"Every Little Thing (I eat)..."

Anyone who has ever spent a day with me knows I’m always writing notes to myself. Whether it’s stuff I need at the grocery store, appointments, directions or reminders of things to do, there are always random scraps of paper around my house and in my purse.

For years, I’ve kept my food diary in the same way; scraps of paper with my daily calories, fat, and protein combinations, cross-outs and recalculations, time of day and portion sizes. As scattered and chaotic as this might sound, I still always have a good idea of what I eat and how and when I exercise.

So it amazes me that most people, even those who know exactly what they spend and exactly how much money they have in the bank, have absolutely no idea of the amount or type of nourishment they put into their bodies!
Over the years. I’ve graduated from scraps of paper, to a spiral notebook, and now, with a smart phone, a food diary app to keep track of my food habits and exercise on a daily basis. And if you’re brutally honest, you can learn a whole lot about why those last 10 pounds just won’t go away. After a few weeks of tracking, you can see what negative patterns emerge and that awareness can help change your habits.

The American Journal of Preventive Medicine did a study on over 2000 overweight adults and found that those who kept food records six days a week -- jotting down everything they ate and drank on those days -- lost about twice as much weight as those who kept food records one day a week or less.

If you use the food diary in the right way, you get answers that just won’t come out of a diet book. My weight has been pretty consistent over the past 25 years within about a 5-6 pound range. So when the scale started creeping up 7,8,and then 9 pounds last winter, I first chocked it up to getting older. But when I finally spent three weeks tracking EVERY morsel I ate, the problem was clear. Too much “invisible” food; a bite here, a spoonful there, a handful of high-fat nuts, an overflowing “1/2 cup” serving of Slow Churned ice cream! All helped to pack on an additional 600-800 calories a day!

So, using the food diary as my conscience, I traded exact portions, switching to pre-portioned packs of the foods I tended to “over-eyeball”, substituted fresh fruit for high-sugar dried fruit, and replaced half the bowl of almonds with popcorn. The two “small” glasses of wine I’d been drinking were actually 6-8 oz glasses, so measuring and recording that helped too.

The food journal can act like a mirror by revealing to you what goes into your body, but you have to have to be honest for it to be effective:

-Make sure you account for all those ‘little extras’
Many people eat healthily at mealtimes, but snack poorly in between. If you’re aiming to lose a pound a week, just a few extras (eg. a can of coke, a cookie and a packet of crisps) during the day prevents you from seeing results on the scales. Writing down everything you eat demonstrates the cost of those ‘occasional’ nibbles…
-Know when you can afford to treat yourself
On the other hand, keeping track of your food intake over the course of a day or a week gives you the freedom to enjoy a treat once in a while – guilt-free. If you know you’ve got calories to spare for the day, and no ice cream has passed your lips for six days, you can indulge yourself! (But record it)
-Be aware of when you’re eating
Keeping a food diary highlights patterns, showing if you overeat at particular times. Maybe you binge late at night, because you’ve been eating too little all day? Or perhaps you graze constantly? If you don’t keep a food diary because you have no hope of remembering everything you eat … you may need to change your habits.
-Fight ‘portion creep’
If you’ve been dieting or maintaining for a long time, you get used to “eyeballing” portions rather than weighing everything out. But if your weight loss has plateaued, or if those pounds are edging back on, keeping a diary means you need to weigh your foods.
-See your habits changing
It can be motivational to look back on a food diary from a few months or even years ago and see how your nutritional choices have changed. Perhaps you’ve curbed your chocolate habit, or maybe you now eat proper meals instead of junk-food snacks. And if you’re having a bad day, flicking back to a “perfect” week in your diary is encouraging: if you did it once, you can do it again! What you include in your food diary depends on which area concerns you the most.

-If your problem is portions: focus on weighing and measuring everything you eat.
-If you want to focus on a nutritious diet: record the nutritional components (fat, sugar, salt, etc).
-If your problem is habitual eating patterns: Focus on recording time of day, where, with whom, and activity.
-Emotional eating issues? Log your moods and their connections to eating patterns.

