Weight loss diets

After many of us have determined to lose weight or get in shape - magazines, newspapers, television and radio bombard us with diet and weight-loss options. Diets are promoted through books and over the Internet.

Be skeptical. Some are more hype than substance. Some are downright dangerous.

Fad diets can usually be recognized by promises made by promoters. As you review the information about a particular diet plan or weight loss product, ask yourself, "Is it too good to be true?"

Unfortunately, many diets are empty promises. Beware of diet plans or weight loss products if:

• Miraculous, fast results are promised.
• No time or effort is said to be required
• Claims are made that calories don't count.
• Eating a variety of foods is not stressed.
• Claims are made that diets either high or low in certain nutrients have special weight-reducing powers.
• Certain foods have special powers to cause selective weight loss (for example, hips and thighs).

There is no dietary shortcut to weight control and long-term health. The magic pill, cream, skin patch, wrap or dietary supplement for weight loss does not exist. You have to be active enough to burn 3,500 calories to lose a pound of body fat. Fast weight loss (more than one to two pounds per week) reflects water - not fat - loss. Your plan should be to eat well and enjoy some type of physical activity daily.

The USDA's "Dietary Guidelines for Americans," released in 2005, recommends consuming a variety of nutrient-rich foods and beverages from the basic foods groups and meeting calorie needs by balancing food intake with activity.

Fad diets that ignore the principles of the Dietary Guidelines - available at www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines - might result in short-term weight loss, but might do so at the risk of your health.

How you go about managing your weight has a lot to do with your long-term success. Gradual weight loss should be your goal, unless your physician says your health is seriously at risk due to complications from being overweight or obese.

Permanent, safe weight loss involves permanent lifestyle changes in which you consume fewer calories and become more active. It also is very important that before beginning any weight-loss program, you talk with your doctor.

 What is diet?
Diet is called specially selected by a quantity, the composition of energy value and the method of preparation food ration, and also the weight loss diet program. There are diets medical and weight loss diet. Medical diets a little, they are known for a long time, necessary, checked up, effective for treatment of some illnesses and rehabilitation. To weight reduction they attitudes have no.
Weight loss diets the huge quantity, and every day appear all new and new. Among them it is possible to allocate following versions -

Separate meal.

Supporters of the theory of separate meal consider what to eat all is possible and in any reasonable quantities, impossible to use products incompatible with each other simultaneously only. However the majority of doctors do not recommend a separate meal. In their opinion, application of this technique - artificial infringement of normal digestion.

Monodiets.

Provide the use only one foodstuff . They too rigid and dangerous to body. Besides if to enter application of a monodiet into system or to not adhere to the moderate use of food after its termination, the former weight will quickly be restored.

Albuminous diets

A maximum of fiber (meat and a fish), a minimum of all rest. As a rule, it is rather "rigid" diets.

Fatty diet.

To lose weight, it is necessary to use mainly fat food, mainly meat and bacon. Animal protein and fats are easily acquired and give a maximum of energy.

Vegetarian diet

A good, healthy diet, however difficult. But it in itself does not give strongly pronounced effect of weight loss.

The most known and popular diets:

South Beach diet, Atkins diet, Lemonade and Grapefruit diet

Apply diets correctly

 

Consult with the doctor-dietitian, it will help to pick up the most effective for you diet.

if suffer any chronic disease, necessarily consult with the doctor - some diets can be categorically counter-indicative to you.

Try to pick up a diet including food which you love

Be not overzealous. At all do not use a diet, longer and more often, than it is recommended. Do not reduce caloric content too (women should consume not less than 1000-1200 calories in day, men - 1700-2000).

If at application of any diet for loss of weight at you the state of health has noticeably worsened, have appeared (aggravation) of any diseases, immediately stop application of this diet.

To loss weight it is easier, than to keep the reached result. After end of a diet do not eat all successively, and smoothly, gradually pass to the normal balanced mode.

Test your weight-loss IQ by labeling the following statements TRUE or FALSE, then learn the truth from the experts.

1. You can’t lose a lot of weight and keep it off.
2. Your “set point” determines how much you weigh.
3. Poor willpower is to blame for excess weight.
4. The best weight loss regimens incorporate structured exercise three to five times a week.
5. Losing just a small amount of weight has significant health benefits.
6. You should eat only low-fat and no-fat foods.

