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Why You Shouldn’t Encourage Your Partner to Diet
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The Secret Ingredient for a Healthier Diet
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Which Impacts Your Weight More: Diet or Exercise?
You know you should exercise and eat healthfully to keep your weight in check. The thing is, research suggests that when people devote time to one healthy habit, they spend less time on the other. So which is more important if you’re worried about your waistline: your workout or your diet?
Turns out, people who think that diet is the most important factor in weight control tend to have a lower body mass index (BMI) than those who believe that exercise is the key, according to six new studies published in the journal Psychological Science.
In the studies, researchers asked a total of more than 1,200 people in the U.S., Canada, China, France, and South Korea about the main factor that makes people overweight. They also took participants’ height and weight measurements to calculate their BMIs. Interestingly, those who said it’s most important to stay active to prevent obesity had higher BMIs than the people who said eating right is the key to weight control.
As you might expect, people’s weight-control theories impacted their food choices. In two studies, when researchers offered participants unlimited chocolate, the people who said they think staying active is key to maintaining a healthy weight ate more.
“Our beliefs guide our actions,” says study co-author Brent McFerran, PhD, an assistant professor at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. Think about it: If you think exercise is the key to weight control, you might move more and focus less on what you eat. While exercise can definitely support weight loss—and make you feel awesome, among other benefits—people tend to overestimate the amount of calories they burn while working out and compensate for the extra activity by eating more, says McFerran.
On the flip side, if you believe that eating a healthy diet is the best way to maintain your weight, you might worry less about exercise—but closely watch what you eat. And that’s smart, especially because most people grossly underestimate the amount of calories they consume, says McFerran.
The problem: Many people think they can work off extra pounds—but there’s a ton of scientific evidence to support the fact that changing your diet is a more effective way to drop weight, says McFerran. “If we eat a 3000-calorie lunch, nearly no one has enough free time in the rest of the day to exercise it off,” he says.
Luckily, McFerran’s best advice for weight control doesn’t take much time: Steer clear of foods that are high in calories, and trade large plates and bowls for smaller ones to ensure you fill them with more restrained portions.
That said, you should probably hold onto your gym membership, too. Although it’s tough to slim down with exercise alone, staying active does help with weight control—and it’s absolutely crucial for your health, says Keri Glassman, RD, a Women’s Health weight loss expert. Not only does exercise produce endorphins that increase your metabolic rate and motivate you to eat better—it also supports heart health, strengthens your bones, helps you sleep, decreases stress, and boosts mental health. All awesome reasons to hit the gym when you can!
photo: Brand X Pictures/Thinkstock
More from WH:
How to Lose Weight Fast
Weight Loss Motivation: 13 Ways to Stay On Track
Running For Weight Loss
Get This: A Mediterranean Diet May Improve Memory
Check out the list of links that should be on your radar today:
First researchers confirmed that loading up on produce and healthy fats promotes heart health. Now, they’re saying it could also help improve your memory. Is there anything the Mediterranean diet can’t do? [ScienceDaily]
Warren Buffet wrote an amazingly pro-woman editorial for Fortune magazine: “For most of our history, women — whatever their abilities — have been relegated to the sidelines. Only in recent years have we begun to correct that problem.” Gotta love that guy. [Fortune]
A prosthetics manufacturer is giving many of the Boston Marathon amputees free artificial limbs. [Reuters]
Seriously sad: More people in the U.S. die from suicides than car crashes. [The Atlantic Wire]
Binge drinking—even just on weekends—can dramatically increase your risk of liver damage, according to new research. [Medical Xpress]
Lay off the sleeping pills: The number of ER visits due to sleep aid-related problems is on the rise. [Medical Daily]
There’s a masturbate-a-thon happening right now in Philadelphia to benefit local sex ed groups. Great cause, but who exactly is donating based on the amount of time participants dedicate to solo time? [Huffington Post]
Fashion designer John Galliano says that he won’t be attending the Met Gala this year because there are too many stairs. OK… [NY Post]
Your smartphone may soon be able to give you all the tests you typically get at your annual physical. Anyone else find this a little unnerving? [AP]
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
Does the Jumpstart to Skinny Diet Work?
