While you may not be able to get down to a size you want and losing weight might require more sacrifice from you than from someone else, it is possible to improve your weight with the right diet. Carbohydrates are as addicting for some as alcohol and cigarettes are for others, so the first two weeks are going to the hardest as you will be detoxifying. Here are some tips to getting started:

1.  Decide if you want to reduce carbs slowly or go cold turkey. If you have health problems, are taking medication, and/or are over the age of 45, you may want to take it slow to limit side effects.  Once you get to the point where you are losing weight, you can either stay at that carb level or decrease it further. Once you have achieved your desired weight, you can increase your carbs until you start gaining again. This will tell you your threshold for carb intake. The ideal carb intake for most people, based on 40 years of research by Wolfgang Lutz, MD, is about 72 grams daily.  Some people will lose weight just by eliminating sugars, some may have to eliminate sugars and grains and still others may have to give up most carbs to maintain a healthy weight. That’s where the unfairness of it all comes in. You just have to decide if the weight you want is worth the sacrifice you have to make to maintain it.

2. Don’t count calories. They don’t matter at all.

3. Don’t worry about how many meals to eat when first starting. Just eat when you are hungry and until satisfied. It will take a few weeks for your body to adjust to burning fat instead of carb, but once that happens, your appetite and energy levels will change. You will probably find yourself eating less often and you might actually feel like exercising for a change.

4. Keep in mind that you are not ‘going on’ a diet, but making a lifestyle change. The low carbohydrate diet will have to be maintained for life if you want to maintain the weight loss.

5. Be prepared for the switch. When the body switches from burning sugar to fat, you may experience fatigue, cravings, mood swings and an overwhelming desire to cheat, so plan for that. For myself, I had no problems the first week of going low carb, but then 3 days of extreme fatigue and cravings. I really, really wanted some sugar. Snacking helped a lot during those 3 days. My favorite snacks were Genoa salami between 2 slices of cheese, raw milk, and carrot sticks with a sour cream based dip. Once the three days passed, I had no more cravings and could easily avoid carb foods. Everyone’s experience will be different, but you will most likely, especially if you go cold turkey, go through a period of withdrawal. You may need a friend who can support and encourage you during that time.

What happens if you follow the low carb diet and you don’t lose weight? I had a week where I stayed the same weight no matter how little carb I ate. After the week, the weight started coming off again, so, first, be patient as your body adjusts. Thyroid issues and hormone imbalances may also prevent weight loss so if you go two weeks without losing any weight, have those things checked out. You may need to take certain vitamins, minerals or herbs to get things working right again.

Keep in mind that losing weight and getting healthy is not a race. It took time to put the weight on and it will take time to get it off. Instead of focusing on the number on the scale, focus on how you look and feel as you improve your diet and lifestyle habits and love who you are now. Don’t wait to buy clothes that make you look good. Look good now. In other words, don’t put off your life until you get to the weight you want. Live your life to the fullest now. It will help you get where you want to go.

Annette Presley RD LD, Chief Nutritionist for Liberation Wellness

Annette has been a registered dietitian for over 19 years and discovered several years ago that every thing she learned in school was wrong and the nutrition advice we dispense in this country actually causes heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity.  She is now dedicating her life to getting the truth out so people can live a truly healthy life.  She is founder of Find Your Weigh online at findyourweigh.com.

Disclaimer: Annette Presley RD LD provides nutrition advice and counseling regarding lipid disorders that is not universally accepted as evidenced-based practice in dietetics.  This nutrition advice is neither sponsored, endorsed, approved nor recommended either by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH) or the American Dietetic Association.  As such, prior to beginning nutrition counseling with or suggested by Annette Presley RD LD, it is strongly recommended that you consult your physician.

Today, I learned that a good friend of mine was accused of having an eating disorder because she only drank milk one day for lunch. Kami (not her real name) eats in the school cafeteria and the meal that day was less than appetizing and she also is unfortunate to eat with a friend who is on the thin side. Based on that one meal and her thin friend, the teacher decided that twelve year old Kami was developing an eating disorder.

Kami was promptly sent to the school counselor who informed her that if she didn’t eat, her hair would fall out, her body would start eating itself and her heart would fail. The mother was called in and berated for not feeding her child properly. Despite the mother’s assurance that Kami eats well at home, the school officials stand over Kami as she eats lunch and grill her about what she eats at home.

