, Leighton, you're on to something," was Bethea's response.

But they still didn't know why the diet worked. Montignac had never figured it out either.

"I cycled on this for 10 days," Steward says now. "How I could eat eggs and this stuff and watch my cholesterol drop like a rock was about to drive me crazy. When I figured out why it lowered my cholesterol, Mo confirmed it for me in about 3 seconds. He had just never thought about it."

"Look, I am on a low-sugar diet," Steward told Bethea. "I have a lower average level of sugar in my body all day, so I don't need as much insulin. It must be insulin stimulating my liver to make cholesterol."

Bethea told him he was right. "I can tell you why. When we get diabetics in the hospital and they can no longer control the diabetes with exercise or pills or diet, we have to start giving them insulin injections. When we give them that first injection, the major side effect will be that their cholesterol will go through the roof. Let me go talk to the guys."

The first guy they talked to was Dr. Sam Andrews, an endocrinologist. He said that all of his insulin-dependent patients did have elevated cholesterol. Because of the cholesterol connection they brought in a liver expert, Dr. Luis Balart, who practices gasteroenterology and hepatology.

After talking about it for years, they decided they had to write the book. The problem was time: one of them is a high-powered executive and the other three are busy doctors.

So did they have it ghost written? "No ghost writer," Dr. Bethea replies. "You are looking at the writers. All four of us divided up the chapters. I made an outline and assigned chapters. We all four wrote different chapters, and then Leighton Steward and I rewrote everything so it would look as if it was written by one person and not four."

The book just published by Ballantine is in fact a revised and much enlarged edition of a book they self-published in 1995. That edition sold more than 210,000 copies, a phenomenal number for a self-published book. That was with a zero marketing budget, Dr. Bethea says.

"We knew it would do okay, because our concept is sound," he continues. "If anybody looks into the scientific validity of it, they will see that. And secondly, it works. And any time you are promoting a product that you have done simply and understandably and it works, it's going to be a success."

Steward and all three doctors live in New Orleans, and that city, "the Big Easy," is where Sugar Busters originally took hold before spreading around the country. Maybe that's because the personal spread in New Orleans has reached critical mass. "Being the most obese city in the country, people here are trying to do something," Dr. Andrews says.

The Sugar Busters diet is nothing if not simple. It restricts very few foods: potatoes, corn, white rice, bread from refined flour, beets, carrots, plus sugar in most of its forms. Moderate amounts of fructose and lactose are fine.

Essentially, the restricted high-carbohydrate foods are those high on the glycemic index. That index measures how much your blood sugar increases after eating.

Counting calories or weighing or measuring is not a part of the Sugar Busters plan. "We want you to look at portion size," says Dr. Bethea. "We are giving you a nice way to figure this out. Do you know what a dinner plate looks like? It's got a flat bottom and flared sides. Your meat and two or three vegetables ought to fit neatly on the bottom of the plate. It shouldn't be stacked. It shouldn't be up on the sides."

Dr. Bethea says they have been very pleased with the response of people with diabetes. Still, "we caution anyone who is diabetic who goes on Sugar Busters to consult with a physician. If you are taking insulin, you need to let the physician know so it can be adjusted. If you are on an oral hypoglycemic agent, you may not need it any longer. We are not saying to go out and treat yourself. This needs to be done in concert with your physician."

Sugar Busters is not a low-carbohydrate or high-fat diet. The diet is about 40 percent carbohydrate and 30 percent or less fat, of which no more than 10 percent should be saturated fat.

"You might be eating more protein than normal," Dr. Balart says. "We are not saying no carbohydrates. We are saying choose the correct carbohydrates."

"Because of the grain, Sugar Busters is also a high-fiber diet," Dr. Andrews adds. "We encourage people to eat whole grain, and whole grain is really high fiber. By increasing fiber you do several things. You decrease the glycemic index, you promote good intestinal function, the fiber itself can help lower your triglycerides, cholesterol, and blood sugar, maybe even contribute to some weight loss."

Sugar Busters is, of course, a low-sugar diet. "If you eliminate sugar from your diet, you do lose your taste for sugar," Dr. Andrews maintains. "It takes a week or so. Once you do that you don't have to rush to the cookie jar after you eat supper."

The response to the Sugar Busters diet from dietitians has been muted. Cinda Chima, a registered dietitian and director of clinical nutrition at MetroHealth System in Cleveland, says there were some fine things in the book.

"Focusing on higher fiber whole grain products is an excellent idea," she says. "Most people would benefit from it." Nonetheless, she doubts if it is especially important in blood sugar control in amounts normal consumed.

"I also don't know how practical the glycemic index is," Chima says. "The response to foods in the context of a mixed meal is blunted or is less important."

