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  #1   ^
Old Sat, Jan-04-03, 06:35
tamarian's Avatar
tamarian tamarian is offline
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Plan: Atkins/PP/BFL
Stats: 400/223/200 Male 5 ft 11
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Location: Ottawa, ON
Thumbs down Mayo Clinic diets comparison, the winner? Mayo Clinic, Ornish & Soft Science

Popular diets: The good, the fad and the iffy

A calorie is a calorie, no matter where it comes from. Most weight-loss diets help you to restrict calories in one way or another. Ideally the new routine gets you to eat less, eat healthier and exercise more. Seems simple, right? It is, in theory.

Your weight remains stable when you eat the same number of calories you use up. So, in theory, if you eat well and exercise — and in the process burn more calories than you consume — you lose weight.

But in practice it's easy to run into roadblocks. Adopting healthy eating and exercise habits can be difficult. It takes time and effort to work physical activity into your daily routine. A good diet can be your road map to safe and effective weight management. Conversely, a poor diet can leave you spinning your wheels — or, even worse, pose serious health problems.

Components of an effective weight-loss program must include:

* A healthy diet that helps you select, prepare and eat healthy foods.
* An exercise plan that helps you increase your activity throughout the day as well as incorporate a more rigorous exercise period several times every week.

Weight-loss programs come in many forms today. Some prey on the desire for a quick fix, and some of these diets do help you lose weight quickly — at least for a while. But maintaining a healthy weight isn't something that most people can manage quickly and maintain over the long haul. It's a process, and it can be tough, but it's not impossible. If you're ready to commit to lifestyle changes — eating healthier and being more physically active — then you're well on your way to achieving a healthier weight.
Weigh the facts — avoid the fads

The benefits of living at your healthy weight are numerous. You'll look better and feel better, and you'll probably live longer, too. But it's important to find a program that's safe and works effectively. Do some research before jumping into a new diet routine. If you have questions, talk to your doctor or nutritionist.

If you're considering a new weight-loss plan, evaluate it by the following statements to see how the program holds up. If one or more of these apply, raise a red flag.

* Promises of a quick fix
* Dire warnings from a single product or regimen
* Claims that sound too good to be true
* Simplistic conclusions drawn from a complex study
* Recommendations based on a single study
* Dramatic statements that are refuted by reputable scientific organizations
* Lists of "good" and "bad" foods
* Advice given to help sell a product
* Opinions based on studies published without peer review
* Recommendations from studies that ignore differences among individuals or groups

Here, in alphabetical order, is a bird's-eye view of some popular weight-loss plans — with a look at their premises, their founders or main backers, and what the scientific evidence shows. Take a look at each and use the list to figure out which are the healthiest programs to follow. Then talk with your doctor about a weight-loss program that's right for you.

The list is divided into two categories — weight management programs and diets, an important distinction to make. A diet helps you decide what and how much to eat, while weight management programs often include physical activity and behavior change in addition to your dietary plan.
Weight management programs

* Body-for-Life (Bill Phillips)

Premise: A 12-week fitness plan in which you eat a high-protein diet and exercise regularly. Phillips, a bodybuilder and entrepreneur, emphasizes portions, not calorie counts. You eat six meals a day — each meal consisting of one portion of protein and one portion of carbohydrates — and add a vegetable to two of the meals. Once a week, you’re allowed a "cheat" day to splurge on your favorite foods.

Facts: This program's success is based on testimonials and anecdotal evidence. Although Body for Life emphasizes low-fat foods, the diet doesn't consist of enough variety for a truly healthy diet to meet all of your nutritional needs.

* Lifestyle Program (Dean Ornish, M.D.)

Premise: Combines vegetarian and low-fat diets. Encourages high-fiber foods and limiting processed foods, such as cheese. Also recommends a daily exercise program. Dr. Ornish is the founder, president and director of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute and has published numerous books about reversing heart disease through diet and exercise.

Facts: There's moderate evidence that cholesterol levels may decrease and that this diet is effective for weight loss. It combines — as all effective weight-loss programs do — a healthy eating plan with regular physical activity. There's also good evidence that it can treat and possibly prevent heart disease, though some people have questioned its practicality. Many people can't follow a 10 percent vegetarian diet long-term.

* Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid (Donald Hensrud, M.D.)

Premise: Studies show that both volume and weight of food play a role in feeling full. By choosing low-calorie energy-dense foods — large volume, large weight, but not many calories — you can still eat the same amount of food you're accustomed to eating and be full on fewer calories.

Facts: When you consume more foods that are low in energy density, it actually becomes more difficult to consume large amounts of calories. This promotes weight loss. Coupled with improved activity habits and behavior change, this approach focuses on improving health — and weight — over the long-term. This program emphasizes foods that are low in energy density: fruits and vegetables and healthier choices within each of the five food groups. Daily physical activity is emphasized for its role in both managing weight and improving health.

Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid

Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid (click to enlarge)

* Healthy eating and healthy weight

* Slim-Fast

Premise: Drink a Slim-Fast shake for breakfast, another for lunch, then eat a sensible dinner. Include exercise, such as 30 to 60 minutes of walking, and three snacks, such as two fruits and one Slim-Fast snack bar, a day.

Facts: Limited-choice diets — diets that require you to eat a certain food repeatedly — are historically difficult to maintain. It can be challenging to drink and eat the same food over and over again. However, research shows that the continued use of Slim-Fast products can sustain long-term weight loss in overweight and obese men and women. Participants in a university-based study improved several risk factors for diseases that are strongly associated with excess body weight — risk factors such as high systolic blood pressure and excess lipids, lipoproteins and blood sugar (blood glucose).

Diets

* Carbohydrate Addict's LifeSpan Program (Drs. Richard and Rachael Heller)

Premise: Richard and Rachael Heller claim that an excess of insulin, the "hunger hormone," causes the carbohydrate addict to experience intense and recurring cravings, as well as the heightened ability to store fat. The affected person has a biological condition caused by a hormonal imbalance, which can be corrected by following their program. They advocate a very low carbohydrate diet throughout the daytime, and a single "reward meal" consisting of carbohydrate counterbalanced by vegetable and protein.

Facts: The effects of a low-carbohydrate diet may result in eating high-fat foods and, therefore, increase risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, liver and kidney damage, some cancers, and osteoporosis. How realistic is it never to have fruit or cereal for breakfast or a sandwich for lunch? The authors claim success through testimonial anecdotes and book sales. No scientifically validated studies suggest that this diet works.

* Eat Right 4 Your Type (Dr. Peter D'Adamo)

Premise: The author, Dr. D'Adamo, claims that each blood type has its own unique antigen marker that reacts in negative ways with certain foods, and individuals have varying levels of stomach acidity and digestive enzymes that seem to correlate with blood type. This diet provides a detailed list of foods to eat or avoid, depending on your blood type.

Facts: Although you may find it comforting to have a list of foods to eat or avoid, there's no scientific evidence that diets should be based on blood type.

* Suzanne Somers' Get Skinny on Fabulous Food (Suzanne Somers and associates)

Premise: Suzanne Somers — actress turned health-products merchandiser, selling wares from skin care goods to pasta — says that when proteins and carbohydrates are eaten together their enzymes cancel each other out, creating a halt in the digestion process and causing weight gain.

Facts: Reality check — many healthy, naturally occurring foods contain both carbohydrate and protein: nuts, milk, lentils, beans and whole-grain breads. This high-fat diet may put you at increased risk of coronary heart disease, high-cholesterol, liver and kidney damage, some cancers, and osteoporosis. There are no scientific studies to show that this diet works or is safe.

* New Diet Revolution (Robert C. Atkins, M.D.)

Premise: The 1997 book, Dr. Atkins' NEW Diet Revolution, suggests drastically reducing the intake of dietary carbohydrates to force your body to burn your reserve of stored fat for energy. This results in losing pounds and inches while still eating protein and fat-laden foods. Meat, eggs, butter and most cheeses can be eaten without restriction on this diet.

Facts: The effects of this high-protein diet actually may have you eating foods high in saturated fat, which may affect your blood cholesterol level and increase your risk of heart disease. There are no long-term studies to show that this diet works or is safe.