I’ve known Kami for seven years and she does not have an eating disorder. She doesn’t even have the right personality type for an eating disorder, so even if she tried, she’d never be able to starve herself. In my opinion, these school officials have crossed the line and are trying to be the parent, though they are more like dictators than parents. They basically lied to this child and they intimidate and humiliate her every day for no justifiable reason. What I find really ironic is that they are telling Kami to eat more while serving her food with less fat and calories.

Eating disorders are on the rise and they are a problem, so I can understand the concern of the school officials, but fearing a child into eating is not going to solve the problem. Most likely, it will make the problem worse or create other problems. Body image is a huge deal, especially for 12 year old girls. Focusing their attention on what they eat, particularly when it’s done in public, can trigger an eating disorder and forcing them to eat when they are not hungry can lead to obesity.

The school system follows the food guide pyramid, low fat diet. The brain needs fat to function properly, so they are supplying a diet that can cause chemical imbalances which can lead to eating disorders. Kids are getting a mixed message; eat enough calories, but eat low calorie food. They are told not to get fat, but to make sure they eat everything on their plate. It’s insane and hypocritical.

I apologize for the rant, but it really gets my goat when kids suffer needlessly at the hands of clueless school officials trying to take on the role of parent. At some point, we need to stand up for freedom and the rights of children and parents, as well as the right to eat what we want.

Annette Presley RD LD, Chief Nutritionist for Liberation Wellness

Annette has been a registered dietitian for over 19 years and discovered several years ago that every thing she learned in school was wrong and the nutrition advice we dispense in this country actually causes heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity.  She is now dedicating her life to getting the truth out so people can live a truly healthy life.  She is founder of Find Your Weigh online at findyourweigh.com.

Disclaimer: Annette Presley RD LD provides nutrition advice and counseling regarding lipid disorders that is not universally accepted as evidenced-based practice in dietetics.  This nutrition advice is neither sponsored, endorsed, approved nor recommended either by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH) or the American Dietetic Association.  As such, prior to beginning nutrition counseling with or suggested by Annette Presley RD LD, it is strongly recommended that you consult your physician.

1.   Overweight and obese people are not lazy gluttons. Eating too much and exercising too little does not cause obesity, they are side effects of gaining weight. The more weight you carry, the more fuel you need to feed it and the less inclined you are to exercise because of the need to fuel the excess weight. The good news is that you are not eating too much and exercising too little.

2. Genetics does play a role in weight, so you do not have 100% control over it. Your genes determine where you accumulate fat and how thin it is possible for you to be. Not everyone can achieve a size 2 and not everyone can get to a size 16. Naturally, we all want the genes that prevent us from getting fat, but the bad news is that genes are not fair. Some of us have genes that keep us from getting fat and some of us have genes that make it super easy for us to get fat. For some, trying to achieve the supermodel look will only lead to failure, depression and more weight gain. For women, some will have nice voluptuous breasts and others will have not so nice voluptuous hips or bellies. That’s life, it’s not always fair.

3.  The diet advice from the ‘nutrition authorities’ over the past 25 plus years has contributed to expanding waistlines in both children and adults. The low fat, food guide pyramid diet has also contributed to heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cancer. The bad news is that you’ve been lied to all your life about how to maintain a reasonable weight and following the bad advice has made it easy for you to gain weight and difficult for you to lose weight.

4.   Diet plays a significant role in weight management. The good news is that there is something you can do to improve your weight, but it involves a complete change in the way you think about weight, food and activity. It’s obvious from both science and observation that the low fat, high carbohydrate diet (food guide pyramid) has led to obesity, so it makes sense, and science confirms it, that doing the opposite might reverse the damage. If you want to know more about the science, I highly recommend the book Why We Get Fat and What To Do About It by Gary Taubes. Taubes does an excellent job at presenting the science in a very clear, understandable and straightforward way. Carbohydrates drive insulin and insulin is the only hormone in the body that causes you to store fat. There are also other hormones and enzymes that play a role in weight management, too, so if you struggle with weight, it would be a good idea to have your hormone levels checked as well as your thyroid. Getting those things under control will help you lose weight. Cutting down on the carbohydrates, particularly starchy vegetables such as potatoes, peas and corn, grains and sugars will reduce insulin levels and therefore reduce the amount of fat stored in your body.