"I am still convinced that it is a matter of calories in and calories out," she concludes.

The lukewarm reception by dietitians in general doesn't surprise Dr. Andrews. "They are saying that potatoes and sucrose have about the same glycemic index so you can eat both of them. Their thinking is really strange."

Sidebar: Busting the Sugar

Remove the sugar from your diet, say the authors of Sugar Busters, the hot new weight-loss and insulin-control book. Sounds easy. We all know that table sugar is those white crystals we sprinkle on our cereals and sometimes in our coffee.

The book names refined sugar, corn syrup, molasses, honey, and sugared colas as sugars to be avoided. All of these will quickly raise your blood glucose level.

But there is probably no ingredient that is more ubiquitous or goes by so many names than sugar. What we call sugar—whether white, granulated, or table—is one type of sugar called sucrose and is only the tip of the crystal.

Maltose, more commonly called malt sugar, works the quickest. Glucose, the primary sugar in corn syrup, is not far behind. And dextrose is the same as glucose, says Dr. Sam Andrews, one of the authors. So too is maltodextrin.

Sucrose, processed from sugar cane or sugar beets, has the next quickest effect. It includes brown sugar, turbinado sugar, and the sugar in molasses. There are actually more than 100 different sucrose substances.

Two types of sugar have a less dramatic effect on blood sugar levels and are acceptable in moderation. Lactose is the sugar in milk products, and fructose is found in fruits. However, crystalline fructose and high-fructose corn syrup have a much greater effect on blood glucose levels than does fructose alone.

The so-called sugar alcohols, which include maltitol, sorbitol, and mannitol, are absorbed much slower and are also acceptable in moderation, Dr. Andrews says.

Types of Diets / Weight-Loss Programs

2006-08-08T05:51:00.000-07:00

Types of Diets

Below you will find a list of the various diets / weight-loss programs available to you to choose from. When beginning a diet, it is important to plan and understand what type of program meets your lifestyle choices and routines. Choosing the wrong program can be a source of failure. Having the right mind set when going into a diet / weight-loss program is of the utmost importance. Being unhappy with what the plan calls for can be very discouraging.

Fixed-menu diet. A fixed-menu diet provides a list of all the foods you will eat. This kind of diet can be easy to follow because the foods are selected for you. But, you get very few different food choices which may make the diet boring and hard to follow away from home. In addition, fixed-menu diets do not teach the food selection skills necessary for keeping weight off. If you start with a fixed-menu diet, you should switch eventually to a plan that helps you learn to make meal choices on your own, such as an exchange-type diet.

Exchange-type diet. An exchange-type diet is a meal plan with a set number of servings from each of several food groups. Within each group, foods are about equal in calories and can be interchanged as you wish. For example, the "starch" category could include one slice of bread or 1/2 cup of oatmeal; each is about equal in nutritional value and calories. If your meal plan calls for two starch choices at breakfast, you could choose to eat two slices of bread, or one slice of bread and 1/2 cup of oatmeal. With the exchange-type diet plans, you have more day-to-day variety and you can easily follow the diet away from home. The most important advantage is that exchange-type diet plans teach the food selection skills you need to keep your weight off.

Prepackaged-meal diet. These diets require you to buy prepackaged meals. Such meals may help you learn appropriate portion sizes. However, they can be costly. Before beginning this type of program, find out whether you will need to buy the meals and how much the meals cost. You should also find out whether the program will teach you how to select and prepare food, skills that are needed to sustain weight loss.

Formula diet. Formula diets are weight-loss plans that replace one or more meals with a liquid formula. Most formula diets are balanced diets containing a mix of protein, carbohydrate, and usually a small amount of fat. Formula diets are usually sold as liquid or a powder to be mixed with liquid. Although formula diets are easy to use and do promote short-term weight loss, most people regain the weight as soon as they stop using the formula. In addition, formula diets do not teach you how to make healthy food choices, a necessary skill for keeping your weight off.

Questionable diets. You should avoid any diet that suggests you eat a certain nutrient, food, or combination of foods to promote easy weight loss. Some of these diets may work in the short term because they are low in calories. However, they are often not well balanced and may cause nutrient deficiencies. In addition, they do not teach eating habits that are important for long-term weight management.

Flexible diets. Some programs or books suggest monitoring fat only, calories only, or a combination of the two, with the individual making the choice of both the type and amount of food eaten. This flexible type of approach works well for many people, and teaches them how to control what they eat. One drawback of flexible diets is that some don't consider the total diet. For example, programs that monitor fat only often allow people to take in unlimited amounts of excess calories from sugars, and therefore don't lead to weight loss.

