By Pamela Smith, R.D.

Crosswalk.com Family Living Channel

If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is ... especially when it comes to exciting diet "breakthroughs." Whether you're struggling to drop 10 pounds or 100 pounds, the thought of dieting is about as pleasant as dreaming about a root canal procedure. This analogy helps explain why so many of us turn to trendy, quick-fix solutions -- diets that often leave us worse off than when we began our weight loss endeavors.

It's the diet trap - and it's as dangerous as it is deceptive. Even in this 21st century day of health information, diet mania has overtaken us like a tidal wave. Many of the fad diets have come back from the '70s ... like bell bottoms! A whole new generation of dieters is being lured into losing weight -- and losing it in the quickest way possible so they can get back to normal eating. Of course, the reason these fad diets are so seductive is that they do work - for the short term. They trick your body into losing pounds that really don't have a chance at staying off. The weight comes back on - and back on with a vengeance - more than before and in all the wrong places.

On a quick weight-loss diet, you lose a lot of water and a lot of muscle mass, but what you regain is fat. What you don't regain is your energy and a strong immune system that the diet has stripped away. The short-term benefits of weight loss are quickly replaced by the long-term loss of health, energy and well-being. The trauma imposed on the body from a radically imbalanced diet so slows the metabolism that even going back to a moderate eating plan represents a gorge.

Real answers for permanent weight loss will not be found in the latest dieting craze, nor through mindlessly grazing through the day. The real answer is a smart, focused plan of self-care to lose weight without losing yourself. I describe this plan of living, the SMART Weigh, in my newest book, The Diet Trap. It's not a magic formula; it is a non-dieting solution to energy and weight management that works to unleash the body's natural healing and metabolic-boosting mechanism. It is based on timeless truths that show how the body was designed to work and how wisely choosing food and water, exercise, air, rest and self-care will work for you, not against you.

Here is how you can put the SMART Weigh into action:

1) Strategic Eating
* Eat Early. Mom was right ... breakfast is the most important meal of the day. View it as your primary metabolic booster. Eat soon after you get up to break the fast and get your calorie burning in high gear.
* Eat Often. To prevent your blood-sugar level from dropping and to keep your metabolic rate high, you need food distributed evenly throughout your day. Energize your body with balanced power meals and snacks every two and a half to three hours.
* Eat Balanced. Although all fad diets manipulate the balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fats to force quick weight loss from dehydration and muscle breakdown, the only way to lose body fat without losing your health is to embrace balance. Each meal and power snack should include both whole food carbohydrates and low-fat proteins.
* Eat Lean. You certainly DO need fat. It is an essential nutrient for health and healthy weight loss. But it needs to come from wise food choices -- not from bacon fat and margarine - and you should not get more than 30 percent of your daily calories from fat. Choose low-fat sources of protein and avoid fat-laden foods or toppings. Cutting back on fat calories allows you to eat more nutrient-rich foods like grains, fruits and vegetables.
* Eat Bright. Include lots of brightly colored fruits and vegetables to provide the body with nutrients that boost the metabolism by strengthening the immune system. Generally, the more vivid the color of the fruit or vegetable, the higher in nutrients it will be.

2) Movement Just 30 minutes of aerobic activity -- all at once or in three 10-minute spurts through the day -- will boost your energy, mood and alertness. Consistent exercise provides you better fuel to work with and a better engine to put it in. Add in conditioning or strength training twice a week. This dynamic duo will work to build lean body muscle while burning body fat.

3) Air and Water The simple impact of the air that we breathe (and how we breathe!) and the water that we drink (when we get enough!) is a surprising, often-overlooked truth in terms of how they either boost or slow down our metabolism and energy release. Proper breathing -- deep and slow, as compared to shallow, chest breathing -- quiets the stress response and fans the flame of the energy fire. Adequate water (eight to ten 8-ounce glasses each day) gives a phenomenal boost to our metabolic burn.

4) Rest Rejuvenating rest is as valuable a spoke in the wheel of wellness as nutrition and exercise. Yet many of us are so chronically sleep deprived it's taking a toll on our health and ability to release weight. Believe it or not, research still shows that the average adult needs seven and a half to eight hours of deep, restful sleep each night to stay healthy and alert. It's the repair shop for the body! And remember this: How we live our day affects how well we sleep at night.

5) Treat Yourself Well To really enjoy life physically, emotionally, relationally and spiritually, we must take the time to recharge our physical batteries and renew our souls -- and celebrate the truth that "we do deserve a break today." We were created with a need to rest, to recreate, to reflect and to be regenerated. We need to take time for time-outs. Activating your metabolism is really just a matter of treating yourself well by eating well, drinking enough water, exercising and strengthening the body, breathing deeply and getting rest.

Rather than focusing on dieting and the scale, focus on a new way of living -- free of the diet trap. You'll be rewarded with new energy and wellness inside-out ... not just from the weight loss but from meeting your needs - in every area of life.


Visit Pamela Smith and learn about dieting freedom at www.pamsmith.com.