If you have a Smart phone, there are Food Diary apps galore. Some are diet specific like Weight Watchers or NutriSystem, but most work no matter what program or plan you follow. The majority have large food databases, and most of them are free or low cost, so you can just type in a food, and it will calculate all of the nutritional facts.

I use an app called Calorie Count and it works well for me. It keeps track of the calories and nutrition and all of my exercise. It readjusts what I should be eating to maintain my weight and can adjust to help you lose weight. I can see if I’m too low in protein or too high in fats and make the changes I need. It also allows you to save your favorite (or regularly eaten) foods so you don’t have to search for them each time you need to enter them. It’s pretty simple, but I’m not the most tech-savvy person.

My son used Lose It, also a free app, that is similar to Calorie Count: it keeps track of all the calories you are consuming (food) and the calories you are burning (exercise). From there, you can look at how you’re doing with your calorie “budget” and what your calorie “balance” is at the end of each day. The app can also be used to track proteins, fats, carbs, and more, including the ability to print detailed reports. Each food type includes accurate calorie, carb, fiber, fat, sodium and protein values, which you can track on a separate page. Add in your daily exercises—including the intensity and hours spent—and it calculates how many calories you ate, how many you burned and how much more you can eat that day. For added motivation, a graph based on your data shows how much weight you've lost.

On the LIVESTRONG.COM's MyPlate Calorie Tracker’s website, it states that MyPlate's calorie counter allows you to set your weight loss goals, track your daily caloric intake and log your fitness activities. Browse the largest online food library, track your calories and get verified nutrition facts for even the rarest foods! You can browse healthy alternatives for your most frequently eaten foods, create entire meals for tracking, and monitor your progress with up-to-date, personalized charts and graphs. Detailed breakdowns of your daily diet will help you count calories and will serve as an educational tool-empowering you to make the best choices for long-term success.
If you won’t keep track of every calorie, carb, and protein, there are a few apps out there that allow you to just take a picture of your food and it lets you know if the food is good for you or not.

Food Tracker Pro ($1.99)If calorie counting isn’t your goal, and all you want is to be aware of what you eat, this universal app keeps things simple. Just click on the picture of the food group you ate from, mark the number of servings and you’re good to go. I’m not sure “sweets” count as a food group, but they’re included in FoodTracker.This app contains no database— just some pictures.

The Eatery doesn't even involve calories. All you do is snap a photo of your meal or snack, then rate it anywhere between "fit" and "fat." The app will pull other users' ratings for the same food to show if you're on track (you can also share and compare your foods with Facebook friends).
The app logs all of your meals and generates reports for you, like which food was the best you ate all week, which was your worst, what time of day you tend to eat more, and at what restaurant you make the healthiest choice.

Fooducate-with Fooducate, users scan a product barcode, it analyzes the product and gives it a letter grade. The less processed the food with fewer filler or additives, the higher the grade. This would be a great app to use when shopping for food to help you select healthier options at the store or try a healthier alternative to what you normally buy.

But, no matter how tech-savvy your app is, you still have to be vigilant about entering your food and exercise.
-Write as you go. Don't wait until the end of the day to record what you ate and drank.
-Use whatever type of food diary works for you. It doesn't matter whether you use scrap paper, a phone app or a notebook. What matters is that you use it
-Don't skip your indulgent days. Keep records, especially on days when you’re tempted to eat. (Vacations, parties, family gatherings) The AJM study found that, "What gets measured tends to get changed."
-Focus on portion size. Practice at home with measuring cups, measuring spoons, or food scales. And be aware that people tend to underestimate how much food they're served.
-Record physical activity. The new dietary guidelines recommend 60-90 minutes of moderate activity daily to sustain weight loss. Keep track of what type of activity you did for the day, and how much time it took you to do it.

Now, if I could only track my spending as well as I track my food, I’d make my husband very happy!

"Flashlight...Neon Light..."

