Searching for the Quick Fix
Many dieters try to find a quick fix for their weight problems, but there are no simple solutions. Americans spend billions of dollars each year on diet books, gimmicks and other products to try to lose weight ($6 billion per year, according to the Federal Trade Commission). Almost monthly, a new book or magazine announces the latest "miracle diet," promising dramatic weight loss. Beware of "fad" diets and know how to recognize one. A fad diet:
• doesn't include the variety of foods necessary for good health or doesn't teach good eating habits
• claims you can "trick" body metabolism into wasting calories or energy
• makes dramatic claims for fast and easy weight loss
Winning By Losing
Health professionals agree that the most sensible approach to weight loss is a balanced diet — eating a variety of foods, all in moderation — combined with exercise. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, the American Heart Association, the American Dietetic Association and the American Medical Association all recommend this combined approach.
Your weight is determined by the number of calories you consume and the number of calories your body uses as energy. If you consume more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. You will lose weight by eating less, by being more active or – preferably – by doing both.
For permanent weight loss, you also need to learn sound eating habits. While fad diets may take the weight off, they don't teach you how to keep it off. Remember, you're learning a way to live, not just a way to diet. And to keep weight off, you must stay motivated. Successful weight control depends upon YOU — not upon any particular product or program.
Also see ...
• You Too Can Lose One Pound a Week!
Contributors Gail Becker, R.D., is recognized for communications expertise on diet, nutrition and fitness. She is president of Gail Becker Associates in Great Neck, New York.
John P. Foreyt, Ph.D., is a leading authority on obesity, dieting and behavior. He is director of the Nutrition Research Clinic and Professor, Department of Medicine, at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.