I am always saddened seeing reports where a desperate dieter restricts calories to a degree that can be dangerous. While we often hear about "very low calorie diets" and the risk of illness and even death, the result falls mostly on deaf ears - until something like this occurs. A news report from England told a sad story of a young woman who consumed about 500 calories a day, using a meal-replacement system. While the details were not included, it was clear that her food intake was quite restrictive - at least 50% fewer than is recommended for healthy, slow and steady weight loss. She lost weight, and also her life.

While these kinds of plans are not unheard of in the United States - referred to as VLCD plans, or very low calorie diet plans - they CAN be used safely, but only under close and continuous medical supervision. With these ultra-low plans, multiple medical concerns can arise - from vitamin/mineral deficiencies, to protein deficiency, to salt balance problems, to harmful cardiovascular effects.

So, in reporting this tragic story, in the name of weight loss, I'm hoping you will see this as a real wake-up call to just stay away from extreme dieting. It's not a matter of weight loss at any cost. Slow and steady wins the weight loss race.

Please share your thoughts on this very sad story. 

What could be bad about a restaurant meal? We're out of the kitchen, out with friends or family, and no clean up! I'd like you to read the "fine print" when it comes to restaurant eating. What you don't know can be harmful to your health. You can't assume the same rules apply in your home kitchen and the restaurant kitchen. From fast-food to high-end eateries, it's time to learn more about why your restaurant foods are so much tastier than your homemade version (yes, it's not your imagination!), how hidden calories, fat and salt add to this -  and how to make some smarter choices.

Multiple lawsuits aimed at restaurants now focus on the "uninformed consumer". It's time to stop being the "food victim" and gain some control over what you're eating, no matter where you're eating. Ask for what you want, downsize your portion sizes, or just go out less often. The choice is yours.

Before you go to a restaurant again, check out these 5 essentials:

1.  Many restaurant foods are scientifically studied and designed to optimize tastiness. It's not just the individual sugar, fat, and salt content of foods. Studies show that the proportions of these combined ingredients in foods can be optimized to maximize a preferred taste. Think sugar/fat combinations (ice cream)  or fat/salt combinations (French fries); their special blend boosts the flavor of either one alone. So, when you think that restaurant foods taste better than the same ones at home, you're right!

2. Calorie-controlled restaurant meals are not tested every day. While you might think that the 350 calorie entree you've ordered because the menu makes the claim, you might not get a calorie savings. Your meal can be off by hundreds of calories, as well as much more fat and salt than listed on the menu.. A dish is prepared once, or up to several times, to determine the specific calorie content, and content of fat, protein, and carbohydrates in that particular serving, to get the endorsement of particular group (like Weight Watchers and Applebees). It doesn't mean that every serving is like that. A finicky chef, an inattentive kitchen worker, or some other food handler might add extra fat, salt or sugar, or provide a bigger serving.

3. Restaurant food contains a lot of hidden salt. Salt is a major flavor enhancer. Restaurants want their foods to taste good. Many foods are loaded with salt - but don't have to taste "salty". The response is for food to taste "great". It works. Even healthy foods can be loaded with salt. Some entrees contain about half the salt recommended for healthy people in an entire day (about 1300 mg)! If you have high blood pressure, you've got to be even more careful of dietary salt.

4. Extra "hidden"  fat is often added to keep foods "moist". Just like salt, your food doesn't have to taste greasy or oily for there to be a lot of extra fat. This "hidden" fat is translated to a mouth feel of "moist". Ever wonder why your baked fish tastes is so soft and juicy in a restaurant, and a lot drier when you're at home, monitoring the added fat?

5. You can only change your own eating behavior While lawsuits bring attention to this area, it's not going to change anything. We're not a nation of food victims, and we have to snap out of this mentality. You DO have a choice. Stay out of many restaurants, and cook at home. When that "formula" of tasty foods is out of sight, and out of mind, it makes it easier to stay in control.

My bottom line: Save restaurant eating for a special indulgence. If you're a restaurant regular, order simple foods, with sauces and salad dressing on the side; ask for "no butter" on grilled foods and vegetables..  Downsize your portions by sharing a main dish, or choosing two appetizers or small plates. You CAN take control of your restaurant eating!

Do you wonder how much personal control you have over your body weight? Do you sometimes give up, saying "I'm destined to be heavy", so why fight it? I've got some good news for you. It IS possible to control your "weight fate" with a moderate, consistent, and comprehensive approach to your personal lifestyle. That's the topic of my Today Show segment where I'm joined by Lucy Danziger, editor-in-chief of SELF magazine, who developed a self-evaluation quiz.