Back in the 80’s, I was still teaching high school English when my students started coming to school in a variety of neon clothes, from MC Hammer pants to warm-up suits to boots and headbands. Though it was hard to look out into a classroom and have the kids reflect light off of their outfits, I still kind of liked the bright colors. Sadly, I had to keep my conservative look then, and it wasn’t cool to try and dress like the kids!

But lately I’ve noticed neon popping up all over the place (even in St. Louis) and especially at the gym. So even if you never rocked the trend in the 80’s, consider some of these neon workout pieces to add to your wardrobe!

For running outdoors or riding your bike, try Athleta’s Intrepid Workout Jacket in Chartreuse.
www.athleta.com

There are so many cool shoes out there that you can find neon on lots of styles and types. These Adizero Ace Men’s Running Shoes in Yellow/Orange will get you noticed.
www.adidas.com

This Under Armour Neon Green Heat Gear T is both bright and functional.
www.underarmour.com

If you love dance workouts, try the Zumba Electric Pink Cargo Pants.
www.zumba.com/shop

More subdued, but still neon electric is the Lucy Black/Neon Multi Criss-Cross Tank.
www.lucy.com

If you can’t bring yourself to actually WEAR neon, but still want to brighten up your workout, try the Speedo Lime Green Duffle Bag.
www.speedousa/Duffle-Bags

And finally, maybe you want to keep your neon look under wraps, so try lululemon’s Hot Pink Groovy Girl Short underwear.
www.lululemon.com

Whether you wore it in the 80’s or just want to amp up your workout gear in 2012, neon looks abound!

Send me a pic of you in your favorite neon workout wear (from the 80s or current) and I’ll post it on my Fitness Barista Facebook page! Hkraus52@gmail.com

"Shouldering Your Responsibilities..."

It’s only April, and the temperature around country has been soaring way above the normal highs. With no coats or sweaters or long sleeves to cover us up, our arms and shoulders are out for all to see. Maybe you slacked off a little over the winter, or maybe you’ve avoided shoulder exercises because you’re afraid you might look bulky. Either way, you won't look good if your shoulders are stooped.

"The shoulders are the most important muscle group of the upper body for appearance as well as function," says Brad Schoenfeld, MS, CSCS, a fitness trainer in Scarsdale, N.Y. Even if you have nice arms, well-developed shoulders give the illusion of a smaller waist, like built-in shoulder pads. Bathing suits, strapless dresses, tank tops, or one–shoulder styles; well-sculpted shoulders make them all look and feel better.

The deltoid is the largest and most visible of the shoulder muscles. It’s essentially three muscles in one, comprising a front (anterior), middle (lateral), and rear (posterior) head. The heads function together for more complex moves like an overhead press, but work more independently in some moves. Though it’s impossible to totally isolate any single muscle, I find there is less stress on my shoulder joints when I try to shift the emphasis from one head to another, focusing on the front, mid, and rear separately.

The anterior deltoid raises the upper arm to the front of your body, the middle deltoid raises it to the side, and the rear deltoid moves the upper arm backward. The key to sculpting your shoulders is good form and manageable resistance. If the weight is so heavy that form is sacrificed, you will just leave yourself open to injury.

The shoulder exercises I like to use when “shaping” are basically modified versions of standard shoulder exercises. I also like working my shoulders unilaterally to avoid strain on my neck and back.

The first exercise combines a front raise with a side raise. Initially, I would raise both arms to the front at the same time and to the side together. By doing a front raise with one arm while doing a side raise with the other, I’m able to keep my form better and put less stress on my neck and back. I learned this from my friend Val Cottone.

-Stand upright with your back straight, feet shoulder width apart
-Hold a dumbbell in your right hand with palms turned toward the side of your body
-Hold a dumbbell in your left hand with palms turned toward the front of your body.
-Slowly lift the right weight to the side, and the left weight to the front, until they are slightly higher than --shoulder level.
-Lower the weights with a smooth, controlled motion.
-Repeat for 10-12 reps, then switch. This time bringing the left weight to the side and the right weight forward.


The next exercise works the mid and front delts. (Again, this exercise is courtesy of Val).