It is important to choose an eating plan that you can live with. The plan should also teach you how to select and prepare healthy foods, as well as how to maintain your new weight. Remember that many people tend to regain lost weight. Eating a healthful and nutritious diet to maintain your new weight, combined with regular physical activity, helps to prevent weight regain.

Physical Activity
Regular physical activity is important to help you lose weight and build an overall healthy lifestyle. Physical activity increases the number of calories your body uses and promotes the loss of body fat instead of muscle and other nonfat tissue. Research shows that people who include physical activity in their weight-loss programs are more likely to keep their weight off than people who only change their diet. In addition to promoting weight control, physical activity improves your strength and flexibility, lowers your risk of heart disease, helps control blood pressure and diabetes, can promote a sense of well-being, and can decrease stress.

Any type of physical activity you choose to do -- vigorous activities such as running or aerobic dancing or moderate-intensity activities such as walking or household work -- will increase the number of calories your body uses. The key to successful weight control and improved overall health is making physical activity a part of your daily life.

For the greatest overall health benefits, experts recommend that you do 20 to 30 minutes of vigorous physical activity three or more times a week and some type of muscle strengthening activity, such as weight resistance, and stretching at least twice a week. However, if you are unable to do this level of activity, you can improve your health by performing 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity over the course of a day, at least five times a week. When including physical activity in your weight-loss program, you should choose a variety of activities that can be done regularly and are enjoyable for you. Also, if you have not been physically active, you should see your doctor before you start, especially if you are older than 40 years of age, very overweight, or have medical problems.

Behavior Change
Behavior change focuses on learning eating and physical activity behaviors that will help you lose weight and keep it off. The first step is to look at your eating and physical activity habits, thus uncovering behaviors (such as television watching) that lead you to overeat or be inactive. Next you'll need to learn how to change those behaviors.

Getting support from others is a good way to help you maintain your new eating and physical activity habits. Changing your eating and physical activity behaviors increases your chances of losing weight and keeping it off. For additional information on behavior change, you may wish to ask a weight-loss counselor or refer to books on this topic, which are available in local libraries.

What Works for You?
A variety of options exist to help you lose weight and keep it off. The key to successful diet / weight loss is making changes in your eating and physical activity habits that you will be able to maintain for the rest of your life.

Diets and Weight-Loss Programs Continued

2006-08-07T05:45:00.000-07:00

Diet
The word "diet" probably brings to mind meals of lettuce and cottage cheese. By definition, "diet" refers to what a person eats or drinks during the course of a day. A diet that limits portions to a very small size or that excludes certain foods entirely to promote weight loss may not be effective over the long term. Rather, you are likely to miss certain foods and find it difficult to follow this type of diet for a long time. Instead, it is often helpful to gradually change the types and amounts of food you eat and maintain these changes for the rest of your life. The ideal diet is one that takes into account your likes and dislikes and includes a wide variety of foods with enough calories and nutrients for good health.

How much you eat and what you eat play a major role in how much you weigh. So, when planning your diet, you should consider: What calorie level is appropriate? Is the diet you are considering nutritionally balanced? Will the diet be practical and easy to follow? Will you be able to maintain this eating plan for the rest of your life? The following information will help you answer these questions.

Calorie Level
Low-calorie Diets. Most weight-loss diets provide 1,000 to 1,500 calories per day. However, the number of calories that is right for you depends on your weight and activity level. At these calorie levels, diets are referred to as low-calorie diets. Self-help diet books and clinical and non-clinical weight-loss programs often include low-calorie diet plans.

The calorie level of your diet should allow for a weight loss of no more than 1 pound per week (after the first week or two when weight loss may be more rapid because of initial water loss). If you can estimate how many calories you eat in a day, you can design a diet plan that will help you lose no more than 1 pound per week. You may need to work with a trained health professional, such as a registered dietitian. Or, you can use a standardized low-calorie diet plan with a fixed calorie level.
The selected calorie level, however, may not produce the recommended rate of weight loss, and you may need to eat more or less.

Good Nutrition
Make sure that your diet contains all the essential nutrients for good health. Using the Food Guide Pyramid and the Nutrition Facts Label that is found on most processed food products can help you choose a healthful diet. The Pyramid shows you the kinds and amounts of food that you need each day for good health. The Nutrition Facts Label will help you select foods that meet your daily nutritional needs.

A healthful diet should include:

Adequate vitamins and minerals. Eating a wide variety of foods from all the food groups on the Food Guide Pyramid will help you get the vitamins and minerals you need. If you eat less than 1,200 calories per day, you may benefit from taking a daily vitamin and mineral supplement.

