- ALLERGY, RESPIRATORY
- Traffic, Dust Linked to Asthma in Kids
- Molecule in Skin May Link Eczema and Asthma
- New Spray Could Benefit Cystic Fibrosis Patients
- ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
- Eight Spiritual Universal Principles in the Art of Practice
- Music Therapy For Prehistoric Man?
- Pain-Relieving Powers of Acupuncture Unclear
- ANIMAL CARE
- Rest Easy. When It Comes to Swine Flu, Your Pet Is Safe
- Separation Anxiety, Canine-Style
- 'Comfort Dogs' Come to Emotional Rescue
- BONES & JOINTS
- Postmenopausal Women With Breast Cancer Face Joint Issues
- Fractures in Older Adults Up Death Risk
- 'Snowbirds' Beware the Climate Changes
- CANCER
- Smoking Ups Risk of Second Breast Cancer
- Sharing Cancer Info May Be Empowering
- Family History Key Player in Brain Cancer Risk
- CAREGIVING
- Injected Medication Errors a Major Problem
- Many Hospital Patients Can't ID Their Doctors
- For Dialysis Patients, More Pills = Lower Quality of Life
- CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
- Anemia Rates Down for U.S. Women and Children
- Night Shift Work Hard on the Heart
- Secondhand Smoke Quickly Affects Blood Vessels
- COSMETIC
- What to Do If You Have Unsightly Veins
- Study Evaluates Laser Therapies for Hair Removal
- Get Sugared!.... Its a sweet choice for hair removal
- DENTAL, ORAL
- Mom's Vitamin D Levels Affect Baby's Dental Health
- Acupuncture May Ease Anxiety Over Dental Work
- Hormones May Be to Blame for Women's Cavity Rates
- DIABETES
- Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes Updated
- Older Diabetics With Depression Face Higher Death Rate
- Fructose-Sweetened Drinks Up Metabolic Syndrome Risk
- DIET, NUTRITION
- Imagine Food Aromas That Prevent Overeating
- Coffee Beans May Be Newest Stress-Buster
- Is Your Refrigerator Getting Enough Attention For Your Raw Food Success?
- DISABILITIES
- Review Finds Marijuana May Help MS Patients
- Could Your Cell Phone Help Shield You From Alzheimer's?
- ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
- Agent Orange Exposure Tied to Prostate Cancer Return
- Walkable Neighborhoods Keep the Pounds Off
- Artificial Light Linked to Prostate Cancer Risk
- EYE CARE, VISION
- Decorative Halloween Eye Lenses May Pose Serious Risks
- Glaucoma Treatment Can Prevent Blindness
- Guard Kids' Eyes Against Long-Term Sun Damage
- FITNESS
- Want to Stop Cancer? You Can, Experts Say
- Bursts of Vigorous Activity Appear to Be a 'Stress-Buffer'
- Will the Wii Keep You Fit?
- GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS
- Japanese Herbals May Ease Gastro Woes
- Gum Chewing May Speed Colon Surgery Recovery
- Traditional Nonsurgical GERD Treatments Not Impressive
- GENERAL HEALTH
- Parents Influence Sex Decisions, Hispanic Teens Say
- Have Fun This Summer, But DO Be Careful
- Asparagus May Ease Hangover
- HEAD & NECK
- Zen May Thicken Brain, Thwart Pain
- Many Children Will Outgrow Headaches
- Ski Helmets Encouraged for All
- HEALTH & TECHNOLOGY
- Save Your Aging Brain, Try Surfing The Web
- Using Light Therapy to Silence Harmful Brain Activity
- Airport Full Body Scanners Pose No Health Threat: Experts
- HEART & CARDIOVASCULAR
- Western Diet Linked To Heart Disease, Metabolic Syndrome
- Implanted Defibrillators Boost Long-Term Survival
- Coffee Is Generally Heart-Friendly
- INFECTIOUS DISEASE
- Hand Washing 10 Times a Day May Help Keep Flu Away
- Chinese 'Devil Dung' Plant Could Be a Swine Flu Fighter
- Older Adults May Have Some Immunity to Swine Flu
- KID'S HEALTH
- Older People at Greater Risk of Swine Flu Death
- Many Children Will Outgrow Headaches
- Backpack Safety Should Be on Back-to-School Lists
- MEN'S HEALTH
- Sunlight May Help Protect Men From Kidney Cancer
- Low Iron Levels Cut Cancer Risk in Men With PAD
- Eating Fast Until Full Triples Overweight Risk
- MENTAL HEALTH
- A Simple 'Thank You' Brings Rewards to All
- Memory Loss Help from Brain Supplement Prevagen
- Have a Goal in Life? You Might Live Longer
- PREGNANCY
- Sleeping Could Help Women Lose The Baby Fat
- Mom's Extra Pregnancy Pounds May Raise Child's Heart Risks
- Music of Mozart Soothes the Preemie Baby
- SENIORS
- Healthy Diet Could Cut Alzheimer's Disease Risk
- Save Your Aging Brain, Try Surfing The Web
- High-Impact Activity May Be Good for Old Bones
The Best Diet? That Depends on You
By eholistic.com Published: 05/13/2010
You know you need to lose weight. And you know you're ready, whcih is more than half the battle. But you still have to pick from a seemingly endless array of weight-loss plans.
