Weight Loss: 5 Truths

It's January and many of us have weight loss on the brain. Perhaps you're psyched about using the latest, greatest plan to slim down this "diet season." Honestly, I've never been a fan of trendy, fad diets. They make ridiculous promises. Sure, you may drop 10 pounds in a week eating cabbage soup and little else, but once you go back to eating like a normal person you'll gain it right back.

That's the biggest problem with most fad diets: they generally don't give you eating patterns that you can stick to long-term. Essentially, they set you up to fail. (Get a healthy 28-day weight-loss meal plan of delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes to help you shed pounds here.)

But I'll be the first to admit that there are kernels of truth buried in the shaky "scientific" rhetoric of many popular plans--real advice that will help you lose weight healthfully. (Drop 10 pounds healthfully with these 6 easy steps and super-cool tools.)

Without further ado, I give you 5 weight-loss secrets I've found hidden in fad diet and how to apply them with common sense to your own healthy weight-loss plan.

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Eat Delicious Foods That You Love

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The bottom line of "French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure" by Mireille Guiliano: food should be savored and enjoyed. Guiliano is right: we should continue to eat foods that we love, like chocolate and cheese -- just in small portions. Deprivation diets only work for a short time. Making room for a small treat every day can help you stick to an overall-healthy eating plan for the long haul.

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The bottom line of "French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure" by Mireille Guiliano: food should be savored and enjoyed. Guiliano is right: we should continue to eat foods that we love, like chocolate and cheese -- just in small portions. Deprivation diets only work for a short time. Making room for a small treat every day can help you stick to an overall-healthy eating plan for the long haul.

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So if you are going to use a "faddish" diet plan to shed pounds in 2011, I urge you to read with a critical eye, sort the sensible from the silliness and only make changes that feel healthful. You may not lose weight as quickly but you'll keep it off longer and feel better while you're doing it!

What have you learned from fad diets?

Nicci Micco is editor-at-large for EatingWell and co-author of EatingWell 500-Calorie Dinners. She has a master's degree in nutrition and food sciences, with a focus in weight management.

Comments

[danny4u]

04:01 PM on 03/18/2011

I suggest to eat fresh food to keep healthy your self and I know about diet plan and loss weight. You may please look here. Motivation is key, both for losing and keeping weight. I know a healthy diet solution plan that helps to lose those inches and keep it. It works. It is reviewed on http://diet.topwebreview.com

[siyathomas88]

03:15 AM on 03/03/2011

To beat obesity there are several ways you might be heard of but I think the herbal way is the finest way to cut the fat. Starving, dieting and lots of exercise won’t get you anywhere. Give importance to diet full of nutrition, avoid junk foods and do some exercises or outdoor activities. According to me the best tip is drink glass of warm water with 2 teaspoonful honey and drink this in empty stomach in early morning, you can also drink this water for 3 to 4 times in a day for quick and better results.
http://www.fightobesity.net

[NRdrummer89]

02:12 PM on 01/20/2011

Let's not forget exercise, everyone. We don't like to do it, but it is an essential coupled perfectly with a good diet for losing weight. I speak from experience.

[iRock]

11:08 PM on 01/19/2011

Two facts about weight loss and health: Eat protein, fresh fruits and vegetables and you will lose weight (if you do not eat added sugar.)

Secondly, you will never be able to out-exercise a bad diet. Clean it up.

I lost 90 lbs in the last two years. I feel and look good and Im not even done yet.

[ZubinTomato]

02:52 AM on 01/18/2011

Gosh, this AMA nonsense sounds so much better every time they reparse it.

"GAWLEEE--it's time to lose some weight Gomer! Letz go down to the store and buy 50 pounds of chocolate and 20 pounds of roasted nutz!"

[rjaxone]

11:42 PM on 01/17/2011

Wanna lose weight? It's simple > Every day, consume fewer calories than burn up. Guaranteed!

[JSDKoeln]

07:46 AM on 01/18/2011

What, did google defriend you? A little research may enlighten you.

