A student dietitian at your service!

[Margaret]

Hey guys!

I'm in my 3rd year of Nutrition & Dietetics, and I have been through an eating disorder, but now I'm fit & healthy!

If anyone needs advice on nutrition, you can ask me! At least I've got my eating under control, it's worse with this awful skin picking..but that's the next thing I'm getting rid of!


See you!

[anonymousartist]

Rad!

I'm taking a nutrition telecourse right now (actually, I flaked out on doing a paper that was due tonight, but oh well it wasn't worth that much). I feel like I've learned a ton just by reading the first few chapters of the book.

I was so glad to learn why low carb diets really do suck ('cause low carb dieters annoy me!)

(Oh, I forgot to mention that I am trying to lose some weight, but in a healthy way. So this is kind of a topic I'm really into right now).

[Me2]

Hey you 2,
Why do low carb diets suck? Is it the fat and cholesterol? What about low carb vegetarian diets? How low is low? I'm a curious veggie looking to drop 10 pounds...
Thanks,
Fay

[anonymousartist]

Apologies in advance for my long-windedness.

From the Nutrition book my class is using: (a lil plaigerism here) Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies, 9th Edition by Sizer and Whitney, 2003

Although glucose [the sugar from carbohydrates that your body uses for energy] can be converted into body fat, body fat can never be converted into glucose to feed the brain adequately. This is one reason why fasting and low-carbohydrate diets are dangerous. When the body faces a severe carbohydrate deficit, it has two problems. Having no glucose, it must turn to protein to make some (the body has this ability), diverting protein from critical functions of its own such as mainaining the body's immune defenses. Protein functions in the body are so indispensable that the carbohydrate should be kept available precisely to prevent the use of protein for energy. This is called the protein-sparing action of carbohydrate.

Fat fragments have to combine with carbohydrate before they can be used for energy. Using fat without the help of carbohydrate causes the body to go into ketosis, a condition in which unusual products of fat breakdown (ketone bodies) accumulate in the blood, disturbing the normal acid-base balance. Ketosis during pregnancy can cause brain damage to the fetus, resulting in irreversable mental retardation after birth.

The minimum amount of carbohydrate needed to ensure complete sparing of body protein and avoidance of ketosis is around 100 grams of digetible carbohydrate a day for an average-sized person. Three or four times this minimum is recommended. The 5 to 9 servings of vegetables, fruits, and grains...would deliver 125 grams at a minimum and 200 to 400 grams on average.

Also according to this book, most of the intitial high amount of wieghtloss that low carb dieters experience is water and lean muscle tissue, not body fat, and what body fat is lost is a result of calorie reduction. The body also goes into ketosis from not eating at regualr intervals.

Water weight won't make much difference in how you look, and you definitely don't want to lose muscle tissue.

If you consider that carbohydrates are 4 calories per gram and fats are 9 calories per gram, it also makes sense that it is easier to lower your intake of calories by reducing fat intake rather than carbohydrates. You just have to watch out for low fat foods that are also packed with extra sugar and fewer nutrients, that may have excessive calories.

As a vegetarian I think you would also find a low-fat diet so much more livable! With things like soy products (my fave is soy tacos made with Boca ground soy) and integration of nutrient rich vegetables in your diet you can have flavor, fullness, and reduce calories. There are also baked chips that have much lower amounts of fat than the regular kind (chips are a downfall for me so those are a godsend). It's easy to substitute skim milk for whole milk in most foods. There are tons of carbohydrate foods you can eat with little to no fat. (when you choose low-fat foods that are not naturally low fat, be careful, and read the ingredients. If something says it has hydrogenated oils, it is probably not as low fat as it says it is). You can also substitute applesauce for oils in baked goods and make foods that are virtually no-fat.

I also find a great way to motivate myself to eat fruits and vegetables more often is to cut things up into pieces. Vegetables I'll put into a meal and fruits I will either combine in a blender with oj or milk (or both) and make smoothies, put them on cereal, or eat them plain. Preparing foods that look good make you feel more appetized and satisfied afterward. I also like to dip apples or celery in peanut butter (which is high fat, but not high in saturated fat so it's not bad for you as long as it's not excessive).

carbs also taste good, so combining breads (like in a veggie sub) or pastas (like in stir fry) with other nutritious foods can taste really good.

It is also best not to deprive yourself of food for too long. Eat small, healthy snacks between meals. This prevents ketosis from ocurring.

I'm not a vegetarian but I've been switching to a more vegetarian-like diet in order to reduce fat and calories (yay for boca burgers!). So far, now that I am sticking to it (I'm not being too strict because I do want to keep it livable, last time I was too strict on myself and I gave up and ate junk food for almost a month straight. Treats are aslo ok sometimes!), I have lost a couple pounds. I'm not going hungry and the only things I'm really craving are chocolate and chips (but those I am going to learn to be moderate with).

You should aim for 1-2 pounds of weightloss per week, and remember that everyone loses differently. Even if you don't see weightloss right away, you'll notice the differences when your body is getting proper nutrients.