If you’ve got three weeks, you have enough time to get your body in show-off shape—at least as far as Biggest Loser trainer Bob Harper is concerned. Earlier this week, Harper’s new book, Jumpstart to Skinny, hit shelves—and it promises amazingly fast results. We’re talking 20 pounds in 21 days type results.
Of course, you have to follow some pretty stringent rules to drop so much weight so quickly. All of your meals must be 40 percent carbohydrates, 40 percent protein, and 20 percent fat—and you can only take in 800 calories a day. What’s more, complex carbohydrates are only allowed at breakfast, and you also have to do 15-20 minutes of the “jumpstart” exercises listed in the book five days a week, in addition 45 minutes of daily cardio.
The good news is that Harper allows for unlimited vegetables, and they don’t count toward the daily calorie allotment. When Harper appeared on the TODAY Show on Monday morning to promote his book, he emphasized that this is a short-term strategy only meant for when you need to drop pounds fast.
So will Harper’s plan get you slim in time for summer? And is it even safe?
“Eating 800 calories per day for three weeks isn’t going to ‘hurt’ you,” says Mike Roussell, PhD, founder of Naked Nutrition and head of nutritional services at Peak Performance gym in New York City. “You won’t develop any vitamin or mineral deficiencies in that time.” Caroline Apovian, MD, Director of Nutrition and Weight Management Clinic at Boston Medical Center and author of The Overnight Diet agrees.
But while this plan is safe, it may not be as effective as possible. The calorie deficit tells your body to lose weight, but having such a high percentage of your calories come from carbs causes you to produce insulin, which makes your body hold onto fat. “It is like driving with your foot on the gas and the brake at the same time,” says Roussell, who recommends limiting carbs to 20 percent of your calories. Some of the remaining 20 percent that Harper suggested should go to carbyohydrates would actually be better spent on protein and fat, says Roussell.
Yes, fat. A woman following Harper’s recommendations would be eating just 17 grams of fat per day. To put that in perspective, one egg alone has six grams of fat. Research conducted by the Women’s Health Initiative indicates that it’s incredibly difficult to stick with such low-fat diets. “You’ve got to be more liberal with fat to make a diet doable without being hungry,” says Apovian.
In his book, Harper says that his 40/40/20 plan helps prevent the cycle of weight loss and gain—but experts disagree. “There’s nothing in the literature to support this,” says Apovia. Any time you cut back on calories so drastically, you make yourself more prone to yo-yo dieting, says Roussell. “Despite eating lots of vegetables on this plan, you’ll still be hungry,” he says. As a result, you’ll likely head straight for high-fat foods once you get off of Harper’s diet—and regain any weight you lose.
Jumpstart to Skinny may not be perfect, but it does have some useful takeaways:
Veg out
You might not want to OD on vegetables (they still contain calories after all), but Roussell recommends consuming veggies at every meal—preferably green ones. “You’re not going to get fat eating broccoli or apples,” he says, “but you might fill yourself up on that broccoli.”
Power up with protein
Making sure that 40 percent of your calories come from protein will help keep your body fueled and set you up to lose weight. A high-protein diet, plus exercise, helps build body mass—which is the best way to boost metabolism, says Apovian.
Change your carbs
Swap refined carbohydrates for whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, says Apovian. They have more nutrients and fewer calories—win-win!
Don’t forget fitness
Harper’s plan has dieters engaging in daily exercise throughout the entire three-week period—a smart move considering that focusing on diet and exercise simultaneously yields greater weight loss results than adding fitness to a preestablished diet routine, according to recent research from Stanford University School of Medicine.
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
More From Women’s Health:
Protein-Packed Recipes for Weight Loss
Weight Loss Success Stories
13 Ways to Stay Motivated to Slim Down
How to Sneak More Fiber Into Your Diet
Here’s another reason to up your intake of fruits, veggies, and whole grains: People who eat more fiber are less likely to suffer a stroke, according to a new study in the journal Stroke.
