Diet 411

Diet Lessons Learned from the Dog

Posted by Debby Ridgell on March 12, 2014
Posted in: Diet 411. Tagged: , , . 1 Comment

Baxter Red RopeI have a friend who’s something of a diet junky, rolling with every new plan that travels up the turnpike.  The ultimate yo-yo dieter, she enjoys dramatic early success with each new regimen, but ultimately loses the battle to lack of both interest and willpower, expanding and contracting throughout the year.

Jenny Craig?  Too expensive.  Atkins?  Too constipating.  Sonoma?  Yawn.

I made an interesting observation, though, the other day.  Coach Stacy’s dog, Baxter, had become quite the porker in recent months.  Seriously, Coach dressed him up as a pumpkin for Halloween and he totally owned the look.  Despite his daily walks and the two flights of household stairs he was doomed to routinely navigate – not to mention the thyroid medication prescribed by his vet – the little guy seemed destined to forevermore shop in the “Big & Tall” doggie sweater department.

Until one day recently when an alarming discovery was made.  Seems somewhere along the way Baxter had figured how to open the large bin that contains his dog food, and he’d been helping himself to it – evidently quite frequently – when left unobserved.  Well of course, that signaled the end of free grazing in the Coach Stacy cabana.  Baxter’s food is now locked up securely, and like the rest of us, he’s currently enjoying only three squares a day.

And it shows.  While Baxter will likely never be especially lean, he has dropped a few pounds.  So here’s a diet breakthrough:  If you want to lose weight, simply place your pantry under lock and key.  And then lose the key.

It works for Baxter.  Though, of course, he still likes to scarf down a Red Rope now and again…

Diet 411: The Paleo Diet

Posted by Coach Stacy & Debby Ridgell on May 7, 2013
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Paleo DietThe Paleo Diet is a throwback to our ancestors – our ancient ancestors, that is – 10,000 years ago during the Paleolithic era.  Also known as the Cave Man or Stone Age Diet, the plan advocates the consumption of foods that ancient hunter-gatherers consumed, including grass-fed meats and poultry, fish, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits, and eggs.  Excluded from the plan are all dairy products including milk and cheese, legumes, refined sugars and processed foods.

The Paleo Diet boasts many benefits, including:

  • The fact that it encourages the consumption of plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, foods that are loaded with vitamins and nutrients as well as soluble fiber.
  • Its focus on protein consumption – and not just any protein.  The Paleo Diet specifically calls for grass fed meats – which are lower in fat – as well as eggs and fish.  Proteins, of course, are the building blocks of life and absolutely necessary for the maintenance and repair of the body’s cells and organs.
  • The elimination of processed foods, refined carbohydrates and sugars, and trans fats, which are calorie-rich but lacking in nutritional value.
  • Most people who try the Paleo Diet do tend to lose some weight.

However, the plan is not without its drawbacks, including:

  • The elimination of entire food groups, such as dairy and legumes – which most mainstream nutritionists tend to eschew, since these foods are important sources of calcium, protein, Vitamin D, and fiber.
  • The diet is widely believed to be too restrictive – and thus, impossible to maintain for long, leading to yo-yo dieting.  Many report cravings for foods like potatoes and cheese, which are completely off limits under the Paleo plan.
  • The heavy reliance on meat is problematic.  Most mainstream nutritionists agree that 10-35% of our daily calories should be derived from protein.  About 38% of daily calories come from protein under the Paleo Diet, a range that could prove taxing to the kidneys.  What’s more, lean cuts of meat are expensive, while the fattier cuts tend to be associated with the development of cardiovascular disorders and other disease.
  • Since processed foods are forbidden under the plan – which is a good thing – many find the plan too time consuming to follow for a long period.

The bottom line is that several of the principles underlying the Paleo Diet are quite sound.  After all, there probably weren’t many overweight Cavemen, since Snickers bars, Pop Tarts, and Coke weren’t around during the Paleolithic era.  However, the restrictions against whole grains, dairy products, and legumes are deal breakers for us.

A better plan?  Incorporate the healthy aspects of Paleo.  Go ahead and reduce the processed foods and refined sugars from your diet.  But keep low-fat dairy, whole grains and beans.  Choose lean cuts of grass-fed meats and fill your plate with plenty of fresh fruits and veggies.  Oh, and get up and move – our ancient ancestors were anything but couch potatoes…

As always, check with your doctor prior to adopting any diet plan.  And for more information on the Paleo Diet, check out the Paleo Diet Website as well as following resources:

The Paleo Diet bookThe Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Foods You Were Designed to Eat by Loren Cordain

Paleo Diet for AthletesThe Paleo Diet for Athletes: A Nutritional Formula for Peak Athletic Performance by Loren Cordain and Joe Friel

Practical PaleoPractical Paleo: A Customized Approach to Health and a Whole Foods Lifestyle by Diane Sanfilippo

Diet 411: The Weight Watchers Plan

Posted by Debby Ridgell on February 4, 2013
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Weight WatchersThe concept of the Weight Watchers plan came about serendipitously back in 1961.  The company’s founder, Jean Nidetch, an overweight homemaker from Queens decided it was time to take back her body and embarked on a grim and lonely diet plan.  Although she managed to lose 20 pounds initially, she realized that she needed to lose a lot more – but her motivation was waning.  Jean invited some of her overweight friends to her apartment and amid a sea of empathy and understanding confessed that eating cookies was an obsession.  And just like that – the first ever Weight Watchers meeting commenced.

