On the surface, it appears as if today’s nutrition technology is quite advanced. After all, we have at our disposal more nutrition information than ever before. More money is being spent on nutrition research now than any time in history. Every day, impressive strides are being made in this field. Dozens of nutrition experts are rising to prominence; yet simultaneously we’re witnessing a steady increase in the rate of obesity, nutrition-related illness and mortality (Diabetes, CVD, and Syndrome X). Part of the problem is simply nutrition information overload. Part of the problem is that even with right and truthful information, people struggle with the ability to apply it.

Anyone would agree that knowledge and application, are two completely different things. We may begin with some basic and often sound knowledge of nutrition. However, when we reach obstacles in applying that information, we tend “shoot the messenger.” We decide that we have the wrong information instead of addressing the real problem: the obstacles we face when we attempt to apply that knowledge. Many people try to solve the application problem by seeking out more information. Each time we seek out new information, we learn more. When information conflicts we get caught in a vicious cycle of confusion, misinformation, and blame. It is true that the right information is necessary to achieve your performance goals; however, a lack of nutrition information isn’t what prevents us from reaching our goals. Sometimes the real problem isn’t too little information but too much.

The fundamental principles needed to achieve good health and optimal body-composition, are out there already, and have been for years. Unfortunately, with 500 experts for every fundamental principle, and very little money to be made from repeating other people’s ideas, experts must continually focus on and emphasize the small differences that make their diet solutions stand out from all the others. In the world of advertising and marketing, this is called "differentiation." By highlighting the small distinctions and dimming out the large similarities between their program and all the others, they’re selling you hope. Every time we seek out a new diet solution, our hope increases. With every diet solution that fails, our belief that a solution exists decreases. The more these solutions fail, the more desperate we become. And when failure happens again and again, more often than not, we begin blame ourselves. Once we start blaming ourselves, we loose our hope, and stop trying.

Many of the mainstream programs out there will, in fact, work. To what extent and for how long may vary. As long as a program is internally consistent, follows a few basic nutritional tenets, and as long as you adhere to it consistently, without hesitation, and without mixing principles haphazardly taken from other programs, you’ll likely get some results. Part of the danger with this lies in the consequences of addressing only one component of a total nutrition plan, and ignoring the rest. For example, one of the reasons the Atkins program works that it cuts out virtually all carbohydrates in the first phase of the diet. When carbohydrates are not ingested, the body will tap into its stored carbohydrate, glycogen. Because the body stores three units of water with every unit of glycogen, a large amount body weight, in the form of water, is lost in the initial phase of the Atkins program. Although the number on the scale may be motivating, true fat lost has not been achieved. In fact, this is just one concern with the Atkins program. There is also a serious potential for loss of lean muscle tissue, as well as long-term increases for cardiovascular risk factors. Below are just a few more examples of these mainstream programs and the drawbacks escorted by them:

• Eat Right 4 Your Type
  The premise behind this diet is that you use your blood type to determine which foods you should consume. The author claims when you eat foods appropriate for your blood type, you reduce the risk of infections, cancer, heart disease, diabetes and liver failure. Criticisms of this diet include little or no scientific literature or reliable research to validate this theory. The plan does not offer a variety of foods.
• The Cabbage Soup Diet
  On this diet you may have all the cabbage soup you want for one week. The diet promises that you will not feel hungry and you will lose up to 10 pounds in seven days. Cabbage soup has shown to have no miracle benefit. A cabbage diet is unbalanced and lacks adequate protein. You may experience flatulence if you are not used to consuming high quantities of cabbage.
• Sugar Busters
  This diet claims that the cause of extra weight is sugar not fat. Foods to avoid are classified according to their glycemic index, a measure of how fast they appear as glucose in the blood. High fiber carbohydrates do not promote an insulin surge and therefore may be eaten. Many people who eat too much sugar and refined grains do not consume enough high-fiber foods. Using sugars sparingly and increasing fiber to 20 - 35 grams of fiber per day may promote weight loss. Sugar Busters is basically sound. However, by focusing on the “demon” sugar, it conveniently fails to address other aspects of proper nutrition.
• The Zone
  The author claims that when people eat carbohydrate foods, their bodies produce too much insulin, which causes too many calories to be stored as fat, and therefore carbohydrates should be kept low. The diet claims every meal and snack must be a balance of 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat. Criticisms of this plan are two fold. Since the plan stresses low carbohydrate consumption it is easy to accidentally over consume protein and fat. High fat consumption increases the risk of cancer and heart disease. Long-term excessive protein intake may place increase stress on the kidneys.