Also, get exercise. Just walking for 30 minutes a day can make a bigger difference than you think (and I gaurantee you will enjoy it if you take along some music you love and/or find a beautiful place to walk). You might gain a couple pounds if you're not already an active person, this is just your muscles filling with water and some muscle gain. It's not fat, no big deal. Keep going and it stops in a week or two.

I have about 60 pounds I would like to lose (maybe less than that) and I can't wait to throw it in everyone's face that I enjoyed every change I made to lose weight. The whole point to losing weight is to be healthy and happy, so take both.

As for the reason I hate the low carb craze, more than it's stupidity, is that it's encouraging food-makers to replace yummy sugar in foods with yucky tasting aspartame and citric acid. (I suspect that some of this may have to do with cost of production as well...there was a big thing about a sugar tax in FL to clean up the everglades a few years back).

Oh, and low-carb beer? Gimme a freakin' break! Isn't barley a carb? That's what beer is made of! American beer is watered down enough from what I've heard. Order a friggin seltzer if that's really the aim. It's all just going too far, and we're all going to end up paying more for less.

I could go on forever. Especially about "dr. phil success stories" published in tv guide that claim to be a size six when they are at least a size 14 in the after picture, or hydroxy-cut people who used to lose 20 pounds and 19 inches simulatneously (umm...I lost 20 pounds and about 2-4 inches around my waist, so I don't know what they are adding up) and weren't even the same people in the pictures, I mean, the one girl had an outie belly-button in one picture and an innie in another. Worst video editting I've ever seen. Now they are losing an "incredible" 16 pounds in 20 weeks with exercise and a low cal diet (which would be normal without the pills, dumbasses). Or that 4 minutes on an ab scissor will burn fat. There are so many lies out there, that any fad should be suspect.

[coolhandluke]

Margaret, I need your advice!!!

I take stimulant drugs to treat ADHD, and while they're wonderful for the ADHD, they have a side effect of appetite suppression. I've always been a picky eater, never much interested in food, and I never even had much of a favorite food. But now, after 2 years of being on the drugs, what interest/enthusiasm I had for eating is now all gone. I just eat to keep headaches and stomachaches away. Anyway, my point: WHAT ARE SOME GOOD MEALS TO EAT? I have such terrible eating habits, existing mainly on cereal and oatmeal and the occasional meal of pancakes or a couple of doughnuts. I'm surely lacking in nutrients, and my sleep cycles get screwed up, which is partly due to my diet, I'm sure.

If you could suggest some good, quick meals for me to prepare for myself, so I could enter the world of normal-people-eating, I'd really appreciate it! Also, do you have any suggestions on snacks?

Thanks!!!!
CHL

p.s.--I have a tiny problem with sugar addiction; do you have any suggestions? It's weird, but despite my nutzoid sugar consumption, I've never gotten overweight. My stimulant drugs actually knocked 15 pounds off me! I didn't get emaciated-looking, but my mattress began to poke my pelvic bones at night. Luckily I gained about 5 pounds back, since the appetite suppression has finally started to back off a little.

[Me2]

CHL,
People-eating isn't normal! ;D
When I have no appetite, I go to the store and buy the juicyest looking fruits and vegetables. try making a fruit salad, maybe include berries and cottage cheese. That way, you'll get sugar from the fruit and it will satisfy your craving. Try to enjoy cooking something new. Indian and thai curries are a blast-and you only make them as hot as you like.
As far as quick snacks? My favorite is hummus. I make it with canned chick peas or black beans. Make a bunch and put it in the fridge for when ever you need a snack.

Happy munching, and lay off the homo sapian frittatas!

Fay

[Margaret]

I think it very important to eat regularly, so if you don't feel hungry, set times, like 3-4 hours between meals. ALWAYS start the day with breakfast, cereal with milk? I'm into rolled oats with milk and some canned sliced peaches on top at the moment, good way to include fruit in your diet! If you can't eat in the morning, make a smoothie, milk, frozen yogurt, banana, canned fruit..whatever, it's your choice! Smoothies are also a great snack!
For lunch, aim for carbohydrates, maybe something simple as a sandwich?? Put LOTS of vegetables in it! Or if you're home, cook some pasta, and have it with your choice of sauce and some frozen veggies in it or a salad on the side. If you try to always either have veggies in the meal or a salad on the side, you'll cover all your vitamin and mineral needs.

Dinner is a hard one..I'm slack, so I cook something really easy and quick. Some ideas:
Spagetti bolognese - with salad on the side
Chicken stir fry - stir fry are the best , you can put whatever in them! Always have them with rice or noodles though, we need our carbs!
Fish with potatoes and veggies - I buy frozen fish, put it in the oven, cook the potatoes and veggies in the microwave and when it's done, I have cheese sauce on top! Very easy, and so HEALTHY!
Pasta - with whatever you want! Try to cut up some veggies and put them in the sauce.

Good snacks: FRUIT!!! Have at least 2 serves of fruit a day and 5 serves of veggies, that will ensure you'll get all the nutrients your body needs. Smoothies are great, carrot and celery sticks?? rice crackers, yogurt is GREAT!