Researchers looked at eight observational studies published between 1990 and 2012. They found that each seven-gram increase in daily fiber was associated with a seven percent reduction in first-time stroke risk. The mechanism is likely related to some of the known risk factors for a stroke, like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity, says study co-author Victoria Burley, PhD, senior lecturer at the School of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Leeds in England. Not only has fiber been shown to help with high blood pressure and cholesterol, but it’s also fills you up and keeps you satiated, which may lead you to consume fewer overall calories, says Burley.
But this doesn’t mean that adding a couple of fiber-filled snack bars to your diet for a few weeks will cut your stroke risk or, if you’ve already had one, prevent you from having another. These studies analyzed long-term eating patterns and only assessed first-time stroke risk. Plus, you should opt for natural sources of the nutrient over those fiber-enriched foods you see at the grocery store since researchers aren’t 100 percent sure whether it’s the fiber or something else in the foods that slashes your odds of having a stroke, says Burley.
While it should be easy enough to fill your plate with fiber-rich foods like fruits, veggies, whole grain pastas, and brown rice, most Americans are still only getting about half of the recommended 25 grams of daily dietary fiber, says Burley. Not sure how much food will add up to 25 grams of fiber? If you aim for 3 servings of fruit and 4 servings of veggies per day, then fill in the gaps with 3-6 servings of whole grains, beans and legumes, you should be good, says Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at UCLA.
To prove just how simple (and delicious) it can be to get your fill, we put together three daily meal plans that each add up to your recommended 25 grams of fiber:
Day 1:
Breakfast: Gingersnap Oatmeal (9.1g)
Lunch: Black Bean Burger (8.7g)
Snack: Handful of almonds (1 oz = 3.5g)
Dinner: Whole Wheat Pasta With Walnuts, Spinach, and Mozzarella (6g)
Total Fiber: 27.3g
Day 2:
Breakfast: Huevos Rancheros (4.5g)
Lunch: Grilled Panzanella Salad (11.2g)
Snack: A medium apple with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter (6.5g)
Dinner: Chicken Spinach Pita Pizza (6.5g)
Total Fiber: 28.7g
Day 3:
Breakfast: Grilled Banana Sandwiches (6.4g)
Lunch: The Tom Boy Sandwich (7.4g)
Snack: Banana (3g)
Dinner: Stuffed Artichokes (10.4g)
Total Fiber: 27.2g
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
More from Women’s Health:
Fiber Foods Help You Slim Down
Add This Secret Weapon to Your Diet
The Best Fiber Foods
How Your Diet Affects Your Sleep
The food you eat has an impact on more than just your digestive system–turns out, it can also mess with your shuteye. The variety of food you eat may play a key role in determining your sleep cycle, according to a new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Researchers looked at data from the 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They grouped survey subjects according to how much time they spent sleeping on average each night—very short (less than 5 hours), short (5 – 6 hours), standard (7 – 8 hours), and long (9-plus hours). They then analyzed the diets of each sleeping group. They found that the people who slept an average 7-8 hours a night ate the greatest variety of food and nutrients, and shortest sleepers consumed the lowest variety of food and nutrients.
Or, to put it simply: Eat more (types of food), sleep more.
“In general, a healthy diet likely promotes good sleep,” says researcher Michael A. Grandner, PhD, a professor of psychiatry and member of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology at the University of Pennsylvania. “Also, poor sleep can lead to unhealthy changes in your diet by affecting the hormones that control hunger and appetite, as well as your ability to make healthy choices.”
Grandner says that no individual nutrients seem to drive sleep patterns, but researchers may find specific links in the future, and that calorie intake wasn’t a major factor across groups. It’s “more about the quality of what you are eating, not so much how much you are eating.,” he says. So eat a varied diet — which includes a healthy mix of carbs, protein, vitamins and minerals — to get the best rest. Start by adding these 14 superfoods to your grocery cart this week.
photo: Shutterstock
More from Women’s Health:
9 Ways to Get Better Sleep
8 New Superfoods
9 Superfood Combos
Jessica Alba’s go-to tips for making affordable, stylish nontoxic choices for your home and family! Buy The Honest Life today!
Should You Try the Paleo Diet?