* Picture Perfect Weight Loss (Dr. Howard M. Shapiro)

Premise: Dr. Shapiro's series of books feature photographs of food equations to help readers find low-calorie substitutes for the fattening foods that they crave. Pictures reveal that one candy bar contains the same amount of calories as 10 Popsicles. In addition to learning how one food's calorie content compares with another, readers are presented with correct serving sizes.

Facts: Pictures don't necessarily translate into action. While not a complete solution, Shapiro's comparisons may be a starting point to help put the foods you eat into a useful, nutritional perspective.

* Protein Power Lifeplan (Michael R. Eades, M.D., and Mary Dan Eades, M.D.)

Premise: Protein Power Lifeplan, published in 1997, and its proponents claim that the human body has no physical needs for carbohydrates and that they should be severely limited in order to trick your body into burning fat without making you feel hungry. Authors Drs. Michael and Mary Dan Eades make the case that you cut most carbohydrates out of your diet. A few menu choices include smoked salmon and cream cheese omelets, sauteed jumbo shrimp, and double-patty burgers.

Facts: This high-protein diet may result in you eating high-fat foods and, therefore, increase your risk of heart disease, high-cholesterol, liver and kidney damage, some cancers, and osteoporosis. The authors claim success through testimonial anecdotes and book sales. No scientifically validated studies suggest that the Protein Power diet works.

* Revolutionary Weight Control Program (Bob Arnot, M.D.)

Premise: In this diet, foods are considered drugs. Dr. Arnot, former chief medical editor for "NBC Nightly News," promotes a "feedforward" eating plan that teaches you in what order and at what times of day to eat foods to maximally control your weight, hunger and mood.

Facts: Though foods containing soluble fiber are mentioned, other carbohydrate-containing foods are limited and along with them, their vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. No scientifically validated studies have been conducted on Dr. Arnot's eating plan. Dr. Arnot's validation for his book comes from his friends and relatives.

* Sugar Busters! (H. Leighton Steward and associates)

Premise: Sugar Busters! recommends cutting sugar in refined and processed forms from the diet. This includes: potatoes, white rice, corn, white bread beets, carrots and sugar honey, corn syrup and foods containing them. The authors claim that sugar is toxic to the body, causing the body to release insulin and store excess sugar as body fat.

Facts: Long-term effects of high-protein, high-fat intake may include kidney and liver damage, heart disease and cancer. Sugar Busters! is supported by testimonials of the authors' believers and anecdotal claims. Its validity is based on opinions, not proven facts.

* Volumetrics (Barbara J. Rolls and associates)

Premise: As the name implies, Volumetrics emphasizes eating high-volume, low-calorie foods and thereby getting full faster on fewer calories. High-volume foods take up more space, take a long time to eat and are often high in water content. You're still getting full, but on fewer calories, which adds up to weight loss.

Facts: This program is based on research showing that eating high-volume, low-calorie foods can be an effective tool to decrease calorie intake, but the most effective weight-loss programs balance a healthy eating plan and exercise.

* The Zone diet (Barry Sears, Ph.D.)

Premise: In his 1995 book, Enter the Zone, Sears writes that to enter "the zone" you need to eat the proper quantities of food, in the proper "macronutrient blocks" at prescribed times. Meals should contain carbohydrates, proteins and fats in the ratio of 40 percent, 30 percent, 30 percent, respectively. A sample meal may be 2 cups of pasta (carbohydrate), a 3-ounce piece of steak (protein), and a small handful of nuts or other fats to round out the meal.

Facts: Although not as restricted as other high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets, the typical zone diet contains less than 1,000 calories, which may result in an inability to meet vitamin and mineral needs for most people. The Zone diet has not been validated scientifically. There's no scientific reason for eating set combinations of foods at set times.

December 23, 2002

© 1998-2002 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "Mayo Clinic Health Information," "Sharing our Tradition of Trusted Answers" and the triple-shield Mayo logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

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  #2   ^
Old Sat, Jan-04-03, 06:50
tamarian's Avatar
tamarian tamarian is offline
Forum Founder
Posts: 19,570
 
Plan: Atkins/PP/BFL
Stats: 400/223/200 Male 5 ft 11
BF:37%/17%/12%
Progress: 89%
Location: Ottawa, ON
Default Re: Mayo Clinic diets comparison, the winner? Mayo Clinic, Ornish & Soft Science

Quote:
Originally posted by tamarian
Facts: The effects of this high-protein diet actually may have you eating foods high in saturated fat, which may affect your blood cholesterol level and increase your risk of heart disease.


