After being fed a steady diet of faddish and rigid weight-loss plans, Americans
may now have a recipe for permanent success, courtesy of the American Heart
Association.
“No-Fad Diet: A Personal Plan for Healthy Weight Loss” is the association’s
first diet book, offering up old-fashioned common sense that is described in the
book as “think smart, eat well and move more.”
The book recommends a three-pronged approach to lasting weight loss:
- Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein and
moderate in healthy fats;
- Become more physically active;
- Minimize temptations.
The book’s release this month comes as the obesity epidemic threatens the
health of a growing number of Americans. Nearly two-thirds of adults are
overweight or obese, putting them at risk for a variety of ills, including
diabetes, certain cancers, and, of course, heart disease, according to the
federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The pendulum is swinging back toward a more reasonable approach to weight
reduction,” said Dr. Robert Eckel, president-elect of the American Heart
Association and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Colorado
School of Medicine. “There is nothing fancy here [in the book]. It’s good, sound
science applied to an everyday approach.”
The book is based on medical research into diet, exercise and behavior with
the common denominator being that no single weight-loss plan works for everyone.
Indeed, there is a menu of three options for cutting back on calories and three
for increasing physical activity.
For example, the “switch and swap approach” recommends making lower-calorie
substitutions. If you usually start your day with a cinnamon roll, try a
cinnamon-raisin English muffin with 2 teaspoons of light tub margarine instead.
For those whose dietary downfall is the quantity of food they consume, the
book outlines “the 75% solution,” in which people eat only three-quarters of the
amount they normally eat. Leaving 25 percent on the plate will help dieters trim
calories from their daily food intake.
And for those who are most comfortable following meal plans, the book has
nearly 200 recipes to try with 1,200-, 1,600- and 2,000-calorie heart-healthy
menus.
There are also different suggestions for fitting more physical activity into
the day. Are you someone who spends the majority of the day at a desk? Opt for
the stairs over the elevator and park your car as far as possible from your
office. Or are you energized when you work out with other people? Then,
scheduling exercise classes or team sports may be best for you.
The book also has quizzes to help dieters decide which weight-loss and
activity approach is best for them, and sample forms and questionnaires to help
them gauge their commitment to weight loss, set realistic goals and monitor what
they eat.
Heart Association Diet Book Offers Recipe for Success was originally published on blackdoctor.org
