Pop Tart and Candy Diets

Ready to lose weight? Step up to the newest diet craze- the Peanut M&M diet! Can you imagine a diet that will let you eat this delicious candy and still lose weight? Okay, hold on right here. I could go on and actually give you details of how my new Peanut M&M diet will work- but be prepared to hear something like eat ONLY the green ones- then clip on your pedometer and don't eat the yellow ones till you've walked 2500 steps. So what's my point?

Last week, I was at a wonderful talk by registered dietitian, Daniela Knight, and one of the participants asked what she thought about the "Pop Tart Diet". (BTW, for fun, I googled pop tart diet and sure enough, came up with not only a diet but a youtube video explaining the supposed health benefits of pop tarts.) I loved her response- "Oooh, doesn't that sound enticing? Wow! A diet where you eat pop tarts! Way more fun than eating more fruits and vegetables, right?" But the audience was hooked, and all wanted to know details of the "diet". So here's the thing- ANY weight loss program CAN include pop tarts (or donuts, or peanut M&Ms), but if that is the mainstay of the calories in the diet, you are not going to feel so great. Your body (obviously) needs a balance of nutrients and vitamins that ideally comes from multiple colors of produce plus a protein source. Weight loss occurs when you consume fewer calories than you burn off. Period. So yes, you COULD eat six strawberry pop tarts per day, with as much water and diet sodas as you can hold, and you would be on a 1200 calorie per day diet. For most people, that would result in weight loss- BUT- you would be seriously lacking in protein, fiber, calcium, B Vitamins, Vitamin C...get the picture? No energy. None!

Am I saying NEVER eat a pop tart? No! Daniela (my favorite dietitian) would tell you immediately that NO food is "bad". Treats like pop tarts and M&Ms we need to limit, not ban. What IS a healthy way to lose weight? Fruits & veggies galore, with enough protein (eggs, meat, chicken, fish or nuts) at each meal to equal a daily total of roughly one gram per kg of your body weight.

Now, if I wanted to get RICH, I'd go back to my color-coded peanut M&M diet...but don't forget walking the mile in between color changes...

BOTTOM LINE: Yummy treats like pop tarts or peanut M&M's can be INCLUDED in any healthy diet- but should be the occasional bonus, not the mainstay!

Separation of Religion and Medicine? I Hope NOT!

Lately there has been quite a buzz about the separation of church and state, but I'd like to share what I enjoy about COMBINING religion and medicine. In particular, I LOVE the season of LENT! Yesterday, we had Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of a 40 day (or 47 day, if you count Sundays) beautiful time of reflection, growth, and personal discipline in the Christian faith. Many people, particularly Catholics, have a tradition of giving up a dietary luxury of some sort- often chocolate, alcohol, desserts, or sodas. Today that list has expanded beyond dietary items, and many give up electronic activities such as Facebook, Twiiter, iPad, apps, or- gasp!- all non-school or work-related computer-based activities. How does this affect me as a family physician?

If I ask/suggest for a patient to give up, say, caffeine or alcohol- because it is causing him or her heartburn- patients are only moderately invested in committing to this change. Truthfully, they'd typically rather have a prescription for a pill to fix their symptoms, and not make any difficult lifestyle changes. If, however, this same conversation occurs after a Mardi Gras excessive celebration, and the patient CHOOSES to eliminate one of these substances from their diet as a form of religious discipline and self-sacrifice, the success rate skyrockets! I can't adequately express how often a Lenten "observance" has been an excellent kick-off for weight loss programs for my patients. Whether it is giving up a high calorie dietary staple, or freeing up time to exercise by giving up electronic play time, all of these changes work in a positive forward spiral, with the added benefit of personal religious fulfillment as well.

Of course, Lenten commitments aren't all about "giving up" treats, and I do not in any way want to minimize the religious implications of spiritual discipline. My point is simply that when we make positive health choices augmented with a higher purpose behind them, we can amplify our results.

BOTTOM LINE: Our personal religious beliefs can be a powerful source of motivation to make positive health changes- let's use them this Lent!

It's NOT the Carrots!

I've been practicing medicine for nearly two decades now, and I find it fascinating to see some of the persistent myths in medicine- most of which pertain to food/calories/weight loss. I find that people get very caught up in looking at specifics, and miss the big picture entirely. The classic example of this is CARROTS.

Many of my diabetic patients tell me that they are careful to avoid CARROTS, because they have such a high glycemic index. The same is true for fruits ("don't worry, Dr. Grimes, I KNOW not to eat bananas or apples!") Seriously? I believe with all my heart that everyone SHOULD know deep down that carrots and fruits are HEALTHY choices. Diabetic or not, these foods should be part of your healthy diet. Okay, yes, if eaten alone, carrots can transiently raise your blood sugar, but if you have adult onset diabetes, it is WEIGHT LOSS that will ultimately improve your blood sugars. I have yet to meet a SINGLE person who is overweight from eating too many fruits and vegetables. It simply does not happen.

If you are overweight, please take an honest look at what you are eating. In fact, write it down- all of it- for a few days. Perhaps the daily Starbucks muffin & latte have a little something to do with your extra calories...And while lettuce, carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers are all healthy, low calorie choices, adding tons of croutons, sunflower seeds, cheese and a generous amount of ranch dressing take a healthy salad and push the calories too high to help with a weight loss plan.

Carrots are a wonderful source of nutrition. They are packed with provitamin A, vitamin E and vitamin K. Carrots satisfy the need to crunch and work beautifully to scoop up hummus as an afternoon snack.

