![]() |
Nutrition Information |
|
|
The Non-Diet Diet
Diets don't work. If they did the U.S. of A. would be the thinnest, trimmest nation in the world, with over 40 million Americans spending billions each year on weight loss products. In fact, the opposite is true. The Center for Disease Control claims that at least 65% of adults are overweight or obese. With the growing list of woes associated with obesity, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, the weight problem in America has become a serious concern. Yet we continue to look to fad diets as the answer to this serious problem - as if living on bacon and eggs, cabbage soup, or low-calorie meal replacement drinks could ever be construed as a healthy solution. A review of popular diet programs conducted by the University of Pennsylvania and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, stated that most weight loss programs offered little or no proof that participants were successful in loosing weight or keeping weight off in the long run. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has stated that of the millions of people that diet, less than 5% of those who actually loose weight will be able to keep it off in the years to come. It has been surmised that a dieter may shed approximately 100 pounds in the course of a lifetime, but gain back 120 lbs. One benefit of weight loss organizations, however, was group support. Dieters who joined support groups appeared to loose more weight than those who decided to go it alone. Fad diets themselves bring with them a plethora of health concerns. Restrictive low calorie diets can be self-defeating. The body's metabolism slows moving the system into energy conservation mode and holding on to every calorie for future use instead of burning it. Precious muscle mass is broken down, and low lethargy occurs. Low carbohydrate diets can result in dehydration and constipation. The risk of heart disease is escalated due to the increase of bad cholesterol found in animal fats. When nutritional integrity of the body is threatened due to the elimination of a particular food group, the dieter is at risk for many health problems including osteoporosis, certain types of cancers, immune system issues, electrolyte imbalances, and eating disorders. And with diets, as opposed to permanent lifestyle changes, the probability of gaining back what you have lost, and then some, is high. In a culture obsessed with physical perfection perhaps we must evaluate how we think about weight in general. Are we dieting to be healthy, or just thin? If the later is the objective, then further investigation into dieting motivation may be necessary, but if health is the ultimate goal, then looking at lifestyle changes may the place to start. Are you an emotional eater, have a compulsive sweet tooth, or someone who eats out of boredom? Do you eat fresh foods or only things that come in a box, bag, or through a drive-up window? What is the overall condition of your health? Is your lifestyle sedentary or active? What type of physical activities do you enjoy? Questions like these help you build the foundation for creating a customized Non-Diet Diet - a common sense plan for living that will result weight loss, elevated energy levels, and improved health and well-being. Quick fixes usually result in long term failures, and while the answer to America's weight problem may not come in the form of a magic diet, it need not be extremely complicated either. Maintaining a sensible meal plan, including complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, good fats, fruit and vegetables, and sweets in moderation, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy attitude regarding the weight/health connection may be the simple answer you've been looking for. Deborah Martin is a writer, life coach, and co-founder of The Woman Project. For more information regarding her Non-Diet Diet and other programs visit her website at http://www.dreamlearncreate.com .
MORE RESOURCES:
Nutrition - Google News |
RELATED ARTICLES
Essential Tips For Proper Food Combining: As any student of chemistry will assure you, acids and bases (alkalis) neutralize each other. If you eat a starch with a protein, digestion is impaired or completely arrested! The undigested food mass can cause various kinds of digestive disorders. Nutritional Myths that Just Wont Die: Protein! When it comes to the topic of sports nutrition there are many myths and fallacies that float around like some specter in the shadows. They pop up when you least expect them and throw a monkey wrench into the best laid plans of the hard training athlete trying to make some headway. Unhealthy Foods: Five Sneaky Foods Revealed With the array of different diets and diet foods available to help with weight loss and health, it's sometimes hard to figure out what's healthy and what's not. Of course, part of the problem is that people have different health needs: for example, while fruit juice is often a good source of vitamins and other nutrients, some people with diabetes may find that some fruit juices have more sugar than they can tolerate. Four Important Nutrients - Vitamin E, Selenium, Sodium and Potassium - For Good Health Vitamin EThere has been a lot of controversy about vitamin E lately. In the news last month, the news media was pushing a story that "Vitamin E can cause you to die. Oregano: Nature's Antibiotic and Antiseptic Many of us sprinkle oregano on our pizza and stews without realizing its impressive healing powers. But oregano is much more than a flavorful herb. Bumble Bee Fish Oil - Do You Need It? The makers of Bumble Bee Tuna generated some buzz today by announcing they will be producing a fish oil supplement with their Tuna's name on the bottle. None of the reports mention if they are using an particular standization and quality processes or what methods they are using to ensure that environmental toxins are not being concentrated into their supplement. Using Calcium and Magnesium for Constipation Calcium helps reduce constipationUsing calcium and magnesium in the right quantities can prevent or relieve constipation. They can support the health of your colon and keep you regular. Fruitceuticals - The Evolution of Fruit Since the beginning of time, everyday fruits have been known to help maintain a healthy body. The popular "5-A-Day for Better Health" is a national program encouraging Americans to increase their daily servings of fruit and vegetables to five or more per day. Inflammation Pain Eased with Glyconutrients Every person on earth has experienced pain at one time or another. Likewise, everyone has also dealt with inflammation in the body, even if they weren't aware of it. Stress and Aging - Human Growth Hormones Modern life can be stressful. There are so many concerns that you have to worry about like work, family, relations, and other activities. The Versatility of Actinase Protein Complex The ingredients list found on the back or side panel of every commercially available food product - with few exceptions - serves as the consumer's best starting point for understanding the real contents of each product. It discloses the ingredients that make up the product, sorted in order from most abundant to least abundant. Healthy Eating Recently I found the book : "Eating and health according to the teaching work of The Master Peter Deunov" . I've never red something so simple and so senseful about the man's everyday healthy needs. Preventing Heart Disease: What Not To Eat About 12.6 million Americans currently have heart disease. Fibromyalgia: How Simple Sugars Turned Fatigue into Energy Several years ago, Marilyn M. couldn't even spell fibromyalgia. Garlic - Join Me And I´ll Show You Why Garlic Can Save Your Life Are you worried yet about your health? Are you anxious about your heart, or about the possibility of contracting cancer? If so, you are not alone, and your concerns are quite valid. Cancer and heart disease are today's major killers, and as of now, we are yet to find a safe and effective drug, that can prevent these diseases. Six Ways Soy Benefits Your Health Soy, and most soy-based products, are nutritional powerhouses. Soybeans are the only plant food that has all of the essential amino acids our body requires, making it a complete protein. Green Tea and Cholesterol Facts A green and lush oasis in the middle of a scorching dessert. A cool breeze on a hot summer night. Busy Mums Guide to Losing Weight Hormonal changes during pregnancy, and quite normal fat gain often makes many women feel unattractive and sometimes quite depressed. Many women still believe that "eating for two" is the way to go during pregnancy. What is the Atkins Diet and How Can It Help You? What is the Atkins diet and how can it help you?When Dr Robert Atkins first published his book,"Dr Atkins Diet Revolution", in 1972 the broad medical and nutritional community dismissed it as just another quack diet plan.Thirty years later, Dr Atkins nutritional theories have found wide spread support in scientific research circles, while creating a legion of followers who have adopted low-carb eating as a way of life. You are Closer to Being Vitamin C Deficient Than You Think Okay, so you think you are doing pretty well with your diet. You prepare most of your meals at home, don't eat much junk food and aren't a fast food eater only rarely. |
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |