On Thursday, July 17th, fat people in our nation began to rejoice at the breaking news. After years of conflicting advice detailing the best approach to dealing with weight loss, finally, the medical community had spoken. The obesity epidemic should be about to come to a screaming halt because one of the most prestigious medical journals presented its astounding findings. The New England Journal of Medicine published findings of a diet study promoting the weight loss benefits of adhering to a low carb diet.
But when you skim through research, you frequently miss the main points. When you simply repeat what others say something says, it's easy to jump to conclusions… and be wrong. Yet when you make a mistake with obesity, the results can be life and death. So whether from faulty, ineffectual reporting or due to promotion of individual agendas, diet, this health and weight loss mis- information was rampantly promoted as truth in 10 second sound bites and news media crawlers. Various new agencies jumped on the headlines of the report but failed to understand and promote what was really contained in the report. While there were nuggets of valuable insights within the research, they were largely overlooked when placed in the headlines of low carb vs. high carb debate, or the pro Atkins vs. low fat battle of the diet plans. Now, millions of already confused people who suffer from the stigmas and health concerns of obesity will probably have those issues magnified as they hold onto false hope.
Three types of diets
So what did the study really show? There were 3 types of diets. One was
low fat, one was
low carb and one was a
‘Mediterranean diet’. The study subjects were mostly male (86%), overweight (BMI 31) and middle age (mean age 52). This study was performed over a 2 year period. The results were interesting indeed. The Mediterranean and low carb groups showed health improvements in cholesterol, blood pressure and other measures over the high carb group. However, the research was promoting diets so the bottom line measure of importance should be fat loss. All three groups lost weight. Over two years, the low carb group lost 12 lbs., the Mediterranean group lost 10 lbs., and the low fat group lost 8 lbs. As someone who has a family who has struggled with weight issues forever, if you've lost only 8-12 lbs after following a diet regimen for 2 years, it seems to me that what you are doing is not exactly rapid weight loss. Also remember that these measures were all of body weight loss (water and waste), not of body fat. As far as the results of the researched diet programs, all three were similarly ineffective over the long term, with the results being no greater than what might be expected to be found as occurring by chance alone.
Here are some of the truths that the report verified. Anytime a diet creates a calorie deficit, weight loss most likely will occur. Iris Shai, one of the researchers in the study, wisely concluded that there is no such thing as “one diet fits all.” Effective weight loss demands a balanced plan that is individualized, based on realistic goals, a comprehensive health status and genetic health history, one’s body type, activity level as well as numerous other factors. Different people have different metabolic types. So what works for you may or may not be effective for anyone else.
Weight loss most effective through using ‘energy psychology’
Anyone who has been on a diet knows that one of the hardest components of any diet is sticking to it. Without quick, steady and lasting weight loss results, even the best intended dieter will find their willpower bending and breaking at amazing rates. Yet the rate of adherence within this research was reported at 85% over the two year period. What allowed the dieters to comply with the diet had nothing to do with the diet itself. It had more to do with the mental energy and psychology of the individual. Strategies for success included “using the employer as a health coach could be an effective way to improve health. The model of group intervention with the use of dietary group sessions, spousal support, food labels, and monthly weighing in the workplace within the framework of a health promotion campaign might yield weight reduction and long term health benefits.”
The basic psychological principles that have lead to the success in effective weight loss come down to personal integrity and accountability. Interestingly, any course in energy psychology will teach that such principles are part of the foundation for optimal wellness and success in any arena of life. Energy psychology is a fascinating and effective blending of psychological principles in the arena of health care. It truly begins to understand the way that the mind interacts with the body in both the development of disease and the reversal of those very conditions.
If I were forced to recommend only one approach to effective, lasting fat loss, it would be a plan based on balance. Balanced nutrition with a balanced exercise program, with balanced psychological and spiritual development. Balance precludes any program that recommends any extremes or elimination of any food group. As the body is designed to operate in balance, such an approach to fat loss makes the most sense, and the research suggests that this helps produce the highest compliance rate. Weight loss programs designed with balance and flexibility, incorporating room for individualization, and activating the power of the mind through the energy of psychology will beat the others hands down in the long term. That’s not rocket science, its common sense. But remember, if you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always done.
William McCreary, PhD., Doctor of Natural Medicine
Contributing Writer and Instructor (Energy Psychology)
If you desire more information about recommended energy psychology courses and instruction (because not all courses are create equal), please feel free to contact this author for his recommendations.
Randy McCreary has studied the interplay between the mind, spirit and body and its impact on both the development and reversal of disease conditions for the past 15 years. He has brought this vast information together into an effective format known as Neurotherapy. This self healing energetic psychological protocol deals with the optimization of the interplay between the Mind, Spirit and Body of the individual.
Randy is also a highly sought after international speaker, author and educator on various topics within the field of health and wellness. He is renowned for his ability to powerfully impact his audiences through knowledge, humour, common sense and compassion.
