So how do you get started on this journey? You try to eat healthy and get in exercise when you can, but the weight still doesn't come off. Well the next step is to get some help.
Turn on the TV, look through a magazine or go surfing on the web, and there are thousands of people telling you they have the "secret" to losing weight. They are also very willing to have you pay for their "secret". Before spending your hard-earned money on the latest diet trend, you need to do the research. I will share with you what I recommend to my patients so that you can choose the right weight loss program for you.
Diet Plans
Every few weeks, it seems that a new "miracle" diet is being promoted. A search on Amazon yielded nearly 15,000 books related to diet and weight loss. So how do you choose? A recent article in US News and World Report did the hard work for you. An expert panel of nutrition specialists reviewed the 25 most popular diets and selected the most effective and safest options. The winner of this "battle of the diets": The DASH diet.
For years I have been recommending this diet to my patients to help them lower their blood pressure and lose weight. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stopping Hypertension) initially was promoted to help lower blood pressure, but extensive research also shows it is the most effective and safest diets for long term weight loss.
The DASH diet wasn't the only diet that got the nod from the experts. The TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) diet ranked #2 in overall best diets. This diet was developed by the National Institutes of Health to lower cholesterol and reduce fat intake, especially saturated fats. The diet itself is flexible, and can lower your "lousey" cholesterol (LDL) by 10% in 6 weeks.
The criteria that the experts used to evaluate these diets are based on sound medical evidence and safety. No fad diets or short term diets made the top rankings.
Of the commercial diets, Weight Watchers was the winner. This diet assigns points to various foods, instead of counting calories. They claim that you can lose 2 pounds each week and eat whatever you like as long as you stay within the daily points target.
The take home message from this report is that there is no fast or easy way to lose weight. Fad diets are just that; they may work for the moment, but don't lead to any prolonged weight loss. Changing behaviors with sensible, balanced eating is still the key to success.
In my next blog, I will review some of the more common weight loss supplements. From my experience and research, I will debunk the myths of which "miracle" products truly work.
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