MCRD PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- Post-holiday flab usually sends people scrambling for fad diets formulated to waste away their waistlines, but the one surefire fuel to any form of fitness comes in the simple formula of the five food groups.
Weight loss promises come in more flavors than soft drinks and Metabo- or Thermo- is sure to be attached to a few, with Jenny Craig and Dr. Atkins insuring everyone that they have the next best thing to Weight Watchers. There is one simple solution to determine whose telling the right story. They must include a balanced diet.
A balanced daily intake of all five major food groups, including grains, fruits and vegetables, meat, dairy and fats, must be consumed to properly fuel the body, maximize longevity and maintain a healthy weight. A Federal Trade Commission report recently advised consumers to beware of advertising practices of weight loss dietary supplements and "weight loss results beyond what is possible." These magic bullets are no solution to healthy and safe weight management.
"If you're looking for a general formula for nutrition, following the food pyramid sounds elementary, but in fact it offers specific ideas about service size and food groups," says Samantha Heller, a senior clinical nutritionist and advisor for the American Dietetic Association, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
A major misconception is weight loss can only be achieved by reducing calories, eliminating fats from the diet or taking a dietary supplement. Many fad diets reduce the types of food, or greatly limit daily caloric intakes, which can be detrimental to health and actually increase body fat levels, according to Heller.
"Americans spend more than $30 billion annually on weight-loss products and programs. Some are based on solid nutrition science, while others are gimmicks with little or no research to show they are effective or safe, especially in the long term," says registered dietitian and ADA President Julie O'Sullivan Maillet.
"Weight management is a lifelong process. It means adopting a lifestyle that includes a healthful eating plan, coupled with regular physical activity," she says.
"We [ADA] believe that a diet that requires supplements is by definition unbalanced, and that most healthy people can and should obtain the nutrients they need from food," says Maillet. "With the exception of such prescribed supplements as prenatal vitamins, most healthy adults who follow a varied, balanced and moderate eating plan - such as one based on the Food Guide Pyramid - do not need vitamin or mineral supplements."
The ADA is also wary of herbal weight loss supplements because of the lack of standardization. Ephedrine plus caffeine has been tested for weight loss but not approved, and over-the-counter and herbal preparations are currently not recommended.
If a New Year's resolution has put a drop-dead date on losing those holiday pounds, visit an ADA registered dietitian to decide on a correct formula to your weight loss or visit the ADA's Web site at www.eatright.org.