Diet Resolve Fading? Science Supports Making Small Changes
Published: Jan. 29, 2008
URBANA - Making small, healthy changes in your diet based on research-based recommendations is the best way to sustain weight loss, said Karen Chapman-Novakofski, a University of Illinois professor of nutrition and the new editor-in-chief of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB).
"If you cut back by even 250 calories daily, which can be as easy as not putting cream cheese on your bagel and switching to a nonfat latté instead of a regular, you'll start losing about 1/2 pound a week. And, because you won't feel ravenous, you'll be more likely to stick to your plan and not regain the weight you lose. Little changes add up," she said.
Chapman-Novakofski knows that most dieters want to lose fast and they want to lose big, but she believes they're setting themselves up for failure. And, unless they're morbidly obese and need to lose weight very quickly for health reasons, she believes small changes in food choices and activity level are the way to go.
Besides, it's hard to get all the nutrients you need in a 1,500-calorie diet, the scientist said. She recommends going to www.mypyramid.gov, where you can enter your gender, age, height, weight, and activity level and learn what a healthy diet would look like for you.
"People say, oh, the food pyramid, it's been around forever--but scientists have revised it regularly to reflect the findings of new scientific studies, so it incorporates the best research currently known to nutritionists. It's not a fad diet or something you'll quickly tire of. It really is your best guide to eating healthy because it comes from an unbiased research base," she said.
And now, for the first time, the current issue of JNEB is making the science behind the development of the food pyramid available to the public. Chapman-Novakofski encourages nutrition professionals and interested persons to read about why the pyramid makes its recommendations at www.jneb.org . Readers can also find tools developed based on the system at http://www.sne.org/mypyramid/.
Taking a look at the scientific basis for the pyramid may convince some skeptics that a diet based on its guidelines is the most likely to succeed in the long run, she said.
"Probably the recommendation that gives people the most trouble is five servings of fruits and vegetables daily--and, no, lettuce on your hamburger doesn't count as a vegetable serving," said Chapman-Novakofski.
"To get those vegetables in, you almost have to have a vegetable for lunch and two for dinner. But, when you do this, there's less room on your plate for the higher-calorie food groups you may have already eaten that day anyway," she said.
Although it's a good idea to get all your nutrients from food, if that's not possible, a vitamin supplement is a good idea, she said. Make sure, though, that the supplement you're taking has a little USP or UL somewhere on the label.
"Supplements aren't regulated, but at least two corporations, U.S. Pharmacopia (USP) and Underwriters Laboratories (UL), certify their ingredients, make sure they're useable, and ensure that they don't contain dangerous contaminants," she said.
So, if your New Year's diet resolve is waning, don't give up completely. "You may just be trying to do too much too quickly," Chapman-Novakofski said.
"I encourage you to start making small changes you can live with and watch the weight begin to come off slowly. It's the safest way to go, and you're more likely to succeed."
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