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Fat America We have all heard the claims, seen the advertisements and probably tried one, two or them. What are they? Diets. Approximately 61% of U.S. citizens are overweight and about 26% of those are obese, which is defined as 30 pounds or more over a healthy weight (Willet, 2001, p. 4). I believe the largest fallacies of dieting relate to reducing fat content and counting calories. If people had a better understanding of how their bodies functioned then they could make wiser decisions about eating habits and maintaining a healthy body. Although I have never really been over weight, I have tried my fair share of diets. I just always wanted to lose that extra 5 or 10 pounds. At the age of 18, my weight was at its highest ever I was 5’ 8” at 165 pounds. My weight gain was due to a drastic change in eating habits and lack of exercise. Of course, at that age, I just stepped up my exercise routine and cut back on calories and fat content, and 15 pounds were gone in a month. Through all my dieting experiences, it seemed like I was destined to weigh 145 pounds. I have read many books on diet and exercise, and have even reached my goal weight, only to put the extra back on. Today a new dieting fad is the Atkins Diet. I have read Dr. Atkins’ book, and I believe in the principles it presents. Controlled carbohydrates are the basis of his diet. The standard American diet being refined sugars / carbohydrates makes the Atkins approach is a viable solution to losing weight and maintaining a healthy body. However, I also believe that a well-rounded diet is of the utmost importance. I believe that for any diet to be successful, one needs to know how all the elements in food, such as water, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals, work with the human body. Water, the most basic nutrient the body needs, is readily accessible for all Americans, yet we usually don’t drink enough. The intake of water should be balanced with the output. The daily-recommended intake is 6 – 8 glasses, and can increase to up to ten times more during strenuous physical activities. It is the most abundant element in the human body and carries out three primary functions essential to life (Jordon, 1997, p. 227): • Contributes to the structure and form of the body. • Supplies the vital environment for cell processes. • Supports body temperature regulation. Proteins make up the basic structure of all living cells. Proteins are classified as complete or incomplete, depending on the amount of amino acids they contain. Complete proteins that come from animal origins, contain all nine essential amino acids. Incomplete proteins that are derived from plant sources (grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts), only represent the full nine amino acids when combined. Proteins are vital for tissue growth, repair and maintenance (Jordon, 1997, p. 226). The most talked about nutrient today is the carbohydrate.
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