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ISSUE
54
August 2012
Impact.
Insight.
Innovation.
WellToday
Dangers of Fad Diets
Fad diets offer quick-fix
solutions to losing weight
rather than focusing on lifestyle
changes. Often leading to yo-yo
dieting, fad diets can be
dangerous to your health.
Many fad diets eliminate entire
food groups and overemphasize the importance of
other food groups, which may
result in nutritional
deficiencies. By excluding
specific food groups from your
diet, you are robbing your body
of nutrients that it needs to
function optimally. Eating a
well-balanced diet that
includes a variety of foods from
all food groups provides your
body with important vitamins
and minerals to meet your
nutritional needs.
Experiencing immediate
gratification through fad diets
may lead you to develop
unrealistic expectations about
your weight. Fad dieting often
leads to such health concerns
as long-term weight gain and
the potential for developing
eating disorders. Short-term
success and immediate weight
loss through fad diets may also
trigger unhealthy eating habits
and a poor relationship with
food.
Extreme dieting has been
shown to increase stress at the
molecular level. Keep yourself
and everybody around you
happy with a well-balanced
diet and regular exercise for
the maintenance of a healthy
weight and a healthy body.
this issue
P.1: How to Spot a Fad Diet
P.2: Exercise to Cut Food Cravings
P.3: Diet Rules Meant to be Broken
P.4: Recipe Corner and Chicken Benefits
How to Spot a Fad Diet
There are literally hundreds of different diets that
have at one time or another been promoted as the
best approach to losing weight. Unfortunately, most
of them, in their efforts to succeed, involve omitting
certain foods, and sometimes even entire food
groups (for example, high-protein diets suggest
significantly reducing the percent of carbohydrates in
the diet, an important component of recommended
eating guidelines).
There are many kinds of fad diets: low-fat, lowcarbohydrates, high-protein, or those focusing on one
particular food item, such as grapefruit or the latest
super food (remember acai berries?). These diets lack
major nutrients such as carbohydrates and dietary, as
well as the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that
those foods provide. Over time, if the elimination of
healthy food groups results in lack of proper nutrition
then serious health problems may develop.
For the food groups that these diets do permit, the
proportions are either well above or well below those
recommended by major health organizations such as
the American Heart Association and the American
Dietetic Association, as well as the Surgeon General
and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Some common claims of these diets include blaming
particular hormones or chemicals in the environment
for weight gain, suggesting that food can change body
chemistry, offering different strategies based on body
shape or blood type, or touting or banning a particular food. However, they all have one commonality:
they offer only a temporary solution to what for
many people is a lifelong and chronic condition.
Once the diet is stopped, the lost weight is usually
regained quickly. When weight is lost rapidly,
most of the lost weight is from loss of lean tissue
and water weight, not fat loss. The weight that is
regained is usually from the addition of more fat.
This is the sad result of abandoning a crash diet
and returning to the dietary habits that created
the problems to begin with.
How Do I Spot a Fad Diet?
While there is no set approach to identifying a fad
diet, many have the following characteristics:
Claims that sound too good to be true.
Recommendations that promise a quick fix.
Warnings of dangers from a single product.
Simple conclusions drawn from a complex study.
A plan based on a single study or testimonials.
Dramatic claims that are refuted by science.
Lists of 'good' and 'bad' foods.
Recommendations made to help sell a product.
Keep in mind that the media, even newspapers,
have no interest in reporting sound science; they
know that sensationalism sells. Their reporting on
scientific studies often falls far short of serious
coverage and cannot be relied upon. Examples of
this are to be found when recommendations are
made based on preliminary studies, or studies
published without review by other researchers.
Devotion to a lifestyle that includes exercise, calorie control and eating a nutrient-rich diet with portion control is the best method to lose weight and
to keep it off.
www.webmd.com
De-Stress at Your Desk:
Office Yoga
Seated Half Pigeon provides a
deep stretch to the hips and
buttocks. It specifically targets
the piriformis muscle, which
can tighten and cause low
back, hip and leg pain.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1) Sit on the edge of your
chair with your feet flat on
the floor and knees bent
at 90 degrees.
