Large health organizations advocating for good health to prevent chronic illnesses like cardiovascular disease help create public awareness. Information derived from scientific research has taught us how to enjoy a better life and live longer.

But what happens when advocating for health ends up promoting unhealthy behaviors? It goes against what we think we know is best. Lose weight by diet and exercise and it will improve your health. We know this for sure. Or do we? When a person loses weight by going on a diet, they are praised for a job well done and are told how good they look. But then the weight comes back…

Sometimes with all good intentions, we end up learning valuable lessons. What do patients do with diet and exercise advice? Some may shrug it off and continue with their current lifestyle, while others will follow the advice and achieve a decent outcome. But for someone who is experiencing extreme body dissatisfaction, general weight loss messages can lead to disordered eating. These messages alienate patients with overweight or obesity who have tried to lose weight for a long time but were unable to keep it off.

With weight stigma prevalent in the news and social media, it can put a lot of stress on a patient who is overweight struggling with a chronic illness trying to do the right thing. Weight loss advice doesn’t consider one’s lifestyle behaviors and their choice to modify them. The more stigma that is put on an overweight individual to get them to lose weight the more it can increase behaviors of binge eating and reduce the desire for more physical activity (1).

Since, 2013, Binge eating disorder has been formally recognized as an eating disorder (2). Some of the warning signs include the disappearance of large amounts of food in a short amount of time; empty wrappers or containers left behind as an indication of the consumption; frequent dieting; eating in secret and extreme concern with body weight and shape (2).

Advocates for preventing/treating heart disease or any other chronic illness should exercise caution with messages that are a one size fits all mentality. Messages should be tailored to individuals based on their lifestyle and the environment they live in, genetics, health history, and body shape. Healthy isn’t about losing weight, it’s about promoting a healthy mindset that drives healthy behaviors for a lifetime.   

If losing weight doesn’t equal better health what does? Here are 6 action steps

1. Stop dieting to lose weight. Completely. Stop telling yourself that you need to lose weight. Commit to leaving the diet culture for good. Your BMI doesn’t tell your story about your health or where your body weight should be.
   
2. Feed your body what it needs. Balance out foods with lower nutritional value with ones that are higher in nutritional value. Learn how to feed yourself by understanding your style of eating. Meet with a dietitian to expand your knowledge. If you don’t cook, learn the basics. Become an expert on your nutrition.
   
3. Increase physical activity in ways you are able. If you’re living a sedentary lifestyle, commit to moving more by doing activities you enjoy. Move your body to improve the function of your brain, bones, muscles, and joints. Don’t exercise to lose weight.
   
4. Become a skeptic. Don’t look for diet advice on social media. There are too many people on the internet without credentials giving the wrong health advice. Watch out for anything that promises a quick fix. Avoid organizations selling products “that will help you lose weight.” There are no guarantees for weight loss.
   
5. Don’t replace meals with diet supplements to lose weight. Supplements are not reviewed by the FDA for safety and effectiveness before they go on sale to the public. They cannot be marketed to prevent, treat, or cure disease (3). There is no magic pill.
   
6. Get help from qualified professionals, if you think you might have an eating disorder or are suffering from depression and anxiety. Disordered eating behaviors contribute to weight gain over time. These behaviors put you at high risk for irreversible damage to your body’s systems, including your heart. Don’t go it alone.

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder click to talk, text, or chat: NEDA (nationaleatingdisorders.org)

References

1. Rebecca M. Puhl, Chelsea A. Heuer, “Obesity Stigma: Important Considerations for Public Health”, American Journal of Public Health 100, no. 6 (June 1, 2010): pp. 1019-1028. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2009.159491
   
2. “Binge Eating Disorder.” National Eating Disorders Association, 22 Feb. 2018, https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/by-eating-disorder/bed.
   
3. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “What You Need to Know About Dietary Supplements.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/what-you-need-know-about-dietary-supplements.

DISCLAIMER: The Green Apple Dietitian blog provides nutrition information for education only and is not intended to offer medical advice or cure any health conditions. The content should NEVER be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of any health condition or problem. Any questions regarding your diet and health should be addressed to your specific healthcare providers. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read on this blog.

Green Apple Dietitian makes no warranties expressed or implied regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, comparative or controversial nature, or usefulness of any information posted or shared on this blog. Green Apple Dietitian does not assume any risk whatsoever for your use of any information contained herein that was posted or shared on this blog in the past, present, or future. By accessing this blog, you agree that neither Green Apple Dietitian nor any other party, to be held liable or otherwise responsible for any decision made, or any action taken or not taken, due to your use of any information presented on this blog website.

We usually associate cleanliness with good health. Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Like our homes, we like to keep our bodies clean and free of toxins and waste. Ads for detox diets promote a similar idea for rejuvenation or to aid in weight loss. By using a good cleanser, we can get rid of the bad stuff to look better and feel better.

The popularity of detox diets seems to be about what they represent rather than what they claim to do. These diet companies don’t give any credit to our bodies for ridding themselves of harmful elements. They often sell products we don’t need. We already possess a powerful organic detoxifier and natural filters inside of us. The liver and kidneys.

The liver metabolizes energy from the food we eat including vitamins and minerals and stores or activates them as needed. It filters out toxins from the blood and converts them into substances that are water-soluble and unharmful to the body. These unusable substances re-enter the bloodstream to be eliminated.

The kidneys regulate fluids in our bodies by controlling how much water is recirculated or eliminated. They also filter body wastes from the blood, while reabsorbing vitamins and minerals to send them back into the blood stream. The kidneys also activate vitamin D, regulate blood pressure, and help the body make more blood cells.

