CHOOSING A SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM

Almost any of the commercial weight-loss programs can work, but only if they motivate you sufficiently to decrease the amount of calories you eat or increase the amount of calories you burn each day (or both). What elements of a weight-loss program should an intelligent consumer look for in judging its potential for safe and …continued

Choose a diet moderate in salt and sodium

In the body, sodium plays an essential role in regulation of fluids and blood pressure. Many studies in diverse populations have shown that a high sodium intake is associated with higher blood pressure. Most evidence suggests that many people at risk for high blood pressure reduce their chances of developing this condition by consuming less salt or sodium. Some questions remain, partly because other factors may interact with sodium to affect blood pressure.

Sodium has an important role in the body. However, most Americans consume more sodium than is needed. The Nutrition Facts Label lists a Daily Value of 2,400 mg per day for sodium [2,400 mg sodium per day is contained in 6 grams of sodium chloride (salt)]. In household measures, one level teaspoon of salt provides about 2,300 milligrams of sodium. Most people consume more than this amount.

Keep your balance.

For dieters that's excellent advice.

It means that if you're cutting down on calories, don't cut out needed nutrients. A well-balanced menu is essential to good health. …continue

For the public, ASBP offers information on the growing problem of obesity in the U.S., ways to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight and a way to reach our member physicians for professional consultation in dealing with weight loss problems.

Note: Material appearing on this web site is meant to be informational only and should not be construed as medical advice. To obtain medical advice concerning obesity and safe ways to lose weight, or other medical matters, seek the counsel of a knowledgeable and competent bariatric physician.

Who Drinks Them?

Most liquid meals are produced to meet specific needs:

• Weight loss (or gain) - Calorie controlled, nutritionally fortified meal replacement for weight loss or a supplement to meals when weight gain or extra fortification of the diet is desirable.
• Convenience - Nutritious, "instant" nutrition to replace a meal or snack. …continue
• Diet fortifier - Medically formulated and nutritionally fortified meal replacement for health and disease prevention. Nutritionists often prescribe this type of product for high risk groups, such as the elderly or people needing a concentrated source of nutrients that's easy to swallow and digest.

Products promoted as liquid meals are surprisingly similar, but depending on the intended use, the calorie count and nutrient content will vary somewhat. Calorie and fat content are modified by using different sources of protein, carbohydrate and fat. Thirty years ago, when these products were first introduced, there was less emphasis on fat and cholesterol and most products were formulated using whole milk and milk protein. Today, whole milk has been replaced by nonfat milk and soy protein isolates and the fat source is usually from corn and/or soybean oils.

Nutrition-Smart Evaluation

In evaluating these products, Nourish staff compared the following: 1) taste; 2) price (cost/serving); and 3) nutritional content. Nutritional content can best be evaluated by looking at the amount of nutrients such as protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber per calorie. We also checked out the fat, cholesterol, sugar and sodium content, which are best kept at lower levels in the diet.

In com-paring both the liquid and powdered meal replacement products in our chart, we found the nutrition profile averages 12-14 grams of protein, 1- 3 grams of fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, and 34 grams carbohydrate in 200-260 calories. The content of the powdered mixes was calculated using nonfat milk for reasons of comparison. However, we've included in our chart an analysis of our smoothie recipe with a comparison between cow's milk and soy milk as the liquid source. The rationale: to demonstrate how the nutritional composition changes depending on the type of milk or liquid used…continue

Nourish's taste panel compared five liquid meals and five powder based meals. We included nonfat milk as a liquid source for purposes of comparison except for "Slim & Trim," which recommended mixing with water. We also evaluated our homemade smoothie made with soy milk versus nonfat milk.