Watch the segment from TODAY

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Here are some top tips to consider:

1. Evaluate Your Starting Weight. When it comes to losing weight, one size does not fit all. Size yourself up, and determine what combination of strategies you need to succeed. Plus, set a realistic target weight - not one only based on the BMI chart, but one that you can both achieve and sustain. Family history (genetics) contributes no more than 30% to the likelihood that you'll have weight problems. While a size 4 might be an unrealistic effort to sustain and maintain, a size 10 might be just what you need to both look and feel better.

2. Eat Breakfast. Studies show that a morning meal can help as a habit that keeps you on track. It sets some structure for the day and also makes you mindful of your choices from the get-go. Also, you won't be over-hungry for lunch - which causes overeating. You don't have to be in your jammies, bleary-eyed preparing an omelet for a healthy breakfast. Foods as simple as a 200-calorie protein bar, a bowl of cheerios and milk or a medium skim milk latte all "count" as a meal on the run. What's important is the "morning" part - within 2 hours of waking up is a good rule of thumb.

3. Get Enough Sleep. Lack of sleep causes overeating as a way to boost energy or even to soothe as a reward (poor me, I am awake). Fatigue can impair your self-control to resist food and make it easier to indulge. Chronic sleep loss interferes with body hormones, which can also lead to overeating.

4. Examine Your Stress. Stress is a double whammy when it comes to weight. It keeps you up at night (see #3 above), and also leads to emotional eating to comfort and soothe. Rather than "just say no to food", it's important to evaluate your stress level, and determine which are positive, which are negative, and how to modify your stress. Consider professional help if you're struggling on your own.

5. Be a Smart Snacker. Snacks are a double-edged sword. Too many can sabotage your effort, but NO snacks can lead to overeating (because you get over-hungry and then overeat later on). The key is to be a smart snacker. The most vulnerable times are late afternoon and night-time. Allow yourself 100-200 calories of mixed composition - a bit of protein, fat and carbohydrates. Think of a fruit and small fat free/sugar free yogurt, a 100-calorie pack of popcorn or wheat thins and a low-fat string cheese, or a mini-whole wheat pita with a slice or two of turkey breast.

6. Beware of Liquid Calories. Because our bodies don't perceive liquid calories very well - they don't "register" as if we've consumed any food, calories from liquids are "add ons" and can pile on hundreds of extra calories that we're not even aware of. Skip sodas, juices, and smoothies. Eat your fruit, don't drink it. Pay attention to your alcohol intake. Except for a glass or two of skim milk, don't waste calories on liquids.

Any tips for dropping pounds? Leave a comment below!

We all know what to do to lose weight, right? So, why, as a nation, do we continue to put on extra pounds year after year? A new report from the Center for Disease Control revealed that nearly two-thirds of states now have adult obesity rates of about 25%. That's 1 in 4 people. Plus weight is creeping up in all age groups - particularly troubling when it comes to children and adolescents.

Maybe an important area to revisit is just how we determine "obesity". For many years, it was the eyeballing approach - do I "look" fat, or "feel" fat, or have health problems which seem to accompany extra weight? Multiple large scale studies have strongly linked increasing weight with increasing health risk. This has been based on body mass index or BMI (What's your BMI?), a term linking height and weight for a single number used as the marker comparing weight and likelihood of diseases (like high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol). Your BMI translates in number that classifies you as healthy, overweight, and obese. You don't have to look particularly "heavy" to be classified as medically obese. In fact, many "overweight" folks agree they want to "lose a few pounds", but don't feel this is a health issue, since they have no medical illness related to their weight.

The big problem here is automatically translating population statistics to our own personal situation. While the BMI has been a major plus in helping to assess overweight and obesity in this country, we've gotten too caught up in the numbers, and not enough in the constellation of factors that also contribute to good health.

New research studies update national health recommendations. But what does that mean for excess weight? It's often forgotten that a number of years ago, a BMI of 27 or less was considered a "heathy" weight. Now, recent large-scale population studies showed that a BMI of less than 25 was now the healthy range. So overnight an entire segment of the population became overweight, without gaining a pound.

While weight is a major barometer of good health, I think it's time we took a broader look at what "counts". I think it's unrealistic for many people to get below a BMI of 25. When the bar is set too high, most of us give up and do nothing. It's just too defeating. We've got to get away from the "all of nothing approach", to the "something is better than nothing approach".

We need to return to a more realistic way of looking at the weight issue. It's the big picture that counts - including blood pressure, blood sugar, blood fats, and the lifestyle activities that support them (eating, activity, no smoking, stress control), with weight being one of the factors, but not the only focus.

