Everyday Systems

See article at:

http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/m ... et0306.htm

Some highlights:

A comparison of several popular diets by ARS-funded researchers showed that at the end of the day, or in this case at the end of the year, sticking with a diet—more than the type of a diet—is the key to losing weight.

Only about half the volunteers completed the program while on what the authors considered to be more extreme diet plans: Atkins and Ornish diets. In contrast, 65 percent were able to complete the more moderate diet plans: Weight Watchers and Zone.

“The bottom line was that it wasn’t so much the type of diet followed that led to successful weight loss, but the ability of participants to stick with the program for the entire year’s time,” says Schaefer.

“The strongest predictor of weight loss was not the type of diet, but compliance with the diet plan that subjects were given.”

The finding lends credence to the importance of adopting a caloric-restriction diet that doesn’t conflict with one’s natural affinities for specific allowable foods.

I'd forgotten about this article -- thanks for bumping it up again. You'd think I'd given this guy a kickback or something it's so dead on in synch with what I've been emphasizing with no-s. He even uses my favorite word: "compliance."

Reinhard

I have always said it's not the diet it's me. I pretty much beleive that all diets work, for awhile at least. Sticking to it is the problem.

All these years I have been searching and searching for my "soul mate" plan an now I have found it. Sure it was exciting sneaking around with Atkins, and flirting with South Beach, but I really wanted to find long lasting love, and not just another summer fling. And now I do believe I have found my one true love.

Well I better go, Jenny Craig and NurtiSystem keep emailing me, I guess I need to write back to them and make the break up official - don't you just hate messy breakups?

LOL at Dawn.... cute and oh so true

LOL Dawn...I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for Dr McDougall, his heart was in the right place, but I loved guacamole more.

f

Fkwan, so you dumped Dr McDougall for guacamole? Tramp!

Oh, well I once had a three way with Weight Watchers and Dexatrim, and I do beleive that puts me in the dirty skank category.

Maybe it's crazy to eqate these diets with relationships, but when you think of the amount of time, thought and passion we have put into them over the years - it's crazy!!!!

You girls are too funny!!! BUt it is true what you say.

I also believe I have found the one true way of eating for the rest of my life! A match made in heaven even.

Oh, my. Does this make No S a polygamist? Thanks for the laughter!

(After more wild, tumultuous affairs than I care to remember, I have finally settled down too.)

*snerk*

You guys have no idea in the world how what a wonderful laugh you're giving me from my rather... skewed perspective.

Here's why I think most of us fail at "diets" (and the passion part is included, too).

In his book Eating Well for Optimum Health Andrew Weil says that the Optimum Diet must:

1. Meet all needs for macronutrients and micronutrients.
2. Support health throughout life.

And here's why we fail...

3. Provide the pleasure you expect from eating.
4. Promote social interaction and reinforce your personal and cultural identity.

Most diets don't provide the pleasure we expect from eating nor do they promote social interaction and reinforce our identity. If anything, they do just the opposite.

Hahaha, ladies!, but it's true about it being about the long term commitment and not the diet itself.
I found EDiets to be simply awsome, it was three meals plus one optional snack a day and it had lots of variety and customization... but not everyone could do it for ever; I couldn't; as varied as the meals are, there is just a limited amount and I ended up tired of them... I quit and regained those 10 lbs I lost.
Sad story.

I don't see that ever happening with NoS, simply because when it comes to variety of meals, the sky is the limit.

All these years I have been searching and searching for my "soul mate" plan an now I have found it. Sure it was exciting sneaking around with Atkins, and flirting with South Beach, but I really wanted to find long lasting love, and not just another summer fling. And now I do believe I have found my one true love.

Well I better go, Jenny Craig and NurtiSystem keep emailing me, I guess I need to write back to them and make the break up official - don't you just hate messy breakups?

Dawn,
you are so clever! Love love love it!

Blueskighs