In today's society nearly everyone follows some kind of dietary guidelines. Whether it
is in the goal of losing weight, gaining weight or just simply to maintain it, people are
jumping onto the dietary band-wagon. A diet is basically to take food according to rule,
a mode of living in reference to nourishment. There are various types of diets that one
can follow; a high or low calorie diet, low fat diets, diets modified in protein,
minerals, water, and carbohydrates, and so the list goes on. Many business enterprises
base their entire corporations into the field of weight loss. Many of these diet
programs are merely fads that lure desperate people in with their guarantees to lose so
many pounds or inches in an " x " amount of time. There are also many pills that one can
take, but they are not always safe and can be very damaging in the long run. It is not
all people that are on weight loss programs though. Many athletes are on strict programs
to gain weight. However this kind of desired weight is not measured in fat but in muscle
mass. Many muscle and fitness magazines will feature advertisements and articles for
such gains in body mass.
Advertisements for diets can sometimes be very dangerous though. Pretty well all the
people used in these particular ads are slim and beautiful and it can therefor be very
misinterpreting to someone who is overweight. The pressure of being fit can lead to very
damaging disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. These two very serious conditions
affect a very large amount of women and men in North America these days and can be quite
lethal if not cured. So it is important to be careful not to do any physical or
psychological harm to one self when trying to lose weight.
When embarking into any kind of diet it is extremely important that one gets the
sufficient amount of nutrients from their food and/or supplements. A proper diet must
consist of more than simply a glass of water and a piece of fruit per meal. One must
have a certain daily intake of specific vitamins and minerals to stay in good health. If
one were to follow the RDA's (recommended daily allowance) guidelines, one has to be sure
that the food that is consumed contains the proper amount of nutrients that is so
suggested. A lot of the foods that we consume today do not contain the amount of
vitamins and minerals that the U.S. RDA have claimed. The reason being our obsession
with colour, taste, and texture in the food we eat and our lack of concern about it
actually being nutritious or not. Thousands of damaging pesticides, preservatives,
chemicals and colouring are raping our food of its nutritional value these days.
Therefor someone who is planning on going on a restricted calorie diet must be careful in
how they plan their daily food intake. With the help of a nutritional guide that
contains a table of food composition one can keep an accurate record of their daily
intake of protein, carbohydrates, fibres, fats, minerals, and vitamins (see page ).
This will enable a person on a restricted weight loss program to be assured that he or
she is getting all the necessary nutrients for a well balanced diet.
Along with a proper diet one must also have some kind of exercise program in order to
lose the undesired weight and keep it off. If a person restricts themselves to dieting
alone without any type of physical exercise the human body will eventually adjust its
metabolism to the reduced calorie intake. Thus when the person returns to their regular
calorie consumption they will gain the weight right back. Medical professionals agree
that 30 minutes of moderately vigorous exercise performed three times a week will elevate
one's metabolism, and a higher metabolism burns more calories. In order to lose one
pound of fat, one has to burn off an extra 3500 calories on top of the calories that they
consumed in their meals. So in most cases the phrase "No pain, no gain", still holds
true.
However, many people elect to take the easier route in trying to lose those extra pounds.
Billions of dollars are spent each year on diet pills, fad diets, and other weight loss
promises. These enterprises thrive on the ever growing amount of obese people and their
need for a quick and easy solution. One can't turn on the television or flip through
the pages of a magazine without seeing some kind of diet remedy, that according to the
manufacturer works wonders. "Guaranteed to lose weight or your money back" is a catch
phrase that has lured many into wasting their money in order to look good. These kinds
of advertisements are especially popular around the holidays, Christmas being the main
one. The weight loss companies pump out the ads during this time of the year because
they know that the average North American puts on a sweltering seven pounds of undesired
baggage over this short period of time.
Companies such as Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig have been successful because they
supervise and keep track of their customers. These kinds of weight loss clinics also
encourage their customers to keep a record of their progress and maintain their diet
schedule. Many other diet plans are merely fads that make too many promises and have
diets designed to bring about quick weight loss that are usually unbalanced nutritionally
and are sometimes dangerous. Diet pills are another poor form of treatment choices for
obesity. These pills depress the appetite temporarily; often, physician-prescribed
amphetamines (speed). It is generally agreed that these drugs are of little value for
weight loss and that their use can cause a dangerous dependency. Another form of diet
pills that can often be seen used by bodybuilders is water pills. These are diuretics
that promote the excretion of water from the body. The water loss results in some weight
loss, but this loss can be dangerous because the overweight subject has a small
percentage of water than a person of normal weight. Bodybuilders sometimes use these
water pills to look more "cut" because they give an appearance that the skin is tightly
pressed against the muscle. Dehydration can result from the use of these pills and are
therefor can sometimes be considered to be hazardous to one's health. To date there has
yet to be a safe effective and quick way to lose weight and keep it off, however with the
extensive research being made in this area it might not be long.
