Low Fat Diet Plans example essay topic

Personal Diet and Weight Loss Management Analysis Each morning I get on the scales and hope that I can celebrate losing a pound or two. The numbers I see on the scale represent a gauge that keeps me moving forward in a weight loss program. When I look at the numbers on the scale I realize I am making progress in losing weight, however, am I putting my body at more risk just by limiting certain foods? Comparing and contrasting my typical diet to the amounts of daily nutrients recommended in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Guide Pyramid has proven that I am not a healthy eater. I may have to make some dramatic changes or face significant health issues in the future. After reviewing several plans, I have chosen the South Beach Diet to follow to take advantage of the healthy benefits of following a low-carbohydrate diet.

The analysis of my dietary intake for two days is demonstrated on the chart below with the USDA guidelines for my age, gender and lifestyle group, a sedentary female over 50, as a comparison to the food groups and nutrients consumed (Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005): Figure 1: Personal Diet as compared to Recommended Nutrition Intake Nutrient Recommended Day 1 Day 2 Findings Energy Intake 1600 calories 1770 1541 Need to stabilize Grain Group 6 servings 5 3 Need to stabilize Vegetable Group 3 servings 3 1 Need to stabilize Fruit Group 2 1.5 1 Need to increase Meat Group (ounces) 5 2 1.25 Need to increase Protein Grams 72.8 90 58 Need to stabilize Fat Grams 53 93 62 Need to reduce Carb Grams 217 232 180 Need to stabilize Fiber Grams 20-50 15 14 Need to increase Water (ounces) 64 48 32 Need to increase Sodium mg 1423 1820 940 Need to stabilize Iron as % of RDA 14 2 6 Need to increase Nutrient Recommended Day 1 Day 2 Findings Cholesterol mrs 184 331 75 Need to stabilize Calcium as % of RDA 1000-2000 mg = 100% 28% 25% Need to increase The comparison of my two-day nutrition intake to recommendations demonstrates that I do not consistently consume a healthy diet. I do not follow the recommendations in the Food Guide Pyramid. While foods within each group are consumed, my daily diet is not stable and must to be adjusted to meet the recommendations. My overall eating habits are poor and unfortunately reflect consistency with other Americans where it is thought that "only three percent of all individuals meet four of the five recommendations for the intake of grains, fruits, vegetables, milk product, and meat and bean food groups (Healthier US. Gov, 2005)". USDA Guide to Daily Food Choices web analysis of my diet quickly leads to the next step where I identified the highest health risk alerts associated with my eating habits.

These include: diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease and cancer. The risk factors contributing to diabetes include only having a moderate amount of exercise, being overweight, having a low intake of fiber and having a sweet tooth. The weight gain can be attributed in part due to aging but also a diet high in carbohydrates and fat. I am at risk for osteoporosis due to the fact that I do not have enough calcium or iron in my diet and lead a fairly sedentary lifestyle.

Increasing my intake of milk and dairy products will meet the nutritional recommendations and a program of weight bearing exercise will also contribute to reducing the risk of this disease. Additionally, I will schedule a bone density test as part of my next physical exam as an integral part of assessing my bone status for this disease. Heart disease, especially hypertension, is a possible health risk as my sodium intake is not consistent and ranges in the high levels, up to 1800 milligrams in a day. I need to stabilize my sodium intake to the normal which is about 1400 milligrams in a 1600 calorie diet. The lack of fiber in my diet not only increases the risk of diabetes but also increases the risk of colon cancer.

Healthier US. Gov, a nutrition website, states "It has been estimated that dietary changes could reduce cancer deaths in the United States by as much as 35 percent". However, my family does not have colon cancer in our history, which is a plus in my favor. My analysis shows that I must add a variety of fruits and vegetables to my diet as well as increasing the amount of water I drink. Adequate water intake will allow me to stay hydrated and meet the needs for more fluids in a higher fiber diet. Entering my age, weight, and gender in a Body Mass Index (BMI) program reveals that my index is 31.3 and shows that I need to reduce my weight by almost 30 pounds to achieve a recommended BMI of 108.5-25.

After researching several low-carbohydrate, low-fat diet plans, I concluded that the South Beach Diet, developed by Dr. Arthur Agatston, a cardiologist from the Miami Beach, Florida area, most met my nutritional and health needs. A positive is that this diet plan offers variety while not being restrictive in portion control. It supports a life-long change in eating in a more healthful way and offers many recipes and cooking tips to adopt. Dr. Agatston began not by looking for a diet plan but by looking for ways to improve the health of his patients. He researched several of the recommended diets from the American Heart Association and found that these along with other low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets were very restricted. As a result, his patients were not following these diets and if they were, the reduction in cholesterol and triglycerides levels in their blood work was not as visible as promised.