Choosing a realistic weight as a healthy one should be the major focus, rather than an idealized weight. For many people, a BMI of less than 25 is not going to be a reality. We need to think more about a goal weight that we are able to maintain (not just achieve!) to support good health and avoid the endless round of self-defeating weight loss and regain episodes.

That's an important step in the right direction, to combating this very real epidemic. Let's use the BMI as a guideline, but not the sole replacement to evaluation of good health.

There are many ways to work at good health. Do you agree?  Leave a comment below.

What if you heard that you could eat less, and live longer? Sound too good to be true? There's been a lot of buzz for the past few decades (in fact since the 1930s) about what's called "caloric restriction", and how it promotes longevity. Both Wired (July 9) and the New York Times (Friday, July 10) recently revisited this topic.

Early studies in mice, and newer studies in monkeys seem to suggest that when caloric intake is cut by about one third of what would be considered "normal" to maintain a healthy weight, that these animals live longer. Cutting calories by 30% is a big decrease, and significant weight loss occurs; the big debate is whether it's a healthy way to live.

In humans, there's a caloric restriction society, whose members adhere to this way of eating. To me, the folks look excessively thin (a BMI in the "unhealthy" range), but claim to be energized, feel great, and report excellent physical health.

This isn't about weight loss, and reducing calories to remain in a stable weight range (the kind of caloric restriction most of us deal with on a daily basis). This is cutting significant calories from your maintenance calories. For example, if you eat 1800 calories daily, to remain at a certain weight, within a healthy range, you'd voluntarily consume about 1200 calories daily, as a "calorie restrictor". This is not anorexia - although weight loss occurs in all people doing this (not a surprise!). People DO eat, and work hard at maintaining a healthy diet.

While there's no guarantee that calorie restriction promotes longevity in humans (the society members DO believe this), the newest 20-year study in monkeys suggests that this appears to be true in primates (monkeys and humans are in this class together), and not just mice. While the mechanism(s) by which this might be occurring are currently unknown, multiple studies are ongoing to continue to explore this phenomenon.

Would you cut your maintenance calories by a third, to live longer? I'd love to know your thoughts.

Here's a common dieting myth: Salads are always the best way to avoid loads of extra calories and fat. The truth is that a salad made with healthy greens, colorful vegetables and lean protein is a great choice for a healthy and calorie controlled lunch. The problem is that we often hide behind our salads and load them up with ingredients that taste good but can actually have more fat and calories than a burger or piece of pizza!

Here's a typical salad starting with dark greens... Adding a variety of colorful vegetables, like carrots, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers, along with a handful of lean protein like grilled chicken is a great way to pack in nutrients, save calories and fill you up at the same time.

A salad this size with some low-fat dressing will runs about 400 calories. You can cut even more calories but using the "dip and scoop" technique with your dressing: dip your fork in a side dressing then scoop up some greens.

But watch how fast those calories add up with a vareity of salad extras. These include healthy choices like avocado, seeds and nuts, dried fruits, low fat cheeses, as well as fun foods like croutons and bacon bits. Use a teaspoon to get "just a taste", and you'll doubling or tripling your salad calories.

The bottom line? Enjoy a salad with a solid foundation of dark green lettuce, colorful fresh veggies and lean protein, and save higher calorie foods for a garnish on the side.

If you've lost weight, do you still "feel fat"? This is sometimes one of the surprising findings of sustained weight loss. Whether you call it phantom fat, mental fat or body image issues, it's a factor that must be dealt with head-on, as part of everyone's weight loss journey. No matter what size package you're in, nor how much weight you've lost, we all have a struggle with this complex issue.

It's not an easy transition to thinking like a "thin person" (whatever that means!). The psychological adjustment to losing weight often takes a lot more time than the physical. Even specific documentation - smaller clothing size and a lower number on the scale - often don't resolve the issue.

You've got to retrain your brain to the "new you". It's important to match up your weight loss successes to support your mental retraining. The first step is acceptance that you've lost the weight, and will keep it off. If you think it's temporary, it's going to be hard to change your mindset about your body. Be proud of the changes you've made, and be positive about the new physical you.

For some women, particularly those who have lost 80-100 pounds or more, body contouring to trim excess skin has been a tremendous mental boost (and sometimes a support to physical health as well). It's never necessary, but an available option.

This is not an easy question to answer, and there are many ways to manage this. How have you dealt with phantom fatness? In this area, we can use all the advice we can get!

