Center for Human Nutrition
Medical Nutrition Syllabus
Guide to Healthy Diet and Lifestyle
Exercise Guidelines
Managing Obesity
Exercise Prescription
Medicine and Surgery Nutrition Assessment Checklist
Pediatric Nutrition Assessment Checklist
Adolescent Nutrition Assessment Checklist
|
| |
UCLA HEALTH NETWORK
Guide to Healthy Diet and Lifestyle
Lose Weight and Stay Slim
Why Lose Weight ?
The health consequences of obesity include some of the most common chronic diseases in our society. Obesity is an independent risk factor for heart disease, the most common killer disease in our country. Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, hypertension and stroke, hyperlipidemia, osteoarthritis, and sleep apnea are all more common in obese individuals. Weight loss of only 20 pounds can be associated with marked reductions in the risk of these chronic diseases. Conversely, adult weight gain is associated with increased risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Obesity is the most common nutritional disorder in this country and there has been a thirty percent increase in the incidence of obesity over the past ten years. The exact cause of this epidemic has not been determined, but more hectic lifestyles, with reduced time for exercise and increased caloric intake, have been identified as potential factors.
Making Changes in Diet and Lifestyle
In overweight and mildly obese patients, diet, exercise and lifestyle approaches should be used. The behavioral tools available include confirming readiness to change, using stimulus control to minimize the intake of trigger foods, a diet plan which utilizes a meal replacement approach and portion-controlled meals to reduce caloric intake, aerobic and heavy resistance exercise, relapse prevention, social support, and stress reduction.
Trigger Foods
The first step in nutritional education is to make the patient understand the need to minimize the intake of so-called trigger foods. Trigger foods are foods that have an unexpected amount of "hidden" fat or calories. The intake of these foods is often in response to something other than hunger; that is, patients may eat them a setting where hunger is not the prime stimulation. In many cases, patients eat such foods unconsciously, as in the case of potato chips, where "you can't eat just one." The motivation for eating trigger foods may be boredom, agitation, depression, or happiness. Patients may report, for example, that creamy chocolate or ice cream is soothing after a stressful day. Almost any stimulus other than hunger can work to increase the intake of trigger foods. Encourage patients to identify the trigger foods that are problematic for them and ask that they target these food-mood connections for behavior change. Replacing high-fat, high-calorie trigger food items with healthier substitutes is also an effective strategy.
Trigger Foods
| Instead of..... | Try..... |
| Nuts | Small serving of soy nuts |
| Cheese and Cheese Pizza | Whole grain pasta + tomato sauce |
| Salad Dressing | Flavored/Seasoned vinegar |
| Mayonnaise, Margarine and Butter | Ketchup or mustard on sandwiches; jam on whole grain bread |
| Red Meat and Fatty Fish | Chicken or turkey breast, shrimp,
Tuna, halibut, soy meat substitutes |
| Beans, Rice, Potatoes, Pasta | Double vegetables, omit starch |
| Desserts | Fresh fruit with chocolate syrup |
| Colas and Juices | Plain water or mineral water with
Lemon or lime, or a few ounces
of 100% fruit juice |
Meal Plans
High-protein foods send signals to the brain that keep you from being hungry for hours-stronger signals than either carbohydrate or fat. As the protein in your food is digested in your intestines, it is broken down to amino acids, some of which can enter the brain, where they can affect the balance of signals that monitor how hungry or full you are. Our typical breakfasts of refined cereal grains often have too little protein in them to send the kind of signal of fullness that will last until lunch. A meal replacement approach, using a high protein soy or soy/why blend protein powder as a base for a shake mixed with nonfat milk or soy milk and fruit, is an excellent strategy for controlling hunger and calories.
Below are two meal plans, one which provides 1200 calories and approximately 100 grams of protein per day, which should be suitable for most women, and one which provides 1500 calories and about 150 grams of protein per day, which should be suitable for most men.
