"It's Not a Diet, It's A Lifestyle." Research Paper

Tierra Gray

English Composition II

4/19/2011

Research Paper

It’s Not A Diet

Drop 2 sizes in one week! No exercise or diet included! Order the Ab curler machine and you will be swimsuit ready! Try the new lemon apple cider diet pill and you will be shrinking by the day! How many times have you heard a commercial or read an advertisement similar to this? America is swarming with diet and exercise gimics. A book about Weight in America from the Information Series on Current Topics states, “…many health professionals and researchers cite the statistic that 95% of diets fail.” (Wexler 145).

Most diets fail because losing weight is more than some fancy meal plan and exercise regimen. Those who desire muscle definition, a flat stomach, or a beach body must realize that it requires more than a diet, however it is a lifestyle. This paper will explore some popular diet fads and exercise advertisements that many Americans have attempted, tried and failed. Incorporating the components to create an overall healthy lifestyle has more than weight loss or physical benefits. And with diseases, obesity and death rates rising, many Americans are not aware the problem maybe between the fork and the knife! American’s only focus on fad diets, weight technological advances and exercise programs that ultimately negate the importance of proper nutrition and exercise and creating an overall healthy lifestyle.

Several diet fads have been created in America. Many can be found in the “Encyclopedia of Diet Fads” book by authors Marjolin Bijelfeld and Sharon K. Zoumbaris. Some common diets include Weight Watchers, Slim-Fast, Protein Power, Xenical, and the T-Factor Diet. Although many desire to achieve long-lasting results through diets, most diets are temperal. Also diets do not fix health related problems such as Diabetes, Heart Disease, or Chronic Liver Disease, which are some of the leading death causes in this nation.

America’s life expectancy is increasing, however the time of healthy living is decreasing. Many people know older relatives, aunts, uncles and grandmothers who are suffering from diabetes, cancer, or stroke? The Nations Health newspaper about dietary guidelines, exercise, and calorie control stated, “By 2030, about 20 percent of the U.S population will have reached age 65, and many will face the nation’s top three killers: cancer, heart disease and stroke.” (Krisberg 13). Many of these health conditions derive from poor healthy eating and sedentary lifestyles. Author Krisberg stated in the same newsletter, “People should be thinking of (exercising) in the same vein as going to the doctor.” (Krisberg 14). Americans need to learn about healthy foods and exercise, and their benefits. Most people are on some kind of diet some part of the year. An information series about social issues in America includes a book titled “Weight In America” that explains health problems such as obesity, diabetes, nutrition and exercise habits.

Several charts and graphs and survey results are included to help readers fully understand these issues. One group of charts explains the number of students and their yearly weight preventative methods. Some students have tried skipping meals, consuming fewer calories and even diet pills and powders. Others who are still desperate to loose unwanted pounds try fad diets such as Weight Watchers, Metabolife, the Grapefruit diet and more.

The Atkin’s Diet is one of the most popular diet fads in America and was created by Robert C. Atkins. His diet has four phases lasting approximately one week. Dieters begin by eating only 20g of carbohydrates per day, (which is equivalent to a piece of wheat bread, one cup of yogart or a ½ cup of oatmeal). They progress to 30, 40, and 60-90 g of carbohydrates per day each week. Also dieters are not required to count calories and can therefore consume 1,800-2,400 calories per day. The diet focuses on fat and protein consumption with limited carbohydrate intake.

While some have been successful on this diet plan, the Atkins Diet is implausible. Robert Atkins confessed that weight returns when more carbohydrates are introduced. The “Encyclopedia of Diet Fads” notes that, “In his book stresses that the early period of the diet is not a lifetime regimen unless the dieter has a particularly stubborn metabolic resistance.” (Bijlefeld and Zoumbaris 10). Atkins also has said once dieters eat the amount of carbohydrates appropriate for their weight and age, many of the pounds will return.

The entire diet dramatically limits the intake of carbohydrates that is vital for every human being. In grocery stores we often see food labels that boast “low-carb”, however a certain amount of carbohydrates are needed. The “Encyclopedia of Diet Fads” states that, “By limiting carbohydrate intake, the Atkins diet eliminates many of the foods and food groups called for in the USDA Food Guide Pyramid. Those include fruits, cereals, breads, grains, starches, dairy products, and starchy vegetables.” [fig. 2 here] (Bijlefeld and Zoumbaris 10). Starchy vegetables, carbohydrates, and sugary fruits are necessary and should be eaten in moderation and in balance with the other foods.