As we all know it is not difficult to put on weight, but to put on the proper kind of
weight can be just as hard as losing it. This proper kind of weight that is spoken of is
muscle mass. Muscle mass is the building of the muscle fibres in the body and the only
way to increase this mass is by hard physical activity. A low fat, high carb diet is
also necessary to be able to keep a high energy level for the physical load that is
required for building up the muscles. For the muscle fibres to be stimulated to grow a
certain amount of resistance has to be applied to them. This is done by working out with
weights is a gym or elsewhere. In the recuperation phase, the muscles needs protein to
repair itself and grow. When trying to gain desired weight by firming up the body one
must also have a healthy and strict diet. This includes proper amounts of vitamins,
minerals and protein along with a low fat, low sugar, and low sodium intake.
Many people cannot cope with the pressure of society's view of a healthy human body.
With all the slim supermodels and big muscular guys in every single ad, people are
desperately trying to obtain this hard to obtain feat. A major concern of many
teenagers, especially of girls, is dieting to maintain a slim and beautiful figure. To
accomplish this, many go on fad diets that are neither safe nor effective. Two special
eating disorders related to dieting often arise: anorexia and bulimia. Anorexia nervosa
is an extreme preoccupation with weight loss that seriously endangers the health and even
the life of the dieter. It arises only in developed countries where food is abundant,
suggestion that it is a societal problem. Although no two persons with anorexia nervosa
are alike, certain features are considered typical of the condition. The anorexic is
almost always female and in her mid-teens. She is usually from an educated,
middle-class, success-oriented, weight-conscious family that is proud of her and is
surprised to see her develop a problem. The major problem with these young teenagers is
that even after they are well below the average weight they still don't stop. Weight
loss has by now become an obsession. If the victim does not get treatment she may soon
experience permanent brain damage and chronic invalidism or death.
Another serious eating disorder is bulimia, periodic binge eating ("pigging out")
alternating with intervals of dieting or self-starvation. Bulimia may accompany anorexia
or may occur separately. The binge would end when it would hurt to eat any more or when
the person goes to sleep, induces vomiting, or is interrupted.
Anorexia and bulimia often arise in young people, but the problems don't always resolve
in adolescence. People with anorexia and bulimia may retain abnormal eating behaviours
and fearful attitudes toward food throughout their entire adult lives.
With so many different diet programs out on the market that promise to make you lose
weight fast it is hard not to be tempted. One must be careful however, because many of
the diets that promise it all are actually quite dangerous, so one must not get suckered
in without knowing what is involved.
In order to reduce body weight, all doctors agree, one must reduce their calorie intake
and/or increase their energy expenditure. Whether you consume them or burn them - and
whether it's protein, fat or carbs - every calorie counts, so you might as well learn to
count them. One can start by a book that lists foods and their nutritional value, then
bring it to the dinner table and look up the foods their eating. Gradually, one will
learn to compromise their calories and make better food choices. Once that is done,
weight loss will be obtained. Others desire to gain weight which can also be very
difficult, if he or she trying to gain muscle mass that is. A proper diet and a hard
physical workout program is required and of course lots of dedication. The most
important thing about dieting is that one has to remember to do it for themselves and not
for the sake of others, and to also be careful in doing so.
Dietary Guidelines for North Americans
and Suggestions for Food Choices
1. Eat a variety of foods daily. Include these foods every day: fruits and vegetables;
whole-grain and enriched breads and cereals; milk and milk products; meats; fish; poultry
and eggs; dried beans and peas.
2. Maintain ideal weight. Increase physical activity; reduce calories by eating fewer
fatty foods and sweets and less sugar and by avoiding too much alcohol; lose weight
gradually.
3. Avoid too much fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. Choose low-fat protein sources,
such as lean meats, fish, poultry, and dried beans and peas; use eggs and organ meats in
moderation; limit intake of fats on and in foods; trim fats from meats; broil, bake, or
boil, don't fry; read food labels for fat contents.
4. Eat foods with adequate starch and fibre. Substitute starches for fats and sugars;
select whole-grain breads and cereal, fruits and vegetables, dried beans and peas, and
nuts to increase fibre and starch intake.
