Ever wonder if muscle really weighs more than fat? If you can eat after 8 p.m. and not gain weight? Do you feel confused over the true meanings of low carb, low cal, reduced fat, low fat? Do you wonder, as so many of us do, if carbs really are the enemy? Throughout her new book, Diet Myths That Keep Us Fat: And the 101 Truths That Will Save Your Waistline -- and Maybe Even Your Life, Dr. Snyderman, NBC News' chief medical editor and anchor of new health show on MSNBC starting this summer, explains the history and underlining meaning of these myths -- and the truths behind them. So if you're not entirely happy with your weight -- and few of us are -- grab a copy and find out how to stay naturally fit and appreciate the wonderful body you have!
In the meantime, here's an excerpt from the introduction to Diet Myths That Keep Us Fat, which is on sale nationwide May 5:
When I began my career as a medical correspondent in the 1980s, I was frequently concerned that one day I would run out of medical subjects, including nutrition, to talk about. Back then, I had no way of foreseeing the bewildering and conflicting flood of diet advice that would continue to pour in week after week. Americans have been bombarded with all kinds of conflicting nutrition news: whether it's about cholesterol and heart healthy diets or lack of fiber as a cause of cancer, whether it's the latest "miracle" supplement or the dangers of sugar and food coloring, or even whether vegetables are as healthy if they're store bought as they are when purchased at the farmers' market. One day, the supplement vitamin E is magic, an antioxidant hedge against heart disease. Then, just as vitamin companies saturate the market with capsules, research shows that vitamin E takers could be more susceptible to heart attacks than those not taking the supplements.
It can seem as if every food poses a risk for cancer -- and that every food contains cancer-fighting agents. Several years ago, health experts promoted a low-fat diet for everyone. Then came the high-protein diet in which promoters said fat is fine, but you need to steer clear of carbohydrates. Eggs used to be bad; now they are good. Butter used to be bad; now we know it’s better than margarine.
There is so much misinformation and confusion about what to eat. It gets to a point where there is nothing "safe" left in the refrigerator but the ice maker.
As for the shape we're in, we get fat over the course of years, but we want it off by next Thursday. Hardly a week goes by without some expert somewhere issuing a new report declaring that a certain diet or pill or surgery is the latest magic bullet for weight loss. After being a doctor for more than thirty years, having reported on thousands of diet and nutrition stories, and being a professional dieter myself, I can tell you this: No magic bullet exists.
What we need is a new and smart strategy for successful weight loss. Statistics show that forty-five million Americans are dieting at any moment in time, and we're spending more than $30 billion a year on weight loss. Yet obesity is rarely treated successfully. We have a serious problem: We are the only animals on the planet that will eat ourselves into an early grave. Two centuries ago, people died of starvation. That trend is changing. Ours will be the first generation to die from food excess. It's insane!
Since the early 1980s, Americans increasingly have grown larger. We are ten pounds heavier, on average, than we were fifteen years ago and eat 15 percent more calories today than in 1984. Adult obesity has doubled since 1980, increasing in every region of the country, in both males and females and across all age, race, and socioeconomic groups. As we grow bigger, so have our risk factors for heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallbladder disease, elevated cholesterol levels, kidney failure, and certain cancers. We’re at a tipping point in this country, where obesity has started to cost us our longevity. Proper weight is not just a matter of looking good; it is about health. Being healthy is knowing you can count on your body. Being healthy is about enjoying a well-rounded life: pursuing physical activities you love, enjoying a balanced diet that makes room for all foods in moderation, and tuning in to your emotional and spiritual health.
One answer to our national paunch is to stop obsessing about what we eat and start sorting out the sound advice from the babble. In spite of all the conflicting information, the tried-and- true still holds: Load up on real foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; practice portion control; and exercise regularly. It couldn't be simpler. And because it's so simple, people find it really boring. But these actions are the only safe and stable ways to lose weight.
Try not to react to every new nutritional study that comes down the pike, either, since much of this information will be replaced by a new panacea next month. And start savoring your food, whether it's a steaming bowl of oatmeal or a piece of double-fudge cake you share with your friends at a great restaurant. Food is good for you, and it’s good for your soul. Enjoy it!
Get your copy of Dr. Snyderman's book today -- and learn how you can reach a healthy body weight and find peace with food.