Adequate protein. The average woman 25 years of age and older should get 50 grams of protein each day, and the average man 25 years of age and older should get 63 grams of protein each day. Adequate protein is important because it prevents muscle tissue from breaking down and repairs all body tissues such as skin and teeth. To get adequate protein in your diet, make sure you eat 2-3 servings from the Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts Group on the Food Guide Pyramid every day. These foods are all good sources of protein.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture / U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Note: A range of servings is given for each food group. The smaller number is for people who consume about 1,600 calories a day, such as sedentary women. The larger number is for those who consume about 2,800 calories a day, such as active men.

Adequate carbohydrates. At least 100 grams of carbohydrates per day are needed to prevent fatigue and dangerous fluid imbalances. To make sure you get enough carbohydrates, eat 6-11 servings from the Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta Group on the Food Guide Pyramid every day.
A daily fiber intake of 20 to 30 grams. Adequate fiber helps with proper bowel function. If you were to eat 1 cup of bran cereal, 1/2 cup of carrots, 1/2 cup of kidney beans, a medium-sized pear, and a medium-sized apple together in 1 day, you would get about 30 grams of fiber.

No more than 30 percent of calories, on average, from fat per day, with less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat (such as fat from meat, butter, and eggs). Limiting fat to these levels reduces your risk for heart disease and may help you lose weight. In addition, you should limit the amount of cholesterol in your diet. Cholesterol is a fat-like substance found in animal products such as meat and eggs. Your diet should include no more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol per day (one egg contains about 215 milligrams of cholesterol, and 3.5 ounces of cooked hamburger contain 100 milligrams of cholesterol).

At least 8 to 10 glasses, 8 ounces each, of water or water-based beverages, per day. You need more water if you exercise a lot.

These nutrients should come from a variety of low-calorie, nutrient-rich foods. One way to get variety -- and with it, an enjoyable and nutritious diet -- is to choose foods each day from the Food Guide Pyramid.

Types of Diet / Weigt-Loss Programs

2006-08-04T08:19:00.000-07:00

Who Should Begin A Diet / Weight-Loss Program
Who should lose weight? Health experts generally agree that adults can benefit from weight loss if they are moderately to severely overweight (see the following weight-for-height chart below). Health experts also agree that adults who are overweight and have weight-related medical problems or a family history of such problems can benefit from weight loss. Some weight-related health problems include diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, or high blood sugar levels. Even a small weight loss of 10 to 20 pounds can improve your health, for example by lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. You do not need to lose weight if your weight is within the healthy range on the weight-for-height chart, you have gained less than 10 pounds since you reached your adult height, and you are otherwise healthy.

How We Lose Weight
Your body weight is controlled by the number of calories you eat and the number of calories you use each day. So, to lose weight you need to take in fewer calories than you use. You can do this by becoming more physically active or by eating less. Following a weight-loss program that helps you to become more physically active and decrease the amount of calories that you eat is most likely to lead to successful weight loss. The weight-loss program should also help you keep the weight off by making changes in your physical activity and eating habits that you will be able to follow for the rest of your life.

Types of Diet / Weight-Loss Programs
To lose weight and keep it off, you should be aware of the different types of programs available and the important parts of a good program. Knowing this information should help you select or design a weight-loss program that will work for you. The three types of weight-loss programs include: do-it-yourself programs, non-clinical programs, and clinical programs.

Do-It-Yourself Programs
Any effort to lose weight by yourself or with a group of like-minded others through support groups, worksite or community-based programs fits in the "do-it-yourself" category. Individuals using a do-it-yourself program rely on their own judgment, group support, and products such as diet books for advice (Note: Not all diet books are reliable sources of weight-loss information).

Non-Clinical Programs
These programs may or may not be commercially operated, such as through a privately-owned, weight-loss chain. They often use books and pamphlets that are prepared by health-care providers. These programs use counselors (who usually are not health-care providers and may or may not have training) to provide services to you. Some programs require participants to use the program's food or supplements.