2) Contract your abdominal
muscles slightly, roll your
shoulders back and down,
and lift your chest up.
3) Place your right ankle at
the base of your left thigh
(just above the knee) and
let your right knee relax
out to the side.
4) Inhale and flex the right
ankle. As you exhale,
begin to hinge forward
from the hips. You will feel
a deep stretch in the right
hip and buttocks.
5) Continue to inhale as you
lengthen your spine and
exhale as you move
deeper into the stretch.
How Exercise Cuts Food Cravings
Naturally Control Your Cravings
One of the biggest problems faced by dieters is
the craving for a certain food, which is usually in
the high calorie or high fat category. This is the
reason for more failed diets than just about
anything else. Whatever you can do to suppress
those cravings will help you to fulfill your diet
strategy. That doesn’t include always giving in to
the cravings by eating the food to try and make it
go away!
The one natural way of suppressing the craving
for high calorie snacks is to do something as
simple as some exercise on a daily basis. Studies
have shown that sitting around in an office all
day and/or leading a sedentary lifestyle not only
slows down the metabolism and gives you too
much time to think about eating something that
you shouldn’t, but they also create a set of
physical circumstances that lead to the feeling
that you need to eat something.
Researchers have found that doing exercise to
lose weight can restore the sensitivity of neurons
in the brain that are involved in the control of
satiety (feeling full). This, in turn, contributes to
a reduced need for food intake and particularly
snacking, which consequently leads to weight
loss. The study points out that the excessive
consumption of saturated (bad) fat creates a
failure in the signal that is transmitted by
neurons which control satiety in an area of the
brain known as the hypothalamus. These
transmitter failures can not only lead to
uncontrollable food intake, but also to the
sensation that your are hungry which leads to
snacking on high calorie snacks. Those excess
calories potentially lead to weight gain.
The findings show that physical activity does
contribute to the prevention and also the
treatment of obesity. It does this not only by
increasing the expenditure of energy, but also by
changing the neuron signals that tell the brain that
we are sated, leading to reduced food intake.
While physical activity has always been known for
being an effective treatment for obesity, only now
have its effects on the control of the brain
functions concerned with body weight begun to be
understood. These findings reinforce the need for
regular exercise while changing the current
paradigm that has been established between the
need for physical activity and losing weight,
especially in obese patients.
www.weightlossgo.com
This Month’s Q&A: Ask the Expert
Q: What are food cravings?
6) Stay for 5 deep breaths.
To come out, inhale as you
sit upright and exhale to
release right foot to the
floor.
7) Repeat on the other side
by placing the left ankle at
the base of the right thigh.
Note any emotions that may
surface after doing this pose.
Cravings are an intense desire for a particular food, often the sharp sweetness of refined carbohydrates,
possibly combined with the satisfying creaminess of fat-laden additives. It is important to note that
cravings do not dictate our choices or interfere with free will, and that you can take steps to minimize the
onset or impact of cravings. Food cravings are often physical and may result from hunger, low blood sugar
or other changes resulting from restricted eating. This can usually be counteracted by the availability of
regular, nutrient-rich snacks between meals and planning meals so you don’t skip them; just keep in mind
that increasing the frequency of meals and snacks doesn’t justify ignoring your daily calorie intake. Other
times, cravings can be either emotional or psychological. The familiarity and positive associations with
comfort foods, and the reinforcing habit of turning to those foods during times of stress often leads to an
obsession with a familiar favorite, and the pattern—including the desire— can become cyclical. When
combined with physical hunger, the cravings may be very strong. It is important to discover, and avoid, the
things that trigger cravings. You should also have a plan in place, including the availability of snacks, to
side-step the gut-busting excuse of cravings!
