The Stop Dieting Diet: Forget Everything You’ve Read

“You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.” -
Margaret Thatcher “One swallow does not a summer make.” -
Aristotle

“Fed Up!” read the cover of Newsweek, which went on to ask, “Is
there anything left we can eat?” No area of health has been more
confusing and misunderstood than diet and nutrition, especially
as related to cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease.
The message is everywhere. Good Morning America is featuring
weight-loss tips every day this month. AOL tells its subscribers
via e-mail that it’s “Time to lose your spare tire.” Magazines
lining grocery aisles exhort you to “Lose 10 pounds this month!”

According to US News, Americans spend more than $33 million a
year on diet books, foods, programs, gadgets and DVDs in the
hopes of losing weight. Yet, about two thirds of the American
population remains overweight. Some 30 percent are obese and
half of them are dieting. So, it’s become crystal clear that
dieting does not work! The solution is simple: stop obsessing
about every morsel you put in your mouth.

Most people think that eating properly means cutting out
everything they love, and thus feeling deprived and
dissatisfied. But the facts are that eating healthily and
reducing weight does not have to involve pain and sacrifice. In
all likelihood, many of your favorite foods are healthy, and
many of your favorite recipes can be modified easily to become
healthy. Proper eating requires only a few simple adjustments.

You need follow only one rule and keep one commitment. The rule:
cut down the fat by making simple substitutions. This decreases
not only cholesterol levels but also the number of calories. The
commitment: Set aside your preconceived notions about food and
become a thoughtful eater. Being a thoughtful eater mans
thinking clearly and objectively about the food you eat; making
adjustments and substitutions more knowledgeably and
comfortably; experimenting and learning what works best for you;
introducing changes over time rather than abruptly; AND,
allowing for slips. Being a thoughtful eater also means becoming
interested in learning relevant information about food and
health.

Below are some suggestions for dietary changes. These are meant
as general guidelines. You may want to adjust some or make other
changes in your own eating plan.

Seven Substitutions: l. Use skim or low-fat milk and cheese and
nonfat yogurt in place of whole mile and regular cheese, butter
of ice cream. 2. Eat more fish and chicken (with the skin
removed) and complex carbohydrates such as pasta, brown rice and
whole-grain bread. Eat lean cuts of mean with the fat trimmed,
and in smaller (e.g. 4-ounce) portions. 3. Use egg whites and/or
egg substitutes instead of egg yolks. 4. Avoid high-cholesterol
foods such as liver, kidney, brain and sweetbreads. 5. Cut back
on processed meats such as sausage, bologna, corned beef,
pastrami, salami and hot dogs. Try chicken or turkey breasts
with mustard instead of butter and mayo. 6. Adopt healthier
methods of cooking: boil, stream, broil, roast or bake instead
of frying. 7. Choose salad dressings and sauces made with olive
oil and soy and avoid saturated oils. Flavor your meals with
herbs and seasonings instead of butter and fatty sauces. Lastly,
by making food label evaluations a routine part of your
shopping, you will become more knowledgeable and conscious about
food and naturally more aware of the amount of fat you eat.
Remember: compulsive eating leads to guilt, more compulsive
eating and ultimately to defeat and resignation. Stay aware,
make conscious choices, learn form your experiences, and stay
with your plan. As Gandhi once said, “We cannot in a moment get
rid of the habits of a lifetime.”

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