Obesity: Changing Your Diet

People are under the common misconception that changing their diets to one consisting of low fat, low calorie and low carbohydrates will help them to lose weight. Nothing could be further from the truth. Lowering your calorie intake can actually be harmful to your body because calories are needed to burn fat. You may lose a few pounds in the short term but it will come back and you may even gain more weight than you lost to begin with.

Not all fats should be taken out of your diet either. It is agreed upon by experts that trans fat is not good for you but there are some fats that are needed to help your body absorb nutrients that it wouldn't otherwise be able to do on its own. Omega-3 fatty acids help to prevent high blood pressure, chronic diseases and are good for your heart. These types of fats are found in foods such as fish, safflower oil, sunflower seed oil, soybean oil, canola and peanut oil. Although these fats are beneficial they should be consumed in moderation as well since over-eating them can also contribute to weight gain. The fats you want to avoid, trans fats, are generally found in red meats, whole milk and other dairy products, and fried foods. If you want to keep red meats in your diet it is a good idea to start consuming lean cuts of meat and meats that are low in sodium.

High-Fat and High-Calorie Diets
Eating a diet that is high in fat or refined sugars has more calories than a diet filled with protein or carbohydrates. Body weight, body composition, and one's tolerability to certain foods all affect weight gain. Although low-fat foods are high in calories, someone eating a high-fat meal will tend to store more calories as body fat than someone eating a low-fat meal. The ratio is 9 calories for fat versus 4 calories for carbohydrates. The type of foods we eat interferes with our metabolism and can cause excessive storage of fat. It is important to change your diet so that you are consuming foods that are lower in fat, higher in proteins and carbohydrates, and at the same learn what foods you can or cannot tolerate.

It is also essential to keep carbohydrates in your diet. They play an important role in keeping your body healthy. Once consumed they are broken down by the liver into glucose, or sugar, that in turn gives your body the energy it needs to help your organs work efficiently. There are two major types of carbohydrates, simple and complex. This is determined by how quickly your body breaks down the sugar and absorbs it.

Simple Carbohydrates
Simple carbohydrates have a molecular structure of one (single) or two (double) sugars. Single sugars are found in fructose and galactose. These are included in foods such as milk products, and fruits. Double sugars are found in lactose, maltose, and sucrose. These are included in foods such as dairy products, refined sugars (table sugar), certain vegetables, non-diet carbonated beverages, honey, and beer.

Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates have a molecular structure of three (triple) or more sugars. These types of carbohydrates are often referred to as "starchy" foods and include starchy vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and cereals.

It can be difficult to come out of your old patterns and changing your eating habits. Rather than focusing on diet it may be easier to focus on your overall health and make lifestyle changes that are reasonable.

Sources

Levy, Lance. Understanding Obesity: The Five Medical Causes. Tonawanda, NY: Firefly Books; 1 Edition, 2000.

J. Ribeiro et al. Overweight and obesity in children and adolescents: relationship with blood pressure, and physical activity. Annals of Human Biology 30 (2): 203-213, 2003.

Wadden, Thomas A. Handbook of Obesity Treatment. New York, NY: The Guilford Press; Updated Edition, 2004.