In this weeks column, Im chatting with registered dietitian Daniela Morgado to get her opinion on a variety of issues regarding food, nutrition, fad diets, weight loss and long term nutritional sustainability. At this time when so many of us are trying to shed our unwanted pandemic weight gain and are overwhelmed with the number of options available to us in regards to nutrition and fitness programming, I hope that her input provides you with some clarity on how to best move forward.
Q: It seems like there are new dietary fads popping up every other day. Many of them are not following basic, evidence-based, nutritional science yet are gaining popularity due to celebrity endorsements and social media publicity. How do you counter the misinformation when you see clients/ patients?
A: Fad diets are appealing for many people as they promote an easy quick fix for what many are looking for: weight loss. The diet industry is a multibillion-dollar business, that doesnt promote health and focuses on inches and pounds, dictating how people should look like, not respecting the diversity of body shapes and sizes.
In the initial phase of a restrictive diet, people usually lose weight, but in the long term, 95 per cent of people regain the weight that they lost, entering a cycle of gaining, losing, and regaining weight. And this happens not because people fail diets. In fact, what happens is that diets fail people. It is now known that the body has protective mechanisms to prevent starvation which include slowing down the metabolism and increasing the secretion of certain hormones that cause increased appetite and cravings.
When I see clients/patients, I encourage them to shift the focus from weight loss to health and well-being. Healthy eating is important to promote health and prevent chronic diseases regardless of body shape and size. Choosing an eating pattern that is sustainable for the long term is the key to successful behaviour change.
Q: If someone comes to you and would like to go on an extreme diet (regardless of which diet it is), what would you tell them?
A: Often people reach for extreme diets for weight loss without knowing the potential risks of these restrictive eating behaviours. It is my role as a health professional to explain the risks and harms that fad diets cause to the body which include eating disorders and disordered eating, nutritional deficiencies, stress, anxiety, loss of muscular strength and endurance, thinning hair, slowed heart rate, electrolytes imbalances, and low basal metabolic rates.
Q: In my practice, I am hearing from more people than ever who want to quickly lose the weight that theyve gained during the pandemic. What message do you have for these people?
A: I encourage them to choose a program that is safe and sustainable for the long term. Some of the important things to consider are:
1. Inclusion of all food groups: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein including plant-based proteins.
2. Flexibility: we eat not only to nourish our bodies. We also eat to socialize with family and friends, to connect with our cultures, and to have the pleasure to eat something that comforts our souls. Balance and moderation are important aspects of healthy eating.
3. Avoid programs that promise quick weight loss and do not fit into your current lifestyle.
Q: If someone comes to you with a clear weight loss goal for health reasons or to change their body for personal reasons, does your approach change?
A: There is a misconception in society around ideal body weight and how much a person should weigh. Telling someone that they need to lose more than five to 10 per cent of their actual body weight with lifestyle changes such as eating less, and moving more is not realistic and can cause more harm than good to ones physical and mental health. The truth is that we dont have control over our weight because our bodies have strong physiologic mechanisms that control weight homeostasis.
There are studies showing that a weight loss of five to 10 per cent can improve blood glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure, and mobility. When talking about weight with patients, I discuss the idea of Best Weight, a concept developed by Dr. Yoni Freedhoff and Dr. Arya Sharma who dedicate their careers to improve the care for patients living with obesity in Canada.
According to them, a patients best weight is the weight they can achieve while living the best lifestyle that they can enjoy. What does it mean? It means that when a person is following a sustainable lifestyle eating a balanced diet in a way that is not over-restrictive, moving the body in enjoyable ways, managing stress, and having good sleep hygiene, the weight will naturally navigate to where it should be, even if it means staying at the same weight.
Go here to read the rest:
Advice | For too many, it's the diet that fails people - TheSpec.com