Now over fifty years later, Weight Watchers operates in over 30 countries and has helped scores of people lose weight.  Here’s how:

  • Weight Watchers emphasizes overall health as a part of weight loss.  As such, no foods or food groups are forbidden.  The emphasis is on balance and moderation and on the preparation and consuming of healthy foods in controlled portions through an elaborate PointsPlus plan.
  • The plan doesn’t rely on expensive, pre-packaged foods.  The flexibility and variety surrounding food choices serves to mitigate boredom and dissatisfaction with mealtimes.  Furthermore, for those cooking for an entire family, everyone in the household stands to benefit somewhat from the diet.
  • Participants have online access to thousands of recipes, adding to the program’s variety.
  • Motivation and support are plentiful through Weight Watchers.  Weekly meetings provide encouragement, advice and compassion – which are helpful to many but not all.
  • Weight Watchers encourages physical activity, which is critical to overall health.
  • Weight loss is consistent and gradual – for most people, around 2 pounds per week, a much healthier rate than the drastic and rapid weight loss caused by certain crash diets.
  • Now featuring Weight Watchers Online, the plan is now more convenient than ever, particularly for those whose schedules make the weekly meetings inaccessible.  And there’s also now an online program geared specifically toward men, but without the “touchy-feely” components of the original plan.

While the Weight Watchers plan is one of the most effective diets on the market, it’s not for everyone.  In fact, many consider some of the benefits listed above to be drawbacks.  For example:

  • The endless calculating of Points is tedious for some.  And while the Point values of various foods can quickly and conveniently be looked up through handy guides and pocket calculators – there’s even a PointsPlus iPhone app – the emphasis is shifted from the food to the Points and that can get old in a hurry.  Eating becomes a chore as opposed to a satisfying and pleasurable activity.
  • The weekly meetings aren’t for everyone, particularly for those who are more private and introverted.
  • Weekly weigh-ins are mandatory (although participants receive one “by-week” coupon when they register, allowing them to skip one weekly weigh-in).  And although the weigh-ins are private, some find them nevertheless stressful and frustrating.
  • The fact that the diet is relatively lacking in structure – i.e. no set meal plans – is problematic for those who prefer to be told exactly what and how much to eat, and when.
  • The cost may prohibitive for some dieters and includes a registration fee as well as the weekly meeting fees.  And of course, food is extra.  Participants can also opt for the $39.95 monthly pass which covers the weekly meetings or online eTools.
  • The gradualness of weight loss, while very healthy, is discouraging for some dieters, particularly for those who want to lose a set amount of weight quickly.

All things considered, Weight Watchers is one of the most durable and effective weight loss programs on the market because of its emphasis on overall healthy lifestyle components.  For more information, or to register for the program, visit Weight Watchers International online and visit your local library or bookstore for these resources:
Weight Watchers 50th Anniversary CookbookWeight Watchers 50th Anniversary Cookbook: 250 Delicious Recipes for Every Meal (2013)

Weight Watchers One Pot CookbookWeight Watchers One Pot Cookbook (2012)

Weight Watchers Family PowerWeight Watchers Family Power: 5 Simple Rules for a Healthy Weight Home  by Karen Miller-Kovach (2006)

Diet 411: The Atkins Diet

Posted by Debby Ridgell on May 24, 2012
Posted in: Diet & Nutrition, Diet 411. Tagged: , , . 1 Comment

The famous Atkins low-carb weight loss solution first appeared on the diet scene back in the 1970s with the publication of Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution.  The primary appeal of the plan is that dieters do not rely on counting calories, but rather limiting carbohydrates and increasing protein intake.  Also alluring is the fact that weight tends to melt off rather fast, especially early on.  The Atkins Diet eventually led to the low-carb craze which has included a variety of low-carb spinoff diets, recipes, cookbooks and menu choices in restaurants.

The first two weeks of the diet are the Induction Phase:

  • No more than 20g of carbohydrates per day
  • Unlimited meats
  • No milk, fruit, or grains – and numerous starchy vegetables such as potatoes, corn, and carrots are off limits

As participants progress with the diet, some of the carb restrictions are relaxed, but only slightly.  40-90g of carbs are allowed when dieters reach the Maintenance Phase, which is far less than that recommended by dieticians and medical authorities.