2013 is the year of the caveman diet—at least so far. During the first week of January, “Paleo diet” was the most searched-for diet on the web, according to Experian Marketing Services data.
Typically, searches for diets peak at the beginning of the year (think: resolution time) and predict what diets will be popular through the year, according to Experian Marketing Services. “People are looking for answers to lose weight and manage their health, and people tend to gravitate toward the Paleo diet because a lot of it intuitively makes sense,” says Cynthia Wu, RD, Ph.D., outpatient dietician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
The Paleo (short for Paleolithic) diet is simple: Eat a strict hunter-gatherer diet of meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables. That means grains, dairy, legumes, salt, processed foods, and refined sugars are off the menu. Proponents of the diet maintain that obesity, diabetes, and heart disease are consequences of a modernized diet, and returning to pre-civilization eating habits will prevent their occurrence.
But even if a fat caveman is impossible to find, is the diet right for 2013? Here, we weigh the pros and cons of the Paleo diet:
PALEO DIET PROS
It Eliminates Processed Foods Processed foods, which are outlawed on the Paleo diet, are high in refined sugars. Stripped of their vitamins and minerals and reduced to quickly digested calories, refined sugars can increase your risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and depression. Meanwhile, about 75 percent of the average American’s sodium intake (which is almost twice what it should be!) comes from commercially prepared foods, contributing to high blood pressure, heart disease, stomach cancer, weak bones, and water retention, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
It Increases Lean Protein High-protein diets minimize post-meal sugar spikes, reduce fat storage, improve appetite control, and help maintain lean muscle, says Wu. A diet in which about a quarter of the calories come from lean protein sources reduces blood pressure, LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, and triglycerides better than traditional diets, according to research from Johns Hopkins University.
It Promotes Fruits and Vegetables While fruits and vegetables contain simple sugars, they also contain micronutrients and appetite- and blood sugar-stabilizing fiber. A diet rich in produce can reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, Wu says. And a recent study from the University of Warwick and Dartmouth College found that happiness and mental health are highest among people who eat seven portions of fruits and veggies a day.
PALEO DIET CONS
It Cuts Out Healthy Food Groups Research shows that the nutrients in legumes, whole grains, and dairy—all of which are taboo on the diet—can help to lower the risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, reduce blood pressure, and promote a healthy weight, Wu says. Cutting dairy, the primary source of calcium and vitamin D in modern diets, is especially troubling to women who want to keep their bones strong for decades to come, she says.
It Includes Too Much Meat While not only impossible for vegetarians, the diet requires more animal protein than Wu advises her patients consume. Fresh fish and meat from grass-fed cows, chickens, and pigs are lean, but as they can be difficult to find and afford, so many Paleo dieters end up eating less-than-lean meats, she says. In one study, researchers from the Imperial College London found that an extra 250 grams of meat a day (about equal to a small steak) leads to an additional weight gain of 5 pounds over five years, even without adding calories.
It’s Very Difficult If you haven’t guessed by now, eating only meats and produce requires a lot of planning, prep-time, and dedication. “The diet isn’t sustainable over the long term, and can result in intense cravings,” Wu says. What’s more, as it allows for only fresh meats and produce—both of which tend to be expensive—the diet can get costly very quickly.
THE BOTTOM LINE
While the Paleo diet has a lot of nutritional benefits, it falls short on do-ability and—if you aren’t a supplement connoisseur—on nutrients. Instead of subscribing to an all-or-nothing Paleo approach, Wu suggests taking the diet as a starting point, swapping out Flintstones-worthy slabs of meat for healthy, nutrient-rich (but Paleo-banned) foods, such as whole grains, dairy, and legumes. And since milk, cheese, yogurt, beans, and lentils are excellent sources of protein, you can get the benefit of a protein-packed diet without all of the meat.
photo: Spike Mafford/Photodisc/Thinkstock
More from WH:
The Best Protein for Weight Loss
Healthy High-Fiber Foods
Delicious Whole Grain Recipes
Discover surprising walking tips, tricks, and techniques to melt fat fast and get a tighter, firmer butt with Walk Your Butt Off! Buy it now!
Should You Try the Paleo Diet?