[Patrick Riley]

01:49 PM on 01/18/2011

Yeah, you really gotta read some Taubes:
http://www.garytaubes.com/2010/12/inanity-of-overeating/

[rsbell]

04:22 PM on 01/18/2011

Absolutely right. Taubes is the man.

[Aelfgifu]

10:05 AM on 02/11/2011

Gary Taubes is a fraud. Please take care of your health and don't take him seriously.

[Syrlinus]

10:28 PM on 01/17/2011

Wow. I've never seen so many comments about not needing exercise or carbs. It baffles me.

Veggies and fruits are technically carbs. You do need them. They often provide things that pure-animal protein won't.

And yes, the human body does need some form of exercise. We are not the bodies from Wall*E, or at least, we shouldn't be aiming to be those ones. Exercise doesn't mean go to the gym and workout 2-6 hours a day. It can be as simple as taking the stairs instead of an elevator or escalator; walking to the library or store or around the block.

Regardless of what you do the "diet" you choose shouldn't be a single fix "diet". This has to be a lifestyle change in the long run.

While my choices won't work for everyone they have for me:

- I'm a mostly raw vegan (meaning, I cut out as much processed stuff as I can)
- returning back to my long-distance bicycle touring and training for those tours by cycling 3-4 times a week.
- walking the dogs an extra walk during the day (I'm lucky enough to work at home so this can be my "lunch hour")

I still have to figure out a weight bearing routine to fit in (maybe 30 min x 3 times a week) but I don't panic about it. As I make the above changes more and more my common behaviour and not a "diet" persae, I'm more likely to succeed.

[Fred Butters]

12:02 AM on 01/18/2011

I think the issue here is weight loss - and you don't need to exercise to lose weight. Exercise is necessary for optimal health, but not for weight loss.

There is no need for humans to eat carbohydrates of any kind. There are vitamins and minerals in vegetables and fruits, but we can get all the essentials from eating whole animals - everything but the fur. The vitamins and minerals are in the organs and bone/marrow. Note that this is different from "animal protein."

Regarding your weight lifting routine, check out Mark Rippetoe's book "Starting Strength." It'll take you pretty far before you need to worry about changing up your workout. It's all power and Olympic lifting. You'll most likely need some heavier doses of protein (preferably animal) if you want to gain muscle though. Sure there are some buff Vegan's out there, but there will be exceptions in any realm and in most cases you won't find successful Vegan diet bodybuilders for a reason.

[Syrlinus]

12:28 AM on 01/18/2011

Heh.. I'm the admin for a vegan bodybuilding website and there are many successful vegan bodybuilders out there. I'm not interested in body building for competitive sake but more for endurance sake (good muscles go a long way when biking long distances). The likes of Brendan Brazier and Scott Jurek, both who do endurance sports, are more of what I'm looking for.

I will check out the book, however. I'm more likely to get a trainer to help with the specifics until I know I have correct form.

As for exercise not helping weight loss. When you are sedentary, eating less helps but this -- to me -- only works for the short term. I believe in going in it for the long term and having a completely healthy life. We cannot just address one side and assume that's all we'll need.

As I said, this is what works for me and what I'm comfortable with. It is a choice.

[awa611]

01:05 AM on 01/18/2011

You absolutely do need to exercise to lose weight in a healthy manner, unless you're just looking to shed a few pounds. Changing your caloric intake certainly prompts the body to burn stored fat, but without an increase in activity, the weight loss will cease very quickly. Especially after a certain age, as your metabolism slows. And I am a successful Vegan athlete. We're not talking about bodybuilding in the Mr. Universe sense. But, there are many protein alternatives besides meat or meat products that will assist anyone who is serious about dropping the substance from their diet.

[samknox]

09:21 PM on 01/17/2011

Carbohydrate restricted diets have been around since about 1865.

Not exactly a "fad".

[samknox]

09:17 PM on 01/17/2011

The weight-loss truth: You can control your weight by controlling the amount of carbohydrate in your diet.

[Medicine13ear]

05:59 AM on 01/18/2011

F&F!

[DrP]

11:18 PM on 01/19/2011

F&F ditto!

