While we welcome 2009 and perhaps a resolution or two to eat healthier and lose weight, marketing professionals have descended upon us with a plethora of commercials touting the amazing effects of everything from weight loss supplements to free gym memberships.
My interest in nutrition back in high school naturally led me to a career as a registered dietitian. It also led me from reading unaccredited magazine articles and listening to poor media messages to learning far more about clinical practice, food service management and health promotion for a wide range of diseased patients, age ranges and cultural preferences than I would ever have guessed.
All I knew in my high school days was that a registered dietitian could help me gain a competitive edge in gymnastics or at the least, look slammin’ in a two piece at Centennial Beach. As I engaged in the latest diet news from my “credible” tabloid of choice most likely with one hand on a mocha whole milk double whip frappuccino, hold the whipped cream though, I found a diet that struck my fancy. It was The Only Eat Eight Items a Day of Any Kind of Food Diet.
Bingo. If I limited myself to just eight foods, how couldn’t I look lean and lovely by the time spring break arrived? Not that my March high school trip to Paris had me baring my midriff…so I decided to give it a go just to see the outcome. Needless to say the results weren’t impressive.
There are so many things wrong with this diet but of that long list that now runs through my dietetic intern head, I came upon four main problems. First, what are the portion sizes of these so-called eight foods? Secondly, how is one satisfied with only eight foods? Thirdly, how is health improved when you opt out of several varieties of fruits, vegetables and whole grains?
And fourthly, does the diet account for calorie dense versus nutrient rich foods? In other words, say you need 1,800 calories a day to support a lean weight. To keep your calories around this figure, you can either eat a little amount of high calorie foods or a large amount of low calorie foods that are high in nutrients. Examples of nutrient rich food include fruits, vegetables, whole grain which help you maintain a high metabolism speed when you start with breakfast and munch on them throughout the day.
By switching out some of the ingredients in your high calorie foods for low calorie options you can have your cake and eat it too! Consider making cookies, quick breads, or box cakes by replacing oil, butter, and eggs with applesauce, diet club soda, or low fat yogurt. You can make your favorites with healthier ingredients to give your foods more variety and you’ll be able to enjoy larger portions since the calories per portion will be in your favor. If you’re not ready for big changes just remember there’s no law that says you can’t use half 2% milk and half skim milk in your cereal or half white noodles and half whole grain noodles in your spaghetti.
So fast forward about six and a half years and compare my old New Year’s resolution to abide by a strict eight-foods-a-day-diet to my ’09 resolution which is to incorporate one or more new foods a week, which will have me reaping more health benefits, taste bud experiences, and knowledge to offer patients.
It is my personal, and now professional, opinion that people should seek to enrich their lives rather than limit themselves. Now if you’re reading this and saying, “ok, more ice cream it is!” I strongly suggest you explore alternatives to desserts high in saturated fat. Two, not-sinfully good, reduced fat dessert products you could try are No Pudge! Fudge Brownie Mixes or low fat yogurts topped with a bit of sweetness.
Unless allergies or other medical advice prohibits you from doing so, I would highly recommend lingering a little longer in the produce section, incorporating one new exercise/machine into your work out, taking the time to reevaluate your staple foods’ fact labels, or checking out the nutrition facts of your favorite restaurant entrees online.
A great and, not to mention, credible book that encourages the idea of including food into a diet rather than limiting food is "101 Foods That Could Save Your Life" by David Grotto, a registered dietitian. The book’s introduction will have you evaluating your lifestyle eating habits in a whole new way while staying true to balance, moderation and, most importantly, variety.
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