-Stand slightly bent forward with weight in one hand, arm in an arc with palm towards body.
-Lift elbow up to just at shoulder level. Lower slowly in arc. Repeat for 10-12 reps. Switch arms.

This exercise works the posterior (Rear) delts and can be done bi-laterally or unilaterally.

-Sit sideways on bench with feet on floor and a dumbbell in each hand..
-Bend, keeping torso straight and look down at floor.
-With a dumbbell in each hand and your arms extended toward floor, bring arms up in a wide arc.
-Concentrate on keeping your upper arms in line with your shoulders and lifting with your rear delts, not your upper or middle back like a row.

The upright row works your front (anterior) delts and can be done unilaterally or bi-laterally.

-Stand with a slight bend in your knee
-Grasp a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip with hands slightly more than shoulder width apart.
-Pull the weight(s) up to chest level, keeping the weight(s) as close to your body as possible. (If you’re more than an “A” cup, be careful)
-For the right position, imagine “strings’ attached to each elbow pulling them toward the ceiling.
-Pause and squeeze at the top of the movement, lower and repeat.
-(You can do this one arm at a time or both together)


If you keep your diet in check, continue to get in enough cardio and add these exercises in to your routine twice a week, you should see significant changes in about 4-6 weeks! Just in time for the pools to open!!

"Let's Get It Started..."

I’m not a certified nutritionist or registered dietician, but I have studied, researched and embraced the importance of the right foods for good health. I know the calories, fats, carbs and protein facts about most of the foods that I eat and I know that eating the right foods can enhance your energy level, thinking skills and aging process.

I also know how lucky I am to live in an area that has access to these healthy foods, and that I can afford to buy good quality food.

Unfortunately, the worst culprit in our obesity epidemic is lack of knowledge about what is healthy and what is detrimental, as well as the misconception that food has to be expensive to be good for you.

So, while doing some research for an article I was writing about Share Our Strength, I came across their program called Cooking Matters. Through Cooking Matters, course participants learn how to select nutritious and low-cost ingredients and prepare them in ways that provide the best nourishment possible to their families. It is nationally sponsored by ConAgra Foods, and locally in St. Louis, run by Operation Food Search.

The classes are led by volunteer chefs (qualified culinary instructors - someone formally trained as a chef, a person with a culinary background working in the foodservice industry, or someone with a similar culinary background like an experienced home cook), and nutritionists (registered dietitian, upper-classman dietetics student, dietetic intern, or someone with a similar nutrition background), and provide hands-on meal preparation, practical nutrition information, and food budgeting skills. The courses meet one day a week for 6 weeks and are age specific. Each course covers the My Plate and food group divisions, reading nutrition labels, cutting sugar and salt, adding whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and shopping economically for nutritious foods.

COOKING MATTERS for Adults gives parents the skills and motivation they need to provide healthy, well-balanced meals and to teach children a love of healthy eating. It. was developed to increase the number of preschool children from low-income families who grow up healthy, well fed, and with good eating habits.

COOKING MATTERS for Families teaches school-aged children and their parent about healthy eating and the importance of eating together as a family.

COOKING MATTERS for Teens teaches teens how to make healthy food choices and prepare healthy meals and snacks

COOKING MATTERS for Kids teaches kids ages 8-12 about healthy eating, how healthy eating affects their performance, and how to make easy, nutritious foods at home.

The program made so much sense to me that I decided to volunteer to teach. I’m now into my fourth week of working as a class assistant in a Cooking Matters for Kids class at Lexington School in St. Louis. Together with Kari and Jessica, we get the kids to think about what they are eating, read recipes, read food labels, try LOTS of new foods and have them actually do the prepping, chopping, mixing, cooking, and plating (not the least of which is the EATING!).

They take the recipes home with them and have weekly challenges about what they’ve learned: like eating a fruit or veggie with each meal. Or checking the label on a package of bread to make sure the bread was really made from whole grain. Many have already made the recipes from class at home with their parents. They learn the difference between refined and natural sugars and actually see how much sugar they may be taking in from sodas or juices. When they see first- hand the 15 teaspoons of sugar in a regular Coke, that visual stays with them, and they’re more likely to make better choices.