Kudos to our President for his fab eating habits. While he is a model of healthy eating and daily physical activity, he can also enjoy a burger and fries on occasion, without guilt (and with obvious enjoyment!). As you've heard me say before, it's all about the portions.

While the world recently watched President Obama going out for burgers and fries with Vice President Joe Biden, I was more impressed with what was ordered: Regular size hamburgers - or a splurge of a regular cheeseburger! No super-sizing, or bacon double cheeseburgers. No orders of mega-fries, just a regular (which if I recall correctly might have been a "shared" item.)  No giant-sized regular sodas or milkshakes.

I'd like to see this portion "downsizing" stick around. Perhaps President Obama is setting the next new food trend, and fighting back against portion distortion. I sure hope so!

What do you think? Leave a comment below.

More from Madelyn:

• Managing Your Food Cravings

The answer to this question is not as simple as it might appear. To me, it's not a "yes" or "no", but a resounding "sometimes". Before you think that is a wishy-washy answer, of no particular benefit, I'd like to tell you why I believe this, and how you can best translate the answer to this question to your own personal health.

Before we had the term BMI (body mass index - that ratio of height to weight), it was hard to "size yourself up", to figure out how your weight was related to health risk. We only had those insurance charts - and surely we were all "big boned"! Decades of study have shown a relationship between increasing BMI and health risks like high blood pressure, diabetes, and sleep apnea, depending on which category you were in. Sounds like an easy connection - right? Not so easy, though, in real life. Population statistics don't always connect to the individual. While BMI is a useful guideline, it doesn't take body fat into account (only height and weight). And that's where this debate comes in.

A small portion of the population (think some professional athletes, trainers, and celebrities) have a high muscle mass, and low body fat (and we all know that muscle weighs more than fat). The lower body fat is not a genetic advantage - it comes from intense and regular physical activity. So, it is possible to be overweight, but not over-fat. That's why a measure of body fat is also essential, when it comes to sizing yourself up, if you believe your increased muscle mass is contributing to your weight. For a woman, you'll want a body fat of less than 23%, and for a man less than 18% to be in the "healthy" range. So, if your body fat is lower, and you are in the overweight category, this is one example where being "fit" and "fat" are compatible.

Most people don't fall into that category, and are those who both struggle with weight loss (and work just to not gain!) and are overweight or obese. Here is where I'd like to clarify that this is not an "either/or" situation. Abundant scientific data show that those who are in this category, and exercise regularly have health advantages related to improved cardiovascular performance, and other health pluses. If you struggle with your weight, for any variety of reasons, it's important to sustain physical activity (with your doctor's approval), even if it's not associated with weight loss. Improved health is not only related to the number on the scale. Physical activity, even without weight loss, is a plus.

Like most things in nature, there are no absolutes. Healthy eating and regular exercise are habits that support good health, no matter what your size.

Care to "weigh in" with your views?

Can you believe that nearly 30 million dollars is spent every year on "detox products?" Whether for weight loss or body cleansing from "toxins" in the environment, the claims usually sound too good to be true. And they are.

Watch the segment from TODAY

Nature has a built-in system for detoxing our bodies from compounds entering the body, either accidentally or intentionally. This system is a combination of actions of the liver, kidneys, lungs and skin. If you have normal function of these organs, you're in good starting shape.

The phrase "detox diet" means many different things to different people. Often it's wrongly used for a "quick fix" for weight loss. While fluid loss gives the sense of "lightness" and weight loss and a sense of well being, it's just not a fix for everything.

For many, a detox diet is the familiar, celebrity tested-plan of a combination of water, maple syrup, cayenne pepper and lemon juice, popularly referred to as "master cleanse". A mix of these--about 110 calories per 8 ounce cup, consumed 6-12 times a day--is the basis of this plan. Do the math and you'll see that the calorie consumption is as little as 660 calories a day, without protein, vitamins or minerals. Made popular by Beyonce who famously lost weight using this "diet" for a film role (and regained the weight afterward), it's not meant to be used for more than a week or so.

While a healthy person can exist on a fast like this one without health-damaging effects for a few days, long-term use can lead to protein and vitamin deficiencies. Short term issues like headache, fatigue, lack of focus, aches and irritability are related to the lack of calories and caffeine withdrawal among other causes. Plus, it's quite likely that Beyonce also had the benefit of medical supervision to monitor her health, as most celebrities do, when weight-related changes to develop a film character are required.

Plans vary from all sorts of juice, vegetable and other semi-fasts, with lists of "good and bad" foods to be eliminated. Often red meat or dairy are excluded, as well as caffeine and alcohol. It's the extremes of these plans that are the problems.

