HealthLINK: Cardiac (High-Protein Diets)

There's no quick fix to weight loss

Would I recommend a high-protein diet to my clients? First, I really don't believe there's one kind of diet that works for everyone. We are all different, and our various lifestyles, ages and health conditions need to be considered when we're putting together a healthful eating plan.

Notice I don't say “diet.” I've seen hundreds of patients who come to me for advice on what kind of diet will help them lose weight. But diets by their very nature are short term. We go on them to lose weight and go off them either when we've reached our goal weight—or more likely—when we can't stand to deprive ourselves any longer.

“Any diet you can't see yourself following permanently won't work.”

The people I see often know more about the calorie counts and fat content of foods than most PhDs in nutrition. They're professional dieters. My theory is any diet you can't see yourself following permanently won't work. So why even bother?

High-protein diets: just another fad
I can't imagine anyone staying on a diet that severely restricts the foods many people enjoy such as pasta and bread, fruits and vegetables. You may lose weight quickly on a high-protein diet, but much of that loss can be attributed to shifts in your body's fluid balance.

High-protein diets are a quick fix. Many people begin with firm resolutions to stick to the diet and they may lose weight rapidly, but before long, the odds are they will revert back to their old eating habits.

“Our brains and our muscles run best on carbohydrate energy.”

If you don't eat carbohydrates, you quickly deplete the carbohydrates your body has stored for fuel and your body turns to its fat stores for energy. That may sound like just what you want to happen, but our bodies weren't designed to run well on body fat fuel. It takes our bodies a long time to break down protein and fat to use for energy, and the bottom line is that our brains and our muscles run best on carbohydrate energy.

As we begin to break down fat for fuel, we release ketones, and our metabolism slows to a crawl. We also may experience some unpleasant side effects such as fatigue, decreased concentration and changes in bowel function.

“Any diet that eliminates whole food groups or labels certain foods as 'bad' is just another fad diet. And fad diets don't work.”

Any diet that eliminates whole food groups or labels certain foods as “bad” is just another fad diet. And fad diets don't work.

Fifty percent of Americans are overweight. Obesity is a chronic problem for many Americans, and they need long-term solutions. Fad diets are not going to result in the kinds of changes in food choices and lifestyle patterns that will make a real, sustainable difference.

So what does work?
People are not overweight because they don't understand what they should eat and what they shouldn't eat. When I meet with clients one of my first goals is to work with that person to discover why they eat the way they do. Do they eat when they're sad, happy, when they're bored or just out of habit? Once we figure out a person's eating triggers, we can begin to work on changing the patterns of behavior that lead to overeating.

I try to isolate the times when clients are most inclined to overeat and design an eating plan and changes in lifestyle that will break that pattern. If someone does well all day at work but overeats at home, he or she may need more structure in their evening schedule to avoid resorting to food. Depending on the individual, I might suggest planning activities such as walking, going to a movie or visiting friends rather than sitting in front of a television and eating.

“We need to begin thinking of food as an enjoyable way to fuel our bodies rather than a way to get comfort, relieve boredom and alleviate stress.”

We all started as infants who ate when we were hungry and stopped when we were full, but during childhood a variety of influences changed this natural balance. Whether we belonged to the “clean-plate club” or ate our vegetables so we could reach the reward of dessert, we need to learn some new behaviors. We're surrounded by cues to eat more: ads on TV, oversized portions in restaurants, cultural celebrations that focus on food.

We need to begin thinking of food as an enjoyable way to fuel our bodies rather than a way to get comfort, relieve boredom and alleviate stress. We need to assess our issues with food, recognize what food means to us and then develop action plans to minimize situations that trigger us to eat too much.

Lisa Tartamella is a registered dietitian and outpatient nutrition coordinator for Yale-New Haven Hospital's Nutrition Clinic.

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