Tag Archives: diet-and-weight-loss

Fad Diets and Holiday Weight Loss

By: Janice Rutkowski, M.D.

The holiday season is approaching, filled with parties, family and, for many of us, a few extra pounds. If you stand on the bathroom scale January 1 and see a higher number, you may resolve to take off those pounds ─ fast.

If that’s the case, be careful how you do it. There are fad diets on the market that promise quick weight loss, but many of them take an unbalanced approach to diet and nutrition. Some tell you to avoid “bad” foods, such as carbohydrates or fats, while others restrict you to just a few foods.

Any diet that restricts certain foods or strictly limits calories can lead to initial weight loss. But fad diets rarely bring long-term results because people return to their poor eating habits when the diet ends.  Also, people who use these extreme diets may not be getting all the nutrients they need to stay healthy.

Let’s examine five fad diets to avoid in 2017. Then we’ll give you tips for the right way to control your weight during the holidays.

  1. The Five-Bite Diet

The Five-Bite Diet encourages you to count bites instead of calories. You skip breakfast and then eat five bites of whatever food you want at lunch and dinner. The problem with this approach: even if you choose high-calorie foods for your five bites, you may only take in about 800 calories a day, which is less than half of the recommended daily amount. This diet won’t provide you with the key vitamins, minerals and nutrients your body needs, and may cause deficiencies that lead to anemia, bone loss, decreased cognitive function, and low energy.

  1. The Raw Food Diet

The Raw Food Diet teaches that cooking food destroys nutrients and natural enzymes, so you should only eat raw fruits, vegetables and grains. Since raw foods are often low in calories and fat, you’ll probably lose weight and get some nutrients on this diet. The downside is you’ll also miss some important nutrients, including protein, iron, calcium and minerals.  Also, cooking food has some benefits, such as killing bacteria and making food easier to digest. Eating only raw foods can also lead to bloating, indigestion, constipation, malnutrition and a lowered immune system.

  1. The Baby Food Diet

The Baby Food Diet is an Internet phenomenon that cuts calories and controls portions by having you replace one or two meals a day with baby food, which ranges 25-75 calories per jar, and then eat a healthy dinner. This diet has several notable drawbacks. It is very low in fiber, which can lead to digestion problems. It is low in fat and protein, which will leave you hungry in an hour or two and increase your chances of binge eating. Also, since baby food is very bland and there’s little chewing, you will probably feel unsatisfied and crave something else.

  1. The Blood Type Diet

The Blood Type Diet is based on the assumption that the foods you eat react with your blood type, so your blood type dictates what you should eat. If your blood type is A, for example, you should have a mainly vegetarian diet; type O’s should consume meats and avoid grains; type B’s can eat a variety of foods; and if you’re type AB you can eat anything on the A and B lists. But research has not supported this diet’s claims, and following it can deprive you of vital nutrients. For example, people with type A blood may not get the proteins and carbohydrates they need for good health.

  1. The Master Cleanse

Master Cleanse claims to rid the body of harmful “toxins” and promote weight loss. It is a liquid diet that lasts three to 10 days and features a special lemonade drink made of lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. This concoction is a diuretic that will cause you to shed water weight. The problems with the Master Cleanse are shared by all “cleansing” regimens. First, its claim that it rids the body of toxins is questionable since your liver and kidneys do that on a continual basis. Second, once you stop the diet, the water weight will return. Third, the diet only gives you 600-1,200 calories a day, well below the recommended daily amount. And finally, because of the lack of nutrients and calories, you may experience fatigue, nausea, dizziness and dehydration.

Now that we’ve looked at wrong ways to deal with weight gain, here are 10 good tips to help you enjoy the holidays while keeping your weight under control:

  1. Be realistic. Instead of trying to lose pounds during the holidays, try to maintain your current weight.
  2. Plan time for exercise. A moderate increase in exercise can help offset holiday eating. Try walking briskly 10-15 minutes twice a day.
  3. Before a party, eat a light snack like raw vegetables or a piece of fruit to curb your appetite.
  4. At a party buffet, take small portions of a variety of foods, including vegetables and fruits.
  5. Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed. Chew your food slowly and enjoy the flavor.
  6. Limit the amount of alcoholic beverages you drink. They can lessen your inhibitions and induce overeating.
  7. If you overeat at one meal, eat less at the next to balance out your calorie intake.
  8. Plan group activities with family and friends that aren’t all about food. Try playing games or going on a walking tour of decorated homes.
  9. Bring your own healthy dish to a holiday gathering.
  10. Prepare favorite dishes that are lower in fat and calories. Here are some tasty, healthy holiday recipes to get you started.