5. Avoid too much sugar. Use less sugar, syrup, and honey; reduce concentrated sweets,
such as candy, soft drinks, cookies, and the like; select fresh fruit or fruits canned in
light syrup or in their own juices; read food labels - sucrose, glucose, dextrose,
maltose, lactose, fructose, syrups, and honey are all sugars; eat sugar less often to
reduce dental caries.
7. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. Individuals who drink should limit all
alcoholic beverages (including wine, beer, liquors, and so on) to one or two drinks per
day. Note that the use of alcoholic beverages during pregnancy can result in the
development of birth defects and mental retardation called Foetal Alcohol Syndrome.
Table of Food Composition
Gpr Ref Food description Measure Wt H O Ener Prot
Carb
(g)
(%) (kcal) (g) (g)
Beverages
Alcoholic:
Beer:
1 1 Regular (12 fl oz) 1 c 356 92
146 1 13
1 2 Light (12 fl oz) 1 c 354 95
100 1 5
Gin, rum, vodka, whisky:
1 3 80 proof 1 fl oz 42 67
97 0 <.1
1 4 86 proof 1 fl oz 42 64
105 0 <.1
1 5 90 proof 1 fl oz 42 62
110 0 <.1
Liqueur:
1 1359 Coffee Liqueur, 53 proof 1 fl oz 52 31 174
0 24
1 1360 Coffee & Cream liqueur, 34 proof 1 fl oz 47 47 154 1
10
1 1361 Creme de menthe, 72 proof 1 fl oz 50 28 186
0 21
Wine:
1 6 Dessert (4 fl oz) c 118 72
181 <1 14
1 7 Red 3 fl oz 103
88 74 <1 2
1 8 Rose 3 fl oz 103 89
73 <1 2
1 9 White medium 3 fl oz 103 90
70 <1 1
Carbonated:
1 10 Club soda (12 fl oz) 1 fl oz 355 100
0 0 0
1 11 Cola beverage (12 fl oz) 1 fl oz 370 89
151 0 39
1 12 Diet cola (12 fl oz) 1 fl oz 355 100
2 0 <1
1 13 Diet soda (12 fl oz) 1 fl oz 355 100
2 0 <1
1 14 Ginger ale (12 fl oz) 1 fl oz 366 91
124 0 32
1 15 Grape soda (12 fl oz) 1 fl oz 372 89
161 0 42
1 16 Lemon-lime (12 fl oz) 1 fl oz 368 90
149 0 38
1 17 Orange (12 fl oz) 1 fl oz 372 88
177 0 46
1 18 Pepper-type soda (12 fl oz) 1 fl oz 368 89 151
0 38
1 19 Root beer (12 fl oz) 1 fl oz 370 89
152 <1 39
Coffee:
1 20 Brewed 1 c 240
99 2 <1 1
1 21 Prepared from instant 1 c 240 99
2 <1 1
Fruit drinks, noncarbonated
1 22 Fruit punch drink, canned 1 c 253 88
118 <1 30
1 1358 Gatorade 1 c 230 99
39 0 11
1 23 Grape drink, canned 1 c 250 88
112 0 35
1 1304 Koolade, sweetened w/ sugar 1 c 240 100 110
0 25
1 1356 Koolade, sweetened w/ nutraswt. 1 c 240 100 4
0 0
Lemonade, frozen:
1 26 Concentrate (6-oz can) 1 c 219 52
397 1 103
1 27 Lemonade prepared from 1 c 248 89
100 <1 26
frozen concentrate
Dietary
Fiber Fat Fat Breakdown (g) Chol Calc Iron Magn
Phos
(g) (g) Sat Mono Poly (mg) (mg) (mg) (mg)
(mg)
1 0 0 0 0 0 18 .11
23 44
1 0 0 0 0 0 18 .14
18 43
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
.02 0 2
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
.02 0 2
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
.02 0 2
0 <1 .1 t .1 0 1
.03 1 3
0 7 4.5 2.1 .3 - 7
.06 1 23
0 <1 t t .1 0 0
.04 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 9
.24 11 11
0 0 0 0 0 0 8
.44 13 14
0 0 0 0 0 0 9
.39 10 15
0 0 0 0 0 0 9
.33 11 14
0 0 0 0 0 0 17
.15 4 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 9
.12 3 46
0 0 0 0 0 0 12
.11 4 30
0 0 0 0 0 0 14
.14 3 38
0 0 0 0 0 0 12
.66 3 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 12