[wolfsvssarah]

01:48 PM on 01/18/2011

But not only carbs. You should eat a well rounded diet. If all you do is stuff yourself with fatty foods and protein all day long you will kill yourself. Veg's Fruits, some dairy, protein, and carbs are all needed for a healthy balance.

[cucumber]

02:49 PM on 01/18/2011

dairy is not "necessary"

[DrP]

11:21 PM on 01/19/2011

Why would I eat foods that I can't metabolize? My body is not able to use glucose (carbs) because of severe insulin-resistance (which is very common and the principal cause of obesity and it's accompanying ills). It would be folly to eat carbs since they will simply be stored as fat. For me, a balanced diet is eating foods that will fuel my body...fat and protein (mostly fat) and a few non-starchy veggies.

[jonrpatrick]

09:15 PM on 01/17/2011

Weight loss can be so simple, when people don't make it hard...:
Eat less, of higher quality foods.
Get up and MOVE more.
Take supplements to get "over the hump" when needed.
Unfortunately, most supplements do one of 2 things:
1. trick your body into thinking you're full when you're not. This is starvation.
2. rev up your metabolism, and we've all read about how dangerous this can be.
A new set of supplements uses Leptin - the hormone your cells release to tell your brain "we're full".
Our modern lives - stress,poor eating, etc. - mess with our body chemistry, and sometimes those messages don't get through.
Leptin supplements, like Mandura TRIM, help cut through the 'clutter' and make sure your brain knows when to stop eating. Naturally.
Safe, effective, and Clinically Proven.
Find out more at: http://BuyManduraTRIM.com

[samknox]

09:18 PM on 01/17/2011

You should be flogged in the public square.

[Fred Butters]

12:06 AM on 01/18/2011

You sir, are one of many causes of the obesity problem and a flaunt of misinformation.

[jedonspring]

08:47 PM on 01/17/2011

I'm so good all day, till about 8PM. Then it's the danger zone and the sweet tooth bares itself.

[iRock]

11:09 PM on 01/19/2011

i have a killer sweet tooth too. Just remind yourself of all the working out you will have to do as a result.

[EvolveorPerish]

12:40 AM on 01/20/2011

proteins and fats give you a sense of satiety. So eat a small salad with chix& avacodo instead of fruit or sweets, garlic olive oil as a dressing.

One treat I really like is coconut ice cream. I make my own to control the sugar. Its low in carbs and has the added benefit of a good fat.

[NevaforLeadership]

07:44 PM on 01/17/2011

The cereal in Picture 5 is as unhealthy as the added sugar.

[penguin chic]

06:35 PM on 01/17/2011

Cutting out alcohol and soda can make an amazing difference. We also need to remember that half an hour of exercise a day isn't going to help if we are inactive for the rest of the day.
Spare a thought for salmon though - even farmed salmon is fed fish. Our oceans are struggling enough without us using them as an easy source of protein and omega 3s.

[mrsL]

11:46 PM on 01/17/2011

Ever tried Jillian Michael's 30-day Shred?

[sweattshop]

05:44 PM on 01/17/2011

This is good advice and the comments are great too but all this info could be place on a single page for convenience of viewing.
http://www.positiveairtime.com/

[samknox]

09:19 PM on 01/17/2011

No, it isn't good advice.

Calorie restriction, exercise, and behavioral therapy have never produced long-term weight loss.

[Charlotte Denny Henley]

10:37 PM on 01/17/2011

I'm with you samknox.... its all nonsense... at least a 90%failure rate.... take it off and put it back on. Diets and all the tricks are the problem.

[Patrick Riley]

01:56 PM on 01/18/2011

samknox is right. your diet has to become "background noise" and not an obsession or it will not work, points out Martin Berkhan at leangains.com:
http://www.leangains.com/2010/01/marshmallow-test.html

[MzTexas]

05:34 PM on 01/17/2011

Write it down everything you eat. I have an app on my phone in which I enter everything I eat. It keeps a record of calories, nutrients, etc. I eat whatever I want, but this app keeps me honest with my intake. I've lost about 6 pounds in the past three weeks without really trying. I exercise daily and I'm eating less.

[MzTexas]

05:36 PM on 01/17/2011

Write down! Started a thought, changed my mind and didn't delete all of the thought.