Clinical Programs
This type of program may or may not be commercially owned. Services are provided in a health-care setting, such as a hospital, by licensed health professionals, such as physicians, nurses, dietitians, and/or psychologists. In some clinical programs, a health professional works alone; in others, a group of health professionals works together to provide services to patients. Clinical programs may offer you services such as nutrition education, medical care, behavior change therapy, and physical activity.
Clinical programs may also use other weight-loss methods, such as very low-calorie diets, prescription weight-loss drugs, and surgery, to treat severely overweight patients. These treatments are described below:
Very low-calorie diets (VLCDs) are commercially prepared formulas that provide no more than 800 calories per day and replace all usual food intake. VLCDs help individuals lose weight more quickly than is usually possible with low-calorie diets. Because VLCDs can cause side effects, obesity experts recommend that only people who are severely overweight use these diets, and only with proper medical care. A fact sheet on VLCDs is available from the Weight-control Information Network (WIN). Prescribed weight-loss drugs should be used only if you are likely to have health problems caused by your weight. You should not use drugs to improve your appearance. Prescribed weight-loss drugs, when combined with a healthy diet and regular physical activity, may help some obese adults lose weight. However, before these medications can be widely recommended, more research is needed to determine their long-term safety and effectiveness. Whatever the results, prescription weight-loss drugs should be used only as part of an overall program that includes long-term changes in your eating and physical activity habits. A fact sheet on prescription medications for the treatment of obesity is available from WIN. You may consider gastric surgery to promote weight loss if you are more than 80 pounds overweight. The surgery, sometimes called bariatric surgery, causes weight loss in one of two ways: 1) by limiting the amount of food your stomach can hold by closing off or removing parts of the stomach or 2) by causing food to be poorly digested by bypassing the stomach or part of the intestines. After surgery, patients usually lose weight quickly. While some weight is often regained, many patients are successful in keeping off most of their weight. In some cases, the surgery can lead to problems that require follow-up operations. Surgery may also reduce the amount of vitamins and minerals in your body and cause gallstones. For additional information, a fact sheet on gastric surgery is available from WIN.
If you are considering a weight-loss program and you have medical problems, or if you are severely overweight, programs run by trained health professionals may be best for you. These professionals are more likely to monitor you for possible side effects of weight loss and to talk to your doctor when necessary.
Whether you decide to use the do-it-yourself, non-clinical, or clinical approach, the diet / weight-loss program should help you lose weight and keep it off by teaching you healthy eating and physical activity habits that you will be able to follow for the rest of your life.

Blog Update

2006-08-04T08:16:00.000-07:00

Since beginning this blog, we have been discussing diet and weight loss in general terms from what is routinely accepted by the medical community as healthy dieting and weight loss. It is our position that there are many of you who are looking for a traditional diet / weight loss method as well as those who are interested in what ever works best (I prefer low carb). For that reason, we will continue with more general information, for the next several posts, to update you on the more traditional (medically accepted) diet facts. It is our intention to cover specific “fad” diet / weight-loss regimens in complete detail in the coming weeks.

Questions You Need to Ask Before Starting Your Diet / Weight-Loss Plan

2006-08-03T09:53:00.000-07:00

Choosing a diet / weight-loss program may be a difficult task. You may not know what to look for in a diet / weight-loss program or what questions to ask. This fact sheet can help you talk to your health care professional about weight loss and get the best information before choosing a program.

Ask Questions Find out as much as you can about your health needs before joining a diet / weight-loss program. Here are some questions you might want to ask your health care provider:

About Your Weight

Do I need to lose weight? Or should I just avoid gaining more?
Is my weight affecting my health?
Could my excess weight be caused by a medical condition such as hypothyroidism or by a medicine I am taking? (Hypothyroidism is when your thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone, a condition that can slow your metabolism—how your body creates and uses energy.)

About Weight Loss

What should my weight-loss goal be?
How will losing weight help me?

About Nutrition and Physical Activity

How should I change my eating habits?
What kinds of physical activity can I do?
How much physical activity do I need?

About Treatment

Should I take weight-loss medicine?
What about weight-loss surgery?
Could a weight-loss program help me?

A Responsible and Safe Weight-loss Program If your health care provider tells you that you should lose weight and you want to find a weight-loss program to help you, look for one that is based on regular physical activity and an eating plan that is healthy and easy to follow. Weight-loss programs should encourage healthy behaviors that help you lose weight and that you can stick with every day. Safe and effective weight-loss programs should include:

Healthy eating plans that reduce calories but do not forbid specific foods or food groups.
Tips to increase moderate-intensity physical activity.
Tips on healthy behavior changes that also keep your cultural needs in mind.
Slow and steady weight loss. Depending on your starting weight, experts recommend losing weight at a rate of 1/2 to 2 lbs per week. Weight loss may be faster at the start of a program.
Medical care if you are planning to lose weight by following a special formula diet, such as a very low-calorie diet.
A plan to keep the weight off after you have lost it.

Get Familiar With the Program Gather as much information as you can before deciding to join a program. Professionals working for weight-loss programs should be able to answer the questions listed below.

What does the weight-loss program consist of?

Does the program offer one-on-one counseling or group classes?
Do you have to follow a specific meal plan or keep food records?
Do you have to purchase special food, drugs, or supplements?
Does the program help you be more physically active, follow a specific physical activity plan, or provide exercise instruction?
Does the program teach you to make positive and healthy behavior changes?
Is the program sensitive to your lifestyle and cultural needs?

What are the staff qualifications?

Who supervises the program?
What type of weight management training, experience, education, and certifications do the staff have?

Does the product or program carry any risks?