Other detoxing involves "colon cleansing" to flush out harmful bacteria and contaminants from the digestive tract. The problem here is that none of these cleansers can tell the difference between healthy bacteria and unhealthy ones - so you can put your health at risk with these. Our digestive tracts are full of "good" bacteria to keep us healthy.

My bottom line? Avoid all of these, and use common sense.

If you want to try a safe and health-promoting "cleanse", try these 6 simple steps:

1. Stick with unprocessed foods
2. Eat at least 7-9 servings of produce a day (fresh or frozen)
3. Choose vegetable proteins over red meat, poultry, or fish
4. Gradually cut back on Caffeine (to avoid severe headache)
5. Eliminate alcohol
6. Drink 1/2 your body weight for ounces of daily water (150 pounds, drink 75 ounces water) or at least 64 ounces.

One more thing: if you're considering eliminating dairy products from your diet make sure you get calcium from other sources including dark greens, and get enough vitamin D with 10 minutes outside in the sun (without sunscreen), or consider supplements for these two essential nutrients.

Have you had an experience with a detox diet? Drop a line to share your own pros and cons.

When it comes to losing weight, do you turn to the Internet? Like all on-line services, when it comes to weight loss, there's a lot of good information out there, if you can sift through a lot of the questionable material that sounds too good to be true (and it is!) I'd like to set the record straight when it comes to weight loss programs on the internet.

Watch the segment from TODAY

More and more people are turning to the Internet for diet programs, and with good reason. It's economical, time-saving and private while offering social support 24/7. But you've got to choose carefully, because all plans are not the same. Some of the key features you want to make sure are part of any plan you use on line are:

1. Methods to log your food intake and activity


2. Recipes and menu plans


3. Message boards and other support mechanisms


4. Some personalization of your plan


5. Encourages accountability

Important: Avoid sites that encourage (or force) you to purchase their products so the diet plan will work. A big mistake.

A good on-line program can boost the number of pounds lost when used to supplement on-site programs, or even used on their own. But a lot of your success depends on your own commitment to a plan, be it on-line or on-site.

What has your experience been with internet dieting? Have you found any sites that work for you? Leave a comment!

When it comes to the "best way" to lose weight, we've seen a lot of trends that come and go. It seems there are "studies" that show nearly every kind of diet plan seems to work. The big missing question is not losing the weight, but does it stay off?

An exciting study was just published in The New England Journal of Medicine, following people for 2 years, in one of four diet plans that varied the protein and fat contents of the diet. ALL the diets were calorie controlled, and each person had a daily limit, no matter what the composition of their meals. All four diets were also fiber rich. Plus, all participants were asked to exercise for 90 minutes a week—that's only 15 minutes a day, 6 days a week. Another important component was counseling, to support for the participants.

After two years, the average weight loss was 9 pounds (down from a high of a 13 pound average after the first 6 months), and 2 inches trimmed from their waistlines. Of course, average weight loss means some people lost more and some less. The interesting point was that weight loss was the same no matter what diet plan the individual was on. It was controlling calories that produced the weight loss, not the nutrient combination.

The bottom line? Calories DO count when it comes to losing weight. The harder part is figuring out the number of calories that works for you for slow, steady weight loss. This will depend on your level of activity, your metabolism and hormonal status, and other lifestyle habits. When it comes to losing weight, "one size does not fit all", but monitoring daily calories is an essential part of the solution.

Are you surprised? Do you agree with the results of this study?

Losing weight is a major health plus. But who has time to wait for the results? While we all know it took many weeks and months to put on those extra pounds, we'd love to lose them... like yesterday! We'd all like to believe that quick weight loss is safe, effective, and effortless. That's why all of those ads sound so convincing. "Detox and cleanse away your body fat" was the headline of one pamphlet I picked up recently. Smiling, thin women, in bikinis, with Chicklet-teeth apparently had used this "amazing" plan. From celebrities to your next door neighbors, many people are turning to products and processes like detoxifying liquids, cleansing diets, fasts, and colonics.

But what you don't know can hurt your health. It's time to take a closer look at unhealthy ways to lose weight and why you want to avoid them.

Fasts and extreme food restrictions can be health damaging if done without medical supervision. The "detox" described for many products can lead to fatigue, cramping, and dehydration. Our bodies already have plenty of natural "detox" tools, like the liver, skin, and lungs! This goes for semi-fasts like the popular "Master Cleanse", which limits calories in a mixture of lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper to about 500 calories per day. While a day or two of fasting is not a health negative for most healthy people (think of the days of religious fasting), these are harmful plans for an extended period of time.

