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Weight Management

The Dangers of Dieting

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Dieting and Eating DisordersIt’s National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, and this year’s theme, “I Had No Idea,” focuses on raising awareness about the possible triggers and warning signs of eating disorders. Being able to recognize these signs, symptoms, and contributing factors makes early intervention possible and can prevent a full-blown eating disorder from developing. Early detection and intervention also increases the chances of full recovery.

According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) website, 20 million women and 10 million men in the United States will suffer from a clinical eating disorder such anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, or an eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) at some point in their life. In addition, there are many who struggle with disordered eating – unhealthy eating behaviors that do not meet the full diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder, but still have detrimental physical and psychological consequences.

Many factors, both genetic and environmental, can contribute to the development of an eating disorder. Although we can’t do much about our genetics, there are risk factors we can control. I’d like to focus on one of the common catalysts for an eating disorder that is completely preventable – dieting.

Most people embark on a diet with good intentions, hoping to feel better in some way. No one goes on a diet thinking, “This diet won’t work,” or “This diet will damage my health.” But diets don’t work. Research shows us that diets rarely result in long-term weight loss and are actually associated with weight gain.

Diets are more than just ineffective – they can be harmful. As the graphic above shows, 35% of “normal dieters” progress to disordered eating, and of those, 20-25% will develop a partial or full-blown eating disorder. Although it is possible to change eating habits in a healthy, sustainable way, too often what starts as a seemingly reasonable diet plan, morphs into an unhealthy obsession. The hyper-focus on weight loss and/or eating perfectly begins to interfere with daily activities and negatively impact health and quality of life.

Here are some warning signs that your diet may have crossed the line from healthy to harmful:

  • Avoiding social situations that involve food
  • Feeling overwhelmed when unexpected changes occur with your food plan
  • Thinking about food all day (especially the foods that you don’t allow yourself to eat)
  • Ignoring your body’s signals of hunger
  • Feeling constantly deprived and unsatisfied
  • Feeling shaky, weak, fatigued, or irritable
  • Exercising in a punishing way to burn off what you ate or burn X number of calories
  • Frequent worry and anxiety about food
  • Feelings of guilt, disgust, or shame about eating
  • Hair loss, cold intolerance, irregular or absent menstrual cycles, lightheadedness, fainting, excessive weight loss, or digestive problems

If you are experiencing any of these signs and symptoms or are otherwise concerned about your eating habits or feelings about food, consult with a professional – the sooner the better. There is hope. Eating disorders are preventable and treatable. I have the honor of working with courageous men and women every day as they fight against their eating disorders to reclaim their lives. The process can be challenging at times, but the rewards are infinite.

For more information and resources, visit: nedawareness.org

All statistics quoted in this blog, can be found here.

Healthy Packable Lunch Ideas – Good for You and Your Wallet!

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Healthy Packable Lunch IdeasHave you ever missed lunch because you didn’t have time to run out and grab a meal? Then you know firsthand that delaying or skipping meals leaves you feeling ravenous. Being overly hungry can decrease focus and productivity and increase irritability and stress. That’s no fun for anyone!

Bringing lunch from home makes it much less likely that an unexpected meeting or schedule change will keep you from eating a nutritious lunch. Plus, when you are in charge of the ingredients and portions, it’s easier to tailor your meal to your specific nutrition needs, health goals, and taste preferences.

Let’s not forget about the money you can save by bringing instead of buying. Here in NYC, even a basic salad or sandwich can easily cost you $10, and that adds up fast. Packing your own lunch just three days a week could save you over $100 a month. I can think of a lot of ways I’d rather spend $100 than on a boring sandwich or salad. What would you rather do with all your extra cash?

Ready to start bringing your lunch, but not sure what to pack? I recommend including these four components to make a satisfying, well-balanced meal that will keep you feeling energized:

1. Whole Grain (or other high fiber starchy carbohydrate) – Try quinoa, brown rice, sweet potatoes, whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, or beans/legumes (which are a source of protein too).

2. Protein – Try tuna, salmon, skinless chicken or turkey, eggs, veggie burgers, tofu, or tempeh. Dairy foods are another protein option (and a good source of calcium). Choose mostly low-fat and nonfat varieties of milk, yogurt, and cheese.

3. Produce – All fruit and vegetables make good choices, so just pick your favorites!

4. Healthy fat – Try nuts, seeds, avocado, hummus, or olive oil.

Need some meal ideas to get you started? Here are a few of my favorites:

Quick and Healthy Packable Lunch Ideas:

Greek Pasta Salad
Add red and green peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, olives, and feta cheese to whole grain pasta. Toss with olive oil and balsamic vinegar or lemon juice. Add chickpeas for extra protein and fiber. Tastes great hot or cold.

Quinoa Burrito Bowl
Combine quinoa, black beans, bell peppers, onions (and any other veggie of your choice). For extra protein, add grilled chicken or tofu. Top with salsa and add guacamole or roasted pumpkin seeds for some healthy fat and extra flavor. Also delicious hot or cold!