Could the program hurt you?
Could the recommended drugs or supplements harm your health?
Do participants talk with a doctor?
Does a doctor run the program?
Will the program’s doctors work with your personal doctor if you have a medical condition such as high blood presure or are taking prescribed drugs?

How much does the program cost?

What is the total cost of the program?
Are there other costs, such as weekly attendance fees, food and supplement purchases, etc.?
Are there fees for a follow-up program after you lose weight?
Are there other fees for medical tests?

What results do participants typically have?

How much weight does an average participant lose and how long does he or she keep the weight off?
Does the program offer publications or materials that describe what results participants typically have?

Of course these guidelines are generally based on the consideration that you are looking for a medically approved healthy diet / weight-loss regimen. We all know that many of the most successful diet and weight-loss programs on the market today are not based on what the medical community would consider healthy (i.e. low-carb diets). We will be discussing these diets in upcoming posts.

Before Dieting, Determine Your Weight/Health Profile

2006-08-02T06:07:00.000-07:00

Overweight and obesity have been associated with increased risk of developing such conditions as high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease.

Before deciding on your diet or weight-loss regimen , determining the circumference of your waist and your body mass index (BMI) are reliable ways to estimate your body fat and the health risks associated with being overweight, overfat or obese. BMI is reliable for most people between 19 and 70 years of age except women who are pregnant or breast feeding, competitive athletes, body builders, and chronically ill patients. Generally, the higher your BMI, the higher your health risk, and the risk increases even further if your waist size is greater than 40 inches for men or 35 inches for women. There are other ways, besides BMI, to determine your body fat composition, and your doctor can tell you about them, but the method recommended here will help you decide if you are at risk. Use the chart to determine your BMI. Then, measure your waist size. Now, with your BMI and waist size determined, use the table below to determine your health risk relative to normal weight.

Go to http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/health/setgoals.htm to see where you fall on the chart and to calculate your BMI.

Are You Confused About The Safety Of Sugar Substitues In Your Diet Or Weight-Loss Plan?

2006-08-01T09:22:00.000-07:00

Are your concerns about the safety of sugar substitutes keeping you from making the diet and weight loss gains you want to make? With a problem of growing obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in our country, remaining on sugar can be a killer in more ways than one.

A national non-profit obesity awareness and prevention group, has found that despite their growing awareness of the health threat of obesity, Americans are still confused about the safety of the most commonly available sugar substitutes. Among the survey findings, many consumers were found to harbor unfounded concerns about safety, false perceptions about which high intensity sweeteners carry warning labels, and many others held the belief that there is a natural sugar substitute, when in fact, all are derived through chemical processes.

As Americans continue to face the challenges of obesity and mountains of confusing information and ‘advice’ about weight control, the survey illuminates some of the most common high intensity sweetener myths. As Americans struggle to choose alternatives to sugar and high fructose corn sweeteners that carry unwanted calories, it is important to allay their concerns about the safety of sugar substitutes.

According to the survey, 30 percent of Americans believe that Sweet’N Low still contains a warning label. Congress mandated such a label on all saccharin products after one study found that extremely high levels of the sweetener were associated with increased incidence of bladder cancer in male rats in 1977. However, after careful review of the evidence, the warning on saccharin, the main ingredient in Sweet’N Low, was removed five years ago and the product now has a 50-year history of safe usage.
The survey also found that 77 percent of Americans are unaware of a warning that appears on packets of Equal. Aspartame, the main ingredient in Equal, should be avoided by people – especially pregnant women -- who suffer from phenylketonuria or PKU, a rare inherited metabolic disease that arises from the inability to metabolize phenylalanine, one of the two main amino acids in aspartame. However, this issue does not apply to those who are only carriers of the disease.

Each of the three most common high intensity sweeteners is derived through a chemical process, yet 27 percent of Americans believe that Splenda is a natural product. Once they understood that Splenda is made by chemically-altering a sugar molecule by adding chlorine to it, 43 percent of consumers said their perception of Splenda changed. Despite the fact that the product is safe, consumers’ perception was negatively influenced. There is a perception that only “natural” is safe. But the data clearly support the safety of high intensity sweeteners.
“Many Americans are avoiding high intensity sweeteners because there is a flood of misperceptions on the part of the public,” stated the study. “Since these products have a well documented history of safe usage, it is our hope to debunk these myths and allay their concerns about the safety of sugar substitutes.”

Don’t make your diet or weight-loss objectives more unattainable by using sugar rather than a sugar substitute. They are safe and greatly help you achieve your diet and weight-loss goals.