Many products to "detoxify" and "cleanse" contain herbal substances that can put you at risk, as these supplements are not tested nor regulated by the FDA. Plus, they might interact with other medications you are taking. Remember that you're not usually consuming the herbal plant itself (as brewed in a tea, for example), but an active ingredient extracted from the plant where there is no guarantee of safety, purity, or efficacy during this process, when contamination can occur. Always check with your doctor or pharmacist before trying any of these. Plus, avoid products claiming weight loss without lifestyle change, and look for a website and 800 number to call for further information about purity of the compound. Be an informed consumer!

Avoid "colonics", the explanation of which, at first glance, seems to make sense and fits in with "cleansing". The ads claim to rid your intestinal tract of harmful bacteria and other matter. The problem is that healthy gut bacteria are also flushed out, and often salt and water balance is impaired over the short term.

While you might not experience cramping, fatigue, or dehydration after using one of these methods, at least recognize that whatever immediate "weight loss" you experienced is likely only fluid elimination. Like other "quick weight loss" promises, weight returns almost immediately, unless a solid lifestyle plan is in place.

It's hard to fight the quick fix for weight loss, but watch out—your health may depend on it. When it comes to losing weight and keeping it off, slow and steady wins the race. Small changes made every day do pay off. The first step is patience.

What do you think? Are you willing to do anything to lose weight quickly? I'd love to know your thoughts if you've tried some of these unhealthy way to lose weight. Did they work for you? Did you get sick? We'd all like to learn from your experiences!

I enjoyed reading the lively debate about healthy eating, in response to my pescetarian eating blog. When it comes to eating style, "one size does not fit all", but the shared goal is meeting nutrient needs. It's all about balance.

When we look to nature for healthy eating advice, it's important to point out that gorillas living in the wild eat no meat or dairy products and only vegetation, and they are adequately nourished both for protein and other nutrient needs. They also spend most of their waking hours foraging for food, so it's a major time commitment.

Here's where worlds collide when it comes to meeting protein and nutrient requirements, whether you're eating from the animal or plant kingdom. While it is certainly possible—and clearly healthful—to embrace a complete vegetarian diet, it takes practice, effort, and time to maintain nutritional needs. The need for protein, as well as for iron, vitamin B12, calcium, vitamin D, and zinc can be satisfied without dairy products, or meat. These concentrated sources make it an easier task, and a sure way to maintain much needed daily nutrients for long term health.

While children are often making eating decisions based on issues unrelated to health, it's important to ALL eaters to connect what we eat with meeting our nutrient requirements to support long term health. However you choose to eat, an eye towards complete nutrient intake must be part of the equation. If you feel you can't maintain your nutritional needs with a particular style of eating, you need can readily adapt that by adding select additional foods (like lean meat and other protein sources, dairy, and eggs), and a vitamin/mineral supplement (100% of daily requirement) to keep you on track for comprehensive nutrient intake that works with your lifestyle.

What do you think?

Related Content:

• All About Pescetarians (Fish-Eating Vegetarians)

I'm glad to see a lot of adventurous eaters who tweak the standard eating "rules". While "vegetarian" eating used to mean only eating from the plant kingdom (no animals or animal products), there are several categories which now personalize the plan. I don't think the food police will come and arrest someone calling themselves a vegetarian, who consumes some animal products, but also embraces a non-meat lifestyle.

Watch the segment from TODAY

Check out the different types of vegetarian eating styles. Do you see your own habits here? Would you like to try it out? They're all healthful, but beware that the more restrictive the eating plan, the harder you have to work at maintaining adequate nutrient intake (especially for calcium, iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, zinc, and protein).

Lacto-ovo-vegetarian: No animal products, includes eggs and dairy products

Ovo-vegetarian: No animal products, consumed eggs but no dairy.

Pescetarian: Eats fish, but no meat or chicken (dairy/eggs optional)

Flexitarian: Meatless meals several times a week, but still eats meat (including red meat)

Vegan: Only foods of plant origin - no animals or animal byproducts (no dairy or eggs)

I'll be revisiting these other plans, but today I'd like to give you some tips on healthy pescetarian eating.

Here are my tips you can apply to most vegetarian eating plans. Do you have any tips of your own? Blog away! When it comes to vegetarian eating, we need all the information we can get!

1. Check with your doctor. You want to start out in good health, and identify any possible deficiencies or medical issues ahead of time

2. Make sure to meet your protein needs. Here's an easy way: take your weight, divide it in half, and that's the number of protein grams you need daily. So, if you weigh 140 pounds, you need about 70 grams of protein every day. Fish-eaters should be aware of mercury intake, and stick with low-mercury fish including salmon, shrimp, and canned light tuna. Soy products like edamame and tofu are also winners. So are low or non-fat dairy products (read on!).