The participants are asked to at least try the foods they’re not familiar with and rate them. Many are pleasantly surprised, especially by vegetables and whole grain examples. But the most fun is when we cook with them. They all want to participate and be a part of completing the recipe. We set out the ingredients and guide them, but they happily put it all together; measuring, chopping, grating, mixing, and blending ingredients.

We all sit down and eat what they’ve made together and talk about what they’ve learned in the lesson and what they’ll try to do at home. The two hours just fly by, and the kids leave happy.

If anything is going to help the obesity epidemic, it’s giving people the right information to make healthy and economical food choices and teaching them the skills needed to prepare it for themselves!

I’ve already signed on for the next session and plan to continue. If you’re looking for a hands-on opportunity, this is a well-run, effective and rewarding program!

For upcoming volunteer opportunities locally in St. Louis (New session start in April), go to :
http://www.operationfoodsearch.org/services-and-programs/nutrition-education/volunteer-opportunities
For information in your area
http://cookingmatters.org
http://www.strength.org

"I'll Be There For You..."

This morning as I was leaving the gym, a friend from one of my fitness classes said she’d love to get a group of us together over the summer to just talk and spend some time with one another. We see each other in class a few times a week, talk for a few minutes before and after, and we really like getting to know each other. We’re there to work out hard, but we find we enjoy it more when we encourage each other. Although most fitness advice centers on food and exercise, the hidden benefit that we rarely point out is the bond that is formed among those who make health and fitness a priority in their lives!( This pic is my current Zumba class)

And for me, it’s always been like this. When I was first married and moved to a new city, I met the women I would share pregnancies, child-rearing, and work stories with. At the time, instead of a gym, we met in church basements, carrying our own steps and weights. I even went into labor in an aerobics class. As our kids were born, we brought them to class in their baby seats and later, let them play together on the playground while we took our classes. When I moved from there, they gave me a “going away party” class!

So it’s no surprise that when we moved again, the gym was the first place I went. The tiny gym had an early morning aerobic dance class and a handful of people would show up to work out. We had so much fun working out, talking, and laughing together, and depended on one another to be there each morning. Whatever stress we had in our lives at the time, disappeared for the hour that we were together in the gym. As schedules changed, our friendships continued, moving to other gyms and new classes.

(This is the group from the early morning workout,NOT in workout clothes, celebrating one of our children's milestones!)

When I started an early morning spinning class, the camaraderie continued with new faces and friends. We’d follow our tough workouts at the Starbuck’s across the street. I might not see them any other time, but our shared interest in health and fitness made hearing about other aspects of their lives even more fun.

And even now, MANY, MANY years into working out, I find the same kinship with people in my classes and on the gym floor. From Zumba to spinning to Cardio/Resistance to weight training, we all share the “agony and ecstasy” of a great workout. And when you’re gone for a while, people worry. Sometimes I feel guilty if I haven’t been to a class in while, but usually, I’m happy they’re glad to have me back.

I’ve always believed that the gym is the Great People Equalizer. Whether it’s my 80 year old buddy who can do more than most of the men half his age in the gym, or the young moms who share their kids’ antics, or the instructors and trainers, I always feel a commonality!

(This pic is working out with my college roomies on our annual reunion trip)

And as for the wonderful people I’ve met in the gym, so many are still my good friends. Even though many of us are at different gyms and live in different parts of the country, we still reminisce about earlier days working out together.

I know the reason we’re at the gym isn’t supposed to be social, but if you’re getting a great workout and having fun with others, what’s wrong with that!!

"Everyday People..."

Ok. I’ll admit it. I sign on to Facebook pretty much every day. I say it’s because I’m posting a fitness tip on my Fitness Barista page, and that’s true, but I also like to see what other people are saying. And therein lies the problem.

