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Final word on weight loss:
No 1 thing does it all

**This article was taken from the December 2006 issue of Arizona Living and is strictly an editorial piece
Dec. 26, 2006

The back story: About this time last year, Arizona Living's health editor approached me about writing a yearlong column called "Explained." Twice a month, she said, I would pick a current idea about weight loss, explain what was behind it and determine as best I could whether or not it really worked. For this, my final column, I offer an overview of the lessons I've learned.

What I now know: Most important, it's all about the calories. The diets I've investigated really just offer ways to get you to consume fewer of them. Take the glycemic index, which was the basis of so many low-carb diets. The idea is that your body processes some foods faster than others. So if you eat a lot of foods with a high glycemic value, you'll be hungry sooner and eat more. The idea also holds for low-fat diets. Fatty foods tend to have more calories than lean foods. Hence, if you eat more of them, you'll consume more calories. Likewise, the premise behind high-fiber diets is that fiber makes you feel full, so you eat less. High fiber foods, primarily fruits and vegetables, also tend to be lower in calories. See the pattern? Any of these approaches can help you lose weight. So will old-fashioned calorie counting. Do whatever works for you.

Second, there is no magic pill. There's little evidence that diet supplements work, with few exceptions. Hoodia Gordonii shows promise, but there are serious questions about whether the many supplements that purport to contain the substance actually do. CLA is another supplement that shows promise, but the effects appear slight, and more research needs to be done.

Exercise is no doubt an important element in a weight-loss program, but it's not enough. Unless you devote your life to exercise, you can't burn off enough calories through exercise alone to lose a lot of weight. You'll need to watch your diet as well. And spot reducing doesn't work. It will only tone up the muscles hiding underneath excess fat.

Ultimately, there isn't one right way to lose weight. You'll achieve the best results by doing all the things your mom always told you. Eat sweets, fats and processed foods in moderation. Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Find an exercise you enjoy, and make time to do it. Get enough sleep. If you do all these things, you'll be more likely to maintain a healthy weight. And you'll make your mom happy, too.

Farewell.

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