3. Include dairy products. I know the dairy-avoiding folks will disagree, but for most people (especially growing teens), calcium intake is often a problem if dairy products are avoided. It IS possible to maintain calcium requirements by consuming dark green vegetables - but bear in mind that it takes about 4 cups of broccoli to equal the calcium in an 8 ounce glass of milk. If low or non-fat dairy products are included, you'll get some "double duty" foods - both calcium and protein.

4. Take a multiple vitamin/mineral supplement daily. This is important insurance to meet your nutrient needs. You might be a risk for inadequate Iron, calcium, vitamin B12, vitamin D, or zinc - all which managed by a single supplement containing 100% of the recommended daily intake (RDI). When it comes to vitamins and minerals, more does not mean better!

So, whether you're a vegetarian—full or part-time—please share your own eating experiences!

UPDATE: You all have left so many great comments on vegetarianism that I have written a short response. Read my newest entry here.

It's January, and you know what that means: New diets galore. We are surrounded by promotions for the "best" diet and it's easy to give in to the "magical thinking" that somehow, this will be the year for successful weight loss. But how to choose a lifestyle plan that can work for you? While the basics of eating less and moving more are always the foundation, there are many paths to the same destination of successful weight loss and long term maintenance.

Here are my 5 top tips to consider when selecting a fresh program. What are some of yours?

1. Evidence Based Plans: Backed up by scientific studies, not only personal stories.

2. Strategies to manage "hunger": How to feel fuller on fewer calories, and avoid deprivation.

3. Regular physical activity: A realistic way to keep moving for the long term.

4. A support system: Ways to stay connected to your plan is a must-have.

5. Budget friendly: "Investing" in yourself in a way that supports both your wallet and your waistline.

So, how can you evaluate your needs? I am a firm believer that "one size does not fit all" when it comes to weight loss. Most people don't have access to a major medical center weight loss program, or private consultations. Diet books can be a sound resource, but sometimes don't translate to everyday life.

For someone looking for one-stop lifestyle shopping, I have been quite impressed with the continuing development of Weight Watchers, now launching their new Momentum Program. A reliable presence for more than 40 years, Weight Watchers is consistently highly rated (among the top four plans by Consumer Reports in 2007) and for good reason. This is one company that really adapts its plans based on both consumer feedback, and emerging information in weight loss science. The new Momentum Program specifically responds to the key question every consumer asks as part of a plan: how can I tackle my physical hunger? What I especially like is the ability to participate on your terms, and tailor the plan to your needs.

The addition of what are called "filler foods" (those high water and fiber foods keeping you fuller on fewer calories) are an updated part of the plan. The combination of WW member experiences and scientific studies has produced a combination of strategies that might be just what you're looking for. Of particular benefit is that lack of time is not a deterrent here. You can participate in the traditional meeting groups or on-line to suit your own schedule. It's an easy and convenient way to stay connected without breaking the bank. While there are fees involved, they are modest, and importantly, you're not required to purchase special foods "necessary" to boost your weight loss.

Share your thoughts and post your own diet and lifestyle ideas for 2009. Do you agree with my "top 5 tips"?

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• Eat the foods you want and still lose weight!

Losing weight is not easy. The simple phrase of "eat less and move more" is not so simple in the real world where food is readily available 24/7, inexpensive, and in such large portions! Our multitasking lives lead us to eat on the run, skip meals, and leave physical activity at the bottom of the "to-do" list. A recipe for the dreaded "weight creep". We know what to do to lose weight (many of us are walking calorie counters), but can't seem to keep it together for the long term.

A new study from the Journal of the American Medical Association has shed some light on a motivator supporting a weight loss effort, at least for the short term: money.

Three groups were given the task of losing 16 pounds in 16 weeks (that's a pound a week, which is realistic and manageable with moderate effort). One group had no financial motivation and lost an average of 4 pounds in 16 weeks. The other two groups had financial motivation, and lost three times more weight: An average of about 13-14 pounds.

The big question: Could they keep the weight off? Even the financially motivated groups regained some weight in follow up, after the active study was completed (the money phase was done), but weighed less than when they started.

While many diet studies don't easily translate to our real world lives, this one can. Create your own financial incentive to help stay on track. Here are my suggestions:

Set some reasonable goals, and "reward" yourself with a quarter, or a dollar, or whatever amount you choose when meeting your daily goals. These might include a 30 minute walk, 5 daily fruits and vegetables, or sticking to non/low-calories beverages.

