7) THE MANY WEIGHT LOSS DIETS POSSIBLE
f) Helpful Diets
Support Groups
Some of the most successful diet approaches are the group appoaches such as Weight Watchers (TM). These have weekly meetings and weigh ins where everyone encourages everyone else in a positive way. These support groups can encourage your efforts, giving you exercise recommendations, eating plans and support from others on the same dietary path. After joining, expect regular weigh-ins, group meetings and activities, typically at least once a week. These programs are some of the most successful around but are not tailored to someone with type 2 diabetes. But again, weight loss can be more important than blood sugar control, so if you need a support group, go for it.Glycemic Index Diets
There are several diets based on the glycemic index. "The New Glucose Revolution for Diabetes: The Definitive Guide to Managing Diabetes and Prediabetes Using the Glycemic Index" (Marlowe Diabetes Library) by Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller M.D., is the excellent bible on the subject. Jennie Brand-Miller has several other excellent diet books including some great recipe books. These diets will work well for most people with diabetes. As shown elsewhere, some individuals with diabetes will start cycling between high and low blood sugars if they eat high glycemic foods (the "white stuff": potatoes, bread, cakes, sugar, etc.). These individuals will have a lot of difficulty losing weight if they don't pay attention to the glycemic index of the foods they eat. The key with all these glycemic index diets is that calories still count and calories out must exceed calories in. Low Glycemic Index Diets avoid refined carbohydrates and there is a mountain of research backing up this restriction. Our experience has been that most of these diets are far too liberal in their definition of a "low glycemic index" food. A low glycemic index food has an index lower than 40 or even 30 (Doctor Bernstein says 15 is the cut-off), not lower than 70. This glycemic concept is one concept that is easily combined with any of the other diets.Meal Replacements
There are a lot of diet drinks and meal bars out here, available as meal bars, prepared drinks in a can and as dry powders for use in a blender. A lot of successful dieters have two to five 170 to 200 calorie eight ounce cans of diet drink though out the day then have a moderate "solid" meal at night. The best drinks for individuals with type 2 diabetes are those with very high ratios of protein to carbohydrate. Unfortunately the amount of fat in the pre-prepared drinks tends to be very high. The dry drinks (generally based on high protein powder) are best but need the hassle of using a blender and then cleaning the blender. We do not recommend any diet where more than 50% of the calorie intake is from these diet drinks and bars. Meal replacements, such as Slim-Fast, provide less than 400 calories a meal and are nutritionally complete. You replace one or two meals a day, such as breakfast and lunch, with a low-calorie shake or meal bar. Then you eat a healthy third meal, between 600 and 700 calories, of your own choosing. Meal replacements — if used as directed — can be as effective as other weight-loss diets.Great caution is advised when selecting these "canned" meals. Some canned meals are designed to add weight and are largely sugar with only one or two grams of protein. One has 230 calories, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 12 grams of protein and 6 grams of fat. Obviously such a canned diet is not desirable for someone with type 2 diabetes. One brand of "high protein" drink has 240 calories, 33 grams of carbohydrates, 15 grams of protein and 6 grams of fat per 8 oz bottle. Another one 8 oz can has 190 calories, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 15 grams of protein and 5 grams of fat. Another brand has 160 calories, 4 grams carbohydrates, 15 grams protein, and 9 grams fat. The last one is definitely the best one for a person with type 2 diabetes. Another note of caution, some canned diet "high protein" drinks only have 90 to 100 calories per 8 ounces. In other words the manufacturer has made a "diet drink" by adding a lot of water. These canned drinks are also very expensive.
It should be noted that skim milk is actually a reasonable diet drink. A large 16 ounce glass of skim milk provides 180 calories, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 18 grams of protein and 1 gram of fat. And it is a lot cheaper than a can of high protein diet drink. If a tablespoon of high protein soy powder is mixed into the skim milk, the meal becomes even more satisfying. One scoop of soy protein adds 120 calories, 30 grams of pure protein with no carbohydrate or fat (avoid soy powder shake mixes, they are 50% sugar). It has to be emphasized that a large glass of skim milk should be treated as a meal or a snack; it is not a "drink" which accompanies a meal or a snack. This can be combined with other diets. Another caution, as mentioned elswhere, even those of northern European decent tend to become lactose intolerant as they get older, so milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream become untouchables.
Pre-Planned Diets
There are diet plans which send the food through the mail to you in a prepackaged form. There are also some systems which are available in the frozen food section of the supermarket. The ones sent through the mail typically require a signed contract for a certain length of time with hefty penalties for early withdrawal. Jenny Craig and NutriSystem are two examples of companies which send the food through the mail. A lot of people have been signed to long term contracts and been very disatisfied with some of these plans. They can be extremely expensive.Volume Diets
There are also several diets out there that emphasize the volume that a food has versus the number of calories it has, i.e. its "calorie density". A tablespoon of oil has the same number of calories as a cup of oatmeal, so the cup of oatmeal is the preferred choice. The concept is extended to meal planning in recommending a low calorie soup or salad before a meal to blunt the hunger feeling and result in less being consumed at that meal. Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and carrots are other examples of high volume low calorie foods. This is another concept that is easily combined with any of the other diets.
Current Chapter: 7) The Many Weight Loss Diets Possible
a) Diets: Which One is the Best?
b) The "Hunter Gatherer Diet"
c) Moderation Type 2 Diabetes Diet
d) Good Diets
e) Reasonable Diets
f) Helpful Diets
g) Radical Diets
h) Diets We do not Recommend
i) Fad Diets and Pills
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