Answers

1. FALSE. Congressional hearings, diet books and the media have for many years bred hopelessness among dieters by quoting the statistic that 95% of people who lose weight regain it—and then some—within a few months or years. But that figure is based on a 1959 study of only 100 people and, say obesity experts, cannot be considered a universal truth. The National Weight Loss Registry, launched in 1994 to get a more accurate picture of long-term dieters, offers signs of encouragement. Researchers Rena Wing, Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh and the Brown University School of Medicine, and James Hill, M.D., of the University of Colorado, were surprised at how easy it was to find people who have achieved major weight loss goals. The project’s 2,800 respondents have maintained an average 67-pound weight loss for five years, with up to 14% of them staving off a more than 100-pound weight loss. Wing and Hill are now compiling profiles of successful dieters to learn just how they did it.
2. FALSE. The set-point theory holds that we all have an internal weight regulator, like a thermostat, that adjusts our metabolic rate up or down whenever we gain or shed pounds in order to return our body to its predetermined weight. Undoubtedly, some controls do exist or we would all be obese, or, alternately, wasting away, says Roland Weinsier, M.D., chair of the department of nutrition sciences at the School of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. But studies show that when we lose weight, our metabolism actually shifts to a normal rate for that new weight, independent of individual differences. People nevertheless embrace the theory to blame their bodies, rather than their own behavior, for their weight-loss failure, says Weinsier. “It offers comfort to those who refuse to accept the fact that weight control requires a commitment to a physically active and calorie-conscious lifestyle.”
3. FALSE. Being overweight is not a simple problem of willpower or self-control but a cocktail of genetic, metabolic, biochemical, cultural and psychosocial factors, according to Joseph Riggs, M.D., a spokesperson for the American Medical Association. While there are some exceptions, he says, most people are overweight because societal changes over the last 20 to 30 years have increased easy access to delicious, high-fat foods and decreased opportunity and motivation for physical activity. When it comes to stopping overeating, exerting willpower can’t hurt. But to lose weight and keep it off, an active lifestyle is the most important step.
4. FALSE. While pursuing a physically active lifestyle is the best way to maintain weight loss, you don’t have to live in the gym to do it. Two studies published in 1999 in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that everyday physical activities, such as simply walking for 30 minutes most days of the week, are as effective over the long term at lowering body fat and blood pressure and boosting aerobic fitness as traditional, structured exercise performed three to five days a week.
5. TRUE. Even small weight changes can have a major impact on your health and quality of life. The American Medical Association published results of a four-year study in which overweight women who lost as few as five pounds completed everyday activities more easily and complained of fewer aches and pains. The effect is most pronounced among the obese. A 12-year study published by the International Obesity Task Force, an agency working with the World Health Organization, showed that weight loss of only 10 to 20 pounds among overweight women with obesity-related diseases led to a 20% drop in total mortality, a 50% reduction in mortality from obesity-related cancers, and a 40% reduction in diabetes-related deaths. It also improved their depression, anxiety, psychosocial functioning, mood and quality of life.
6. FALSE. Lower-fat foods may promise smaller waistlines, but not when you eat a whole box of them in one sitting. Many people avoid fatty foods only to overeat foods billed as “low-fat” or “fat-free,” leading, paradoxically, to extra pounds. “You end up getting more calories from a bunch of low-fat cookies than you would have with one or two regular cookies,” says Deborah Galuska, Ph.D., author of a study sponsored by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Research by the American Medical Association confirms that reducing fat intake is only effective if we reduce calories as well.

Practically anyone can lose weight. But those who keep it off are a rare species. Theirs is not an entirely mysterious phenomenon—they stay slim by maintaining the behaviors that got them there. They eat healthier foods, decrease portion sizes and exercise.

But how, exactly, do they keep it up? The answer suggests a psychological overhaul as much as a physical one.

Diane Berry, a nurse practitioner and postdoctoral fellow at the Yale School of Nursing, conducted in-depth interviews with true weight-loss champions: 18 women who had lost at least 15 pounds and up to 144 pounds, and all had kept it off for an average of seven years. “Eighty-five to ninety percent of people regain any weight they’ve lost within 3-5 years, so these were the real outliers.” Except for one, the women were involved in either a Weight Watchers or TOPS program.

Common patterns jumped out from the women’s success stories. Each tale began with a fragile character: Before losing weight, she was self-conscious, vulnerable and unaware of events that contributed to the weight gain.

She crossed over into another pattern when she recognized her problem—often after receiving a nasty comment or having to buy a dress in the next larger size—and decided to change. And once she pledged to tackle her weight, her mood shifted. She suddenly had more energy, a fresh outlook.