Dr. Agatston's work in developing a new diet included understanding obesity and how insulin works in the body. He recognized that "there was another not terribly well-understood diet-related problem that they shared, a so-called metabolic syndrome (pre diabetes) found in close to half of all Americans who suffer heart attacks". (The South Beach Diet, 2003, p 8.) He set out to learn about nutrition as an important part in developing a plan; incorporating healthy eating into each phase of his diet. He tried the new diet on his cardiac patients and the results in immediate weight loss were coupled with an improvement in blood chemistry results.

Word about the diet spread and Dr. Agatston presented the plan to the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association (South Beach Diet, 2005). In 2003, Dr. Agatston published The South Beach Diet book and established a web site address for information and resources for dieters. Dr. Agatston and four nutritionists is also available to answer questions. The South Beach Diet that Dr. Agatston developed is not a low-carbohydrate diet but rather one that strikes a balance between current low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets.

It is a diet plan that includes fruits, vegetables and whole grains as good carbohydrates and ends the intake of processed (bad) carbohydrates such as white flour and white sugar. The diet is based on understanding how foods are rated on the Glycemic Index which estimates how rapidly blood glucose levels rise after eating a carbohydrate. As examples, the following table illustrates the ranking of some foods as low, medium or high on the index: Figure 2: Glycemic Index Food List Food Glycemic Index Bakery Products Danish pastry Medium 59 Doughnut High 76 Beverages Soya milk Low 30 Apple juice Low 41 Carrot juice Low 45 Dairy Foods Yogurt low- fat (sweetened) Low 14 Milk, whole Low 27 Fruits Cherries Low 22 Apples Low 38 Pasta Spaghetti, protein enriched Low 27 Fettuccine Low 32 Root Crop Carrots, cooked Low 39 Sweet potato Low 54 Vegetable and Beans Artichoke Low 15 Asparagus Low 15 Cucumber Low 15 Breads Multi grain bread Low 48 Pita bread, white Medium 57 web the Atkin's diet that is high in red meat and fat, the South Beach Diet includes more lean meats, chicken and fish, eggs and low-fat dairy products such as milk and cheese. The South Beach Diet limits saturated fats and advocates consuming unsaturated fats. There is no calorie counting or weighing of food portions and you are encouraged to eat until satisfied at meals and snacks. The South Beach Diet consists of three phases with the first phase of two weeks being the most restrictive and significantly limiting carbohydrate intake but including fat and protein.

In phase one you lose the cravings for sweets and starches considered "bad" carbohydrates. The second phase adds more foods that are low on the Glycemic Index and is followed until the desired weight loss is attained. The third phase is a maintenance phase with a broader range of foods designed for eating for life where new eating patterns and food choices are routine. If for any reason weight is gained, the diet has you begin again at Phase One. This restarts your system at the beginning of the process of re-establishing a control of your diet and carbohydrate intake. This also assists your system to become normalized with the carbohydrates and calorie intake that will enable you to proceed with the weight loss targeted.

The South Beach Diet food list includes types of foods that are acceptable to eat during phase one, two, and three. Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, baked goods, fruit, candy, cake, cookies, ice cream, or sugar are slowly added back in phase two of the diet. All of the foods that are included in this diet are fresh and can be found in the local grocery market. What makes this program special is that it makes me conscious of everything that I begin to consume. It also educates me in the basic food sources that are readily available in local markets and diverts my attention from the processed food sections to fresher foods. The estimated cost of this program for losing twenty or thirty pounds is not an issue.