1200 CALORIE MEAL PLAN
| Breakfast : | 1 Protein Unit + 1 Fruit
Examples:
- Protein powder in blender with 1 cup nonfat milk
AND 1 cup
blueberries
OR:
- 1/3 Cup soy nugget cereal
WITH 1 Cup Fat-Free Milk or plain soy milk
AND 1cup strawberries
OR:
- 7 Egg Whites (hard boiled or cooked with pan spray as an omelet)
WITH 1/2 grapefruit
OR:
- 1 cup nonfat cottage cheese
AND 1 cup pineapple
|
| Lunch: | 1 Protein Unit + 2 vegetables + salad + 1 fruit
Examples:
- 3 ounces roasted chicken breast
WITH 4 Cups of Salad Greens with Seasoned Vinegar
AND 2 cups steamed broccoli
AND 1 large Orange
OR:
- 2 Soy Burger patties
WITH 2 cups cauliflower
AND 4 cups of Salad Greens with Seasoned Vinegar
AND 1cup watermelon
|
| PM Snack: | |
| Dinner : | 2 Protein Units + 2 vegetables + salad + 1 grain + 1 fruit
Examples:
- 8 ounces broiled fish with teriyaki sauce
AND 1 cup steamed spinach + 1 cup steamed carrots
AND Mixed Green Salad
AND ½ cup sweet potato or ½ cup brown rice
AND 1 apple
|
1500 CALORIE MEAL PLAN
|
Breakfast : | 1 Protein Unit + 1 Fruit
Examples:
- Protein powder in blender with 1 cup nonfat milk or soy milk and 1 cup blueberries
OR:
- 1/3 Cup soy nugget cereal
WITH 1 Cup Fat-Free Milk or plain soy milk
AND 1 cup blueberries
OR:
- 7 Egg Whites (hard boiled or cooked with pan spray as an omelet)
WITH ½ grapefruit
OR:
- 1 cup nonfat cottage cheese
AND 1 cup pineapple
|
| Lunch: | 2 Protein Units + 2 vegetables + salad +1 grain + 1 fruit
Example:
- 6-8 ounces chicken or turkey breast, fish, tuna, or shellfish or 2 units Soy Protein
WITH 4 Cups of Salad Greens with Seasoned Vinegar
AND 2 cups steamed green beans
AND ½ cup brown rice
AND 1 large orange
|
| PM Snack: | 1 Protein Unit + 1 Fruit (or Protein Bar)
Example:
- 1 ounce protein powder in blender with 1 cup water and ½ banana
- Protein Bar with about 15 grams protein, 200 calories or less
|
| Dinner : | 2 Protein Units + 2 vegetables + salad + 1 grain + 1 fruit
Example:
- 6-8 ounces Skinless Poultry Breast, Fish or Shellfish or 2 units Soy
protein
AND 1 cup broccoli + 1 cup steamed carrots
AND tossed green salad with seasoned vinegar
AND ½ cup sweet potato or brown rice
AND 1 cup watermelon
|
PLANNING YOUR HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
Regular physical activity is essential for long-term weight control, stress reduction, and overall health. Experts recommend that you participate in both aerobic activity and resistance exercise.
Aerobic Activity
Aerobic activity strengthens the heart and bums calories. You can begin planning an aerobic exercise program by following the "FITT" guidelines below.
Frequency: Do aerobic exercises 3-5 times per week, depending on your fitness level. If you are just starting out, you may want to do multiple, short exercise sessions on a daily basis instead.
Intensity: Your goal is to exercise at 60-90% of your maximum heart rate, depending on your fitness level. To determine your exercise intensity, follow these simple steps:
Step 1 Calculate your maximum heart rate (HRmax):220 - your age
Step 2 Calculate your training heart rate: (HR max) x (0.60 - 0.90)
NOTE:This is your goal!!!
Step 3 Calculate your I minute heart rate during exercise:
=> Find your pulse at the side of your neck or at your wrist.
=> Count your pulse for 10 seconds.
=> Multiple this number by 6.
=> How does this number compare to your training heart rate goal in Step 2?
Time: Exercise continuously for 20-60 minutes, depending on your fitness level. If you are just starting out, you may want to do multiple sessions of shorter duration (i.e. IO minutes).
Type: Do aerobic or uninterrupted activity which raises your heart and breathing rates over a period of time. This includes brisk walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming, or stair climbing. Try alternating different activities so that you don't get bored.
Resistance Exercise
Resistance exercise strengthens bones, builds muscle, and increases metabolism. This type of exercise should be performed 2 times per week and can be performed with dumb bells, weight machines, therabands, or your body's own resistance (e.g. push ups, sit ups, dips, leg lifts),
SAFETY TIPS
- Be sure to speak with your physician before starting a new exercise program.
- Wear loose fitting, comfortable clothing. Invest in light-weight shoes with good arch support and well-cushioned midsole to prevent ankle, foot, and knee problems.
- Warm up for 5 -1 0 minutes (with light exercise) before advancing to your training exercise intensity. Cool down for 5-1 0 minutes after your work out.
- Drink water before, during, and after each exercise session!
|