In the next pattern, the women actively engaged in behavior changes. And in the throes of the final phases, they incorporated these new behaviors until they became second nature. They leaned on a support system (most often family members or fellow weight-loss program participants) to reinforce their behavioral changes, and they consistently monitored themselves, by stepping on a scale at least once a week, for example.

They at last dispensed with popular notions of a quick fix. “The women recognized that this is something they will have to work at for the rest of their lives”

One 82-year-old woman who lost over a hundred pounds when she was in her 60s told Berry: “I’m like an alcoholic. I am addicted to food. I wake up every morning and have to be mindful of what I eat everyday.”

Most telling was that the women did not flow automatically from one stage to the next. Each one slipped backwards at one time or another, caught her footing and then hoisted herself back up.

These women had not only altered their appearance and improved their health—they became different people. They experienced increased confidence and self-esteem and, finally, felt a sense of control over their lives.

Some reported they were more comfortable speaking out and being heard. Others were no longer emotionally responsive to others in a self-deprecating way. Many felt happier than they had been in years.

Berry also interviewed two women who were not able to keep off weight they lost, for comparison’s sake. “They were aware of portion control and the importance of exercise but couldn’t sustain the changes,” she reports. “I truly believe their life was in crisis. Everybody lives with a certain amount of crisis. But they didn’t have support or validation, or ability to work with other women. And neither woman monitored herself regularly.”

Which came first for the successful dieters—the weight loss or the sense of efficacy and worth? “Self esteem comes with pulling the whole package together, when everything starts clicking. They’re comfortable with food, and the initial weight loss makes them feel better physically. It’s a reinforcing cycle,” Berry says.

But she tells her patients that this is a complicated process, where people make a lot of mistakes. “Nothing is black and white. It’s a gray level—it’s muddling through.”

There was a time when if you wanted custom nutrition or exercise advice, your only choice was to see a dietitian or personal trainer.

Now, thanks to a growing demand for quick, convenient personalized health and fitness information, all you’ve got to do is pull out your cellphone or personal digital assistant (PDA). Within seconds you can access everything from a complete abdominal workout guide to the number of grams of fat in a McDonald’s bacon, egg and cheese biscuit.

The idea is that if we turn to these devices, which we always tend to have on hand, for healthy behavior tips, we might have a better shot at adopting them.

A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shows that programmed PDAs encouraged middle-aged and older Americans, a group that’s known to be sedentary, to get moving. Researchers found that participants who were assigned to use the PDAs were more than twice as active as those in the control group, exercising five hours week versus two.

Study co-author and professor of medicine and health research and policy at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, says another study that will be published this summer in the same journal has shown these devices can increase people’s vegetable and fiber intake by reminding them of its importance.

A major way these services appear to help users is by eliminating their excuses for falling off the health wagon. The Sensei for Weight Loss program, which delivers customized meal recommendations, weekly shopping lists, fitness tips and motivational messages to a mobile phone or personal Web page, aims to get involved in as many of your daily decisions as possible.

Have a tendency to snack at night? For a weekly fee, Sensei will send you a variety of messages reminding you to brush your teeth after dinner to quell your sweet tooth. Get invited to a hastily arranged business lunch at a steakhouse? Alert the program and you’ll get advice on healthy choices the restaurant offers.

If you’re on the road frequently and can’t stand hotel gyms, you can pay a small fee to have PumpOne Mobile send your cellphone traveling workouts that use hotel furniture, water bottles and luggage as props. IPhone or iPod touch users also can access the just launched Pump10, which offers weekly, 10-minute video workouts, fitness tips and personal training advice for free.

And if your downfall is eating out, try texting DIET1 for free instant nutritional information. Part of Diet com’s Nutrition on the Go program, the service can tell you calorie, fat, carbohydrate and protein counts for items on more than 1,700 restaurant menus nationwide.

“It’s not that easy to eat healthy,” says Carol Davies, a partner at Stamford, Conn.-based consultant group Fletcher Knight. “Anything that can help consumers do that on the spot is very on target.”

You can’t discount the fun factor either.

For instance, for a subscription fee Weight Watchers Online for Men shares customized advice, including which beers are the most diet-friendly and whether you’re better off snacking on wings or nachos at the bar. It also lets users constantly manage their food intake and monitor their weight loss progress with charts and statistics sheets, not unlike tracking the stats of an athlete for fantasy baseball, says Jason Carpenter, site editor.