The wide choices in each category and the creative recipes offered, give low cost options in food choices. The wonderful part of this program is the fact that all of the diet requirements are nothing more than simple, healthy food sources. Figure 3: Food Lists Foods to Enjoy: Boiled Ham Canadian Bacon Canola Oil Chicken Breasts (skinless) Cheese (fat-free or low-fat - American, Cheddar, cottage, cream substitute, feta) Cornish Game Hen Eggs (whole) Fish (all types) Green Vegetables Lunch meat (lean) Peanut Butter Peanuts Pecans Pistachio Nuts Olive Oil Seasoning / Spices (broth, butter sprays, pepper, anything containing no sugar) Shellfish Sirloin Sweets (chocolate powder, cocoa powder (baking type), hard candy, sugar substitute (sugar-free) Tenderloin Tofu Turkey Bacon Veal Vegetables (artichokes, asparagus, beans, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, legumes, lettuce, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, zucchini) o No more than 75 calories per day Foods to Avoid Alcohol Baked Goods Beef (brisket, liver, rib steaks, fatty cuts) Bread Breast of Veal Cereal (all kinds) Cheese (full fat, brie, edam) Crackers Fruit Fruit Juice Honey-Baked Ham Ice Cream Matzo Milk (whole, low-fat) Oatmeal Pasta Pastries Poultry (chicken wings, legs, thighs, wings, duck, goose, poultry products) Soy Vegetables (barley, beets, black-eyed peas, carrots, corn, pinto beans, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, yams) Yogurt o Includes beer, hard alcohol, wine (wine will be introduced in Phase 2 in moderation) Includes all starchy foods Source: web South Beach Diet includes access to menus and recipes to provide variety and keep interest in following the plan in several South Beach Diet books and at the South Beach Diet web site. Utilizing these food lists and recipes, a sample menu for phase one of the South Beach Diet is included as Attachment 1. This daily menu is broken down by food groups and nutrients in the same categories recommended by the USDA. However, typical sample meals for each phase might include: Figure 4: Sample Meal Plans - Phase 1, 2, 3 Phase 1 Meal Plan Sample Phase 2 Meal Plan Sample Phase 3 Meal Plan Sample Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast 6 oz tomato juice 1 cup fresh strawberries 1/2 grapefruit Scrambled eggs with fresh herbs and mushrooms Oatmeal (1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal Egg-white omelet with salsa 2 slices Canadian bacon mixed with 1 cup nonfat milk, 1 slice multi grain bread Decaffeinated coffee or decaffeinated tea with nonfat milk and sugar substitute cooked on low heat, and sprinkled with cinnamon Decaffeinated coffee or decaffeinated tea with nonfat milk and sugar substitute and 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts) Midmorning snack Decaffeinated coffee or decaffeinated tea Lunch 1 part-skim mozzarella cheese stick with nonfat milk and sugar substitute Roast-beef wrap Fresh apple Lunch Midmorning snack Chicken Caesar salad (no croutons) 1 hard-boiled egg Dinner 2 Tbsp prepared Caesar dressing Moroccan grilled chicken Lunch Steamed asparagusMidafternoon snack Mediterranean chicken salad Couscous 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese with 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes and cucumbers Mediterranean salad Mid afternoon snack Olive oil and vinegar to taste Dinner Fresh pear with 1 wedge Laughing Cow Light Cheese Mahi mah i Dessert Oven-roasted vegetables Dinner Strawberries with vanilla yogurt Arugula salad Spinach-stuffed salmon 2 Tbsp balsamic vinaigrette or low-sugar prepared dressing Vegetable medley Tossed salad (mixed greens, cucumbers, green peppers, Dessert cherry tomatoes) Lemon zest ricotta cr'e me Olive oil and vinegar to taste Dessert Chocolate-dipped strawberries web This plan only recommends that people over 40 years of age add 500 mg calcium as a daily supplement.

Women over 50 years of age are recommended to take at least 1,000 mg of calcium per day as a supplement to the diet. Large doses of antioxidant vitamins are not necessary with exercise and eating fruits and vegetables so a simple multivitamin will meet any additional vitamin needs (South Beach Diet, 2005). The South Beach Diet plan does not have a designed exercise program included as it was created to be effective regardless of the dieter's exercise habits and does not depend on exercise in order to work. As a cardiologist, Dr. Agatston supports the theory that exercise is a critical part of a cardiac health plan and promotes at least 20 minutes per day of exercise. Therefore, I have determined that walking in my neighborhood or riding a bike at least one hour a day is the path I will pursue in order to take full advantage of this program. A positive result of this program (or for that matter any healthy diet program) is that I am aware that I need to learn what foods are a simple structure organism which basically the best foods that I can consume.

The closer that I can some to a natural food source, the better it will be for my body. I am learning that the best sources for nutrition are the foods that are the purest in nature. The aspect to this program that may be hazardous to my health is that it recommends I eat a great deal of protein in meat sources. This is not necessarily a good avenue to take as high protein meat sources usually have a high fat content and are also hard to digest. I will make a plan to replace the condensed meat protein with an easier, more digestible fish sources whenever possible.

I would recommend this weight lose program as it encourages me to look at each type of food that I consume and to become a better consumer in the local markets. I am now judging what I eat for the benefits to my system rather than what foods will make me temporarily happy and quickly satisfy my immediate hunger. This analysis has led me to a new diet plan guided by medical considerations and a new awareness of how to use the USDA Food Guide Pyramid recommendations.

Bibliography

Agatston, A. (2003).
The south beach diet. New York, Rodale, St. Martin's Press Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2005).
Chapter 2. Adequate Nutrients Within Calorie Needs: Table 2. Retrieved April 9, 2005 from web Food and Nutrition Center (F NIC) (2005).
The Food Guide Pyramid. Retrieved April 17, 2005 from web South Beach DietTM Plan (2005).
South Beach Diet for Beginner. Retrieved April 11, 2005 from web South Beach DietTM Plan (2005).
South Beach DietTM Tips and Guide. Retrieved April 11, 2005 from web South Beach DietTM Weight Loss Program.
South Beach DietTM Menu and Food List For Phase 1. Retrieved April 9, 2005 from web Attachment 1 Sample Diet Plan South Beach Diet Calories Protein / gm Carbohydrates / gm Fat / gm Saturated Fats / gm Sodium / mg Cholesterol / mg Fiber / gm Breakfast 6 oz Vegetable Juice cocktail 37.