There is no magic pill or herb that will replace the miracle of our body’s detoxification and elimination processes. Is there is a way to feel more rejuvenated? Here are 6 ways to feel better:

1. Include more fresh fruits and vegetables with meals along with lean or plant-based protein, and complex carbohydrates that are high in fiber.
2. Eat less food that contains high levels of sodium and sugar. Look for plant sources of fat.
3. Don’t restrict meals. Eat 3 times a day while adding up to 3 snacks to maintain your body’s energy.
4. Drink more water instead of sugary, caffeinated, beverages.
5. Increase your activity level by moving more while doing activities you enjoy.
6. Work to manage the stress in your life and get enough sleep every night.

Don’t underestimate the power of taking responsibility for your health. No detox diet maker knows yourself better than you do. Put in the work and you’ll see results. Avoid fad diets and products that promise weight loss without effort. The only guarantee of weight loss will be in your wallet.

References

Nutrition and healthy eating. (n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2015, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/detox-diets/faq-20058040

Wanjek, B. (2013, May 29). Detox Diets & Cleansing: Facts & Fallacies. Retrieved February 9, 2015, from http://www.livescience.com/34845-detox-cleansing-facts-fallacies.html

Mahan, K. L., Escott-Stump, S., Raymond, J. L., (2012). Krause’s food and the nutrition care process. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier Saunders

How do your kidneys work? – Emma Bryce – YouTube

What does the liver do? – Emma Bryce – YouTube

DISCLAIMER: The Green Apple Dietitian blog provides nutrition information for education only and is not intended to offer medical advice or cure any health conditions. The content should NEVER be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of any health condition or problem. Any questions regarding your diet and health should be addressed to your specific healthcare providers. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read on this blog.

Green Apple Dietitian makes no warranties expressed or implied regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, comparative or controversial nature, or usefulness of any information posted or shared on this blog. Green Apple Dietitian does not assume any risk whatsoever for your use of any information contained herein that was posted or shared on this blog in the past, present, or future. By accessing this blog, you agree that neither Green Apple Dietitian nor any other party, to be held liable or otherwise responsible for any decision made, or any action taken or not taken, due to your use of any information presented on this blog website.

As our resolutions wane with the passing months, our determination gives way to disappointment. The responsibility of daily living moves our resolution lower on our to-do list. Old habits die hard.

Are you finding your New Year resolutions fall by the wayside year after year? It may be time to change your goals into something more sustainable. For any goal to stick, they need to be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-oriented— in other words, a SMART goal.

Do your resolutions sound like this? I want to lose weight; I’m going to join a gym. I want to eat healthier; I’m going on a diet. I want to get in shape; I’m going to lift weights. Each one of these goals is a generalization and is not targeted for success. They don’t take your individuality or lifestyle into consideration. Busy lifestyles are the norm. A generalized goal that isn’t thought out usually becomes a moving target that loses its strength as time goes by.

By breaking down goals into separate components that can be tracked over time, you’ll increase the probability of success. You’ll create new action steps when done over time can turn into habits that lead to concrete lifestyle modifications. Let’s break down what a smart goal is:

• Specific: Choose a clear action. Define it well. If you plan to go to a gym, what programs do you want to participate in that you’ll enjoy for longevity? If you want to eat better, in what ways will you change your diet? If you want to get increase your body fitness, what specific exercises will you do?
• Measurable: After you’ve chosen your specific activity, you’ll need to measure it. How many times a day, week, month, or year will you perform the actions toward your goal?
• Achievable: Will this action fit into your lifestyle? Is the goal doable without becoming too much to handle all at once?
• Relevant: Are these goals realistic based on your current health and ability? Will they fit into your schedule?
• Time-oriented: When do you want to achieve your goal; does it have a deadline?

By turning your goals into something clear and easily definable, it will be easier to determine the action steps to move closer to achieving them. Here are the initial resolutions as SMART goals:

• I will sign up for spin classes 2 times a week for 3 months to improve my endurance.
• I will include a fruit or a vegetable with each meal 5 days a week for the next 2 months to eat more foods that are high in vitamins and minerals.
• I will engage in whole-body resistance training 2 times a week for 6 months to increase my body’s muscle mass.

If you are ready to make long-lasting changes in your life, a series of SMART goals (including the 5 components mentioned above) that correspond to your nature will help give you a better direction toward success. Write down your action plan to hold yourself accountable. Update it regularly. When you look back on what you’ve written after a year or so you’ll see how far you’ve come.

RD Tip: Consider refraining from choosing a weight loss goal if you’ve been dieting for some time. You’re not alone. Just as life is often unpredictable so is our body’s weight range. Let it go. Reorient yourself to take focus off the numbers on the scale. Select a goal that keeps your overall health in mind. Remember it’s a set of repeated behaviors that will move you toward better health, not weight loss. 

DISCLAIMER: The Green Apple Dietitian blog provides nutrition information for education only and is not intended to offer medical advice or cure any health conditions. The content should NEVER be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of any health condition or problem. Any questions regarding your diet and health should be addressed to your specific healthcare providers. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read on this blog.

Green Apple Dietitian makes no warranties expressed or implied regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, comparative or controversial nature, or usefulness of any information posted or shared on this blog. Green Apple Dietitian does not assume any risk whatsoever for your use of any information contained herein that was posted or shared on this blog in the past, present, or future. By accessing this blog, you agree that neither Green Apple Dietitian nor any other party, to be held liable or otherwise responsible for any decision made, or any action taken or not taken, due to your use of any information presented on this blog website.