Less is Best
The diets come and go — South Beach, Grapefruit, Paleo — but it seems staying power might be the key to successful weight loss.
An analysis published in the September issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association indicated dieters might not have to worry about the difference in eating regimens.
The authors of the JAMA study conclude the results support the practice of recommending any diet that a patient will adhere to in order to lose weight.
“Our findings suggest that patients may choose, among those associated with the largest weight loss, the diet that gives them the least challenges with adherence,” the researchers wrote in a press release. As long as you maintain your diet and drop calories, you'll drop pounds, too, they suggested.
“No one is the same and therefore I agree that a variety of weight-loss and weight-management practices can be effective,” said Hannah Brewer, assistant professor in the Department of Public Health and Social Work at Slippery Rock University.
“The health belief model suggests that motivation is a key factor in people's willingness to take health-related action. As such, if one particular diet has more perceived benefits and less perceived barriers for participants, they will be more likely to adhere to the diet,” Brewer said.
“To say that one simply needs to choose a diet and stick to it to lose weight is both a true and untrue statement,” said Lorri Lankiewicz, doctor of physical therapy, natural nutritional consultant, personal health and wellness coach and the owner of Balance For Wellness Physical Therapy and Integrative Medicine, at 505 Hansen Ave. and a soon-to-open location at 601 Pittsburgh Road.
“If a person is young with a healthy metabolic/endocrine system including dealing with minimum stress, they may be able to choose a certain diet and reach their goals,” Lankiewicz said.“Other scenarios do exist in which a person chooses a diet and sticks to it, exercises consistently and stays hydrated and continues to fail at losing weight,” she said.“In this case, the endocrine/metabolic system is not fully functioning. This means that one of many glands can be over or underproducing certain hormones,” Lankiewicz said.She added stress can cause weight gain.“Weight gain and obesity is an epidemic with numerous causes. We need to look at this epidemic from an integrative medical perspective to determine the root cause of weight gain when an individual has attempted numerous programs and continues to fail at reaching their weight-loss goals,” Lankiewicz said.“You can lose weight but not keep it off because of underlying toxins,” said Judy Sankey of the Discover Wellness and Chiropractic Center, 227 S. Chestnut St., which offers 5-week and 12-week weight-loss programs.“We always like to have patients check with a health-care provider before they start weight loss,” Sankey said. “We evaluate them and prepare them for a lifestyle change.”Sankey said the center's programs include a menu heavy in raw and steamed vegetables.She said organic vegetables are the best, fresh vegetables are next, frozen are OK but canned and dried vegetables should be avoided because of the chance of toxins.“We have a detox to purge the toxins and bad bacteria from your organs and bloodstream. Toxins are everywhere, in medications, cleaning supplies and processed food,” she said.Sankey said program participants avoid alcohol, caffeine and tobacco, processed foods and sugar products. The program also stresses drinking lots of water.Sankey said, “We've had people lose 20 to 22 pounds and lose 22 inches all over their body.”For Elaine Lassinger, it's not what goes into the body, but what goes into the mind.Lassinger runs Hypnosis for Positive Change in Mars and has been using hypnosis for weight loss for 30 years.“It's a wonderful way to do it. People who come for the program on the average are losing 15 to 20 pounds a month,” Lassinger said.“In deep hypnosis they don't even hear you or hear what you are saying. The powers of suggestion are very strong, addressing the subconscious mind, activated in hypnosis,” she said.“I'm training their mind/ body experience to eat smaller portions, drink more water, make healthy choices, put their body in motion,” said Lassinger.“I give them different anchors, something that anchors in that feeling or emotion, it may be a color, something to say themselves, positive affirmation.“Everyone is different. Some people don't eat all day and graze all night. I tailor a session just for them,” she said.“I actually have two approaches,” she said. “One is a routine weight-loss session for those looking to lose 20 to 30 pounds. The other is gastric band hypnosis. That takes four sessions. Two are to prepare them, the third is (putting the) gastric band idea in their minds only,” she said. The patient is hypnotized to feel fuller while eating less.“I have had clients lose 200 pounds in a year. That is also very successful and we are doing it without the risk of surgery,” she said.Dr. Meng Lee, a bariatric surgeon on staff at Butler Memorial Hospital, performed the actual surgery on nearly 60 patients last year.Lee says his surgery falls into three categories: lap-band surgery, which limits the size of the stomach; laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, in which up to 80 percent of the stomach is removed; and laparoscopic gastric bypass, in which the stomach is made smaller and reconnected to the small intestine.“We are rearranging the small intestine to promote malabsorption,” said Lee. “Not all calories the patient eats will be absorbed by the body.”Lee said potential candidates for such surgeries must have a body mass index (the ratio of weight to height) greater than 35.And the excess weight must present the patient with related health problems: diabetes, sleep apnea or high blood pressure.“A loss of 50 percent of excessive body weight would be considered a success,” said Lee.“But surgery is not a cure. It is a tool to be used to achieve weight loss,” Lee said.“Before surgery we counsel the patients so they understand they must make a change in their lifestyle,” Lee said.Those sentiments were echoed by Brewer.“Ultimately, healthy eating is a lifestyle, not a diet. Therefore, choose something you can stick with and find a lifelong physical activity that you enjoy to complement your balanced, nutritious diet,” she said.“Being physically active is a key factor in being able to effectively maintain a healthy weight throughout the life span,” she added.
