Jenny DeanMS, RD Candidate

March 2004

Why Weight is Important to Us

• Health and overall well-being• Disease prevention• Competitive sports/ training• Looks• Self-esteem

It is a constant tug-of-war between foods we love to eat and the tight jeans we love

to wear.

Everyone is looking for the answer…

If only it were this easy

Myth vs. FactMyth? Fact?

Let’s start with the basics…• Macronutrients

– Carbohydrates – Protein– Fat

• Micronutrients– Vitamins– Minerals– Water

All are part of a healthy diet!

Calorie Breakdown Carbohydrates: 4 calories/gram

Protein: 4 calories/gram

Fat: 9 calories/gram

Alcohol: 7 calories/gram

Gram for gram, carbohydrates and protein have the same amount of calories

Carbs Can Be Your Friend• Whole grain breads,

crackers, tortillas, English muffins and bagels

• Pastas, brown rice

• Bran or whole grain cereals

• Whole wheat flour

Protein Picks

• Tofu• Nuts• Beans• Hummus

• Lean meats, chicken and fish• Egg whites

• Low-fat dairy products

How much do I need?• 15-20% of total calories

Grams protein/ kg body weight

Current RDA for sedentary adult 0.8

Recreational exerciser, adult 1.0-1.5

Competitive athlete, adult 1.2-1.8

Adult building muscle mass 1.4-1.8

Athlete restricting calories 1.4-2.0

Maximum usable amount for adults 2.0

Growing teenage athlete 1.8-2.0

Adapted from the American Dietetic Association’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook, 3 rd ed., 2000

Healthy FatsMonounsaturated and– Olive oil– Canola oil– Nuts– Flax

Polyunsaturated– Avocadoes– Fish– Soybeans

Avoid foods high in saturated fats!

How much?• 20-30% of total calories• Very low fat diets often lack energy & nutrients• High fat diets tend to cause sluggishness and

weight gain

Weight Loss…The proven way

• Energy In < Energy Out• Safe weight loss = 1-2 pounds per week• The faster it is lost, the more likely it is to

come back!

Why We Gain Weight• Real WEIGHT GAIN occurs when and only

when your CALORIES IN exceed your CALORIES OUT for an extended period of time

• 500 calories/day x 7 = 3500 calories = 1 lb– Burn an additional 500 calories/day =

lose 1 pound/week– Consume an additional 500 calories/day =

gain 1 pound/week

The Bottom Line

For weight loss to occur, there must be a calorie deficit!

HOW???• Balance, variety, moderation• Healthy food choices• Watch portion sizes• Exercise• Sleep• Stress management

It’s All About ChoicesIt is important to eat foods from

EACH FOOD GROUP every day!• Whole grains• Fruits• Veggies• Low-fat dairy products• Lean meats, chicken and fish• Beans and legumes• Heart healthy fats

Problems With Portions

• Pasta = ½ cup• Rice = ½ cup• Cereal = ¾ cup• Bread = 1 slice• Fruit = 1 medium piece• 1 small banana• Cooked veggies = ½ cup

• Raw, leafy veggies = 1 cup

• Milk = 1 cup• Yogurt = ½ cup• Ice cream = ½ cup• Meat = 2-3 ounces• Peanut butter = 2 Tbsp.• Oil = 1 Tbsp.

To lose weight, it is necessary to watch portion sizes!

Supersizing of America

Regular• Quarter pounder, fries

and soda = 954 calories• 12 ounce soda = 150

calories• Choc. chip cookie = 60

calories• Muffin = 110 calories

Supersized• Q.P., fries and soda =

1332 calories• 60 ounce soda = 750

calories• Large bakery cookie =

320 calories• Otis Spunkmeyer muffin =

460 calories

Supersize that please!

Healthy or Hefty? • Store-bought smoothies• Milkshakes• Lattes and coffee drinks• Granola• Energy bars• Muffins• Popcorn• Crackers

Breakfast

• Believe it or not, breakfast can help you lose weight!