5. Exercise will not help you lose weight. The good news is you don’t have to bust your butt at the gym anymore. Exercise does have other benefits so don’t sit on the couch all day, but it will not help with weight loss. Too much exercise, in fact, can make it harder for you to lose weight because it increases appetite, particularly for carbohydrate rich foods; you will just end up eating more and storing more fat.

The only way to lose weight and keep it off is to reduce the amount of carbohydrates you eat such as starchy vegetables, grains and sugars. You can eat as much protein and fat as you want which may sound too good to be true, but it is. Next time I’ll give you some steps to take on making the switch from high carb to low carb.

There is hope, so stop beating yourself up and don’t take a beating from anyone else, either.

Annette Presley RD LD, Chief Nutritionist for Liberation Wellness

Annette has been a registered dietitian for over 19 years and discovered several years ago that every thing she learned in school was wrong and the nutrition advice we dispense in this country actually causes heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity.  She is now dedicating her life to getting the truth out so people can live a truly healthy life.  She is founder of Find Your Weigh online at findyourweigh.com.

Disclaimer: Annette Presley RD LD provides nutrition advice and counseling regarding lipid disorders that is not universally accepted as evidenced-based practice in dietetics.  This nutrition advice is neither sponsored, endorsed, approved nor recommended either by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH) or the American Dietetic Association.  As such, prior to beginning nutrition counseling with or suggested by Annette Presley RD LD, it is strongly recommended that you consult your physician.

1.       When making a goal, use the words “I choose to” instead of “I will.”  We are more likely to do something that we choose to do.

2.       Make goals specific.  Instead of “I want to lose weight” say “I choose to lose 10 lbs.”  Define what it is you actually want.

3.       A goal should be measurable so you know if you are on track or not and they need to have a timeframe so you know when you arrive.  For example, “I choose to lose 10 lbs by March 5, 2010” can be measured on a weekly basis to see if you are on target and it has a timeframe so you don’t spend the whole year trying to achieve the goal.

4.       Goals need to be realistic and achievable.  An example of an unrealistic goal is “I choose to lose 10 lbs by Jan. 2, 2010 (when you start on Jan 1^st).  Give yourself enough time to complete the goal.  If you are a 6’ tall, 300 lb man, an unachievable goal would be “I choose to weigh 120 lbs by June 1, 2010.”  No 6’ tall man is going to get down to 120 lbs and it would be unhealthy to do so.  If you are going to make a weight loss goal, give yourself a week to lose 1 to 2 lbs.  To lose 10 lbs, you would need at least 5 to 10 weeks to complete that goal. If you lose more than 2 pounds a week, then rejoice. It’s better to lose more than you think you will, then less than you are trying for.

5.       Give yourself a reward for completing a goal.  Don’t reward with food, though.  Get a new bike or outfit or treat yourself to a spa or a day off.

6.       Make mini goals where you can experience success within a 1 to 3 month period.  If you need to lose 100 lbs, don’t write a goal to lose 100 lbs.  Break that 100 lbs into 10 lb increments and reward yourself after every 10 lbs lost.

7.       Make healthy habit goals instead of weight loss goals.  If you’ve tried the weight loss goals and they haven’t worked, try something different that will get the results you want.  For example, let’s say you drink 6 soda’s a day.  A great goal would be, “I choose to be drinking only 1 soda by March 1, 2010.”  The steps you take to achieve that goal would be to drink 6 sodas a day the first week, 5 sodas daily the 2^nd week, 4 soda’s a day the 3^rd week and so on until you are down to 1 soda a day.  You can also make goals to rid your kitchen of processed foods, eat 2 to 3 meals a day instead of snacking, adding exercise to your schedule or whatever habits you need to develop to be healthy.

8.       If you finish your goal before the due date, pat yourself on the back, enjoy your reward and write a new goal.

9.       If you don’t make your goal by the due date, re-evaluate.  Was your goal realistic?  Did you eat the right foods?  You may need to make a healthy habit goal instead of a weight loss goal. Did you have any success, such as any pounds lost or good habits formed?  Pat yourself on the back for any success, no matter how small, and write a new goal incorporating what you discovered in your evaluation.  Do not focus on not making the goal.  Focus on all the positive changes you are making.