.31 4 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 9
.25 2 1
0 0 0 0 0 0 19
.23 4 4
0 0 0 0 0 0 12
.14 1 41
0 0 0 0 0 0 19
.19 4 2
<1 0 0 0 0 0 4
.96 14 3
0 0 0 0 0 0 8
.12 9 8
0 <1 t t t 0 19
.52 5 3
0 0 0 0 0 0 23
- - 0
<1 <1 t t t 0 3
.41 5 3
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0
1 <1 .1 t .1 0 15
1.58 11 19
<1 <1 t t t 0 4
.41 3 5
Pota Sodi Zinc VT- A Thia Ribo Niac V - B6 Fola
VT - C
(mg) (mg) (mg) (RE) (mg) (mg) (mg) (mg) (
g) (mg)
89 19 .07 0 .02 .09 1.61 .18
21 0
64 10 .11 0 .03 .11 1.39 .12
15 0
1 <1 .02 0 <.01 <.01 <.01 t
0 0
1 <1 .02 0 <.01 <.01 <.01 0
0 0
1 <1 .02 0 <.01 <.01 <.01 0
0 0
15 4 .01 0 <.01 .01 .08 -
0 0
15 43 .08 - 0 0 .04
- 0 0
0 3 - 0 0 0 <.01
0 0 -
109 11 .08 0 .02 .02 .25 0
<1 0
115 6 .01 0 <.01 .03 .08
.04 2 0
102 5 .06 0 <.01 .02 .08
.03 1 0
82 5 .07 0 <.01 <.01 .07
.01 <1 0
6 75 .36 0 0 0 0
0 0 0
4 15 .05 0 0 0 0
0 0 0
0 21 .28 0 .02 .08 0
0 0 0
7 21 .10 0 0 0 0
0 0 0
5 25 .18 0 0 0 0
0 0 0
3 57 .26 0 0 0 0
0 0 0
4 41 .18 0 0 0 .06
0 0 0
9 46 .38 0 0 0 0
0 0 0
2 38 .15 0 0 0 0
0 0 0
3 49 .26 0 0 0 0
0 0 0
130 5 .08 0 0 .02 .53
0 <1 0
87 8 .07 0 0 <.01 .69
0 0 0
64 56 .31 4 .06 .06 .05
0 3 75
23 123 - 0 - - -
- - -
13 16 .28 <1 .08 .02 .07
.02 1 85
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 6
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 6
19 8 .17 21 .06 .21 .16
.06 22 39
5 8 .05 5 .02 .05 .04
.02 6 10
Bibliography
Whitney, Eleanor Noss. Nutrition & Diet Therapy : Principals and Practice (second
edition). West Publishing Company, New York, 1985.
Whitney, Eleanor Noss. Nutrition & Diet Therapy : Principals and Practice (first
edition). West Publishing Company, New York, 1986.
Joe Weider's Muscle and Fitness magazine. January 1997 edition. Brute Enterprises Inc..
California, 1997. (page 103)
World Encyclopaedia. Volume 2. Chicago, . Anorexia (page 34).
Rosenberg, Dr. Harold. Stora Lakarboken om Vitaminterapi. Lerchs Forlag AB.
Johanneshov, Sverige, 1975.
Footnotes
1. Whitney, Eleanor Noss. Nutrition & Diet Therapy : Principals and Practice (second
edition). West Publishing Company. New York, 1986.
*Page 11.
2. Whitney, Eleanor Noss. Nutrition & Diet Therapy : Principals and Practice (first
edition). West Publishing Company. New York, 1985.
*Page 552.
3. Whitney, Eleanor Noss. Nutrition & Diet Therapy : Principals and Practice (first
edition). West Publishing Company. New York, 1985.
*Page 519.
Recommended Nutrient Intakes for Canadians
Fat-Soluble Vitamins
-----------------------------------
Weight Protein Vitamin A Vitamin B Vitamin E
Age Sex (kg) (g/day) (RE/day) ( g/day) (mg/day)
Months
0-2 Both 4.5 11 400
10 3
3-5 Both 7.0 14 400
10 3
6-8 Both 8.5 17 400
10 3
9-11 Both 9.5 18 400
10 3
Years
1 Both 11 19 400
10 3
2-3 Both 14 22 400
5 4
4-6 Both 18 26 500
5 5
7-9 M 25 30 700
2.5 7
F 25 30 700
2.5 6
10-12 M 34 38 800
2.5 8
F 36 40 800
2.5 7
13-15 M 50 50 900
2.5 9
F 48 42 800
2.5 7
16-18 M 62 55 1000
2.5 10
F 53 43 800
2.5 7
19-24 M 71 58 1000
2.5 10
F 58 43 800
2.5 7
25-49 M 74 61 1000
2.5 9
F 59 44 800
2.5 6
50-74 M 73 60 1000
2.5 7
F 63 47 800
2 5 6
75+ M 69 57 1000
2.5 6
F 64 47 800
2.5 5
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