 

Janice Rutkowski, M.D.Dr. Janice Rutkowski is an MPCP partner and is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. She sees patients at the Arundel Mills office.

Water for Weight Loss

Forget expensive diet programs. The secret to maintaining a healthy weight may be… plain water.

A new study suggests that by increasing plain water consumption, you can control your weight. Not only that, but water can also help you reduce your intake of sugar, sodium and saturated fat.

Published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, the study examined the link between plain water consumption and weight. Plain water was defined as water from a tap, cooler, drinking fountain or bottle.

Participants were asked to recall all foods and drinks they consumed, and then researchers  calculated the amount of plain water that each participant consumed as a percentage of daily dietary water intake from both foods and drinks.

On a daily basis, the participants consumed an average of about 4.2 cups of plain water, which accounts for just over 30% of their total water consumption.

The average calorie intake for each participant was 2,157 calories, which included 125 calories from sugar-sweetened beverages and 432 calories from desserts, pastries, snack mixes and other foods that are not essential.

The results of the study revealed that people who increased their consumption of plain water by one to three cups daily lowered total energy intake by 68-205 calories each day. They also consumed significantly less sodium, sugar and cholesterol.

Obviously, drinking water is not a silver bullet for weight loss; factors like a healthy diet and exercise are also important. But if more water can reduce your intake of calories, sodium, sugar and cholesterol, our advice to you is: drink up!

 

 

Manuel Skow, PAManuel Skow, Physician Assistant, joined MPCP in 2007 and sees patients in the Glen Burnie office. He received his Master of Science/Physician Assistant degree from St. Francis University, and completed his Physician Assistant Preceptorships in Primary Care at the United States Naval Academy Brigade Clinic and Internal Medicine/Cardiology at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

 

To ‘G’ or not to ‘G’: Should you go gluten-free?

The gluten-free diet is the latest nutrition craze. Books, articles and TV shows tout the benefits of axing gluten, and it’s hard to walk down the grocery store aisle without encountering a raft of gluten-free products. A survey by Consumer Reports shows over 60% of Americans think that going gluten-free can improve their physical and mental health.

Advocates claim avoiding gluten leads to better digestion and gastrointestinal function, weight loss, higher energy, lower cholesterol, and a stronger immune system. There are even products to help you “detox” your body from gluten, suggesting that it is harmful.

So what is gluten, and are there health benefits to going gluten-free?

Gluten refers to a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Cutting gluten out of your diet means cutting out gluten-containing bread, soup, pasta, cereal, and virtually any food or drink containing wheat, barley, rye or triticale (a newer grain with a similar quality as wheat).

There are people who definitely need to avoid gluten. Those with celiac disease ─ around 1% of Americans ─ may experience severe inflammation and damage to the lining of their small intestine. Even a small amount of gluten can cause bloating, cramping or skin rashes. Other people, who have gluten intolerance or sensitivity, do not suffer intestinal damage but may experience headaches, bloating, fatigue or diarrhea after eating foods with gluten.

For this relatively small group of people, a gluten-free diet functions as a detox diet by relieving their system of an irritant, and it can make a significant improvement in their quality of life.

For everyone else, research does not support the idea that cutting out gluten promotes good health. In fact, there are some good reasons not to go gluten-free:

Because wheat is ubiquitous in the American diet, completely eliminating gluten requires adopting a whole new diet. You would have to give up most breads, crackers, breakfast cereals, conventional pastas, pastry goods, beer and a wide range of processed foods made with small amounts of gluten.

Whole grains, which contain gluten, are rich in an array of vitamins and minerals, such as B vitamins and iron, as well as fiber. Studies show that whole-grain foods may help lower the risk of heart disease, type-2 diabetes, and some forms of cancer. The government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that at least half of all carbohydrates in your diet come from whole-grain products.