While the average person may be excused if they think such falacies, Mayo Clinic doctors should know better, and they probably do. There are numerous studies out showing that high-fat, in the absence of excess sugar and carbs, will improve your blood cholesterol.

They think repeating such drivel make it a fact? Or maybe it's just an effective way of advertising for their failing diets....

Wa'il
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  #3   ^
Old Sat, Jan-04-03, 08:43
liz175 liz175 is offline
Lowcarb since 7/2002
Posts: 5,991
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 360/232/180 Female 5'9"
BF:BMI 53.2/34.3/?
Progress: 71%
Location: U.S.: Mid-Atlantic
Default

Let me just say, as someone with a graduate degree in a social science who does program evaluation as part of her job, that when we evaluate programs against a list of criteria, we first evaluate those criteria and make sure we can support them when they are challenged by critics. The authors of this article are asserting that their evaluation criteria are good without giving us any scientific evidence to support that. They want us to accept those criteria on faith. That is not science!
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  #4   ^
Old Sat, Jan-04-03, 08:55
Talon's Avatar
Talon Talon is offline
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Posts: 2,512
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 242/203.5/140 Female 64 inches (5' 4'')
BF:
Progress: 38%
Location: Ohio, USA
Default

Quote:
Premise: The 1997 book, Dr. Atkins' NEW Diet Revolution


Guess they forgot about his 1972 book.
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  #5   ^
Old Sat, Jan-04-03, 17:30
PoofieD's Avatar
PoofieD PoofieD is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,389
 
Plan: Schwarzbein Principle
Stats: 195/176/125
BF:too much
Progress: 27%
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Default Liz makes a good point

Everytime I read one of these articles they write as though THEIR facts have been proven.
Another thing that keeps occuring to me, is when did we start to teach that good science is to let the government think for you?? Ie: I knew in nursing school ( well and before) that diabetics have a hard time with Sugar. But all of a sudden because the government decides on the high carb low fat food pyramid.. we feed people that are DIAGNOSED with bad sugar metabolism a diet in sugar.
Registered Dieticians are NOT thinking for themselves for the most part these days!
Too Weird!
Poofie!
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  #6   ^
Old Mon, Jan-06-03, 07:25
slowday's Avatar
slowday slowday is offline
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Posts: 59
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 350/340/186
BF:
Progress: 6%
Location: Merryland, USA
Default

Sounds like the only diet they really like is the Mayo Clinic Healthy Pyramid diet. What a surprise.

slowday

Last edited by slowday : Mon, Jan-06-03 at 07:26.
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  #7   ^
Old Thu, Jan-16-03, 22:04
Gemma Gemma is offline
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Posts: 98
 
Plan: Protein Power
Stats: 235/193/128
BF:
Progress: 39%
Location: Victoria, Australia
Default

I also remember during nursing training over 30 years ago being taught that high carbohydrate diets were a "no-no". During the 60's and 70's it was well accepted that if you wanted to lose or control weight that you needed to restrict sugar, honey, potato, rice and flour. What on earth happened? The food pyramid that's what. I grew up on a farm and we ate protein at every meal. We had egg and bacon for breakfast but didn't have toast - you just didn't have toast with bacon and egg - same for lunch - meat and salad or veggies (never much potato) - you didn't have bread with that or with the evening meal. It just wasn't necessary.

It was only after consuming a high carb diet that I gained a lot of weight and found it so difficult to lose.

Also, what is this with the Mayo Clinic recommending "slim-fast". Do they own it or something? It is full of sugar!

Good grief!

I find the argument that you need carbohydrate to feed the brain another doozy - it is incredibly difficult to cut all carb out of the diet and surely getting it from low carb fresh salad or vegies also gives you an enormous "dose" of antioxidants, vitamins etc. I can't work out why the opponents of low carb always think we only eat protein and fat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What do others think???

