StrongWomen Newsletter

Issue 104, May 2007

I hope you find this newsletter helpful, and that you share it with your friends. Feel free to forward, post or reprint it – but please credit strongwomen.com for the information and don’t change the content.

By Miriam E. Nelson, PhD
Author of
Strong Women Stay Young
Strong Women Stay Slim
Strong Women, Strong Bones
Strong Women Eat Well
Strong Women and Men Beat Arthritis
The Strong Women’s Journal
Strong Women, Strong Hearts
Strong Women, Strong Backs
Founder of www.StrongWomen.com

IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE 

• Strength training may increase the effectiveness of the flu shot
• Reader Questions and Answers
  • Is a toning class a good replacement for strength training?
  • Are potatoes a vegetable or a starch?
• From the Mailbox - Success Stories
• Recipe – Chicamole and Fiesta Vegetables

GLYCEMIC LOAD AND WEIGHT LOSS

For the past five years the public has been bombarded by the press and fad-diet experts that high glycemic load contributes to weight gain. But is this really the case? A study released this month by my colleagues at Tufts sheds some light on this controversial topic.

Glycemic load (GL) is a measure of how a food affects blood glucose levels in the body. If a food has a high GL, it will raise your blood sugar higher and faster than a food with a lower GL. Some people believe that low GL diets are more effective for weight loss than high GL diets.

This randomized-controlled trial looked at the relationship between GL and weight loss. Thirty-four overweight, but otherwise healthy, men between the ages of 24 and 42 participated in the study. The participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups. All of the participants were prescribed a calorie-restricted diet (each diet contained 30 percent fewer calories than what the participant was eating when he enrolled in the study). The difference between the groups was that one group's diet was a low GL diet and the other group's diet was high GL.

The participants followed this diet for approximately one year. All of the food was provided for them during the first 6-month period; they were required to prepare their own food for the second 6-month period. The participants were also instructed to visit the research center on a weekly basis throughout the study to attend a variety of activities, including behavioral support groups and individual meetings with a dietician.

All of the participants lost weight during the 12 months; however the men who followed the low GL diet lost almost exactly the same amount of weight as the men who followed the high GL diet and there were no differences in fat loss between the two groups. In addition, there was no difference between groups in satiety, hunger or satisfaction with the food.

This study gives us insight into this highly disputed topic. There may be other reasons why a person may want to follow a low GL diet; but one thing is for sure, in terms of weight loss it is the calories that count!!!

Lifting women to better health,
Miriam E. Nelson, Ph.D.

(Reference: SK Das and colleagues. Long-term effects of 2 energy-restricted diets differing in glycemic load on dietary adherence, body composition, and metabolism in CALERIE: a 1-y randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007;85:1023-30.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q: I take an aerobics class that includes toning. Is that the same as strength training?

A: No, it isn't. Toning classes are a generally a form of cardiovascular exercise with some muscular endurance blended in, but they should not replace your regular strength training routine. In order to build strength, you need to work with weights that you can only lift about eight to twelve times. If you work with weights that are easy to lift many more times than that, you are not giving your muscles enough of a challenge to become stronger.

Q: Are potatoes considered a vegetable or a starch.

A: Potatoes are a vegetable, but they are starchier (contain more carbohydrates) than most other vegetables. So, when you prepare a meal with potatoes, think of them as a grain: use them instead of bread, rice, or pasta, not instead of broccoli.

FROM THE MAILBOX: SUCCESS STORIES FROM INSPIRING WOMEN

I have been a fan of your for many years! I bought Strong Women Stay Young for my mom when she was in her 70s (she's now 82!) and I have been following your Strong Women Stay Slim program (I just turned 47). I have been overweight and under- exercised my whole life, and I decided to get in shape - and stay in shape -- before I hit 50. Thanks to you, I have a simple and do-able plan to change my life!
-- Betsy

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Check Out LLuminari's Dream Team

Tell a friend to subscribe free to the Strong Women Newsletter at http://www.StrongWomen.com/newsletter /

Tell a friend to subscribe free to the Strong Women Newsletter at http://www.strongwomen.com

Back to Top