Everyday Systems: nosdiet: message 829 of 3212

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This was posted in one of the other groups I frequent, I thought it
might remind all of us NoS is the best way to go. Side note, I
stepped on the scale today I am down another 2 lbs yeah!!!!!! Thats a
total of 4 down another 96 lbs to go. According to all the healthy
body calculators my healthy weight should be somewhere between
100.98-136.46 =)
Nutrition Notes: Cutting calories key to weight loss
By Karen Collins, R.D.
American Institute for Cancer Research

"I just want a diet that works!"

That's the plea from people who feel overwhelmed by today's many diet
options or frustrated that their diets seldom bring long-term results. 

The
diet that works for you, however, will be the one that removes or 
reduces
the foods you overeat in a way you can live with permanently.

There are plenty of options to consider. New studies show that the 
wildly
popular low- carbohydrate diets do tend to produce slightly greater 
weight
loss than more conventional diets in the first six months. But after a 

year,
the low-carbohydrate diets hold no significant weight-loss advantage. 
A
closer look at the data from these studies also reveals that, even in 
the
short-term, low-carb diets produced good weight loss for some but not 
for
others.

Although authors of some low-carb diets develop complex biological
explanations to support them, these diets probably work better for some
people because of changes in behavior. People following these diets 
clearly
know what foods to eat. They don't have to think about portion size or
agonize over taking a little bit of some food. The result is that 
these
people tend to consume fewer calories. The high amount of protein 
helps
satisfy hunger, boosting people's ability to skip forbidden carbs.

Dieters most likely to benefit from a low-carb diet, at least in the 
short
term, are people whose excess calories come from too much pasta, 
potatoes,
bagels, soft drinks, juice or carbohydrate- based snacks. But these 
foods
are difficult to avoid forever. Feelings of deprivation may force 
dieters to
break down and binge on them. Even if this doesn't happen, low-carb 
dieters
will eventually have to learn portion control and healthy snack 
choices, if
they want more variety in their diet.

For a long time, low-fat diets were considered the optimal way to lose
weight, since fat is the most concentrated source of calories. Many 
studes
have shown that when people reduce fat intake by choosing leaner 
meats,
dairy products and snacks, they tend to lose weight. But low-fat 
dieters may
forget that cutting calories is the heart of weight loss. If they 
heavily
consume fat- free sweets and grain goods, they achieve neither weight 
loss
nor good health. If a low-fat diet includes adequate protein at each 
meal,
as well as high-fiber whole grains, fruits and vegetables, it will 
satisfy
hunger. But eating fat-free salads or pasta alone spurs hunger every 
few
hours. Low-fat dieters need to eat balanced meals and snacks in 
appropriate
portions -- not just fewer fat grams -- for long-term success.

Diets that replace all or some meals and snacks with special diet 
drinks or
bars also attract many people. Several studies document their 
short-term
effectiveness. These meal replacements, with about 200-250 calories, 
are
substantially lower in calories than full meals. They are quick and
convenient for people who eat on the run or who forget o prepare 
fruits and
vegetables. Because these diet drinks and bars have such low-calorie
content, however, wise snack choices are essential for this diet to 
succeed.
Another possible pitfall is that eating too lightly during the day may 

cause
overeating at night.

Any diet can work in the short term if it targets what you've been
overeating. But the drop in overall calorie consumption is the real 
reason
you lose weight. Keep in mind that none of these diets helps people 
who
overeat in response to stress or emotions. These eating habits need 
new
approaches to handling life's challenges.

Nutrition Notes is provided as a public service by the American 
Institute
for Cancer Research.