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"If the total calories ingested as food exceed the daily energy expenditure,
the excess calories are stored as fat...." Covert Baily
"Sudden death is more common in those who are
naturally fat than in the lean." Hippocrates
History of Dieting
1864 First book on dieting: Letter On Corpulence recommended
low carbohydrates and daily booze by William Banting,
an English cabinetmaker.
1873 Term Anorexia coined
1890 Atwater discussed protein, carbohydrates and fat
1926 Term Bulemia coined
1935 Banana and milk diet, grapefruit diet
1960 Jack LaLanne had most popular daytime show
1963 Weight Watchers
1970 Amphetamines for dieting made up 80% of all prescriptions
1971 Atkins diet begins
1978 Scarsdale diet - 800 cal/day
1983 Jenny Craig
1993 Dean Ornish
1997 Fen-phen found to cause heart valve problems
1998 Atkins becomes popular again
"THERE IS NO DIET NOW, AND THERE NEVER
WILL BE A DIET, THAT CURES A WEIGHT PROBLEM.
The reason for this is that diets don't attack the fundamental
problem of the fat person. You see, most people think that
losing weight is the basic problem.... Diets help people lose
weight but losing weight is not the basic problem. The
problem is - gaining weight! Fat people gain weight easily
and quickly, so they soon have more fat than they have just
lost."
"We have developed such a mania for losing weight that we overlook what the lost weight may consist of. Suppose I were to call you on the telephone with the exciting news that the local supermarket was selling twelve pounds for only $1.29! Your reaction would be Twelve pounds of what? Well, that is my reaction when someone tells me of a terrific diet which guarantees that you can lose twelve pounds in no time at all - twelve pounds of what?" (38)
OVERFAT
Most people are concerned with being overweight, but this term is obsolete. The proper term is
overfat. Your body weight is made up of two major components: fat weight and lean body weight (muscle and bone). The relative amounts of each, expressed as a percentage of body fat, is what is important. People make the common error of regarding overweight and overfat as identical. Many sedentary people are excessively fat, but not overweight, while many athletes are overweight but not
overfat. Take Arnold Schwarzeneggar - at 6'1", he was 235lbs. when he competed. Was he
overfat? I don't think so! If you are 40 years old and weigh the same as you did in college but have not exercised since college, you may think all is well. Surprise - you may have become overfat without a change in your body weight.
Fat can be divided into two types - subcutaneous (under the skin, the stuff we wish to lose) and intramuscular (like the marbling you see in a piece of meat at the supermarket). What has happened to the aforementioned 40 year old is that he has gained fat between the muscles but not much under the skin. He has become fatter!!
Unfortunately, most people get caught in the dieting trap. Growing evidence indicates that calorie restrictive diets (less than 800-1000 calories per day) cause the body to become very efficient at preserving energy - it slows down. "There is a dramatic and sustained reduction in resting metabolic rate. This causes the dieting to become progressively less
effictive." "When the rewards of one's efforts are no longer apparent the dieter usually quits and reverts to previous eating habits." When people regain weight after dieting (studies have shown that 50% will gain the lost weight back within two to three years), they tend gain fat and lose muscle. Thus, their new body mass will have a higher percentage of
bodyfat.
If fat (weight) loss is your goal, reduce about 500 calories per day from your daily intake. Weight loss is a slow process; no more than 1-2 lbs should be lost per week. An approximate minimum daily intake of calories for males is 1500 calories and for females 1200 calories.
BODY FAT MEASUREMENTS
If you lose weight too quickly you will be losing not only fat, but muscle as well. This is why it is wise to get a body fat measurement when beginning a fitness/nutrition program to be used as a baseline. There are many methods of body fat measurement: hydrostatic (underwater) weighing, skinfold (caliper) measurements, bioelectrical impedance, and infrared. The most accurate method is hydrostatic weighting. The problem with this method is that few facilities have the necessary equipment. Skinfold (caliper) measurement is the most common method performed. This can be very accurate if done by an expert or grossly inaccurate if done by someone who is unskilled. If you have this done at a health club, ask to be tested by a qualified staff person. When you are retested make sure you have the same method performed by the same person under the same conditions. This will allow for a more accurate assessment of your improvement (I'm thinking POSITIVELY!).
On average, males should be no more than 18% body fat, females no more than 24% body fat. Athletic individuals will have lower percentages. An easy way to get an approximate body fat measurement is to try to float in a (non-salt water) pool. If, after exhaling, you sink, you are less than 20% body fat. If you float, you are a greater than 20% body fat.