10.   If you find you are not losing weight even though your goals are realistic and you are eating the right foods and doing the right amount of exercise, get your thyroid, adrenals and hormones checked.  You may need to take iodine or other supplements to get your organs healthy again. Allergies can prevent weight loss as well. You may need to avoid grains and pasteurized milk products.

If you follow the 10 steps above, you will be successful this year with your resolutions.  Happy New Year!

Annette Presley RD LD, Chief Nutritionist for Liberation Wellness

Annette has been a registered dietitian for over 17 years and discovered several years ago that every thing she learned in school was wrong and the nutrition advice we dispense in this country actually causes heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity.  She is now dedicating her life to getting the truth out so people can live a truly healthy life.  She is founder of Find Your Weigh online at findyourweigh.com.

Disclaimer: Annette Presley RD LD provides nutrition advice and counseling regarding lipid disorders that is not universally accepted as evidenced-based practice in dietetics.  This nutrition advice is neither sponsored, endorsed, approved nor recommended either by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH) or the American Dietetic Association.  As such, prior to beginning nutrition counseling with or suggested by Annette Presley RD LD, it is strongly recommended that you consult your physician.

1.       Put relationships before food.  Love is what this season is all about and love does not judge or condemn.  So, whatever you do or say, let it be done in love.

2.       If you are served a food, eat it with thanksgiving and honor your host. You don’t have to clean your plate.  You may not have the choice of what you eat, but you can decide how much you eat.

3.       At the food table, fill up once, but get just a taste of things.  One way to control portions is to put foods on a plate so they don’t touch each other.

4.       If you can’t resist the food table, find something to hold in each hand.  If your hands are occupied, you can’t fill another plate.

5.       Be mindful of what you are drinking and realize you don’t have to drink (whether it’s punch, water, alcohol or eggnog) for the entire duration of the party.

6.       If you know you are going to eat at a party, don’t fill up on food before you go because you’ll just end up eating twice.

7.       Don’t go to the party for the food.  Go for the people, the scintillating conversation or the fun and games.

8.       Offer to bring a dish and make it a healthy one.

9.       Host your own party with real food and fun.

10.   Be grateful that you have friends and family who enjoy your company enough to invite you to their gathering.  Have a good time and be a good time for others.

Annette Presley RD LD, Chief Nutritionist for Liberation Wellness

Annette has been a registered dietitian for over 17 years and discovered several years ago that every thing she learned in school was wrong and the nutrition advice we dispense in this country actually causes heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity.  She is now dedicating her life to getting the truth out so people can live a truly healthy life.  She is founder of Find Your Weigh online at findyourweigh.com.

Disclaimer: Annette Presley RD LD provides nutrition advice and counseling regarding lipid disorders that is not universally accepted as evidenced-based practice in dietetics.  This nutrition advice is neither sponsored, endorsed, approved nor recommended either by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH) or the American Dietetic Association.  As such, prior to beginning nutrition counseling with or suggested by Annette Presley RD LD, it is strongly recommended that you consult your physician.

Iodine is a very important mineral that is stored in the thyroid gland, ovaries and breasts.  Breast cancer has several etiologies but one of them is iodine deficiency coupled with bromide/flouride toxicity.  Bromide, fluoride and chlorine, found in swimming pools, our water supply and the artificial sweetener Splenda, all compete with iodine for absorption.  Flouride is also in the water supply and in foods prepared with fluoridated water, toothpaste and medications such as the antidepressants Paxil and Prozac.  Flonase and Flovent also contain fluoride.  Bromide is found in such things as furniture, carpet, cars, fire retardant clothing and mattresses, asthma medications and flour and bread products.

Iodine is important for thyroid and breast health and a connection between hypothyroidism and breast cancer was first reported in 1896.  Iodine deficiency can cause estrogen production to increase and when you add increased estrogen production to the increase in exposure to environmental estrogens in plastic, pesticides, meat and dairy foods, you have a ripe environment for the development of breast cancer.  On top of that, we are bombarded with bromide and fluoride on a daily basis which further deplete iodine.

One of the best steps to take in preventing cancer is to get an iodine loading test and discuss the results with a knowledgeable physician who can prescribe the right dose of iodine for you.  You want to get plenty of unrefined sea salt in the diet as the chloride component of salt helps to rid the body of bromide.  Vitamin C, magnesium and selenium need to be taken along with iodine, so again, it’s best to consult a knowledgeable physician.