While you can’t discount the benefits of face time with a dietitian or a personal trainer, who can give you advice with a human touch, experts say these services are a good option for those who are time-crunched and have enough discipline to consistently log in to them.

“These things aren’t going to give you willpower or determination,” Davies says. “They’re tools to help you make good decisions.”

ACOMPLIA ( active ingredient in Acomplia is rimonabant) approved in the European Union as an adjunct to diet and exercise for the treatment of obese patients.
If approved in the United States, it is intended to be marketed under the name Zimulti.

Rimonabant, discovered and developed by French pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Synthelabo.

In Europe, it is indicated for use in conjunction with diet and exercise for patients with a body mass index
greater than 30 kg/m2, or patients wih a BMI greater than 27 kg/m2 with associated risk factors, such as type 2
diabetes or dyslipidaemia.

Rimonabant acts by selectively blocking CB1 receptors found in the brain and in peripheral organs important in glucose and lipid (or fat) metabolism, including adipose tissue, the liver, gastrointestinal tract and muscle.
CB1 receptor blockade with ACOMPLIAН acts to decrease the overactivity of the endocannabinoid system (EC system). The EC system is a recently characterised physiological system that includes receptors such as the CB1 receptor and it has been shown to play an important role in regulating body weight and in controlling energy balance, as well as glucose and lipid (or fat) metabolism.

In total more than 6800 patients were included in the Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical studies. The patients included in the phase 3 trials followed a restrictive diet during the trial prescribed by a dietician and they were advised to increase their physical activity. Patients had a BMI GREATER-THAN OR EQUAL TO 30 kg/m2 or BMI >27 kg/m2 with hypertension and/or dyslipidemia at inclusion. Approximately 80% of the population were women, 87% Caucasian and 9% Black. Experience in patients over 75 years and Orientals/Asians was limited.
In clinical trials, over one year 33% of patients lost more than 10% of their initial bodyweight, with nearly two thirds of patients losing over 5%.
Most of the observed weight reduction was obtained within the first nine months of treatment. ACOMPLIA 20 mg was effective in maintaining weight loss up to two years. Weight loss at two years was 5.1 kg for patients who received ACOMPLIA 20 mg and 1.2 kg for placebo.
The effects on body weight appeared to be consistent among men and women. In the limited number of Black patients weight loss was less pronounced.

Method of administration
In adults, the recommended dosage is one 20 mg tablet daily to be taken in
the morning before breakfast.
The treatment should be introduced with a mildly reduced calorie diet.
The safety and efficacy of rimonabant have not been evaluated beyond 2 years.

Side Effects of Acomplia
Nausea, vomitting and other gastrointestinal disorders were relatively common side effects of taking Acomplia.
Disorders of the nervous system includes: headaches, faintness and feeling dizzy.
Psychiatric disorders Including: mood swings, anxiety, depression, irritability, sleep disorders and other similar disorders. If you already have a history of mental health disorders, it would be highly adviseable to mention this to your doctor before obtaining Acomplia.

Warnings and precautions
ACOMPLIA should be used with caution in patients over 75 years of age.
ACOMPLIA should be used with caution in patients with moderate hepatic impairment. ACOMPLIA should not be used in patients with severe hepatic impairment.
No dosage adjustment is required for patients with mild and moderate renal impairment. ACOMPLIA should not be used in patients with severe renal impairment.
ACOMPLIA is not recommended for use in children below age 18 due to a lack of data on efficacy and safety.

Rimonabant should be used with caution in combination with potent CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g. ketoconazole, itraconazole, ritonavir, telithromycin, clarithromycin, nefazodone)
Since ACOMPLIA tablets contain lactose, patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, the Lapp lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption, should not take ACOMPLIA.

ACOMPLIA Overdose
Experience with rimonabant in overdosage is limited. In a single-dose tolerability study, doses up to 300 mg were administered to a limited number of subjects with only minor symptoms reported. These included headache, euphoria, fatigue and insomnia. The pharmacokinetic profile demonstrates that a plateau in exposures is reached at 180 mg. There is no specific antidote for rimonabant; therefore, appropriate supportive measures should be initiated in case of overdose. Treatment should consist of the general measures employed in the management of overdoses, such as keeping airways unobstructed, monitoring cardiovascular function and general symptomatic and supportive measures.

Rimonabant may also be found to be effective in assisting some smokers to quit smoking. Sanofi-Aventis is
currently conducting studies to determine the possible value of rimonabant in smoking-cessation therapy.