FAD            Claim Author’s Missing                                        Negative health         Scientific 
                        DIET                               Background           Nutrients            Implications            Evidence 
                        ATKINS Says carbs                  Dr. Atkins was a     Carbohydrates       May increase risk        It has not been 
                                       make you fat..      medical doctor       Vitamins            for heart disease &      proven 
                                       Advocates a         & had                Minerals            cancer.                  scientifically to 
                                       high saturated      no formal            Fiber               Poor long-term           help with long-
                                       fat diet. No        training in                              weight control.          term weight 
                                       portion control.    nutrition.                               Reduced athletic         loss and is 
                                       Restricts fruits,                                            performance. May         mostly 
                                       vegetables, and                                              cause Gout, kidney       supported by 
                                       whole grains!                                                stones, osteoporosis,    testimonials. 
                                                                                                    fainting, & bad 
                                                                                                    breath. 
                        PROTEIN  A high protein ,          Authors Michael      Carbohydrates       May add stress to        No scientific 
                        POWER          low- carb diet,     and Mary Eades       Vitamins            kidneys & increase       evidence. 
                                       the book claims     are medical          Minerals            risk for heart           Claims success 
                                       the body has no     doctors with NO      Fiber               disease. May also        through 
                                       need for carbs,     formal training                          experience fatigue,      testimonials & 
                                       therefore, they     in nutrition                             weakness and             book sales! 
                                       should be                                                    irritability 
                                       avoided 
                        THE            Claims carbs        Author Barry         Carbohydrates       Takes pleasure out       Not proven 
                        ZONE           make you fat. It    Sears has a          Vitamins            of eating by             scientifically & 
                                       says most of        Ph.D. in             Minerals            regarding food as a      is supported by 
                                       our bodies over     biochemistry and     Fiber               medicine                 testimonials & 
                                       produce insulin     NO formal                                prescription. Also       poorly 
                                       when we eat         training in                              may experience           conducted 
                                       carbs.              nutrition.                               fatigue, weakness, &     studies 
                                       Does promote                                                 irritability 
                                       exercise. 
                        South          3 Phases of         Written by           Carbohydrates       Induces Ketosis          There has been 
                        Beach          carbohydrate        Cardiologist         Vitamins            May cause kidney         mixed research 
                        Diet           restricting. First  Arthur Agatston.     Minerals            problems. Relies on      done on diet. 
                                       phase is very                            Fiber               glycemic index           Mostly 
                                       low- carb. Has a                                             theory. Does not         supported by 
                                       good food bad                                                promote realistic        testimonials. 
                                       food lists.                                                  eating habits during 
                                       Eliminates                                                   phase 1 & 2. 
                                       certain healthy                                              Fatigue, weakness & 
                                       foods.                                                       irritability.  
                               
                        Source: Wheat Food Council and Washington State Dairy Council. 
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
                         
             
             
             
            The National Weight Control Registry is a study that included 4,000 people who had lost 
            a significant amount of weight and have kept it off for an average of 5 years. Here are 
            four common habits registry members do to keep the weight off: 
             
            Eat Breakfast. – Eating breakfast helps curb hunger later in the day and keeps your 
            metabolism going.  
            Follow a balanced diet. This means including adequate amounts of fat, carbohydrates 
            and protein. No food eliminating or restricting! 
            Self-monitor. Most members keep a food journal.  
            Exercise. 91% do regular physical activity, typically an hour a day.   
             
            Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1997, 66 239-246 
                                        
                                        
            This year try to make peace with food once and for all without rigidly counting calories 
            or fat grams, and yet still honor health. Here are some more tips to get you started: 
            ⇒ Throw out the guilt and not the food. 
            ⇒ Eat what you really want or you will be on the prowl 
            ⇒ Don’t push away your feelings with food 
            ⇒ Equate feeling good with exercise, instead of weight loss 
            ⇒ Fat free is not automatically good nutrition 
            ⇒ Stop body-bashing 
            ⇒ Discover your fullness threshold 
            ⇒ Say good-bye to dieting forever 
            ⇒ Adjust your food attitude.  
             
            Adapted from Intuitive Eating: A Recovery Book for the Chronic Dieter by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch 
             
            For more information, contact Jessica Pellicciotta, MA, RD, LDN ext. 9-5963