As Americans we are constantly exposed to controversial, widely debated visual images of body shapes that are unattainable for the majority of the population. However, there is an underlying notion for many people that the unrealistic images we see in everyday life are what we should look like. This societal pressure to look a certain way and feel good about being this has led to a boom in the fad-dieting industry while healthy weight management knowledge is sometimes left behind. On the other hand, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggest that 55% of all Americans are currently overweight, and 20% or more are obese.

A day in the Zone Diet : Breakfast-1 flour tortilla, 2oz. Ham, 2Tbsp Guacamole, 1 c. grapes. Lunch- BLT sandwich, dill pickle, 1 oz. low fat cheeze, ½ c. yogurt, 1/3 c. peaches. Dinner- 6oz salmon, 1 tomato, 1 Tbsp parmesan cheese, 1 cup green beans, spinach.

      "Everyone can be healthier, but not everyone can be as skinny as they'd like to be" says Kristen Olmos. She is a registered Dietitian and Nutrition Counselor at the Student Health Center. Kristen works with many students and faculty on campus to educate them about health eating habits and weight.

      "It concerns me that so many people have a desire to be a certain weight. A lot of times the goal is not a realistic healthy concept of what the person should look like." Part of Kristen's job is to work with students who have tried to loose weight in the past through popular fad diets.

"Components necessary for healthy weight loss focus on overall health an not just what the scale says".

      I worry when people refer to themselves as fat. I see some people that have emotional issues with their weight and body image. Obviously this is going to play a huge role in weight management efforts." Many people are discriminated against or made fun of because of their weight. Common examples are the work place or mainstream comedy. "Obesity is an area where we believe we can discriminate against people, treat them poorly and think it is acceptable. It's very common for people to be discriminated against because of their weight" says Olmos. This discrimination, or an unrealistic notion of ideal body weight, will provoke 50 million Americans this year to try to loose weight whether they need to or not.

      Last year, Kristen says, many students were on trendy high-protein diets. These include Protein Power, the Zone, Sugar Busters, and the Adkins diet. These diets restrict the intake of carbohydrates, an essential macro nutrient and source of calories in the body. The body then has to derive energy from the increased fat and protein intake, as well as fat and protein stores in the body. Much of the initial weight loss from these diets is water weight rather than fat. These diets are often very calorie restrictive and people often find the required diet leaves them unsatisfied. "People can loose weight like this but at what cost? It doesn't make sense to take the enjoyment out of food and life. Components necessary for healthy weight focus on overall health and not just what the scale says."

      Physical activity is a major part of weight management, as well as general health. Most professionals agree that doing some kind of moderately intense physical activity for at least twenty minutes, three times a week, is beneficial to overall health and can help with weight management.

      Anyone interested in analysis of their actual diet can contact the Health Education Department about the Nutrition Analysis Program. The program is designed to examine the specific diet of an individual. It can be a very useful tool for those interested in personal nutrition information. Stop by the Health Center for more information.