2013 is the year of the caveman diet—at least so far. During the first week of January, “Paleo diet” was the most searched-for diet on the web, according to Experian Marketing Services data.
Typically, searches for diets peak at the beginning of the year (think: resolution time) and predict what diets will be popular through the year, according to Experian Marketing Services. “People are looking for answers to lose weight and manage their health, and people tend to gravitate toward the Paleo diet because a lot of it intuitively makes sense,” says Cynthia Wu, RD, Ph.D., outpatient dietician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
The Paleo (short for Paleolithic) diet is simple: Eat a strict hunter-gatherer diet of meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables. That means grains, dairy, legumes, salt, processed foods, and refined sugars are off the menu. Proponents of the diet maintain that obesity, diabetes, and heart disease are consequences of a modernized diet, and returning to pre-civilization eating habits will prevent their occurrence.
But even if a fat caveman is impossible to find, is the diet right for 2013? Here, we weigh the pros and cons of the Paleo diet:
PALEO DIET PROS
It Eliminates Processed Foods Processed foods, which are outlawed on the Paleo diet, are high in refined sugars. Stripped of their vitamins and minerals and reduced to quickly digested calories, refined sugars can increase your risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and depression. Meanwhile, about 75 percent of the average American’s sodium intake (which is almost twice what it should be!) comes from commercially prepared foods, contributing to high blood pressure, heart disease, stomach cancer, weak bones, and water retention, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
It Increases Lean Protein High-protein diets minimize post-meal sugar spikes, reduce fat storage, improve appetite control, and help maintain lean muscle, says Wu. A diet in which about a quarter of the calories come from lean protein sources reduces blood pressure, LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, and triglycerides better than traditional diets, according to research from Johns Hopkins University.
It Promotes Fruits and Vegetables While fruits and vegetables contain simple sugars, they also contain micronutrients and appetite- and blood sugar-stabilizing fiber. A diet rich in produce can reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, Wu says. And a recent study from the University of Warwick and Dartmouth College found that happiness and mental health are highest among people who eat seven portions of fruits and veggies a day.
PALEO DIET CONS
It Cuts Out Healthy Food Groups Research shows that the nutrients in legumes, whole grains, and dairy—all of which are taboo on the diet—can help to lower the risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, reduce blood pressure, and promote a healthy weight, Wu says. Cutting dairy, the primary source of calcium and vitamin D in modern diets, is especially troubling to women who want to keep their bones strong for decades to come, she says.
It Includes Too Much Meat While not only impossible for vegetarians, the diet requires more animal protein than Wu advises her patients consume. Fresh fish and meat from grass-fed cows, chickens, and pigs are lean, but as they can be difficult to find and afford, so many Paleo dieters end up eating less-than-lean meats, she says. In one study, researchers from the Imperial College London found that an extra 250 grams of meat a day (about equal to a small steak) leads to an additional weight gain of 5 pounds over five years, even without adding calories.
It’s Very Difficult If you haven’t guessed by now, eating only meats and produce requires a lot of planning, prep-time, and dedication. “The diet isn’t sustainable over the long term, and can result in intense cravings,” Wu says. What’s more, as it allows for only fresh meats and produce—both of which tend to be expensive—the diet can get costly very quickly.
THE BOTTOM LINE
While the Paleo diet has a lot of nutritional benefits, it falls short on do-ability and—if you aren’t a supplement connoisseur—on nutrients. Instead of subscribing to an all-or-nothing Paleo approach, Wu suggests taking the diet as a starting point, swapping out Flintstones-worthy slabs of meat for healthy, nutrient-rich (but Paleo-banned) foods, such as whole grains, dairy, and legumes. And since milk, cheese, yogurt, beans, and lentils are excellent sources of protein, you can get the benefit of a protein-packed diet without all of the meat.
photo: Spike Mafford/Photodisc/Thinkstock
More from WH:
The Best Protein for Weight Loss
Healthy High-Fiber Foods
Delicious Whole Grain Recipes
Discover surprising walking tips, tricks, and techniques to melt fat fast and get a tighter, firmer butt with Walk Your Butt Off! Buy it now!