ENERGY = CALORIES
Energy is the body's first nutritional priority. The energy content of food is measured by a unit called a kilocalorie, which most of us call a calorie. Energy in food is supplied by fat, protein, carbohydrates. Protein and carbohydrates give 4 calories of energy per gram. Fat gives 9 calories of energy per gram.
Due to this fact, it is not only the number of calories in your diet that is significant, but the composition of those calories as well. You need a balanced intake of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. They can be taken from the 5 major food groups: (1)fruits, (2) vegetables, (3) grains and legumes, (4) dairy products, (5) meats. About 60% of the total calories you eat should be from carbohydrates, 15% from protein, 25-30% from fat. Even when you eat is important. Eat breakfast, a big lunch, and a light dinner. Consume most of your day's worth of calories before dinner.
Carbohydrates - These are the body's primary
fuel source. There are two types-simple and complex. Complex carbohydrates
get absorbed from the gut into the blood more slowly than simple carbohydrates.
Refined carbohydrates (man-made) should be removed from the diet.
Carbohydrates should account for 20-50% of your diet.
Try the following suggestions:
Bread - Choose grainy varieties and sourdough
Potatoes - Switch to sweet potatoes
Cereals - Try brans or oatmeal
Rice - Switch to basmati, brown rice or couscous
Pasta - Try vegetable based or whole grain pasta. Better yet, switch
to whole grains like buckwheat kernals, quinoa, kamut, millet,
teff, amaranth.
Sugar - Use honey, applesauce, or dried fruit to sweeten dishes
"There is a growing body
of research that shows eating certain types of carbohydrates - like those
found in potatoes and highly processed foods like white bread -
can make you hungrier. That's because the body processes them more quickly -
causing a spike in blodd glucose, which in turn gives you a quick surge of
energy. But then you crash and you're hungry again. And hunger is the
primary reason diets fail." (Wall Street Journal 4/15/03 Personal Journal
Page 1)
Protein - These are the building blocks of
muscle, enzymes, and some hormones. They are formed by units called amino
acids (AA). There are over 20 different AA's - all must be present
simultaneously for optimal growth and body functioning. There are 9
essential AA's (valine, tryptophan, methionine, threonine, phenylalanine, lysine, leucine, and
isoleucine, histadine) - AA's that cannot be produced by the body so
they have to be supplied by the diet. The remainder are nonessential
AA's - AA's that can be produced by the body. Some foods are complete
proteins (contain all the essentials AA's) and some are incomplete proteins
(lack 1 or more of the essential AA's).
Branched chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine)- can help with
tissue repair and muscle growth after exercise. They are oxidized during
exercise.
Fish, chicken, beef, eggs and dairy products are complete proteins,
whereas beans, lentils, vegetables are not. Vegetarians must combine
foods properly to insure sufficient complete protein intake. The
amino acids missing in one food must be found in another. Both of
these foods must be eaten together in order for your body to receive
a complete protein source. Good sources of protein are fish,
poultry, lean red meat, and vegetables and legumes. They should
account for about 15-30% of the total calories in your diet.
Fats - Almost all of what we read and hear
about fats is negative and oversimplified. This has lead to many
misconceptions about fat. Fat is an essential energy source for the
human body. Fat is the major energy source for the heart. Without
fat, the human body simply would not work. The main functions of fat
are insulation, protection of organs, formation of essential fatty acids
(fats that cannot be produced by the body so they have to be supplied by
the diet), some hormone formation and energy storage. Fats are the most
concentrated source of energy in the diet. They furnish twice the number of
calories per gram than protein or carbohydrates. Fats should make up between
25% and 40% of your total daily caloric intake.
There are desirable fats in fish oil, vegetable oil and olive oil.
They may reduce the risk of heart disease. The desirable fats found in
fish oils are present in deep, cold ocean water fish like salmon and
mackerel, not tuna. The breaded, deep fat fried white fish from warm
water found in popular fish sandwiches does not supply you with desirable
fat!
There should be a balance of fats in one's diet, not a total omission.
The key is to lower the total fat intake. Avoid excess fat in dairy
products, mayonnaise, sour cream, dressings, sauces, baked and fried
goods. A food may have zero cholesterol but be high in fat content
(eg. peanut butter has zero cholesterol but it is 80% fat per serving). For those of you obsessive fat cutters, I'll leave you with a quote kept on the wall at a small town bakery: "More people die from worrying about calories [fat] than eating them."
Cholesterol - Cholesterol is needed to
form male and female sex hormones, Vitamin D, and cell membranes
(especially the heart). It is important for the brain and nervous system.