If you really can't include enough fruit and veggies in your diet, take a vitamin and mineral supplement, it's really important! Without vitamins and minerals our body cannot function!

I love sugar myself...I can't see the harm with it unless you have HUGE amounts! Your body burns it off or stores it as fat, unsless you have a problem with your weight which it doesn't seem as you have, don't worry about it too much, concentrate on starting to eat healthy and regularly, and I bet that after a while you won't crave it as much! The body tends to crave sugar when it needs energy, sugar has high GI and will raise blood sugars quickly. But if you eat regularly, you'll stabilise your blood sugar levels and the body won't crave quick energy as much!

I hope this has helped a bit, if I missed anything or you have more questions, just ask!!!

[Margaret]

I HATE LOW-CARB DIETS AS WELL!!!

I love my carbs, and our bodies need carbs, it's the best source of energy! EVERYTHING you have in excess, will be stored as fat, even protein!!

The Atkins diet has not been proven to be effective long term, because people cannot stick to it and they regain the weight!
Also, it causes kidney damage, high blood cholesterol...++++++++++

People believe in everything, but only one thing works for weight loss..eat less that your body uses! A sensible diet and some exercise is the best way! And it's a lifelong commitment, make changes you'll be able to sustain for the rest of your life!

Good we agree on one thing, LOW-CARB DIETS SUCK!!!!

;D

[Carree]

Thanks for all of the great tips, I have gained 30 pounds within the last year and really want to take the weight back off. That was my wonderful side effect of my anti-depressant! I know I need to exercise too....any fun exercise ideas??

[Margaret]

I love exercise! I think running is fun..but not everyone likes it!

How about kick-boxing? Swimming? weight training? spinning?

Variation is the key, if you do a bit of everything you won't get bored and you might find it fun!

Can you join a gym? That's the best, it's everything under one roof!

[Carree]

I need to find something that I can do at home, I have a 4 year old son and I just feel so guilty because I sometimes have to work long hours. When I am home he is happy, even if we are all doing our own thing. It just helps him to know that I am home. I used to walk alot but got out of the habit in the last couple of years. My friend bought "the Firm" exercise system but can't use it due to health reasons. Has anyone ever used it, or even heard of it?? It has 3 different workout videos, one for cardio, one for abs and another one that I can't remember. I just know I need to do something! And I've been saying that now for months......I've just been way too lazy!!

[anonymousartist]

I have a suggestion, why not take your son out exercising with you? You could take him to a playground for an hour and run around with him, or maybe take him for swimming lessons or something and get some exercise yourself.

Maybe you could get a bike with a carriage-type seat thing that tows behind it (I've seen 'em before) or something you could push him in while you walk or run, or just go for walks. This way you would be spending quality time with your son and build good exercise habits for both of you.

As far as working out at home goes, I'm not a big fan of work out videos, personally, I would do better on a machine for an hour with some energetic music blasting. Since my stair-stepper broke I haven't replaced it with something yet, though. If you do go looking for equipment, try yard sales. A lot of people buy expensive machines and never use them so they sell them really really cheap.

[Margaret]

I agree, exercise equipment at home is a good idea. What about a bike? You can put it in front of the telly and cycle for 30 mins about 3-4 times a week, that's all you need! At the same time as burning energy, you'll tone your legs! Personally I think the bike is the best thing, my dad went overboard one day and bought a bike, a step machine and a rowing-machine..all I ever used was the bike, it's the easiest thing to keep using, I got sick of the rowing-machine and the stepper!
Also, the bikes are not that expensive either!

If you have the money, you could buys some hand-weights, it's so many exercises you could do with them. After 30 mins on the bike, you could do weights for 30 mins, or do the bike in the morning and weights at night, it depends on how much time you've got!

Remember, a little bit is better than nothing! If one night you've only got time to do 10 mins on the bike, that's better than nothing, it's about making the exercise a part of your daily routine!

What about yoga??
All you need is to either buys a book or a video and you'll learn it quickly! I used to do it every morning and night, it's such a good stress-relief! But nowadays, I'm way too stressed to do it, I need to get back into it though, it's the best!

Good luck, let me know what you decide on!
But make the decision soon, the sooner you get started, the sooner you'll start feeling better!

I love this board!!

[CHL]

THANKS SO MUCH, GUYS!!!!!!!!!!

Margaret and Me2, your advice was soooooooo helpful!!!!!! This makes it so much easier to manage my eating; the fruit idea is really great, since as I said, I'm a big sugar addict.

I'll take you guys' advice, and I'll try to get as many nutrients as I can. I'll also try the diet supplement/vitamin theory...see if that helps. I'll definitely keep you updated!

Thanks again, you smarty-pants,
(CoolHandLuke)

[Carree]

Thank you Margaret and Anonymousartist, great ideas! I do have a bike, and I love to ride it. When I first got it I used to ride it all of the time. I really should look into getting a seat for him, he would probably love it.....I could even take him for a ride to the park!!

Thanks again, and I will keep you posted!