To see a comparison chart of artificial sweetners to sugar go to http://www.shapeup.org/events/smt_supp/chart_sweet1.php

Now For The Rest Of The Story ---The Diet and Weight-Loss Ad Claims FTC Report

2006-07-28T08:53:00.000-07:00

Before-and-After Diet and Weight Loss Testimonials

Can you believe a testimonial? Common sense tells us that some can't be true, but we buy the product anyway. The FTC says unsupported claims often appeared in consumer testimonials -- that is, personal accounts of success with the diet or weight-loss product or service. One testimonial said, "7 weeks ago I weighed 268 pounds; now I'm down to just 148 pounds! ... I didn't change my eating habits..." Before-and-after photos appeared in 39 percent of the ads. In the before photo, the person usually appeared with poor posture, a neutral facial expression, unkempt hair, unfashionable clothes and washed-out skin tones. The after photo, however, was better lit, almost of studio-quality. The person was smiling, wearing fashionable clothes or skimpily clad, carefully made up and stylishly coiffed and standing with shoulders held back and stomach tucked in. At least 10 percent of the testimonials claimed an amount of weight loss that is extremely unlikely -- if not impossible. The rest probably provided results that occurred in only a small percentage of users. Remember, there's nothing wrong with using testimonials, as long as they are truthful and not misleading. But in most cases, testimonials generally provide little reliable information about what consumers can expect from using the product.

Changes in Diet and Weight-Loss Ads

In comparing weight-loss and diet ads from eight national magazines published over a nine year period, the reviewers found that the use of testimonials and before-and-after photos had increased. The percentage of diet and weight-loss ads using testimonials climbed from 12.5 percent, in the first year of the study, to 76 percent, in the final year of the study. Use of before-and-after photos increased from 12.5 percent to 48 percent. Another difference noted was that dietary supplements comprised two-thirds of the weight-loss products advertised in the publications. In addition, the number of times diet and weight-loss ads appeared in the magazines more than doubled during this period, and in the final year, ads generally included more highly questionable claims.

Need for Critical Evaluation

The FTC's report notes that deception in dieting and weight-loss advertising has worsened despite an "unprecedented leve"l of FTC enforcement. Since 1990, the FTC has brought more than 80 cases against advertisers for allegedly false and misleading diet and weight-loss claims -- more than half the total number filed since the FTC's first weight-loss case in 1927.

In conclusion , dieters need to read between the lines of these diet and weight-loss claims; especially when they see claims like this:

"rapid weight loss, "no diet or exercise required", "eat whatever you want" and "take it off and keep it off".

These are all "hot" button advertisers use to get consumers to buy their products and services. Knowing how to recognize these will help consumers make more informed choices.

Are Your Diet or Weight-Loss Supplements Safe?

2006-07-27T05:38:00.000-07:00

Some 43 percent of the ads made safety-related claims about their diet and weight-loss supplements, such as "proven 100% safe," "safe, immediate weight loss" and "safest weight management system in the world." The term "natural" accompanied three-fourths of these claims, perhaps relying on a perception that "natural" products are safer than prescription or over-the-counter medicines.

Many ads also implied safety with claims lik "not a prescription weight-loss drug" and "no dangerous pills or tablets to take." Despite the safety assurances, the FTC says,"there is little evidence on safety, particularly with long-term use of the products. Many ads handicap consumers by not even revealing what the active ingredients are in the diet and weight-loss products being sold."

Diet and Weight-Loss Money-Back Guarantees

2006-07-26T05:33:00.000-07:00

Continuing our report on diet and weight loss hype, about 50 percent of the ads promised money-back guarantees, apparently in an attempt to break down consumers' resistance to buying new diet and weight-loss products and services. Some ads made specific guarantees like "You will lose up to 35 pounds in three weeks. Yes, Guaranteed! You lose or it doesn't cost you a penny."

While money-back guarantees - if honored- may benefit consumers, there is no reason for consumers to have any more confidence in them thant in a claim that the product will actually work. The FTC stated, "they frequently have sued companies that "guaranteed" their diet and weight-loss programs to give consumers their money back but didn't."

Scientifically Proven or Doctor-endorsed Diet or Weight-loss Programs

2006-07-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

The FTC reported the almost 40 percent of the ads claimed that their diet products or service was " a clinically tested weight-loss plan" or "scientifcally proven diet program." Many claimed their products were tested at "respected," "major" or "leading" medical centers or universities. However, most of the ads did not provide details - such as where the referenced study was conducted and by whom or where it was published - to help consumers assess the claims' validity.

In addition, almost one-fourth of the ads stated that the product was "recommended," "approved" or "discovered" by a health professional - endorsements that can be misleading because the ads may not disclose that the medical professional has a financial interest in the product, because the health professional may not have reviewed the scientific evidence or because, if the health professional did, he or she may not have used acceptable review standards. The "professionals" can also be fictional.

When you choose a diet or weight-loss program, do your review or attempt to review this type of information and assume the claims are correct?