Your body produces cholesterol in the liver. Outside sources of cholesterol
come from animal fat only, not vegetable fat.
Much has been written about "good" and "bad" cholesterol or HDL's and
LDL's. HDL's and LDL's are particles which carry cholesterol
(amongst other things) in the blood. HDL (high density lipoprotein)
removes cholesterol from the tissues of the body and brings it to the
liver. It has been shown to decrease the risk of heart disease.
LDL (low density lipoprotein) carries cholesterol to the body tissues
and, in excess, has been shown to increase the risk of heart disease.
The significance of HDL's and LDL's is their relationship to total
cholesterol - the amount of cholesterol in the blood (expressed in
milligrams percent- milligrams of cholesterol in 100 milliliters of
blood). Total cholesterol should be 200 mg/dl or less. It is the
ratio of total cholesterol to HDL and ratio of LDL to HDL as well as
the total blood cholesterol, that helps determine one's risk of heart
disease (there are other factors as well). When you have your
cholesterol level checked, have your doctor explain these values
and ratios and how they help determine your heart disease risk.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT...
A recent analysis of a range of staple foods in Canada including
potatoes, tomatoes, bananas, apples, onion, broccoli etc, etc, was
commissioned by The Globe and Mail and CTV news. The results were
predictable to some and a shock to others. Let's use potatoes as an
example. This is what the analysis found:
Over the last 50 years the potato has lost:
* 100% of its Vitamin A
* 57% of its Vitamin C and iron
* 28% of its Calcium
* 50% of its riboflavin
* 18% of its thiamine
Of the seven nutrients analyzed only niacin levels had increased. The
results were similar for all the 25 fruits and vegetables tested. One of
the worst results was from broccoli in which ALL nutrients had declined
measurably including niacin with Calcium down 63%.
Consumer demand for cheaper and 'good looking' food has over recent
decades changed traditional farming methods as well as distribution. A
farmer used to rotate his crops to suit his land and maximized his
yields through natural methods and then supplied his fresh produce to
his local market for distribution.
Regrettably that is largely the way of the past.
Now, the emphasis is on production, appearance, storability and
transportability. Nutritional value of fruits and vegetables is of
virtually no concern. As Dr Phil Warman, an agronomist and professor of
agricultural sciences at Nova Scotia Agricultural College points out,
"crops are bred to produce higher yields, to be resistant to disease and
to produce more visually attractive fruits or vegetables, but little or
no emphasis is placed on their vitamin and mineral content."
Add to this the increasing foothold of GE engineered crops where
nutritional value is way down on the priority list and this problem is
going to become much, much more serious. What can be done about this
problem?
* Try to eat organic fruit and vegetables wherever possible.
* Avoid processed foods! If you think the loss of nutrient value
in fresh fruit and vegetables is bad enough, I can assure you that it is
nothing compared to the nutritional emptiness of processed foods...and
to add insult to injury they are full of transfats due to the
hydrogenated processing methods that are used.
* Take a QUALITY multi-NUTRIENT supplement. A multi
vitamin/mineral tablet is not adequate for a number of reasons. The
prime one is that most 'multi vitamin' supplements use synthetic
ingredients with both questionable efficacy and bio-availability and
they lack other important nutrients. Unfortunately this is an area in
which many consumers are being mislead.
SUPERFOODS
Super Foods to the Rescue-- Steven Pratt, MD-- 02/03/04
Beans: A great low-fat, low-calorie source of protein and an easy way to help control your
weight and your blood sugar.
Blueberries: The best food on the planet to preserve a young brain as we mature.
Broccoli: The best food on the planet to prevent cancer.
Oats: A sure-fire way to lower your cholesterol.
Oranges: The most readily available source of vitamin C, which in turn lowers
the rate of most causes of death in this country, for example, heart disease and cancer.
Pumpkin: Loaded with phytonutrients, which keep our skin young and help prevent
damage from sunlight.
Wild salmon: A guaranteed way to lower your risk for cardiac-related death.
Soy: The only complete vegetarian source of protein.
Spinach: The best food on the planet to prevent cataracts and age-related macular
degeneration, thus ensuring a lifetime of good vision.
Tea -- green or black: The easiest and cheapest no-calorie way to avoid heart disease
and cancer.
Tomatoes: One of the easiest ways for men to avoid prostate cancer is the consumption
of tomatoes and tomato-based products.
Skinless turkey breast: The leanest meat source of protein on the planet.
Walnuts: Consuming walnuts is an easy, tasty way to lower your risk of cardiovascular
disease.
Yogurt: A tasty, easy way to boost your immune system.
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NUTRITION AND DIET