• Eat a hearty breakfast to kick start your day• Consume calories throughout the day vs. at

night• Include carbohydrates and protein to keep

you fueled

Dining Out Can Be Healthy• Choose lean chicken and fish• Choose foods that are steamed, broiled,

roasted, poached, stir-fried or baked instead of fried or sautéed

• Choose marinara pasta sauces instead of creamy sauces

• Beware of high-fat salad dressings- order dressing on the side

• Unlimited chips or bread… a quick way to boost calorie intake

Dining Out Do’s and Don’ts

• Split the meal with a friend• Order a take-out bag immediately and

put half away• Ask your server how food is prepared

and modify if necessary• Alcohol before dinner can increase

appetite• Limit “add-ons” like chips and bread

Super SaladLet’s build a healthy salad…

Includes vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, protein and healthy fat

Fiber Can Be Your FriendWhat’s so great about fiber?

• “Speeds things up”• Binds cholesterol• Helps you feel full• Takes longer to digest• Resists the “insulin surge”

Food and Mood

• Eating for reasons other than hunger can sabotage your weight loss efforts

• Identify patterns by writing down when and why you eat for reasons other than hunger

• A good rule of thumb = Eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full. Simple, right?

Get Moving!Activity Calories burned per hour-

120 lbsCalories burned per hour-

170 lbsAerobics 300 420Basketball 330 460Bicycling (<10 mph) 220 310Eating 80 115Gardening 275 385Hiking 330 460Housework 135 190Jogging 385 540Mowing lawn 300 425Skiing, cross country 440 615Skiing, downhill 385 540Sleeping 50 70Soccer 385 540Walking briskly 220 310Weight training 165 230

Adapted from ADA’s complete Food & Nutrition Guide

Fad Diets• “FAD”, defined by Webster’s 2nd college

edition: “A custom, style, etc. that many people are interested in for a short time; passing fashion; craze”

• Fad diets are not new- remember the no-fat craze, the combination diets, the grapefruit diet, the cabbage soup diet?

• Fad diets are not geared towards long-term lifestyle changes that most people are willing to stick with

The Latest Fads…

The Atkins PlanSources: http://atkins.com; New York Times, January 18, 2004

• 20-60 grams carb/day, depending on your personal “Critical Carbohydrate Level for Losing”

• Emphasizes red meat, cheese and butter as “foods you may eat liberally”

• Low/ no milk and grains• Few fruits• Missing key vegetables• Low calorie

The Atkin’s PlanWhy it works• Foods high in fat and protein promote satiety• Eat fewer caloriesWhat is right• Reduce/ cut out refined sugars and empty

caloriesWhat is wrong• Miss out on key nutrients• Boring!• Heart and kidney health• Once eating returns to normal, so will weight

Low-carb Marketing• Over 600 new low-carb products introduced this year• Sales may exceed $15 billion this year• Low-carb products appeal to convenience eaters

• Problem: A calorie is still a calorie. Many dieters consuming these products are claiming to have stopped losing weight.

• Fact: Low-carb foods are not necessarily low calorie foods. It is overeating calories that makes us gain weight, not overeating carbohydrates.

Don’t be Fooled: Fad diets still up to their old tricks

• “Carb-controlled” treats including breads, sweets and bars

• Sound familiar? The early 90s were filled with low/no-fat products including crackers, cookies and diet bars- yet we overate these products and wondered why we didn’t lose weight

• FACT: History repeats itself. Low-carb snacks, wraps, cookies and bars are still packed with calories despite their low “net carbs” – and we’re overeating again