Yet the question remains: How can these dramatically different diet plans, all claim impressive improvements in health and body composition? Well, either each program somehow magically draws the specific clients most in need of their plan (doubtful) or each system possesses some basic fundamental principles that are indisputably vital to proper nutrition. It’s that simple, and that hard. If you’re like most people, you’ll first survey all the most often discussed programs before deciding which to follow. In this appraisal, you’ll get confused, lost, and then do the inevitable…give up, blame yourself, and eventually do it all over again.

Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results.
                                                                                   --Anonymous

You can get off the diet rollercoaster of disappointment and blame right now. Right now! Just begin by incorporating the following basic principles into your daily life. These aren’t the newest techniques from the latest cutting-edge plan. Rather, they are simple, time-tested, no- nonsense principles of good nutrition and a healthy eating program.

The 7 Principles of Nutrition Truth

1. Eat breakfast.

2. Eat approximately every 3 hours. (If you are eating only during waking hours, this amounts to about 5-6 feedings per day.)

3. Eat only until you are satisfied. (Remember there is plenty of food in the world, and you will be eating again in 3 hours.)

4. Eat a meal with visually equal volumes of lean protein (e.g. egg whites, chicken breast, fish filet), starch (e.g. brown rice, potato, corn), and fiber (e.g. green vegetables or fresh fruit).

5. Eat protein/energy bars and drinks as an alternative to Principle #4, when necessary.

6. Use oils and dressings sparingly, and avoid additional salt.

7. Drink water often. Use sugar-free or diet drinks as an alternative to soda, juice, and other sugary drinks.

So, what about calories, macronutrient ratios, or any number of other things? The short answer is that if you begin incorporating the above-mentioned principles into your eating habits, you will find that these details are not as vital as they might have originally seemed.

Begin today, at your very next meal. If at any time you slip in applying one of the above principles, take a moment to look for the reason why. Is the reason real, or is it just an excuse? If it is real, permit yourself to be human. If it is an excuse, own it, develop a strategy to address it, and then move on. There are no failures, only set-backs. Do this and you are on the way to putting the next piece of the fitness puzzle into place: application. Start slowly and give yourself a chance. It takes 21 days to develop one habit, so maybe it takes 21 weeks to develop a lifestyle.

For more information on developing a lifestyle based on fitness and nutrition truth, see my pamphlet Truth About Fitness & Behavior Change and contact me.

Amanda Sheldon, BS, DTR, ACSM H/FI
(305) 403-7325
Amanda@LifewayFitness.com
www.LifewayFitness.com

“This pamphlet is right on point and I know that from recent experience. In February 2005 I weighed 243 pounds and was in search of a diet. Having been on Atkins previously and some other makeshift diets I started investigating alternative diets. Like the pamphlet states, “Sometimes the real problem isn’t too little information, but too much.” I reviewed various diets and read many books and sought out the commonalities. The seven steps outlined are consistent with the way I have been eating over the past seven months. Combining these new eating habits with exercise (at Thump Boxing Gym of course) I have lost 50 pounds. Note that I did not say I am on a diet, as I am on a lifestyle change. This is not a diet; this is now the way I eat. Further, since I am eating mostly fruits and vegetables, I eat as much as I want. No need to seek out more information, no need to spend countless hours researching the internet, just follow the seven steps to better health and weight loss.”
Lee H. Waronker
Thump Member since February 14th, 2005

back to top