The Atkins diet is contrary to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and National Institutes of Health nutrition regulations. The USDA and National Institutes of Health nutrition recommends 300 carbohydrates per day for a male eating 2,000 calories per day. Also 5-6 servings of fruits and vegetables per day are recommended to reduce cancer. The USDA says fatty foods such as butter, oil, and cheese should be eaten sparingly. Robert C. Atkins allows dieters to consume an unlimited amount of fat. His diet plan conflicts with nutrition guidelines. The key to healthy nutrition is eating balanced meals from each food group every day.

While the Atkins Diet may seem senseless, the Beverly Hills Diet has been considered the most outrageous diets in America. The diet was created by Judy Mazel and initially only allowed eating fruit only for ten days. Her modern version of the diet focuses on healthy eating from all food groups. She created ten meal plans for ten days of eating. An example of one meal plan involves eating five pounds of grapes in one day.

Another meal plan involves eating only strawberries, prunes and baked potatoes.This diet is unhealthy for many reasons. Many dieters will regain weight after the ten days. So far the Atkins and Beverly Hills diet causes weight loss, then weight gain. This cycle of gaining and loosing weight caused by fad diets is called yo-yo dieting. “The Encyclopedia of Diet Fads” Some dangers of yo-yo dieting by stating, “Each time yo-yo dieters lose weight through the use of pills, liquid diet drinks, or fads like a high-protein, high-fat, and low-carbohydrate diet, they lose mostly lean muscle and water but only a small amount of fat. However, when those pounds return, it is in the form of fat with very little muscle regained.” (Bijlefeld and Zoumbaris 156). Many who are frustrated with weight by trying new diet fads have perhaps experienced yo-yo dieting which has dangerous consequences.

Also the suggested diet plan decreased amount of protein can cause a decrease of lean muscle mass, therefore increased body fat. This diet fad is contrary to proper nutrition guidelines. When referring to the USDA food pyramid, the suggested amount of fruit per day is 2-4 servings, way less than the suggested amount for the South Beach Diet. More fruit means more sugar. Sugar is toxic and addicting. The book on diet fads briefly mentions sugar, and that it is necessary for hormone insulin production. However when a lot of sugar enters the body, the insulin most work much harder, which causes a disease called diabetes. Perhaps eating access sugar, even in the form of fruit, can be deadly.

Notice her diet does not require eating much fat. Many grocery stores also offer low-fat food items. Many believe that low-fat and low-carb is the key to weight loss or being healthy. A healthy hearty report in the Saturday Evening Post titled, “America the Fat” discusses how Americans abuse the consumptions of fat. Fat is a necessary part of a diet and have nutritional benefits. According to the report, “Omega 3 polys improve circulation and have been shown to actually lower our blood cholesterol and blood tryglycerides (fat).” (Zifferblatt 22). These kinds of fat include olive, peanut, avocado, sesame, and vegetable oils. Eating food from every food group is necessary and beneficial.

Another popular diet fad requiring only some food groups is called The Zone, that was created in 1995 by Barry Sears. His program focuses on 30 percent fat, 30 percent protein, and 40 percent carbohydrate intake. He encourages dieters to stay away from foods such as carrots, apples, bananas, potatoes, bagels, and other carbohydrate and fat rich foods. The Zone does not focus on a healthy eating lifestyle. Instead it encourages the consumption of excess unnecessary protein. Sears does not suggest eating complex carbohydrates. However “The Encyclopedia of Diet Fads” states, “The AHA also suggests that high-fiber plant foods such as grains are an important part of nutritionally balanced diet because they help lower cholesterol.” (Bijlefeld and Zoumbaris 158).

Carbohydrates from foods and high-fiber plants are necessary.

Sears only allows dieters to consume 1,500 calories per day, however according to a chart from “Weight in America” on calorie requirements, the Institute of Medicine Dietary Reference suggests 2,000-2,200 calories per day for a moderately active female aged19-30 years old, and 2,600-2,800 calories per day for a moderately active male 19-30 years old. (Wexler 156). The Zone diet only focuses on eating fat and protein which excludes some food groups.

Americans sometimes go through desperate measures to lose weight, far beyond diet fads. An increasingly popular weight loss preventative is through liposuction surgery. Liposuction is a procedure that removes areas of unwanted fat and has major risks including death! “The Encyclopedia of Diet Fads” the article about liposuction stated that, “In 2002, there were 372,831 surgeries performed…” (Bijlefeld and Zoumbaris 73). Both an eighty-year old woman and a twenty-three year old young lady have all died due to complications during procedure.

The procedure does not always gauruntee good results. It is suggested for people with only small areas of extra fat. If the patient gains ten pounds they will see fat return to surgically enhanced areas. Also the surgery does not treat cellulite, excess skin, and swelling will remain three months after procedure.