How to decide?
Experts who counsel overweight patients say there are two keys:
* Know yourself. That means being honest about what you will and won't do, long-term.
* Evaluate and pick the diet that best suits you, watching out for key phrases or promises that are probably too good to be true.
Choosing a weight-loss plan that's going to work "takes some self-reflection," said Amy Jamieson-Petonic, a registered dietitian who directs wellness coaching at the Cleveland Clinic and is a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.
"Are you an online type who likes to chat?" she said. "Or do you want a formal meeting?"
Some people find that plans that offer prepared meals help them stick to the plan because it takes the whole portion-control task out of their hands, said Suzanne Farrell, a registered dietitian in Denver who also is an association spokeswoman.
As far as accountability, Jamieson-Petonic said, it's important to figure out if you'll do all right by weighing yourself at home -- and can be honest about it -- or if you would do better by going somewhere where your weight would be charted by someone else.
"Think about and analyze how you currently eat," said Judy Rodriguez, a professor of nutrition at the University of North Florida and author of The Diet Selector, in which she rates diets based on long-term flexibility and other factors.
"We are all unique in our food preferences, values, lifestyle, etc., so it seems like trying to 'fit' yourself into someone else's plan is likely to have only short-term benefits, if any," Rodriguez said.
Once you know what features you need in a weight-loss plan, look closely at the plans that seem to fit. And be sure that ones you are interested in are scientifically sound, Farrell said.
Key factors to look for, she said, include:
* Does the plan include a variety of foods?
* Does it include high-fiber foods?
* Does it educate you on the value of foods that are low in saturated fat?
* Does it tell you about "good" fats, such as olive oil?
In addition, Farrell said, "look for a plan that emphasizes physical activity and encourages eating regularly throughout the day."
And watch out for claims and promises that sound too good to be true, Farrell added. A common one, she noted, is rapid weight loss. "It should be no greater than two pounds a week," she said.
She's also skeptical of plans that say no exercise is needed. Weight loss means a lifestyle change, she said, and maintaining the loss is best done by keeping an eye on food intake and on staying active.
Another red flag, Farrell said, is a plan that totally eliminates foods or food groups.
But whatever plan you choose, focus on making small changes to your eating and activity habits, Rodriguez said. Look at what you currently eat and then figure out how you could make small healthy changes.
Just substitute low-fat crackers for the doughnut you usually eat, she said.
"Do this for one to two weeks, then go back and make another small change," Farrell said. "Keep doing this. Continuing self-improvement is a great thing."
Then do the same for physical activity, she said. Try tracking the steps you take in a day with a pedometer, and then increase them.
The bottom line? The experts agreed that if your diet plan is suited to you, chances are you'll follow it longer, take the weight off at a slow but steady pace and maintain the loss.
SOURCES: Suzanne Farrell, R.D., Denver; Judith C. Rodriguez, Ph.D., R.D., professor, nutrition, Brooks College of Health, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Fla.; Amy Jamieson-Petonic, R.D., director, wellness coaching, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Published on: May 13, 2010
