Overly restrictive diets and unrealistic expectations are two of the most commonly seen mistakes that people make.  Many people eliminate entire food groups, make too many changes at once or eat very low calorie diets (<1,200 calories per day).  In the beginning, when motivation is high, people often lose weight on these diets because they are creating calorie deficits.  However, it is extremely difficult to maintain these diets for a long period of time.  Eventually, people get bored and go back to old eating patterns, or they overeat in a moment of “weakness” and give up because they feel like a failure.  The weight is usually regained very quickly, and often people end up weighing more than when they originally started the diet. 

Sorting Out Fact From Fiction…

Advertisements and marketing gimmicks make people believe that they can lose weight very rapidly (i.e.: 30 pounds in 30 days).  The fact is that there are 3,500 calories in a pound of fat.  Therefore, a 105,000 calorie deficit would be needed to lose 30 pounds of fat.  If a 5′5″ women weighing 175 pounds would like to lose this weight in 30 days, she would need to eat nothing and walk 15 miles each day!  These unrealistic expectations cause people to get discouraged and give up when they don’t see the numbers on the scale go down fast enough.

What is a more realistic plan?

A better approach is to set more realistic goals and focus on diet and exercise changes that you can maintain for life.  A healthy rate for weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week, and this can be achieved with a well balanced diet that includes foods from all food groups.  This variety can help to ensure that the diet is meeting nutritional needs, since each food group provides its own unique combination of nutrients.  Small changes made over time can equal big results, and they are often more effective than drastic ones at producing long-term weight loss.  In fact, cutting 150 calories per day can lead to a 15-pound weight loss over the course of a year.  This could be as simple as eliminating one 12-ounce soda daily.

Heartburn (a burning discomfort felt in the chest area) is the most common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).  GERD is a condition where stomach acids come back up (or reflux) into the esophagus.  At the bottom of the esophagus there is a sphincter, which is a muscle that acts as a protective barrier between the esophagus and the stomach.  When this sphincter does not work properly, it allows some of the acidic contents of the stomach to reflux into the lower esophagus which can lead to several complications including ulcers in the esophagus, esophagitis and heartburn.Diet and lifestyle factors have been found to be helpful in the treatment of GERD.  Some key recommendations to minimize symptoms are as follows:

• Achieve or maintain a healthy weight.
• Limit high-fat foods. 
• Eat smaller and more frequent meals instead of large meals. 
• Maintain upright posture during and after eating.
• Avoid clothing that is tight in the abdominal area.
• Avoid eating within 3 hours before bedtime.
• Elevate the head of the bed when sleeping.
• Stop smoking.

There is not a one-size-fits-all diet for heartburn as the severity and symptoms vary greatly from person to person.  However, the following is a list of foods that may aggravate this condition in some individuals:

• High-fat Foods
• Chocolate
• Alcoholic Beverages
• Mint
• Citrus Fruits and Juices
• Tomato Products (i.e. tomato juice,
• Carbonated Beverages
• Coffee (regular or decaffeinated)

If you tend to experience heartburn, it may be beneficial to keep a food record to see if any particular foods seem to aggravate the condition for you.  Then you will have a better understanding of which foods to avoid so you can minimize symptoms of GERD, and potentially more serious complications, in the future.

Reference:  Nutrition Management of Gastroesophageal Reflux.  Manual of Clinical Dietetics.  2000; 453-455.

With so many food options available in the grocery store, it can be difficult to make healthy choices. Take a look at this video featuring Sheila Kelly, a registered dietitian, for tips to help you make the best choices during your next grocery shopping trip.

Click here to view the Healthy Grocery Shopping Video.

Exercise has long been known to help reduce the risk of fractures.  Not only does exercise help to build bone, but it also helps to improve balance which decreases the risk of falls.  Adding weight-bearing activities to your weekly routine is a great way to strengthen your bones.  Some examples of weight-bearing activities are as follows:

•  Walking
•  Running
•  Hiking
•  Weight-lifting
•  Climbing Stairs
•  Jumping Rope

According to a recent study, it appears that those with greater lower-body muscle mass tend to have stronger hip bones¹.  Since hips are among the most common bones to fracture for those with osteoporosis, it would be good to design an exercise program that includes resistance exercises for the lower body to help increase muscle mass. 

Remember that it is important to check with your physician before beginning an exercise program if you have been sedentary.

1. Reference: Segal, N.A. et al (2008) Muscle Mass Is More Strongly Related to Hip Bone Mineral Density Than Is Quadriceps Strength or Lower Activity Level in Adults Over Asge 50 Year. Journal of Clinical Densitomitry.