Simple Changes for Lasting Weight Loss

Aparna Surendran

Posted January 7, 2002

Most people gain only about one to three pounds during the holidays, but they don't lose the pounds they gain. And though a few pounds might not seem like much, over the years they add up.

To shed the pounds and stick to a diet, be reasonable about how much weight will be lost, says Althea Zanecosky, who is an associate professor of sports nutrition at Drexel University as well as a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

"Most of the weight-loss programs say you will lose one to two pounds a week," she said. "That is healthy and won't have extreme side-effects."

The body has difficulty getting all the nutrition it needs if weight drops more than two pounds in a week, she said.

To lose one to two pounds a week, the dieter should cut out 500 to a 1,000 calories a day, said Thomas Wadden, director of the Weight and Eating Disorders Program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He said that women who are of a healthy weight need, on average, about 1,700 calories a day, while men need about 2,500. But most people consume far more than that.

"The most useful approach is to consume a diet of foods that you like, but to reduce the portion sizes," Wadden said.

In addition, cut down on foods high in fat or carbohydrates, he advises. For example, have a hamburger and glass of water instead of a cheeseburger and a milkshake for lunch. The difference between the two is 500 calories.

To stay full but not take in too many calories, eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, Zanecosky said.

"Instead of taking food away from you, eat more fruits and vegetables," Wadden said.

Also, develop a structured meal plan and know what to eat at every meal. A fixed meal plan reduces the need to rummage for food, he said.

"Ultimately, people should eat a diet they like," he said. "You don't want to create a diet you don't want to go on. You won't last long."

Many people have gone on the Atkins Diet, a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. Part of the Atkins appeal is that consuming protein products such as meat, eggs and cheese leaves a person feeling full, while still allowing for weight loss.

Eating foods rich in protein causes the body to excrete large amounts of water, so some of the weight loss is actually a water loss, Zanecosky said.

A high-protein diet also mostly excludes carbohydrates, which are needed for a balanced diet, said the experts.

"Metabolically speaking, you need about 400 calories a day of carbohydrates to convert into glucose to keep the brain functioning," Zanecosky said.

The Atkins Diet tells the dieter not to consume more than 20 grams of carbohydrates, or about 80 calories, a day, said Wadden. That's one apple.

High-protein diets such as the Atkins Diet, the Zone, and Sugar Busters may also increase the level of LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, in the blood, said Wadden. High-protein animal foods are often high in saturated fat, which can raise blood cholesterol.

There is much debate in the weight-loss field over the merits of a high-protein diet versus a diet that focuses on cutting out fats. In one small study published in November, Duke University researchers looked at 120 overweight people on two types of diets: the high-protein Atkins diet and an American Heart Association low-fat diet. The study found that people on the Atkins diet lost on average 31 pounds over six months, compared with a 20-pound loss by those on the low-fat diet. There was an 11 percent increase in HDL, or "good" cholesterol, in the Atkins group, while HDL levels in the low-fat group were unchanged. LDL levels did not change much in either diet.

Though a high-protein diet may cause quick weight loss, as with any other diet, people are apt to regain the weight later, Wadden said.

That is where exercise comes in. Weight comes off quickest by dieting, but exercise will keep it off, he said.

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Date: January 6, 2002

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