In his post in The Harvard Business Review blog, “Facebook is Making Us Miserable”, Daniel Gulati says that Facebook is one of the “major contributors to career anxiety, and it’s creating a den of comparison. Since our Facebook profiles are self-curated, (we) have a strong bias toward sharing positive milestones and avoid mentioning the more humdrum, negative parts of (our) lives.”

So it got me thinking. Not only is it creating career anxiety, but maybe “workout anxiety” too.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m the first one to cheer on a friend or client when they have a successful workout or healthy eating week! I love hearing what people can accomplish when they persevere and work hard toward their goals. However, sometimes I feel like I’ll never be able to do what everyone on Facebook says they do.

I read real posts like:
“Just ran 22 miles in the snow. Trying for 25 tomorrow.”

“8th day of my all-juice cleanse. Lost 11 pounds so far and stomach is now completely flat.”

“2 body pump classes, and then off to yoga and Pilates!”

“Burned 950 calories in just 1 spinning class!”

And reading them just intimidates me. I mean, I went to the gym. I worked out. I felt great. But then I got on Facebook, and now I feel bad because I didn’t do as much as everyone else!

Like Gulati says, we serve up our best selves on Facebook and I guess, why not! Nobody deliberately puts a terrible photo of themselves on their Facebook page, so why would they let you know when they don’t accomplish their goals?

So, along with the calories burned, marathons run, and pounds lost, it’s also ok to brag if you:

“Tried to run at a 6.5 on the treadmill, but had to bring it down to a 4!”

“Did one set of heavy leg presses and then three sets of light weight”

“Ate mostly fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grain, but went to Ted Drewe’s for custard (or Graeter’s or Baskin Robbins)”

“Haven’t had chocolate chip cookies for 3 days!”

And even “Was going to go to the gym, but it was raining and I was tired! (But, I’m going tomorrow)”

Let others’ accomplishments inspire you, but realize that you’re only seeing part of the picture. Celebrate even the little victories and quit comparing them to everyone else’s! Unless you’re in a race or competing in a sport, your fitness is really about YOUR personal best!

"Givin' Up The Funk..."

You can’t watch TV or read a magazine without hearing something about a “cleanse” or “detox” diet. There are many types of diets and levels of “cleansing” and very few are regulated or standardized. I’ve heard from people who swear by the concept, “tons of energy”, “adult-onset acne completely clears”, “sleep like a baby” and “allergies disappear”, and others who have horror stories about their experience!

Generally, most detox diets will contain some combination of the following foods:
-Organic food and drink (no pesticides or fungicides), with whole unprocessed foods (grains, nuts, seeds, etc). and a high mix of vegetables and fruit.
-2 liters of water per day, sometimes using herbs such as Psyllium seed, Licorice root, Yucca root, Milk thistle seed, Gentian root, to aid the detoxifying process.
-They avoid: Alcohol, caffeine, and processed and refined foods

The most popular cleanse (basically because it was followed by many celebrities) is the Master Cleanse, developed by the late Stanley Burroughs as a detoxification and fasting program. The Master Cleanse Diet is supposed to "release years of built-up waste in just 10 days, while your energy soars." Yet, experts point out, the liver already detoxifies the body. Further, there is no medical evidence that fasting or "cleansing" diets actually rid the body of any toxins not otherwise discarded in bodily waste.

You eat no solid foods, no supplements. Only the “lemonade solution” (made from lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper and filtered water) is allowed. The plan calls for you to drink 6 or more servings daily of the lemonade drink. The only other options are a "salt water flush" of 2 teaspoons salt mixed in a quart of water in the morning, and an herbal laxative tea at night, if needed.

After following this fast for 4-14 days, dieters are urged to slowly ease back into solid food. Of course you will lose weight, because of the calorie deficit, but it will most likely be water weight, not fat. You might feel hungry, and may experience headaches, fatigue, dizziness, sluggishness, diarrhea, nausea, or constipation. Nutritionists point out that the Master Cleanse diet plan is deficient in all the essential nutrients: calories, vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and fat. And, after the cleanse, they tell you simply choose to “eat wisely” to keep the weight off. Maybe had you done that in the first place, you wouldn’t need the cleanse!