While countless dieters have enjoyed success following the Atkins Diet, concerns abound: 

  • Some medical and nutrition experts feel that severely restricting certain food groups is unhealthy because it robs the body of essential nutrients.  They also argue that such restrictions tend to lead to cravings, which ultimately makes the plan too hard to follow.  Even weight that’s lost initially tends to be gained back quickly.
  • High protein diets lead to acidic urine, which leaches calcium from the body.  This increases the risk for osteoporosis and kidney stones. 
  • The severe limitation on carbohydrates can force the body into ketosis (burning fat for energy), the prolonged state of which can cause stress on the kidneys.

Other cons of the Atkins Diet include the reported side effects of constipation, bad breath, and dehydration as well as the potential risks of elevated cholesterol levels and heart disease.

So why, then, has the Atkins Diet enjoyed such a high level of popularity?  People who have had success with the plan report the following pros:

  •  Atkins is easy to follow – no calorie counting, only carb counting.
  • “Naughty” foods such as red meat and butter are allowed and encouraged.
  • The plan is very much a part of the dieting mainstream so it’s easy to find information and recipes to support it.
  • The rapid results are appealing.  People tend to lose a lot of weight, particularly during the induction phase, and are perhaps more inclined to stick with the Atkins plan longer than they would other diets.
  • “Bad” or refined carbs are eliminated, which of course, is healthy.

Ultimately, the important thing to remember is that in order for weight loss to occur, calories eaten must be less than calories burned.  Therefore, an important component of any diet plan, including Atkins, must be physical activity.

 Look for these Atkins Diet resources at your local library or bookstore:

   Atkins for Life: The Complete Controlled Carb Program for Permanent Weight Loss and Good Health by Robert C. Atkins

  Atkins for Life Low Carb Cookbook: More Than 250 Recipes for Every Occasion by Veronica C. Atkins

   The New Atkins for a New You: The Ultimate Diet for Shedding Weight and Feeling Great by Stephen D. Phinney

   Atkins, the Complete Cookbook:  Lose Weight with Hundreds of Low Carb Dishes, Sara Newberry, ed.

Diet 411: Diet Dateline

Posted by Coach Stacy on April 18, 2012
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For the overwhelming majority of human history, man has been driven by the singular need of acquiring more food.  More protein, more sugar, more carbs – more of anything that’s edible in order to stay alive.  And then – boom – along came King William I, or William the Conqueror, England’s first monarch.  William was a rather……large……man and when his corpulence rendered him unable to mount his horse, he went on the first recorded weight loss diet in history.  Unfortunately, little was known about diet and nutrition in those days and the good king decided to commence a liquid diet – as in the liquor variety.  As would be expected, the diet did him little good and when William passed away — ironically enough, from falling off his horse — his corpse had to be squeezed forcibly into a casket.

Fast forward about a thousand years to Horace Fletcher, a Victorian era weight-loss  aficionado.  Fletcher advocated the chewing of food 32 times before swallowing – a practice which became widely known as “fletcherizing.”  Nick-named “The Great Masticator,” Fletcher’s ideas were supported by many prominent personalities of the early 1900s, including John D. Rockefeller and Upton Sinclair.  Fletcherizing, it was argued, would lead to the consumption of less food, thus promoting better health.  Some of Fletcher’s ideas were before their time.  For example, he also argued that one should never eat unless truly hungry and that “emotional” eating – or eating when angry or sad – should be avoided.  These suggestions are standard fare in today’s diet books.

By the time Fletcher died, the idea of weight loss via dieting had taken root in the American psyche and led to a host of dieting milestones over the course of the next fifty years:

  • 1918 – Publication of America’s first best-selling diet book, Diet and Health, With Key to the Calories by Lulu Hunt Peters
  • 1919 – Health-O-Meter pioneers the first mass market bathroom scales
  • 1928 – Lucky Strike cigarettes launches the “Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet” weight loss campaign
  • 1930 – The Grapefruit Diet, also known as the Hollywood Diet, is all the rage, calling for consumption of a mere 585 calories per day consisting of grapefruit, black coffee, melba toast, green vegetables and eggs
  • 1942 – The first standards of ideal body weight are published by Metropolitan Life Insurance
  • 1951 – The Jack LaLanne Show debuts as the first ever television exercise program
  • 1958 – Saccharin is approved for use as an artificial, non-caloric sweetener for foods
  • 1963 – Sugar-free Tab is introduced by Coca-Cola
  • 1967 – Twiggy becomes the world’s first supermodel and her waif-like 5’7” 92 lb. frame  is popularized

Stay tuned for future Diet 411 posts as we explore the pros and cons of dozens of popular weight-loss fads and diets.