The Santa Clara

Faux Dieting

If the old adage "you are what you eat" rings true, you may want to avoid thelatest fad weight-loss plans, such as the "cabbage" or "beer" diet.

Tens of millions of Americans are dieting at any given time, spending more than$33 billion yearly on weight-reduction products, such as diet foods and drinks,according to a 1995 report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM). TheseAmericans are lured by promises of extraordinary weight loss touted in theCabbage Soup and I-Like-My-Beer Diets.

New fad diets

The Cabbage Soup Diet relies on a brew-it-yourself concoction of, youguessed it, cabbage soup. Dieters follow the plan for seven days, eating asmuch of the soup they want, in combination with fruits, vegetables and brownrice, depending on the day. For example, on day four, you better like bananas,because that's all your allowed to eat -- up to eight -- with some skim milk.But, the diet doesn't say how much milk.

On the other hand, the I-Like-My-Beer Diet, a weight-loss program devised byAustralian physician Dr. Martin R. Lipp, tells you how many beers you can drinkdaily. When dieters commit to this rigorous 12-day regimen, with meals based ona high-protein diet, they are allowed two beers a day: one at dinner, and theother as a snack.

Although fad diets like these are the fastest way to lose unwanted pounds, theyare definitely not the healthiest. Experts say that every fad diet that demandsan unusual eating pattern, such as emphasizing only a few types of foods,deviates from one or more of the guidelines of moderation, variety and balance.The greater the deviation, the more harmful the diet is likely to be. Thesediets may be harmful because they generally do not include all nutrientsnecessary for good health.

Rapid weight loss unhealthy

Medical research now indicates most of the weight loss in the typicalrapid weight-loss diet is muscle and fluid, not fat. Another physiologicalchange is a lower metabolism. This works against the diet plan since fat burnsfaster with a higher metabolism; and in most cases, fad dieters don't performthe exercise needed to raise metabolic rate.

Any diet program can help you lose weight, but the trick is keeping it offforever. Statistics show that 95 percent of people who have lost weight rapidlyon a fad diet have regained the weight within one year.

"Fad diets don't work," Laurie Lang, Cowell health educator, said. "It's ashort-term solution for a long-term problem."

Diet pill recall

And if you're thinking about diet pills, think again. The FDA recalled anumber of products -- Cal-Ban 3000, Cal-Lite 1000, Cal-Trim 5000, Perma Slim,Bodi Trim, Dictol 7 Plus, Medi Thin, Nature's Way and East Indian Guar Gumbecause they posed serious health risks.

The products contained guar gum, which supposedly swelled in the stomach toprovide a feeling of fullness; however, the swelling from the guar gum causedblockages in the throat and stomach. With all the diet pills on the market,isn't there one that works?

"Forget it," Lang said. "They're dangerous. Drink lots of water, instead, tocurb your appetite."

A healthy solution

One of the simplest and healthiest solutions for weight loss is to loweryour caloric intake by approximately 500 calories per day. One pound equals3,500 calories, so, in seven days, you should lose one pound -- 500 x 7 =3,500. Despite the promises of many fad diets to "lose seven to 10 pounds inone week," it's not healthy for your body, considering you're consuming only800 - 1,000 calories per day, and sometimes less.

"You can't go from taking in 2,000 calories to 1,000 calories without settingalarms off in your system," Lang said. "A diet with 1,000 calories isstarvation."

Typically, a healthy woman 17-22 years old needs 1,700-2,500 calories per day,depending on size and physical activity. A healthy man 17-22 years old needs2,000-4,000 calories per day, also depending on size and physical activity.

These calories should be a combination of 60 percent carbohydrates, 10 to 15percent protein and the rest fats, but no more than 10 percent saturated fat.

Keeping up with this healthy regimen causes college students some difficulty.Snacking has become a way of life for many students with the accessibility ofcarbonated beverages, candy and salted snack items. It's much easier, quickerand cheaper to grab a Snickers bar and Diet Pepsi while studying, rather thantaking time out for a balanced meal. At this rate, you might maintain a slenderfigure, but you're not maintaining a healthy body.

"Treat your body well, and it will treat you well," Lang said. And those whodon't can watch their heads turn into cabbage and their bellies into beer.

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