Asian Pita Pocket
Fill a whole wheat pita pocket with broccoli slaw, shredded carrots, and sliced cucumbers (Tip: to save time, look for prepackaged slaw or other shredded vegetables in your produce aisle). Add a protein of your choice like baked tofu, tempeh, grilled chicken, or shrimp. Top with light ginger dressing.

Peanut Butter and Jelly (with a twist)
Freshen up this old standby by using sliced bananas or fresh berries instead of jam. Choose a natural peanut butter (or other nut butter like almond butter or cashew butter) without added sugar or oils. Serve on whole grain bread – whole grain cinnamon raisin bread is one of my favorites.

Grab-and-Go Lunch
This lunch option is perfect for those mornings when you don’t even have five minutes to spare. You just need to spend just a few minutes once a week prepping, portioning, and pre-packing some of the items. Whole grain crackers are one of the easiest options for the grain component. Baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, and snap peas are no-fuss veggies. Bananas, apples, pears, and clementines are good no-prep fruit choices.

Keep some portable proteins on hand like tuna or salmon packets, pre-cooked/pre-seasoned tofu, lean deli meat, nut butter packets, and hard-boiled eggs (Tip: you can make hard-boiled eggs ahead of time. They will keep for about one week in the refrigerator). Single serving packets of hummus, guacamole, or nuts are easy fat additions. Then, all you have to do is grab one item from each category and go. Voila! You have a well-balanced lunch in less than 60 seconds.

What is your favorite packable lunch?

Healthy Holiday Tips

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Healthy Holiday TipsWith Thanksgiving behind us, Hanukkah this week, and Christmas and New Year’s still to come, there’s no denying that the holidays are here. Are you enjoying the holiday season? Or are you feeling more stressed and overwhelmed than joyful? If you are feeling challenged by the food, festivities, or expectations of the season, here are some tips to help:

5 Tips to Survive and Thrive this Holiday Season 

1. Watch out for “all or nothing” thinking. Labeling your foods or eating habits as good or bad will set you up for frustration and disappointment, especially during the holiday season. Strive to embrace moderation. Then, eating one holiday cookie won’t lead to eating an entire tray because you feel like you already “blew it.”

2. Have a plan, but be flexible. Planning out your meals and snacks and anticipating and strategizing for challenges can be extremely helpful during the holiday season. But, try to build some flexibility into your plan so that unexpected changes don’t derail you.

3. Redefine healthy eating. It is not healthy to completely avoid holiday treats, to mindlessly overindulge in them, or to use them as a coping mechanism. It is healthy to give yourself permission to savor and enjoy your favorite foods, while remaining mindful of your hunger, fullness, and satisfaction cues.

4. Make self-care a priority. Make time to get groceries and cook meals so you can nourish yourself with healthy, enjoyable foods. Schedule time to exercise, plan some down-time, and try not to skimp on sleep. Use non-food strategies to deal with stress and emotions. Keep your regular appointments with your treatment team and ask for additional support if you need it.

5. Shift your focus away from food and weight. Instead, try to focus on family, friends, fun holiday activities, and the true meaning of the season.

Need more holiday tips? Check out my “Healthy Holiday Meal Tips” article in the ms nutrition Newsletter. Don’t want to miss out on future newsletters? Subscribe here! 

The list of tips in this blog post was adapted from a Holiday Workshop that I co-led with Allison Jupiter, LCSW.

Let’s Put an End to Weight Stigma

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Weight StigmaToday is day three of the 4th Annual Weight Stigma Awareness Week, hosted by the Binge Eating Disorder Association (BEDA). According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a stigma is “a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something.” In the case of weight stigma, the unfair beliefs are based on a person’s weight, shape, and/or size.

Sadly, weight based stereotyping is pervasive in our society and seems to be a socially acceptable form of prejudice. From the media to the schoolyard to the workplace, children and adults are judged everyday based solely on their size. For example, a person of larger size than what our society considers acceptable may be perceived as lazy or lacking discipline. A thin person may be wrongly labeled as having an eating disorder.

Verbal abuse, bullying, and discrimination are common manifestations of weight stigma. Whether the consequences are subtle or overt, weight stigma can negatively impact all aspects of a targeted person’s life, including their self esteem, interpersonal relationships, education, employment, and healthcare.

One way to begin combating weight stigma is to challenge our own misconceptions.

Wonder if you might hold any weight biases? Ask yourself these questions:

1. A thin person is healthier than an overweight person. TRUE or FALSE? 

2. Weight loss is always a positive outcome. TRUE or FALSE?

3. If a person feels bad enough about their weight, they will be motivated to change it. TRUE or FALSE?

If you answered FALSE to all the questions, you are correct. If not, here is the truth:

1. Thin does not always mean healthy. Think about a thin individual who chain smokes, eats fast food daily, and doesn’t exercise. Would that person be healthier than someone with a BMI in the overweight range that doesn’t smoke, follows a healthy diet, and exercises five times a week?

2. Although weight loss as a consequence of adopting healthier behaviors may be positive, weight loss by any means is not healthy. In fact, many methods of weight control are anything but healthy.

3. Shaming people about their weight actually increases the risk of obesity and eating disorders.

To learn more about weight stigma, check out some of the Weight Stigma Awareness Week tools and resources on the BEDA website.