Dietitian's Corner: Dieting? Facts vs Fads

Have you ever tried to lose weight and just aren't able to do so?  OR maybe you lost weight following a "fad diet", only to simply regain the weight because you weren't able to sustain a restrictive diet?  Guess what?   You're not alone.  In the last decade, I have interviewed thousands of people with weight loss goals - not one of my patients reported sustained weight loss following a fad diet.  Not sure what I mean by "Fad Diet?"  Here are just a few .... 

Keto, Paleo, Whole 30, Gluten Free, Jenny Craig, Carb Masters, Carb Free, Fasting, Intermittent fasting, South Beach, Raw Food Diet, Atkins - Is your head spinning?  Mine sure is ... 

Gone are the days where you had two choices, Weight Watcher or Jenny Craig - Grab a spandex leotard and neon sweatband to add in a little Jazzercise while you're at it?  (Can you tell I am a child of the 80's?) 

Here is the "secret" to weight loss.  It's simple.  Its science. 

Energy In must equal energy out.  Know how many calories your body needs a day - yes, you will need a dietitian for that!  Begin paying attention to the calorie content of the foods you are eating.  If you're gaining weight or have gained weight, it will be evident the number of calories you are consuming is often greater than the number of calories your body needs to sustain itself.  And what happens when we consume excess calories - yep, you got it - they are stored as fat!  

Weight loss happens when you meet with a dietitian and get a personalized weight loss plan.  A plan that fits your lifestyle, budget, and food preferences is the plan that will lead to sustained weight loss.  It will take work on your part - but with willingness, small behavioral changes, and sound health coaching - you CAN lose the weight!

If you're ready to gain awareness of the calories you're consuming on a daily basis, I recommend downloading the Calorie King App or My Fitness Pal - And get started, friend!  

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Lauren Henrich, RDN, LD, CDE is a Registered Dietitian with the ARcare Positive Connections program.  She is available for nutrition consultations to clients enrolled in the Ryan White program.  She may be contacted 

Positive Connections is a program at ARcare connecting the community to HIV prevention, treatement and empowerment.  We believe in a future vision with zero new HIV transmissions and where every person living with or affected by HIV can thrive.  You can learn more about the Positive Connections Program 

Staff Spotlight: Meet Jeanette

Tracy (L) and Jeanette (R) welcome guests to
a recent community HIV education event.

Jeanette originally took courses to be a pharmaceutical rep, but somehow made her way into our Positive Connections team and we couldn’t be happier about it!  As a coordinator for our South Central AIDS Education and Training Center (AETC) program, Jeanette spends a lot of her day arranging lectures and education opportunities with medical teams around the state.  Typically, she coordinates education sessions for others to present. But earlier this year, Jeanette began delivering lectures on Ending HIV in Arkansas and PrEP herself.  “I thoroughly enjoy it,” she says. 

Her favorite ARcare memory so far is the first HIV symposium that AETC put on in Arkansas a few years ago.  “We were all stressed and scrambling to pull it together, but we had over 80 people participate and when several of the attendees told us how much they got out of it, that made it all worth it.”

In her spare time, she likes playing games on her phone.  “Merge Dragons” is one of my favorites.  Family is also very important to Jeanette and she spends a lot of her free time outside of work enjoying it with her husband, daughter, mother, and prized pooch.

Fast Facts About Jeanette:

Jeanette's "pupper", Lexi lou

Famous person you’d most like to meet (living or dead!):  Fred Astaire, he’s pretty, whimsical, and multi-talented

Something that many people don’t know about you:  My closet is color-coded and divided by season.

Greatest fear: Losing someone I love

Weirdest job you’ve ever had:  Making fudge at a Candy Factory

The one thing you cannot resist:  My “pupper”, Lexi Lou

Your top travel destination in the US:  Boston! I’ve been to Boston a handful of times. I love the harbor and the ships.  And I love seeing the Navy men in uniform—I actually wanted to be in the Navy once upon a time.

Something you’d like to learn how to do:  Ride a motorcycle. I tried it once, but my bike got stolen!

When asked to describe Positive Connections in three words, Jeanette said “wonderful, patient-centered, and compassionate.”  Well we think you are pretty wonderful yourself, Jeanette, but we may be just a bit biased!  

Thank you, Jeanette, for keeping our patients at the center of ARcare’s HIV education and training program.

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Jeanette is a Coordinator for the ARcare Positive Connections South Central AIDS Education and Training Center (AETC).  The AETC program provides quality HIV training and education for healthcare professionals in Arkansas through lectures, technical assistance, virtual programming, and more.  Jeanette may be reached here.

Positive Connections is a program at ARcare connecting the community to HIV prevention, treatment and empowerment.  We believe in a future vision with zero new HIV transmissions and where every person living with or affected by HIV can thrive.  You can learn more about the Positive Connections Program here.