A report from the American Dietetic Association warned that gluten-free products tend to be low in a wide range of important nutrients, including B vitamins, calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, and fiber, so eliminating them may contribute to a nutritional deficiency.

Gluten-free does not automatically equal weight loss. Some gluten-free products make up for gluten by adding sugar and fat. In fact, a review of studies published in the Journal of Medicinal Food revealed that a gluten-free diet seems to increase the risk of overweight or obesity.

Most gluten-free alternatives, such as pasta and bread, are significantly more expensive than their conventional counterparts. A 2007 survey found that gluten-free pastas and breads were twice the price of conventional products, for instance.

If there are no proven benefits to a gluten-free diet, why do some people swear by it? It’s possible that, in addition to cutting out gluten, these people also make other, healthy changes, such as eating more fruits, vegetables, and lean meats, and fewer desserts and junk foods. These changes would naturally lead to feeling better and losing weight.

So, if you suspect you may have celiac disease or are gluten intolerant, see you doctor for testing and a diagnosis. If not, enjoy your gluten.

 

Tracy Jansen, M.D.Dr. Tracy Jansen is an MPCP partner and sees patients in the Pasadena office. She received her medical degree from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and completed her residency program in Family Practice at the Medical College of Georgia. She is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine.

Limiting Sugars in Your Diet

A Q&A with Dr. Pio Poblete of MPCP’s Columbia office

Q: How much sugar do people typically consume?

A: On average, Americans get about 16% of their daily calories from added sugars, according to the Food & Drug Administration.

While many foods naturally contain sugar, a lot more sugar is added to processed foods. For example, a 12-ounce can of cola contains seven teaspoons of sugar, although you might not see that word on the label. Other names for added sugars include high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrate, molasses, honey, and sucrose.

Even foods that you wouldn’t think of as sweet have added sugar, often in the form of high-fructose corn syrup. High-fructose corn syrup is a preservative, giving packaged foods a longer shelf life, and it plays a role in color and texture.

Q: 16% added sugars sounds like a lot. Are we eating too much?

A: Faced with mounting evidence about sugar’s harms, the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee has recommended that people limit added sugars to a maximum of 10% of their total daily calories.

Q: If I want to reduce my sugar consumption from 16% to 10%, how much sugar is that?

A: On a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, that equals 12 teaspoons of sugar.

Q: Is added sugar a health concern?

A: Added sugars probably have a greater impact on high blood pressure (hypertension) than does sodium, and fructose in particular may increase cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) risk. There’s evidence that added sugars, especially sugar-sweetened drinks, raise the risks of excess weight and obesity, as well as type 2 diabetes. And, of course, sugar is a major contributor to tooth decay.

Q: How can I reduce added sugar in my diet?

  1. Use these simple tips to consume less:
  • Drink water or other calorie-free drinks instead of sugary, non-diet sodas or sports drinks. That goes for blended coffee drinks, too.
  • When you drink fruit juice, make sure it’s 100 percent fruit juice — not juice drinks that have added sugar.
  • Choose breakfast cereals carefully. Although healthy breakfast cereals can contain added sugar to make them more appealing to children, skip the non-nutritious, sugary and frosted cereals.
  • Instead of adding sugar to cereal or oatmeal, add fresh fruit (try bananas, cherries or strawberries) or dried fruit (raisins, cranberries or apricots).
  • Opt for reduced-sugar varieties of syrups, jams, jellies and preserves. Use other condiments sparingly. Salad dressings and ketchup have added sugar.
  • Choose fresh fruit for dessert instead of cakes, cookies, pies, ice cream and other sweets.
  • Buy canned fruit packed in water or juice, not syrup.
  • When baking cookies, brownies or cakes, cut the sugar called for in your recipe by one-third to one-half. Often you won’t notice the difference.
  • Instead of adding sugar in recipes, use extracts such as almond, vanilla, orange or lemon.
  • Enhance foods with spices instead of sugar. Try ginger, allspice, cinnamon or nutmeg.
  • Substitute unsweetened applesauce for sugar in recipes (use equal amounts).

For a list of common foods and the amount of sugar they contain, see this article in Medical News Today.

Pio Poblete, M.D.Dr. Pio Poblete is an MPCP partner and practices in our Columbia office. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.