Beyond the Master Cleanse, almost all detox diets require some combination of fasting, food restriction and supplementation. Some of the more popular plans include:
The Eat Stop Eat- short 24 hour fasts a couple times a week which are supposed to promote detox.
The Raw Food Diet-a generic diet advocating consumption of raw, uncooked food only
The Fat Flush Diet-a popular 3 phase diet plan from Ann Gittleman, starting with a 2 week restrictive phase of between 1100-1200 calories per day.
The Raw Food Cleanse-an introduction to the benefits of a raw food diet with a selection of cleanses ranging from 3 to 28 days.
And Clean, Green and Lean-a 4-week plan to help dieters to eliminate toxins that may be preventing them from losing weight. This program claims it will help overcome chronic health problems such as allergies and fatigue and boost your energy
(For more detailed info, go to http://www.everydiet.org/detox_diet.htm)

It’s not to say all forms of detox diets should be strictly avoided. According to Natalie Digate Muth, MD , “As a health-promoting practice, committing to a short term (1-2 day) detox regimen helps people stop and consider the healthy and unhealthy components of their lifestyles, and make changes — eating less, examining health habits, and getting rid of the junk like processed foods, nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol.”

They all typically begin with a “cleansing phase", which is usually two or three days of only liquids. Brown rice, fruit, and steamed vegetables are sometimes added, until about a week later when other foods — except red meat, wheat, sugar, eggs, and prepackaged foods — may be reintroduced. This final phase is expected to be followed indefinitely for maintenance.

Most include elimination of caffeine, nicotine and alcohol, and many restrict meat and solid foods altogether. The diets also tend to involve consumption of large amounts of liquid, fiber, and raw vegetables — ingredients that are thought to purge the gastrointestinal system of accumulated harmful substances.

Actor Jason Lee slimmed down thanks to a five-week cleanse under the direction of Dr. Bo Wagner, a leading Los Angeles diet guru. “He taught me proper food combining, and how to eat for my blood type,” says Lee. “I cut out sugar, starch and booze.”

Sandra Ballentine, a writer for the New York Times , tried a juice fast assisted by Marcus Antebi, co-owner of the Juice Press, an organic fruit and veggie bar in Manhattan. According to Antebi, "...it’s not what you put into your body, it’s what you leave out. A period of subsisting on freshly cold-pressed organic fruit and vegetable juice ideally helps set the stage for a diet that excludes processed and a lot of cooked foods.”

Trying a variety of “elimination “strategies may help, however, eliminating all foods (or fasting for more than a day) for weight loss seems too dangerous!

Because food was often scarce for our ancestors, our bodies have been genetically programmed to combat the effects of fasting. When you eat less food, your metabolism slows down to conserve energy. Then, when you go back to your usual diet, your lowered metabolism may cause you to store more energy, meaning that you will probably gain back the weight you lost and possibly even put on more weight when eating the same calories you did before the fast.

As you fast, your body will adjust by reducing your appetite, so you will initially feel less hungry. But once you have stopped fasting, your appetite hormones will kick back into gear and you may actually feel hungrier and be more likely to binge.

So, will I do a Master Cleanse or all liquid diet? I doubt it. However, the idea of “cleansing” maybe one or two unhealthy elements (like alcohol or sugar) from my diet is somewhat appealing, and I know it wouldn’t compromise my health, in fact, it could greatly enhance it. I can see the logic in eliminating the food components that can cause problems, but shouldn’t that be part of working on a healthy lifestyle? Fitness gurus like Jackie Warner, author of This is Why You’re Fat, Tosca Reno author of The Eat-Clean Diet, and even Jillian Michaels in Master Your Metabolism, all advocate eliminating toxic foods from your diet, but they don’t put your body in starvation mode!

If you decide to try one of these plans, be sure to check with your doctor first. Be wary of any plan that completely eliminates a necessary group or food altogether!

If you have tried a cleanse, I’d love to hear about your experience. Email me at hkraus52@gmail.com.