For more information on iodine and breast health, go to http://www.drbrownstein.com, http://www.breastcancerchoices.org and http://www.hakalalabs.com.

Annette Presley RD LD, Chief Nutritionist for Liberation Wellness

Annette has been a registered dietitian for over 17 years and discovered several years ago that every thing she learned in school was wrong and the nutrition advice we dispense in this country actually causes heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity.  She is now dedicating her life to getting the truth out so people can live a truly healthy life.  She is founder of Find Your Weigh online at findyourweigh.com.

Disclaimer: Annette Presley RD LD provides nutrition advice and counseling regarding lipid disorders that is not universally accepted as evidenced-based practice in dietetics.  This nutrition advice is neither sponsored, endorsed, approved nor recommended either by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH) or the American Dietetic Association.  As such, prior to beginning nutrition counseling with or suggested by Annette Presley RD LD, it is strongly recommended that you consult your physician.

Don’t be fooled. HFCS, no matter what it’s called, plays a role in obesity. Changing the name doesn’t change the product, it just makes the product sound better.  Changing ingredient names is  a common strategy to boost sales when the ingredient is shown to be harmful or when consumers avoid it. If the new name is approved, we will not see “corn sugar” on labels for at least 18 months, so you don’t have to worry about it yet, but be on the lookout and keep reading those labels.

Annette Presley RD LD, Chief Nutritionist for Liberation Wellness

Annette has been a registered dietitian for over 17 years and discovered several years ago that every thing she learned in school was wrong and the nutrition advice we dispense in this country actually causes heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity.  She is now dedicating her life to getting the truth out so people can live a truly healthy life.  She is founder of Find Your Weigh online at findyourweigh.com.

Disclaimer: Annette Presley RD LD provides nutrition advice and counseling regarding lipid disorders that is not universally accepted as evidenced-based practice in dietetics.  This nutrition advice is neither sponsored, endorsed, approved nor recommended either by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH) or the American Dietetic Association.  As such, prior to beginning nutrition counseling with or suggested by Annette Presley RD LD, it is strongly recommended that you consult your physician.

But what does the science say?

Polyunsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and have at least two double bonds in their structure. Saturated fats, in comparison, have no double bonds and monounsaturated fats have one double bond. The more double bonds a fat has, the more unstable the fat and the more likely it is to be damaged by free radicals and go rancid, especially when heated and stored for long periods of time. Rancid fats cause serious problems in the body leading to inflammation and chronic disease. Vegetable oils such as soy, corn, cottonseed and canola are the most widely used PUFAs, but by the time you buy them in the store, they have been heated to high temperatures and stored for long periods of time and are, therefore, already rancid.

There are two polyunsaturated fats thought to be essential because they cannot be made by the body and must be supplied in the diet. These two fatty acids (often coined as “parent” fats) are omega-6 linoleic acid (LA) and omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Linoleic acid is converted to other fatty acids, the most important one being arachidonic acid (AA) and ALA is converted to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

While LA and ALA cannot be made by the body and AA and DHA can, research confirms that AA is actually the essential omega-6 fat and there is good evidence to support DHA as the essential omega-3 fat.  Both LA and AA alone will reverse fatty acid deficiency, but AA is more effective than LA at reversing the damage.  Genetic abnormalities as well as some foods and disease processes can interfere with the conversion of LA to AA so it would be prudent to get at least some AA in the diet. The only way to deplete DHA enough for symptoms to manifest is to consume an excess of omega-6 fats.

The conversion of LA to AA and ALA to DHA require the same enzymes and cofactors so there is competition between the omega-6 and omega-3 fats making it necessary to have the right balance or ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats. Too much omega-6 causes chronic disease and inflammation and too much omega-3 decreases immunity. With the push to consume processed vegetable oils, Americans are getting too much omega-6 fats. To compensate for the excessive omega-6 intake, there is now a push to consume fish oil supplements. This is only going to lead to problems because now we will swing the other way to an omega-6 deficiency. Also, both vegetable oils and fish oil supplements are highly processed and already damaged before they are even consumed.

