Dieters Do It Daily

I was walking my dog, Remington, when I saw this sign on the side of a truck…

I mean really, is that the best their marketing budget could do? Not a great pun and honestly, kind of disgusting.  I know Pop Chips have become the new health food rage but here’s a clue for you: they are no better than any other processed health food. I remember when this company was just starting out – back in the days when I used to go to all the food shows to help grow MacNut oil to try to fool themselves into thinking there is a healthier alternative to potato chips? There are healthy alternatives: nuts, seeds, cheeses, avocados – you know – real food.  But let’s not get bogged down in facts – bring on the merchandising budgets.

I don’t know how many of you watch the Real Housewives of New Jersey.  As you know, I am a huge fan and I especially am loving the Lauren story line of her struggle with her weight issue.  It is so much better than listening to the trials and tribulations of Teresa. I truly think she has gone psychotic – she makes no sense any more and this past week, I don’t see how she will ever be able to speak with any of the girls again.

But, back to Lauren because her story echoes almost every persons, but especially women’s, struggle with weight that I have ever heard.  In this week’s episode, she has decided that the diet just didn’t fit into her lifestyle.  Lauren girl, what do you do???? She seemingly doesn’t have a job but she can’t make dieting “fit” into her lifestyle.  Let me tell you that it doesn’t have to fit into your lifestyle, it needs to become your lifestyle.

She then tells Caroline, her mother, that she doesn’t want to deprive herself and eat egg whites for a 1 pound per week weight loss.  It’s summer and she wants to just cut down on everything she eats while still being able to enjoy summer.

Whoa! I didn’t even know where to begin with that statement.  First of all, she never should have gone to see Dr. Perricone – for skin creams made by Estee Lauder perhaps but maybe, just maybe she should have sought out a physician who knows a thing or two about weight management – that’s right, moi!  Egg whites? What kind of nutritionist would do that to a person?  You need a diet that incorporates healthy whole foods that are nutritious for the body – no fads and nothing that isn’t healthy and proven to work.

Perhaps if I had called my book, The Jersey Shore Diet, Lauren may have tried it – although I bet that is a registered TM and you couldn’t call a diet that if you wanted to.  Speaking of Jersey Shore, this week is the first episode of Snooki and JWoww – I am excited!

Now let’s discuss this one pound per week weight loss thing – isn’t that better than gaining a pound per week – that’s 52 pounds in a year.  What don’t people get about the fact that any weight loss is a good thing – despite the slowness.  This is a big reason why people give up so don’t do it. I have a patient who after many years started to accept the fact that she only lost ½ to ¼ pound per week.  And guess what – she is now down 60 pounds to the weight she was in high school.  So there Lauren – stick-to-it-ness is all you need.

She also moans about the fact that maybe she isn’t ready to lose weight and that it comes more easily to her brothers and her mother was able to do it.  Well, when will you be ready? Are we ever ready to give up foods that we love? Are we ever ready for the deprivation? And yes, I said it – deprivation.  It is a part of losing weight and keeping the weight off.  Do you think I don’t deprive myself everyday of something that I want to eat?

Yes, her brothers can lose weight more easily because guess what gals – men have more lean muscle than you do and muscle burns more calories at rest than fat.  So, if you want to lose weight more like men than exercise more like men – stop that stupid aerobic stuff and start lifting weights.  You will get leaner and have a more active and healthy metabolism.  And no, you won’t get bigger – not with the right trainer.

So, as you can see, Lauren pretty much exemplifies all the struggles we all go through and the mind games we put ourselves through as we attempt to navigate through the minefield of health eating and weight loss.  But, it shouldn’t be a failure.  I am quite interested to see how this all turns out because the season has been shot so I will have to wait to see how this unfolds.

Oh, there was one other thing that her father said which really perturbed me: “If this doesn’t work out, Daddy will buy his little girl a lap band.”  I mean come on – is this what America has been reduced to? There is so much wrong in that one sentence I couldn’t possibly tackle it today.

However, the best line of the week, goes to Pam of True Blood when Soukie and Lafayette convince her to turn Tara and she says, “I’m wearing a Walmart sweatsuit for yall, if that’s not the definition of team spirit, I don’t know what is.”

Don’t forget to tune into my friends new show that debuts on June 20 on ABC Family called Baby Daddy

Until next time……..