Dear Dr. D,

I gained some unwanted weight this summer and I am worried about gaining more this fall. I have heard about the low-carb diets. Any advice?

- Pounds Away

Dear Pounds,

This is a concern that we frequently hear voiced from students seeking nutritional advice at Olin.

Unfortunately, most students like most Americans are inundated in the media with ads for the latest wonder diet or quick weight loss supplement.

The latest craze, which is now on the way out, has been the focus on low-carb, high protein diets, popularized by Atkins and the South Beach Diet.

Who hasn't heard of a friend or relative who claimed amazing success on these programs? For the scoop on the truth, I turned to Ronda Bokram, the Olin Health Center nutritionist.

"Indeed, initially, there often is weight loss," she said.

"Most commonly followed by a plateau and then a regain of the lost weight, and perhaps more. This pattern is typical of most fad diets, in which following a structured plan does change one's eating pattern, often resulting in a lower intake, but as diet after diet has proven, is not sustained or sustainable.

And important to keep in mind here is that healthy weight or health in general is not just about pounds lost.

It's important to remember that the physiological and psychological impact of different eating patterns can be harmful. For example, on the low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets the risks are quite numerous.

This includes everything from increased cholesterol and heart disease risk to increased colon cancer risk to constipation, headaches, bad breath, muscle cramps, diarrhea and general weakness.

It's no wonder that the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association and the American Kidney Foundation have all published statements warning about the various dangers associated with low carbohydrate, high-protein diets.

So our suggestion, if weight loss is warranted (33 percent of MSU students reported trying to lose weight when they were already at a healthy weight according to MSU's 2004 National College Health Assessment) is to try some lifestyle changes first. There are some things you can do with food and activity for your whole life, not just a short period of time.

For example, stay active or get more active, find a type of exercise that you enjoy doing and do it frequently.

Balancing your food intake to meet your needs is best done with working with your internal cues: hunger, appetite and satiety. How hungry am I? What is it that I want? (And eat it … otherwise, you might eat 10 things trying to avoid the one thing you thought you shouldn't eat). Stop eating when you are comfortably full, but not stuffed.

In addition, try to focus on eating a variety of foods on a regular basis, spread fairly evenly throughout the day, every three to five hours is a guideline.

Counting calories, fat grams or carbohydrate grams really doesn't work for the long haul, so don't deny yourself the foods you love. Just learn how to incorporate them in to your eating.

Olin's LIFE:Rx program can provide you with a comprehensive health and fitness assessment and counsel you with regards to setting and reaching realistic fitness goals.

Likewise, Nutrition Services at Olin can also assist you in achieving a positive relationship with food, eating and how you feel about your body.

Call (517) 353-0718 for an appointment or more information.

Have a great day,

Dr. D.

Compiled by Jenny Toland