Humans actually need very little polyunsaturated fat; no more than 1% of calories. The standard American diet provides around 7% of calories as polyunsaturated fat. We typically need more during growth, healing and pregnancy, but even at that, 1% of calories is adequate. We do need more omega-6 fats than omega-3 fats with an ideal ratio being two to four omega-6 fats to one omega-3 fat. You don’t want to consume any more PUFAs than necessary as they are so easily damaged.

The standard American diet, aside from providing excessive PUFA, is high in sugar and low in vitamins and minerals.  A high sugar diet is necessary to induce fatty acid deficiency. Sugar also interferes with vitamin and mineral absorption. The vitamins biotin and B6 are important as they are involved in the conversion of LA to AA and ALA to DHA. A deficiency of calcium and magnesium will aggravate essential fatty acid deficiency.

It is actually difficult to limit polyunsaturated fat to 1% of calories. A healthy diet of whole foods will provide more than that, but not as much as the standard American diet. The best dietary sources of essential fatty acids are liver, egg yolk, lard and butter, preferably from grass-fed animals as these foods contain preformed AA and DHA. They also contain saturated fat and cholesterol which enhance utilization of the essential fatty acids and protect them against free radical damage.  In summary, to get the best ratio and amount of PUFA:

1. Eat real food the way God made it.
2. Include liver, egg yolk, butter and lard in the diet, preferably from grass-fed animals.
3. Consume mineral rich broths and use unprocessed sea salt.
4. Get adequate B6 and biotin (liver, meats, egg yolk, raw milk).
5. Limit sugar and total carbohydrates for maximum use of essential fatty acids.
6. Avoid processed and refined vegetable oils.
7. Take cod liver oil instead of fish oil supplements. A tsp of cod liver oil will provide adequate DHA along with vitamins A and D and along with a whole foods diet will not disrupt the balance of omega-6/omega-3 fats.

Annette Presley RD LD, Chief Nutritionist for Liberation Wellness

Annette has been a registered dietitian for over 17 years and discovered several years ago that every thing she learned in school was wrong and the nutrition advice we dispense in this country actually causes heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity.  She is now dedicating her life to getting the truth out so people can live a truly healthy life.  She is founder of Find Your Weigh online at findyourweigh.com.

Disclaimer: Annette Presley RD LD provides nutrition advice and counseling regarding lipid disorders that is not universally accepted as evidenced-based practice in dietetics.  This nutrition advice is neither sponsored, endorsed, approved nor recommended either by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH) or the American Dietetic Association.  As such, prior to beginning nutrition counseling with or suggested by Annette Presley RD LD, it is strongly recommended that you consult your physician.

I looked through the references sited for this article and found some very interesting things. One study compared liquid PUFA with hydrogenated PUFA and found that the liquid oils were better for the heart. Well duh! Everyone knows that trans fats from hydrogenated oils are bad news.

There were several references proclaiming the benefits of omega-3 fats and the harmful effects of a high omega-6/omega-3 ratio. Both omega-6 and omega-3 fats are PUFAs. The American diet is very high in omega-6 and rather low in omega-3 because most vegetables oils are high in the omega-6 fats and we eat a lot of vegetable oil in this country. Omega-6 and 3 compete with each other for absorption so if we have a high intake of omega-6 then we will not get enough omega-3.

It appears that Spreads is lumping saturated fat in with trans fat and omega-6 fats in with omega-3 fats so they can claim that their high omega-6 vegetable oils, spreads and margarines are heart healthy. I guess some people will do anything for a buck.

As always, I recommend real food and I don’t need to do any studies to prove the benefits. We ate real food for thousands of years up to about a hundred years ago and it wasn’t until we started eating man made foods that we developed chronic disease.

Annette Presley RD LD, Chief Nutritionist for Liberation Wellness

Annette has been a registered dietitian for over 17 years and discovered several years ago that every thing she learned in school was wrong and the nutrition advice we dispense in this country actually causes heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity.  She is now dedicating her life to getting the truth out so people can live a truly healthy life.  She is founder of Find Your Weigh online at findyourweigh.com.

Disclaimer: Annette Presley RD LD provides nutrition advice and counseling regarding lipid disorders that is not universally accepted as evidenced-based practice in dietetics.  This nutrition advice is neither sponsored, endorsed, approved nor recommended either by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH) or the American Dietetic Association.  As such, prior to beginning nutrition counseling with or suggested by Annette Presley RD LD, it is strongly recommended that you consult your physician.