BOTTOM LINE: Recognize that no one is UNHEALTHY from eating too many fruits and vegetables. Ramp up these foods, limit processed "junk", and talk to a registered dietitian if you want to get serious about improving your diet!

What is BMI?

Yesterday, I mentioned that discussing your BMI with your doctor might be a less emotionally charged way to discuss your weight. Terms like "overweight" and "obese" tend to make us all shut down and stop listening, but it is really important to understand whether or not your weight is becoming a medical issue. The BMI is your "Body Mass Index", and it is a reflection of your relative body fat. Note that I said "reflection"- the BMI is NOT a precise measure of your body fat percentage.

BMI is simply calculated by using a person's weight and height. Specifically, BMI equals your weight in pounds multiplied by 4.88, divided by the square of your height in feet. There are charts to look at and on line calculators as well. Click on this link to the U.S Dept. of Health & Human Services' BMI calculator to see what YOUR BMI is today.

Now that you've got your number, what does it mean? Well, if you are less than 20, you are underweight. If you are between 20-25, you are considered healthy, or "normal" weight. Please pay attention if you are in the 25-29 segment, because you are overweight! If you are >30, you fall into the medical definition of obesity.

Why did I bold face that 25-29 segment? Because in my clinical experience, no one with a BMI of 30 or more is surprised that they weigh too much. However, I would estimate that over HALF of my patients who fall in the "overweight" category are shocked that they have a medical issue with their weight. After college, people often put on a couple pounds per year, very slowly creeping that scale. During that time, they may only go up a size or two in clothing, especially if they are buying more expensive clothes (which tend to run larger and larger.) Before they realize it, they weigh 20 or 30 pounds more than is healthy, yet they don't "feel fat". I don't care very much about cosmetic issues with weight, but I care deeply about increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, low back and joint pain, all of which come into play when your weight goes up.

BMI's are not flawless. If you are an "ARNOLD" with tons of huge muscles, your BMI will be falsely elevated. If you are elderly and frail, chances are good that your BMI underestimates your body fat. In general, however, the BMI is a great tool to assess your weight.

BOTTOM LINE: Take a moment and calculate your BMI, and take an honest look at your weight: 1/3 of Americans are overweight, 1/3 are obese, and only 1/3 are normal or underweight, so the odds are stacked against you.

Holiday Weight Gain...Again!

Click! Step away from the Halloween candy. I repeat, step AWAY from the Halloween candy!

Okay, how many times have you walked past the leftover candy and snagged an extra treat today? It is so easy to keep it around just to "finish it off". I'll bet you're even down to the candy you don't even really like, yet you pop one in your mouth because, well, it's there. How do I know? Because I just ate a mini-Snickers, which is my least favorite candy. The Reese's cups were gone last week.

All kidding aside, please take stock of your health TODAY. We are already well into November, which is the heart of "stuff yourself silly" season. Treats and sweets abound, as well as extra adult beverages at every celebration- and those pack on the calories as much, if not more than the edible delicacies! At the office, we are already seeing the extra weight creeping up. The average American gains nearly 10 POUNDS during the holidays. And then what does everyone do? We make a New Year's Resolution to lose weight.

This year, let's be PROACTIVE! Start on that new exercise program right NOW! Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park a little further away when you go to work or shop. Fill your party plate with healthy choices and eat them first before you head to the dessert buffet. Every bit you do now will make those New Year's Resolutions much easier.

BOTTOM LINE: Do not wait for New Year's to start thinking about improving your health!

The ADRENALINE Diet

ADRENALINE- also known as epinephrine- is a hormone that is secreted by the adrenal glands in response to stress. ADRENALINE increases your heart rate, pulse rate, and blood pressure, and raises the blood levels of sugar (glucose) to prepare your body for that "fight or flight" response. So, ADRENALINE makes your heart pound like crazy, burning up calories by the second. What could be better to lose weight, then, right?

Am I suggesting that you head to your doctor and ask for an EPI-pen to kick off your diet? NO! An Epi-pen is an emergency dose of epinephrine that is used for severe allergic reactions. What I AM suggesting is New York Times Best Seller, ADRENALINE, by Jeff Abbott, for your summer reading...on your exercise bike! (or treadmill, or elliptical, if you can be smooth enough to read on them).

I am always looking for ways to entice people to exercise. One carrot that I use for myself is to get fun, gripping novels, and commit to ONLY READING THEM on my exercise bike. The better the book, the more I find time to squeeze in an extra workout session. My ultimate compliment for a book is that I have deemed it "exercise-worthy", meaning that it dragged me back to the exercise bike for at least a second session in a day. I'll confess that I read ADRENALINE in just a few days...but the last day, I biked over 30 miles, because I was so engaged that I had to see "who done it" and why! Jeff's fast-paced thriller probably would have had my heart pounding at a high rate anyway, but on an exercise bike I was oblivious to the fact that my legs were pumping faster and faster as the action heated up. Jeff Abbott's books always keep you guessing, as he manages to create truly unexpected twists in every plot. I also love how he quietly tucks in sympathetic, humane character details in even the most evil villains.

BOTTOM LINE: Improve your fitness, lose weight, and raise your own ADRENALINE this summer, by treating yourself to Jeff Abbott's latest thriller, ADRENALINE.

PS. Got a favorite GRIPPING book to suggest that is "exercise-worthy"? Share it with us here!