Previous Failure at Weight-Loss and Dieting?

2006-07-24T05:43:00.000-07:00

The FTC found that "lose weight despite previous failure" was a prominent theme in ads. Apparently recognizing the low rate of weight-loss success, nearly 33 percent of the ads tried to appeal to frustrated dieters with statements like "Are you tired of fad diets that never seem to work?" and "You want to loose weight, and you've been successful before. But after a while, you're right back where you started." The advertised weight loss / diet product or service was then touted as the one that fould finally work.

Diet and Weight-Loss

Do You Want Permanent Weight Loss

2006-07-21T07:36:00.000-07:00

Continuing with the FTC report on false diet and weight loss claims, claims like "discover the secrete to permanent weight loss" and "Get weight off and keep it off" appeared in 23 percent of the ads, apparently to target consumers who had lost weight but gained it back. What percent of us does that apply to ... 100%?

Do we really believe that we can stop our diet/weight loss or exercise regimen and not have those pounds pile on again.

The FTC report continued, by saying, "long-term weight loss is extremely hard to acheive, and little evidence exists to show that popular diet supplements are more successful than lifestyle changes in achieving it." In the FTC's experience, few marketers have the scientific studies to support their long-term wieght-loss claims.

Don't Need Exercise On Your Diet or Weight-Loss Program?

2006-07-20T06:02:00.000-07:00

Ever seen an ad where it says no need for dietary restriction or exercise? The FTC said in their findings on false claims and exaggerations that claims like "Lose up to 8 to 10 pounds per week ... no dieting, no strenuous exercise" and "Eat as much as you want - the more you eat, the more you'll loose" appeared in 44 percent of the ads studied. "Though tempting, these claims contradicted scientific evidence that stresses exercise and moderate calorie intake for long-term weight loss", according to the report. Tomorrow will look at another area of FTC reported false claims with regards to diets and weight-loss ads.

"You Can Loose 18 Pounds In One Week"

2006-07-19T06:12:00.000-07:00

Ever seen a diet or weight loss ad like this? According to the Federal Trade Commission, this is one of the false or unsubstantiated claims they discovered. Claims like this and "you only have to stay on it "2 DAYS TO SEE RESULTS" were the most common; they appeared in 56 percent of the ads. Claims of quick weight loss also were alluded to in product names, like "Redu-Quick" and "Slim Down Fast." In reality, substantial weight loss in a short period is highly unlikely and potentially harmful. Experts generally recommend a maximum weight loss of 1-2 pounds a week.

Unfortunately, the 1-2 pounds a week is not what we want ... we want 1-2 pounds every day.

Tipping The Diet Scales? Weight-Loss Ads Found Heavy on Deception

2006-07-18T09:09:00.000-07:00

Seems like there is a new diet supplement, diet pill, diet program and/or quick weight-loss diet introduced weekly - if not daily. Our country is generally overweight, and we are attempting to find that magic bullet.

In our attempt to find a quick-fix, we fall prey to charlatans out there who make great claims regarding rapid weight loss , and, generally, as a diet hungry public we give many of them a try - when generally we should be going by that old adage of "buyer beware."

The Federal Trade Commission found that many diet and weight-loss ads need some toning up themselves.

The review of 300 ads that ran during 2001 found that many made claims promising more that the product or service could likely deliver. The ads often boasted "miraculous" results - quick, easy and effective weight loss - while ignoring and often contradicting the basic tenets of sucessful weight loss and weight maintenance - calorie reduction and exercise. Many ads lacked scientific evidence to support their performance claims, instead using misleading consumer testimonials and expert endorsements and other deceptive techniques to bolster the credibility of their products.

And the report found, the use of exaggerated weight-loss claims is on the rise.

The report confirmed that consumers really need to read these ads with a big dollop of skepticism. "False and misleading claims in weight-loss ads are widespread", stated the FTC.

The report show that the media, advertisers and even consumers need to assess the role each plays in ensuring the accuracy of weight-loss or diet ads. Deceptive ads do nothing to address an individual's weight problems. If anything, they compound an already serious national health crisis by steering consumers away from weight-loss and diet methods that have demonstrated benefits.

Quick Fixes and Other Claims

The FTC reported on a review of 300 ads from TV, radio, magazines, newspapers, direct mail solicitations, commercial email and internet websites, as well as a comparison of weight-loss/diet ads from eight national magazines. The FTC with help from the Partnership for Healthy Weight Management collected and reviewed the ads.

Among the 300 ads studied, the researchers found that 55 percent made at least one false or unsubstantiated claim.

Did you fall victim of one these ads? Share your experience or review of any diet product or weight-loss plan you have used.

We will follow-up in coming days with the types of false claims that were reported from these diet ads.