Establishing your "weight loss account" for a purchase of a special indulgence—like a manicure, massage, cosmetic, running shoes, DVD, or whatever is a treat to you—can both jump start your initial effort, and help keep you on track for the long term.

How do you stick to your weight loss plan? Would a little extra cash help you drop a little weight? Leave a comment!

The New York Times had an eye-popping article this morning. Greece, the heart of the "Mediterranean eating plan", has an explosion in childhood obesity. How can that be? In a land of locally grown colorful fruits and veggies, olive oil, and vegetable proteins (like nuts and beans), why is obesity on the rise in kids?

My friends, here's the answer: it's not where you eat, but what you eat. Children are gobbling down fast food, giant sodas, and processed foods - and gaining weight. So, while living in the Mediterranean provides natural access to a healthful diet, the novelty of large portions of foods with a lot of hidden fats and sugars seems to winning out over the simpler, unprocessed diet.

That's the latest "food craze", and one which parents report in that article, find hard to fight. 'I don't want to deprive my child". Maybe parents need to take the longer view, that they don't want to deprive their child of a healthy life free of diabetes, high blood pressure, and other problems directly related to body weight.

This is a scary trend - already rampant in the US - and only education and early intervention about portion control and smart food choices is the solution. How about some more food-downsizing and smaller portions and lower prices? In this economy, that's a good start to help our waistlines and our wallets, both in the US and worldwide.

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• Diet Secrets from Around the World

I'm often asked this question. Is there a diet that can help you avoid cancer? Well, I've got to tell you, there are no magical diets and no guarantees when it comes to diet and cancer.

What IS true is that studies show that an abundance of colorful fruits veggies CAN fight cancer cells in a test tube. Translated to human studies, those people consuming lots of fruits and veggies tend to have less of certain types of cancers.

So - is it the food?

Here's where you have to read below the headlines. In studies when people eat a colorful diet chock full of fruits and vegetables, there are a lot of other health-promoting habits that go along with this, like moderating fat intake, regular exercise, not smoking, managing stress and maintaining a healthy weight. These behaviors are all linked to the immune response; your body's ability to fight infection - including cancer.

It's hard to tease out which of the lifestyle habits is most important. Science shows us that certain vegetables - called the "cruciferous" veggies - DO have specific phytochemicals (plant chemicals) that kill off cancer cells in test tubes. These veggies are cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts, and broccoli. Even if you like only one out of the four, that's a plus!

Unfortunately you can't just chow down health-promoting foods to prevent cancer: It's all about the immune system, which is related to cancer and its prevention. While food can influence the immune response over time, all the other lifestyle habits are important. So, you can't smoke, lay around on the couch, and be overweight and believe that eating 9 fruits and veggies will minimize your cancer risk.

The bottom line: Your lifestyle is something you CAN control when it comes to cancer prevention. Make all of the lifestyle changes to help support a healthy lifestyle and to fight off all kinds of diseases, including cancer.

• Eat at least 5 fruits and veggies a day (up to 9 is even better, if you can do it!)
• Stop smoking, or at least cut down as much as you can.
• Be physically active, get your heart rate up, and get moving.
• Learn to manage stress

Take charge of your lifestyle. It's the best insurance you can have when it comes to things that are under your control when it comes to cancer prevention. There are no guarantees, even with the best health habits.

Good health IS its own reward. Do what you can: some change is always better than none!

For more information on cancer treatment and prevention visit iVillage Stands Up to Cancer.

I was interviewed several times about the "new" diet study in the New England Journal of Medicine. This is a major medical journal, always full of "hot" topics. So, why is yet another diet study big news?

This study actually validates the common sense approach to weight loss - that there's more than one way to eat and lose weight (and at least keep off part of it!) The study looked at people in a remote work location - so, no access to fast food, and 24/7 mini-marts!

The three diets were:

1. Calorie controlled low fat (the old standy!): LOW FAT
2. Calorie controlled "Mediterranean": MEDIUM FAT (heart healthy)
3. Low-carb (no calorie restriction): HIGH FAT (heart healthy)

All three groups lost about the same amount of weight. And, while the results were not amazing - about 10 pounds - many people showed a health benefit.

What I DO like about this study, is that there is some good documentation, other than word-of mouth, that there is more than one way to cut calories... to both lose weight and keep at least some of it off.

I'd love to hear YOUR way of cutting calories, and how it's helped your weight loss (or maintenance) effort! Leave a comment below.