TANYA ZUCKERBROT
—
registered dieti-
tian, author, TV spokeswoman for healthy
eating and creator of the successful
F-Factor Diet—started out with a simple
motivation.
“I love food,” she says. “If I hadn’t
become a dietitian, I would have been a
chef.”
As it turned out, she covered all her
bases. Zuckerbrot created the F-Factor Diet
around one thing: fber. Her diet advice has
given hundreds of her clients the tools they
need to improve their health and well-
being. And her F-Factor food line show-
cases her healthful recipes.
Putting fber to work
Zuckerbrot’s inspiration for the F-Factor
Diet came from working with people who
have heart disease and diabetes. She cre-
ated diet programs to help people better
manage these health conditions.
Te programs were successful. And
there was another beneft—all the sub-
jects lost weight.
“Te common denominator was fber,”
Zuckerbrot says.
Fiber moves through the body without
being digested, and it lowers heart disease
risk by taking cholesterol along with it.
Fiber also slows down the digestion of
carbohydrates. Tat helps people with
diabetes avoid sharp increases in blood
sugar, Zuckerbrot explains.
Te weight loss happens because
fber adds bulk to your diet yet has zero
calories.
“People feel full longer, so they eat less
throughout the day,” Zuckerbrot says.
Top tips for losing weight
Te focus is on fber, but other strategies
can also help. Here are Zuckerbrot’s
top tips for losing weight:
Eat the right breakfast.
Foods that
give you fber and protein will control
your blood sugar and keep you feeling
full longer. Try nonfat Greek yogurt with
blueberries or raspberries, along with a
high-fber cereal.
Tap into frozen fruits.
Fruits—fresh
or frozen—are great sources for fber.
In fact, frozen fruits may provide more
vitamins and nutrients than fresh fruits
because they are fash frozen at their peak
of ripeness. Keep a bag of frozen berries in
the freezer and defrost a handful for your
cereal in the morning.
Rely on beans.
For a quick, easy way to
add fber, try beans. Tey are also a good
source of protein.
“Use them to stretch any recipe,”
Zuckerbrot says. “For example, substitute
half the beef in chili with beans for an
economical meal with more vitamins and
nutrients.”
Or for variety, add chickpeas to salads
or soups.
Pump some iron.
Actually, just 3- to
10-pound weights will do. Exercise helps
you burn more calories than you take in,
which is key to shedding pounds. Building
muscle is also important, especially for
people with diabetes.
“Muscle stores glucose, so people with
more muscle mass clear more sugar from
their blood after a meal,” Zuckerbrot
says. “Muscles also help keep sugar
from being converted into fat.”
Get in some muscle building by
lifting dumbbells while you watch TV.
Downsize your servings.
Even the
healthiest foods can add pounds if you
eat too much. Use a smaller plate to
keep your portions down to size. In
a restaurant, take half of your serving
home for another meal. Or just order an
appetizer—it’s often the size of an entree.
Food-friendly dieting
Since Zuckerbrot’s diet strategies rely
more on adding foods than subtracting
them, you may lose weight without
feeling deprived. In fact, it’s a good diet
for people who—like Zuckerbrot—love
food.
Fiber is an important part
of any diet. Find out more
by enrolling in “Create Your
Weight,” an investment
that could change your life.
Call 843-522-5353.
Plump, juicy raspberries
atop nonfat Greek-style
yogurt can be part of a
healthy start to your day.
Doctor Referral Service: 888-522-5585 • Health Scene
5
Go to
www.factordiet.com.
Learn more
What’s better during the
cold winter months than a
hot bowl of soup? Check out
Tanya Zuckerbrot’s website for
a collection of great recipes,
including one for minestrone
soup. You can also learn more
about the F-Factor Diet.