The sensory evaluation was based on taste, texture and appearance. We used a 5-point scale: 0 = dislike; 1(*) = neither like or dislike; 2(**) = like moderately; 3(***) = like very much; and 4(****) = like extremely. In general tasters agreed they would not purchase the majority of these products based on taste alone. Only Nourish's homemade smoothie received a four-star rating for taste. The second highest rating for taste was 2 1/2 stars given to Carnation Instant Breakfast (made from the powdered mix). Ultra Slim Fast placed a close second with two stars.

As can be seen from the chart, prices range from $.61/serving (including added milk) or $.07/ounce (store-brand instant powder), to a high of $1.67/serving or .21/ounce (Ensure With Fiber liquid meal).

Our Recommendations …continue

1. Replace butter with lower-fat margarine.
2. Use butter-flavored powders in cooking (not baking).
3. Replace whole milk with skim, 1% or 2% milk.
4. Replace one whole egg with 2 egg whites in cooking and cook egg dishes with half the yolks and twice the whites.
5. Experiment with low-sodium seasonings and spices to replace added salt and fat.
6. Replace sour cream or cream cheese with buttermilk, low fat creamed cottage cheese, or yogurt cheese (strain plain non-fat yogurt 6 hours through a coffee filter, use portion in filter).
7. Choose light meat poultry. Remove skin from poultry before cooking, if possible; definitely remove skin before eating.
8. Chill broth and skim off fat from top before using.
9. Cook meals over dry heat.
10. Choose lean cuts of beef and pork; trim all visible fat; limit meat consumption.
11. Instead of butter, margarine, or cream cheese, use jelly or jam on breads. They still have calories, but not as much fat.
12. Eat occasional meatless meals.
13. Eat more fish.
14. Eat more complex carbohydrates (whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables).
15. Eat more whole grains.
16. Reduce size of meat, poultry, and fish portions to 3-4 oz. per meal (about the size of the palm of your hand).
17. Replace sugared sweets with natural sweets like fruit.
18. Drink more water.
19. If you drink alcohol, limit consumption to no more than 2 drinks per day.
20. Use wine to sauté instead of butter.

The number of calories you need to eat each day is determined by how much energy you need to maintain your lean mass and the internal functions of your body's processes (heart beating, lungs inhaling and exhaling, cell metabolism, any life-supporting function).

A) Divide your weight by 2.2 ( = your weight in kilograms)
Multiply that number by the BMR factor (1 for a man, .9 for a woman)
Multiply that number by 24 (for hours in a day)
This is your BMR.

B) Add that number to your activity level, which is:
Sedentary = 40-50% of your BMR
Light activity = 55-65% of your BMR
Moderate activity = 65-75% of your BMR
Heavy activity = 75-100% of your BMR
This is your activity level energy requirements.

C) Add the numbers from A and B together.
This is your daily calorie requirement.
You need to eat at least this much to maintain your current body weight.
To lose weight, cut about 500 calories per day (for a 2,000 calorie-per-day diet).

Jack weighs 190 pounds and has a moderate activity level:
Jack's BMR = (190/2.2)*1*24 = 2,072 calories
Jack's Activity level lower limit = 2,072*.65 = 1,347 calories
Jack's Activity level upper limit = 2,072*.75 = 1,554 calories
Jack's Calories per day = 3,419-to-3,626 calories

Jill weighs 120 pounds and has a heavy activity level:
Jill's BMR = (120/2.2)*.9*24 =1,178 calories
Jill's Activity level lower limit = 1,178*.75 = 884 calories
Jill's Activity level upper limit = 1,178*1 = 1,178 calories
Jill's Calories per day = 2,062-to-2,356 calories

BMR calculations are average estimations. Your actual BMR fluctuates, depending on these factors:

Age - younger people have a higher BMR. Older people have less lean mass.
Height - tall, thin people have a higher BMR.
Growth - children and pregnant women have a higher BMR.
Body Composition - people with more lean tissue have a higher BMR.
Fever - fever increases your BMR.
Stress - stress increases your BMR.
Inside/Outside Temperature - heat and cold both raise your BMR.
Fasting - lowers your BMR.

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