Yes, obesity is a problem, but eating disorders are becoming a growing side effect of our focus on fat. Girls as young as five years old are starting to talk about their weight and the need to diet. My seven year, after a slumber party, asked, “Mom, am I skinny?” At the party, the girls took a shower and they compared their bodies. Not a single one of these seven to eight year old girls were overweight, but they all decided that my daughter was the thinnest and therefore the luckiest. It broke my heart.

We need to step up and start giving these girls a healthy and balanced message because there is more to life than weight. Here are a few tips for parents of teens that I have gathered from working with anorexic girls:

• Stop dieting and don’t let your daughter diet. We have been dieting in this country for over forty years and we are fatter than ever. Diets don’t work. You must make permanent lifestyle changes such as switching to real food instead of processed food, but you need to eliminate the word ‘diet’ from your vocabulary. Focus on the health benefits of food, not the weight loss. For example, ‘we eat butter because it helps us absorb vitamins, minerals and antioxidants,’ or ‘we don’t eat artificially sweetened foods and beverages because they are toxic to our bodies.’ Make it about health, not weight.

• Hide your scale. The last thing a teenage girl needs is a scale to confirm her worst nightmare. Do not let them see you weigh yourself, either.

• Speak to your doctor. Make it very clear to your physician that he/she is not to say anything about your daughter’s weight in front of her. Also, do not allow the doctor to weigh you and your daughter at the same time. I know girls who ended up with anorexia just because of some innocent comment made by a doctor. Many dietitians get into the business because they have an eating disorder and some doctors also suffer from eating disorders or weight fetishes. Your daughter does not need to be burdened with their problems.

• Affirm your daughter. Especially, dads. Make sure you tell your daughter that she is beautiful. Never comment on her weight or your spouse’s weight, even if they are thin. Help your daughter know that she is loved, wanted and accepted because of who she is, not because of how much she weighs or what she looks like.

• Shop for the best look, not the lowest size. Size really doesn’t matter in the scheme of things. Some clothes are made small and some are made larger even though they may be the same size. Get several sizes, try them all on and see what looks best. Keep in mind that you can always tailor an outfit that, say, may be just right in the chest and arms but too large in the waist. Clothes are generic, they were not designed for you or your daughter, so if it doesn’t fit right, the fault is with the assembly line, not you or your daughter. Don’t focus on size, focus on fit.

• Don’t over schedule. Make sure your daughter has time to play and rest. Over scheduling can lead to a feeling of being out of control because there is no time to unwind. Many girls will then control their food intake to an extreme. Limit extra-curricular activities and don’t pressure your daughter to perform. Straight A’s are not worth an eating disorder, nor do they guarantee success in life, so strive for balance, not perfection.

• Ask questions. If and when your daughter comments on her weight, thighs or whatever, don’t just dismiss it with an ‘oh you look fine.’ Ask why she feels that way, what she wants to do about it and what does she think will happen if she does or doesn’t do something, always affirming her in the process and steering away from weight and looks to concentrate on health and wellness.

Genetics does play a role in eating disorders. Some girls are more prone than others. An innocent diet can lead one girl to starve herself while another one will simply lose a few pounds and be done with it. It’s very important for girls to eat the right kinds of fat to keep their brain and hormones functioning right. Avoid vegetable, soy, corn, cottonseed and canola oils and use butter, coconut oil, and olive oil instead. Avoid low fat and fat free foods, so use full fat dairy. Basically, you want to eat real food the way God made it. Don’t take the fat out. Fat is not the enemy and it does not cause obesity.

Annette Presley RD LD CPT, Chief Nutritionist for Liberation Wellness

Annette has been a registered dietitian for over 17 years and discovered several years ago that every thing she learned in school was wrong and the nutrition advice we dispense in this country actually causes heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity.  She is now dedicating her life to getting the truth out so people can live a truly healthy life.  She is founder of Find Your Weigh online at findyourweigh.com.

Disclaimer: Annette Presley RD LD provides nutrition advice and counseling regarding lipid disorders that is not universally accepted as evidenced-based practice in dietetics.  This nutrition advice is neither sponsored, endorsed, approved nor recommended either by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH) or the American Dietetic Association.  As such, prior to beginning nutrition counseling with or suggested by Annette Presley RD LD, it is strongly recommended that you consult your physician.