Are You Dieting Your Way To Bone Loss?

Are you dieting your way to bone loss?

Are you aware that the diet you follow may be depleting your bones of essential nutrients and increasing your chances of developing osteoporosis? Popular diets may promise quick weight loss, but calcium and other important nutrients are often missing from the menu, which can lead to bone loss.

And women who consistently limit what they eat to avoid gaining weight may undermine the health of their bones, according to a study by ARS researchers in California. (1)

The study looked at the eating behavior of women between the ages of 18 and 50 and found that those classified as "restrained eaters" had significantly lower bone mineral density and bone mineral content (key indicators of overall bone strength and health) than women who said they weren't concerned about what they ate.

"Exercise and eating a well-balanced diet with adequate calcium, are two of the best ways to keep your bones strong and healthy." advise the researchers.

Calcium is not only good for your bones but can help you maintain a healthy, low fat diet too. There has been increasing media coverage about numerous studies showing that a diet rich in calcium helps reduce body fat.

Why is calcium important in weight loss?

Calcium is a fat burner. High-calcium diets seem to favor burning rather than storing fat. Researchers say this is because calcium stored in fat cells plays an important role in fat storage and breakdown.

Calcium changes the efficiency of weight loss . In fact, study after study has shown that the people with the highest calcium intake overall weighed the least, and the people with the lowest calcium intake had the highest percentage of body fat. (2,3,4)

When overall calorie consumption is accounted for, calcium not only helps keep weight in check, but can be associated specifically with decreases in body fat. A low daily calcium intake is associated with greater tendency to gain weight, particularly in women. (5)

Researchers found that adolescent girls who consumed more calcium weighed less and had less body fat than girls who consumed the same amount of calories from other sources. (6)

Previous studies have shown that a higher calcium intake can block body fat production in adults and preschool children (7), but this was one of the first studies to show that it might have the same effect in body-conscious preteen and teenage girls.

But aren't dairy products fattening?

Some dieters consider dairy products to be fattening, but the evidence suggests the opposite is true.

Consumption of calcium-rich dairy foods can actually help to reduce and prevent obesity. Over 20 recent studies show that milk products actually contribute to weight loss.

A new study in obese adults, presented at the First Annual Nutrition Week Conference, showed that increasing calcium intake by the equivalent of two dairy servings per day could reduce the risk of obesity by as much as 70 percent. (8)

The study provided clinching evidence that calcium in low-fat dairy products can help adjust your body's fat-burning machinery and help keep your weight under control.

In another study, obese subjects placed on a high-calcium diet, with yogurt as the calcium source, showed markedly greater fat loss than those on a low-calcium diet. (9)

Numerous studies have shown that dairy calcium is more effective in reducing body fat than other forms of calcium. (10)

Why does diary calcium work so well?

Researchers believe that other nutrients found in milk products act in synergy with calcium to reduce fat more efficiently.

Glycomacropeptides (found in whey proteins derived from milk) in particular, are known to create feelings of satiety and fullness and decrease food intake. (11,12,13)

Foods that are a good source of calcium include cheese, milk, ice cream, baked beans and other dried legumes, dried figs, broccoli, most dark-green leafy vegetables, and soft fish bones like those in canned salmon.

Disclaimer: If you are under 18, pregnant, nursing or have health problems, consult your physician before starting any weight loss plan. The information here is not provided by medical professionals and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your physician before beginning any course of treatment.

References:

1. April 1999; Agricultural Research magazine
2. Zemel MB et al. [2000. FASEB J 14:1132-1138.]
3. Zemel MB. 2002. [J Am Coll Nutr 21: 146S-151S.]
4. Shi H et al. [2001. FASEB J 5:291-293.]
5. Jacqmain M et al. [2003. Am J Clin Nutr 77:1448-1452.]
6. Novotny R et al. [2003. Poster Presentation, Experimental Biology Meeting, April, San Diego, CA.]
7. Carruth BR and Skinner JD. [2001. T Int J Obesity Relat Metab Disord 25:559-566.]
8. Zemel MB et al. [Obes Res. 2004 Apr;12(4):582-90.]
9. Zemel MB et al. [2003. FASEB J A1088:679.3]
10. Heaney, R.P., Davies, K.M., Barger-Lux, M.J. [Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 21(2), 2002, pages 152S-155S.]
11. Gibbs J, Young RC, Smith GP.J Comp [Physiol Psychol 1973 Sep;84(3):488-95]
12. Della-Fera MA, Baile CA, Schneider BS, Grinker JA. [Science 1981 May 8;212(4495):687-9]
13. Della-Fera MA, Baile CA. [Physiol Behav 1981 Jun;26(6):979-83]

Copyright © 2004 Priya Shah

Priya Shah is the Editor of The Glutathione Report and the webmaster of http://www.1whey2health.com
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Proper Nutrition = Slimmer, Fitter Body

If you want to lose weight, your first goal should be maintaining a healthy diet. Many people make the mistake of starving themselves, which leads to weight gain once they start eating properly again. Many more get suckered into weight loss programs that don't work.
A proper diet is basically common sense. Staying away from sugar and fat should be your main goal. Fruits, vegetables, poultry, fish and whole grains should be the staples of your diet. A multivitamin wouldn't hurt either.
You should also eat more than one meal a day. In fact, you should eat 5-6 portions of food, spread out evenly throughout your day. This will increase your metabolism and give your body enough food to run properly, without giving it too much, which inevitably leads to fat.
Exercise+More Muscle = More Calories Burned
Exercise is an essential component to weight loss. If you want to lose weight, you must burn more calories than you're putting into your body. Resistance training is the best way to ramp up your metabolism. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn on a consistent basis.
How much exercise is enough?
As little as thirty minutes is enough to help you lose weight. Weight training can be done every second day. For example, you can lift weights on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Your body needs at least a day's rest in between to repair the damage to your muscles. However, you can work on your cardio in between lifting.
Be Adventurous
Try new things if you want to lose weight. For instance, maybe your system is overwhelmed with toxic buildup, and is in need of fiber or a body wrap treatment. Or, perhaps you have an iron deficiency and need supplementation.
Or maybe it's as simple as being physically adventurous. The next time your buddy asks you to go on a hike, say yes. You may enjoy yourself, and you'll be losing weight while you're doing something you enjoy. Join a class, such as a martial arts class, running club or baseball team. Losing weight doesn't have to be boring or dull-it can be fun.
With enough exercise, a proper diet and some positive thinking, weight loss can become a reality. If you want to lose weight, your best bet is to adapt a cleaner, healthier lifestyle. By doing so, there's no doubt that you'll enjoy a better quality of life.
If you truly want to lose weight, check out a few of these trusted sources: Detox & Fat Loss Body Wraps & Extreme Weight LossBrandon Walsh is an Ezine expert author in the fields of nutrition, weight loss, and healthy living and has over 225,000 published article views.Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brandon_Walsh