Diet Rules Meant to be Broken
Out with the Old, In with the New
Almost every time we turn on the television or glance at
a magazine cover in the checkout line, we are
bombarded with the new weight-loss rules and diet
plans. What are you to believe when fad diets and false
claims are flying at you from every direction? It's no
wonder we're so confused about what to eat and how
to manage our weight. We've all been exposed to
various "diet rules" over the years and, accurate or not,
many of us still live by them. It's time to debunk some
of these outdated and unhelpful rules and give you
some NEW guidelines that will actually help you reach
your goals!
Old rule: Don’t eat after 7 p.m.
What makes 7 p.m. a magical cutoff time? The original
idea was that people should stop eating about 3 hours
before bed, using 10 p.m. as an average bedtime.
While it is a good idea to stop eating a few hours before
bed, the reason has nothing to do with weight gain;
it’s basically an issue of digestion and personal comfort.
Going to sleep on a full stomach may make sleeping
uncomfortable, or may contribute to acid reflux. This
may lead to fitful sleep, lack of restorative sleep, and
fatigue, but not weight gain. Your body is smart, but it
doesn't know what time it is when you eat. It will metabolize calories eaten after 7 p.m. the same way as it
does the calories you eat earlier in the day. They will
NOT automatically be stored as fat.
buy are things you shouldn't be eating all the
time anyway: empty-calorie junk food and heavily
processed sweets, crackers, and cookies.
Remember, dietary fat isn't the sole culprit that
has made us overweight, excess calories are.
Often, fat-free foods have as many, if not more,
calories than the full fat version.
New rule: Include a moderate amount of hearthealthy fats in your weight loss plan.
Your body needs dietary fat for day-to-day organ
protection, vitamin absorption, hormone
production, and more, so you won’t be doing
yourself any favors by completely depriving your
body of this nutrient. A sensible amount of fat can
also aid in satiety, making you feel fuller longer.
Try adding healthful fats such as nuts, avocado, or
adding some olive oil to your diet. Choose low-fat
or fat-free products when it comes to dairy and
meats to limit your intake of unhealthy fats and
control calories, but leave the other fat-free foods
on the supermarket shelf.
EXERCISE TIP
Engaging in exercise regularly not
only burns calories and reduces
body fat, it may suppress your
appetite.
Exercising affects the hormones
that suppress your appetite.
Completing a vigorous treadmill
workout for 60 minutes affects
two key appetite-controlling
hormones. Weightlifting for 90
minutes only affects a single
hormone. Based on surveys filled
out by participants of a study,
both types of exercise kept hunger at bay for about two hours,
but the aerobic exercise was
more effective.
Engaging in aerobic exercise may
suppress your appetite by
increasing a blood protein called
brain-derived neurotrophic
factor, or BDNF. However, the
effect of exercise on your
appetite may depend on your
weight. Exercise tends to reduce
hunger in lean men and women,
but less so in obese women.
Old rule: Eating low-carb is the way to win at
weight loss.
Over the past several years, low-carb diet fads
have given carbohydrates a bad rap, but this
reputation is unfounded. Carbohydrates are an
important fuel source for your body (and brain)
New rule: Don’t mindlessly snack in the evening.
and they are necessary for safe, steady weight
What does cause weight gain for many people is eating loss, too. Your body needs carbohydrates to
a large amount of unhealthy food at night. Not eating
efficiently burn fat, so skimping on the carbs could
Upcoming Events
after 7 p.m. is a good rule if you tend to mindlessly
actually hurt your weight loss efforts and be
4 August—Ocean Isle Beach, NC
munch on food all evening long, whether to soothe the detrimental to your health.
SunBare Whispers 5K
day's stress or relieve boredom. Your total caloric
New rule: Cut back on processed carbs and
intake for the day is what matters—not the time at
18 August—Newton, NC
choose whole foods instead.
which you eat your calories. You can eat at night, and as It is true that some carbs (whole grains,
Soldiers Reunion Run 5K
long as you are eating mindfully to satisfy real hunger
vegetables, legumes, etc) are better for you than
25 August—Raleigh, NC
rather than stress or boredom, and as long as you don't others (white bread, sugary cereals, and sweets).
