by Pamela A. Popper, Ph.D., N.D.
Recently I conducted a workshop for women and almost all of them were overweight. And, almost all of them were serial dieters. The most common diet they were using was restricting calorie intake. I asked the group what they thought was the best method of weight loss and they almost all stated that cutting back portions was the best idea. I then asked how many of them had tried that and almost all of them had. And, almost all of them were still overweight. Using one of my favorite lines from Dr. Phil, I then asked, “so, how’s the calorie restriction been working out for you?” Silence.
In spite of the fact that restricted calorie diets do not work, most people still think that’s the secret to weight loss. They just think that if they muster up enough willpower they will be able to eat tiny portions, reduce the intake, and suffer through hunger until the weight comes off. But this ignores the strength of the hunger drive – it is very powerful and, in fact, has kept the human race alive for a very long time!
Not only do restrictive calorie diets not work, but they lead to a shortened life span, according to an article in the March 2004 issue of Runner’s World. Researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, led by Jim Fang, M.D., measured the rate of physical activity, body mass index and daily calorie intake of 10,000 subjects, and then tracked their heart disease mortality rates.
Over the course of 17 years, over 1500 participants died from cardiovascular illnesses. The majority of those who died had what is considered low daily caloric intakes – as low as 1100 calories per day for some individuals. The people who had the most caloric intake had the lowest rate of CVD. They also were more active, and more fit.
Now, this is not a license to eat as much of anything as you want – eating Fritos and Krispy Kremes to your heart’s content is not what is being suggested here. But, you do need to take in enough food to operate your body efficiently every day and provide nutrients needed for function.
The best way to do this, and what we are teaching people who are enrolled in the Accelerated Weight Loss Plan, is to understand the concept of calorie dilution. If you eat nutrient-rich, calorie dilute foods like vegetables, legumes, and potatoes, you can fill yourself up at every meal – the amount of food required to fill your stomach is only 4-500 calories.
However, if you eat meat, cheese, oils, and other foods from the Standard American Diet, it can take as much as 4100 calories to fill the stomach. See the problem?
And that is why calorie restriction does not work. Eating small portions of food results in an empty stomach and most people, in the long term, will simply not tolerate being hungry. A much better plan is to eat the right foods and then you can eat as much as you want, without weighing, measuring or using complicated formulas.
Starving yourself will not lead to a thin body, but it may lead to an early death!
Audrey’s Note: Please call/email for more information on how to implement a plant-based diet in your kitchen. I can help you make this your reality!