Liposuction also does not solve health problems or promote exercise.People who choose liposuction do not gain the benefits of exercise. An article about America and their fascination with exercise observed various people and their opinions of working out. Participants of the study noted they felt superior, virtuous after a workout, however guilty and lazy when they did not exercise. Some health benefits of exercise provided by this article listed by the President’s Council on Physical Fitness includes, “…positive impact on the immune system, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, hypertension, osteoporosis, arthritis, stress, sexual performance, employee absenteeism, and insurance cost to employers.” (Phillips 529). Exercise also increases cognitive functions, and decreases depression. Unfortunately, “Research supports the contention that some exercisers consider appearance to be a more important goal than health.” (Phillips 534). Americans are seemingly superficial in regards to exercise and rarely focus on the health benefits.

Magazine articles, billboards, television programs and television commercials help with the superficial weight loss motivations in our country. They do not promote a healthy lifestyle of regular lifestyle. The P90x is an intense exercise program that only lasts ninety days and was created by Tony Horton. People who do not have prior exercise habits may not continue exercising after the ninety days. In the previous decade most adults were sedentary. According to a chart in “The Encyclopedia of Diet Fads”, between 1991-1999 Only 15% of adults participated in moderate exercise three times per week for 30 minutes. Because most adults are not regular exercisers, the P90x program will not help with fitness goals. The P90x is also contradicts The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which recommends 3 days of 30 minutes or more of exercise, or 5 days of 20 minutes vigorous exercise per week to be considered healthy. However the P90x program only lasts ninety days.

Fitness articles and magazines such as Shape and SELF are superficial and only promote temp. An article titled “Walk Your Way Lean” was published in the Shape December 2010 magazine and provides tips on loosing weight through the simple activity of walking. One line stated, “And now that winter has rolled around again, it’s the ideal time to reacquaint yourself with this fat-blasting machine. (Lee, Shape Magazine Dec 2010 144). This quote suggests that exercise is infrequent. However the CDC recommends exercising most days of the week. The article does not mention health benefits of exercise and only mentions physical benefits and claims walking will, “…really light a fire under the flab and sculpt those leg muscles.” Also the author claims to,“…do it twice in a row if you’re energized-and you could actually drop a few pounds this holiday season.” The CDC recommends walking and other moderate exercise thirty minutes a day for reduced serious diseases such as stroke, diabetes, cancer and heart disease. (Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter 27.9). The Shape article does not focus on making exercise a lifestyle.

Ironically exercise does not necessarily promote weight loss. In fact exercise can increase appetite making nutrition and balance more difficult. Exercise can however, provide muscle definition, strength, stamina, raise metabolism and help sleep. Exercise can also suppress hunger. Balanced nutrition and exercise is key to any weight loss goals. It is this proper balance that causes weight loss.

Many Americans are desperate for a fast weight loss solution and resolve to several diet programs. Diet fads in America are quick temporary fixes, cause health problems, and do not necessarily teach the components of the Food Pyramid, the essential guide for a healthy lifestyle. Several commercials and advertisements gauruntee weight loss by taking a pill, using a particular machine, or piece of equipment. Americans only regard nutrition when thinking of short-term goals such as fitting into a particular size clothing, obtaining a particular weight for a sports team, or a News Years Resolution.

Meanwhile they consume calories in the form of junk food, fruit juice, candy, and desserts and still hope to miraculously loose unwanted fat. Americans want to loose weight fast, quick and now however weight loss is a decision and process. The process depends on the individual, their ambitions, motivations and goals. Fortunately weight loss can be achieved by incorporating the proper balance of nutrition and exercising. The key to any weight loss goal is eating healthy foods, eating the proper amount of calories, balancing the ingestion of processed and unprocessed foods, and to remember the choice you make is not a diet, rather a lifestyle.

Works Cited

“A Half-Dozen Health Habits Reduce Women’s Risk.” Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter 27.8 (2009): 6. Academic Search Elite. EBSCO. Web. 24. Mar 2011.

Bijlefeld, Marjolijin., Zoumbaris Sharon K., Encyclopedia of Diet Fads. Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut London, 2003. Print.

“Four Healthy Habits Cut Risk for Serious Disease.” Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter 27.9 (2009): 8. Academic Search Elite. EBSCO. Web. 24 Mar. 2011

Lee, Janet. “Walk Your Way Lean.” Shape Magazine Dec. 2010: 144. Print

“Nutrition, exercise essential components for healthy aging. (Cover story).” Nation’s Health 35.2 (2005): 1-14. Academic Search Elite. EBSCO. Web. 24 Mar. 2011.

Wexler, Barbara. Weight in America: Obesity, Eating Disorders, and Other Health Related Risks. Wylie, Texas. Information Plus Reference Series. 2008. Print.

Zifferblatt, S.M. “AMERICA THE FAT.” Saturday Evening Post 262.6 (1990): 26-30. Acadmeic Search Elite. EBSCO. Web. 24 Mar. 2011.