Gemma
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  #8   ^
Old Thu, Jan-16-03, 23:21
PoofieD's Avatar
PoofieD PoofieD is offline
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Posts: 2,389
 
Plan: Schwarzbein Principle
Stats: 195/176/125
BF:too much
Progress: 27%
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Default Exactly Gemma

My mothers grandfather, who I did have the priveldge to know, was a farmer.
They ate plenty of good whole foods.
He had eggs, sausage or bacon or some other meat, oatmal perhaps a little fruit if they could get it every morning. Cream and butter always on the menu.
Dinner and Supper were always some meat.. beef, lamb or poultry with veggies. and perhaps course whole grain breads. There was little sugar and the few carbs were as unprocessed as we get.
To the day he died he was handsome, strong and vital.
My fathers swedish side was much the same.
The english part of his ancestry liked the scones, breads..cookies..and that is the side that has blessed us with the diabetes.
I remember being told that I was a skinny child because I didn't like the potatoes. or corn.. or even bananas. My aunt remembers cleary how I would gag on those items...
I still don't like them. but ate them like an addicted person. It feels good to be back to childhood eating.
Nedra
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  #9   ^
Old Fri, Jan-17-03, 07:17
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Lisa N Lisa N is offline
Posts: 12,028
 
Plan: Bernstein Diabetes Soluti
Stats: 260/-/145 Female 5' 3"
BF:
Progress: 63%
Location: Michigan
Default Re: Mayo Clinic diets comparison, the winner? Mayo Clinic, Ornish & Soft Science

Quote:
Originally posted by tamarian
How realistic is it never to have fruit or cereal for breakfast or a sandwich for lunch?


Do these people ever read past the chapters on induction or the first phase of the program????? Do they even read the books of the plans that they are evaluating or are they relying on what the media has to say about them?
I've got a newsflash for them. My program includes 30 grams of carb per day. I eat cereal for breakfast (flax and wheat bran or Keto hot cereal) and I eat fruit (berries and melons in season) and I eat a ton of fresh veggies along with my fats and protein. I can also have a sandwich for lunch if I chose to; I just use a low carb tortilla for a sandwich wrap or low carb bread...there are several brands on the market now.
For a reputable research clinic such as Mayo to publish such blatant disinformation is inexcusable.
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  #10   ^
Old Fri, Jan-17-03, 07:36
PoofieD's Avatar
PoofieD PoofieD is offline
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Posts: 2,389
 
Plan: Schwarzbein Principle
Stats: 195/176/125
BF:too much
Progress: 27%
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Default There are lots of people that never had either

Quote:
How realistic is it never to have fruit or cereal for breakfast or a sandwich for lunch?



There are people now that don't have these items on a regular basis. I have a hunch I had grandparents who rarely had these items for their meals, except as I said a little oatmeal or other cooked grain for breakfast regularily.
Who says its realistic to eat foods without fat the rest of our lives?
That is what "they" keep suggesting.
Nedra
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  #11   ^
Old Sun, Jan-19-03, 09:57
lucyr lucyr is offline
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Posts: 158
 
Plan: atkins-modified
Stats: 228/185/154 Female 172cm
BF:
Progress: 58%
Location: UK
Default

I was interested in Gemmas's point (and other people's) that in pretty recent past everyone knew that starch and sugar made you fat. I managed to track down a copy of the book my Dad used to lose weight easily and successfully in the 60s. 'This slimming business' John Yudkin. He suggests units of 5g of carbohydrate, for ease of counting, and then suggest starting on 15 units, dropping until you start to lose weight. Is this familiar to anyone?

There was a recent TV programme here in the UK, 'the 1900 House', where a family lived as they would have done in 1900, for 3 months. They had to eat 1900 food. The butcher called, and when the mother started going on about pasta, he was horrified. In 1900, people got what they needed from meat and veg, cheese and eggs and fish too of course, and bread. But it looked very different from what the family ate these days.

In another thread, a post mentioned that the international cuisine which has been adopted in the UK anyway, is all starch: pasta and pizza and rice based food. Cheap, tasty, fast and easy.
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