Fat-Free vs. Regular Calorie Fat-Free or Reduced

FatCalories Regular Calories

RF Peanut Butter, 2 T 187 Peanut butter 191

RF Choc. Chip Cookies, 3

118 Choc. Chip cookies, 3 142

FF fig cookies, 2 102 Fig cookies, 2 111

FF Vanilla Frozen Yogurt, ½ c

100 Whole Milk Vanilla Frozen Yogurt, ½ c

104

Light Vanilla Ice Cream, ½ c

111 Vanilla Ice Cream, ½ c 133

FF Caramel Topping, 2T

103 Homemade Caramel Topping, 2T

103

LF Granola Cereal, ½ c 213 Granola Cereal, ½ c 138

LF Cereal Bar 130 Cereal Bar 140

South Beach DietWhat is says• Relies on the Glycemic IndexWhat is right• Encourages whole foods instead of refined

foods and foods high in sugarWhat is wrong• GI does not accurately assess the way

your body deals with meals

Trend or Fad?• Fad Diets are successful because in the end,

you are eating fewer calories• Does the eating plan make you happy or are

you constantly obsessed with food?• The question is…Can you maintain

this diet for the rest of your life?

Weight Loss Supplements

Weight Loss Supplements

Not a safe alternative

• Not regulated by FDA!• Affects each person differently• Expensive• Non-ephedra products can be just as

dangerous

Do you want to buy these for the rest of your life?

A Weight Loss Plan• Think in terms of a lifestyle change, not

short-term “diet”• Set realistic goals• Make gradual changes• Each person is different• Experiment to find what

works for you• Expect to be successful!

What Works For You• Calorie needs (Harris Benedict Equation)

1 kg = 2.2 lbs2.54 cm = 1 inBMR x activity factor

• Protein needs0.8 – 1.0 grams/ kg body weight

• Exercise needsCardio + strength training

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Meals vs. GrazingShould I eat:• 3 regular meals• 3 small meals with snacks• 6 small meals/ snacks

• This is a personal preference and depends on your schedule and what you consider a “meal” and a “snack”

• Keep calorie needs in mind

Next…• Get a journal- record progress, set-backs,

thoughts and feelings• Try new recipes• Take healthy snacks with you• Try to eat at home more and eat out less• If you do eat away from home, make

healthy choices- Don’t be afraid to ask for modifications

• Eat slowly and savor mealtime• Not sure if you are hungry?

Take a walk first

• Drink plenty of water• If you like soda- drink diet• You’re never to old to pack your lunch• Don’t starve yourself…you’ll end up overeating later• Let yourself indulge in your favorite foods…just

watch portion sizes• Get an exercise buddy• Do active things that you actually like!• Curb late night eating• Watch out for the Saturday night 6 pack• Don’t be too hard on yourself

Indulge…but in moderation!

• Do it for you, not anyone else• Focus on health benefits and the way you feel and

you won’t be disappointed• Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results

immediately- healthy weight loss takes time• You may hit a plateau in your weight loss…this is

natural and you may have to reevaluate your plan• Reward yourself with things other than food

Remember, eating is supposed to be FUN and there is more to life than obsessing over food!

Healthy Snacks• Air-popped or “light” popcorn• Raw veggies and low-fat dip• Baby carrots• Fruit• Pretzels• PB & B sandwich• Sliced turkey• Dry cereal• Hummus• Yogurt• Homemade smoothie• Baked chips and salsa• Latte with skim milk

A Healthy Eater…respects the difference between

carbohydrate foods: nutrient-dense vs. nutrient-poor/calorie-dense carbs

AND…… respects the difference between fats:

saturated, trans-fat, mono and poly unsaturated fats

AND……knows that in addition to choosing the right

foods most of the time, all foods can fit

A Healthy Eating Plan1. Plant-based foods: FRUITS AND VEGGIES!2. Beans and legumes 3. Whole-grains4. Nuts and Seeds (including nut butters)5. Lean Protein: Lean meats and tofu6. Heart-healthy Fats: Oils, avocado, flax7. Low-fat dairy or substitutes more often8. Eat sparingly: Red meat, fatty meats, butter,

sweets, white flour, white rice9. Do liberally: Exercise!

You have to do what is right for you!