Raleigh 8000, 8K
go over your calorie needs for the day, you won’t gain
Rather than omitting carbs from your diet plan, be
25 August—Boone, NC
weight.
more selective. Choose more whole grains and
Triple Crown Half-Marathon
Old rule: Choose fat-free foods.
unprocessed foods like brown rice, quinoa, wholeThese days, nearly every full-fat food has a fat-free
grain bread, and oats. Limit your intake of
counterpart. It's the first instinct of many people to
unhealthy carbs that sneak into your diet via
WEBHEALTH
simply eat these reduced fat foods to control their
processed foods, sweets, caloric beverages, and
Use the following resources
weight. However, this tactic could actually derail your
refined (white) flours.
to learn more about
good intentions because most of the fat-free foods you
August’s topics.
www,sparkpeople.com
http://www.sparkpeople.com
http://www.webmd.com
Recipe Corner
Chicken Breast Stuffed with Pimento Cheese
Chicken Breast Benefits
No lean protein has a more
respected reputation than the
boneless, skinless chicken breast. It
has consistently been at the top of
the list of lean proteins for fat loss.
Not only is chicken breast low in
calories and saturated fat, it offers
several other health benefits.
Chicken is an excellent source of
the cancer-protective B vitamin,
niacin. Components of DNA require
niacin, and a deficiency of niacin
(as well as other B-complex
vitamins) has been directly linked
to genetic (DNA) damage. A fourounce serving of chicken provides
78% of the daily value for niacin.
Chicken is also a good source of
vitamin B6. This particular mix of
B-complex vitamins makes chicken
a helpful food in supporting energy
metabolism throughout the body,
because these B vitamins are
involved as cofactors that help
enzymes throughout the body
guide metabolic reactions. Four
ounces of chicken supplies 34% of
the daily value for vitamin B6.
Chicken is also a rich source of the
trace mineral, selenium. Selenium
is of fundamental importance to
human health. It is an essential
component of several major
metabolic pathways, including
thyroid hormone metabolism,
antioxidant defense systems, and
immune function. Four ounces of
chicken supply 45% of the daily
value for selenium.
Keep in mind that to enjoy the
health benefits of chicken without
increase your risk of cholesterol or
heart disease, avoid dark meat and
the skin (where the saturated fat is
stored). And as always, be mindful
of portion sizes so that enjoying
this favorite food doesn’t result in
gaining weight.
WellToday Issue 54 August 2012
Stuffing boneless, skinless chicken breasts with
pimentos, scallions, and cheese gives them great flavor
without a lot of effort or too many extra calories!
View more tasty chicken recipes at www.eatingwell.com.
Ingredients
4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (11/4 to 11/2
pounds total), trimmed and tenders removed
1/2 cup shredded Gouda cheese, preferably smoked
2 tablespoons chopped scallion
1 tablespoon sliced pimentos, chopped
1 teaspoon paprika, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Nutrition Information
Servings per recipe:
4
Amount Per Serving
Calories:
Total Fat:
Saturated Fat:
Protein:
Total Carbs:
Dietary Fiber:
Sodium:
200
10g
3g
26g
1g
0g
445mg
Exchange/Choices:
4 Lean Meat
1 Fat
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Combine Gouda, scallion, pimentos and 1/2 teaspoon paprika in a small bowl.
3. Cut a horizontal slit along the thin, long edge of each chicken breast, nearly through to the
opposite side, and open like a book. Sprinkle the breasts with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and
pepper. Divide the cheese filling among the breasts, placing it in the center of each. Close
the breast over the filling, pressing the edges firmly together to seal. Sprinkle the breasts
with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
4. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until
browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Turn the chicken over and transfer the skillet to the
oven. Bake until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and an instant-read
thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, about 15 minutes.
KYLIE ADAMS THOMAS, MS earned a Masters Degree in Exercise Physiology and is a National
Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Nutrition Specialist. She has worked as
a wellness coordinator, personal trainer, and currently works as a Corporate Wellness Specialist for Benefit
Controls where she helps create strategic wellness plans for corporate clients across the southeast.