MEDICAL SURFARI: YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT -- THE WEIGHTY FACTS

If you just got off the scale, adjusted the dial, and then stepped back on again feeling that the reading just couldn't be right, but up, up, up the numbers went, finally settling on a trio of digits that you thought you would never see between your own two feet, you're not alone. Also, if you are like most, you probably feel miserable, depressed and angry at yourself for your lack of self-control at all those extra-heavy holiday dinners.

Don't despair, you definitely have a lot of company. The American Heart Association estimates that nearly 47 million Americans are 20 percent or more over their desirable weight. Americans alone reportedly spend upwards of $32 billion a year on diet products and services.

So, if the scales are not lying, and you've determined that you really do need to lose weight and you have realistically thrown out the image of your face on top of Cindy Crawford's or Arnold Schwartzenegger's body, where do you go from here?

Spartan strictness is not the answer. You can't expect to change years of bad eating habits overnight. But you can certainly learn to set realistic goals and take small steps toward them at every meal. If, with a dramatic flourish, you throw out every high-fat, high-sugar food in your refrigerator tonight, you'll likely be bringing on nachos and a box of Ho-Hos before the week is out.

Changes in your diet that are long-lasting start with an attitude that allows room for small indulgences. There are basically two steps that you must take to slowly improve your diet for a lifetime of good health. You must analyze your present diet and write a plan of action to improve it.

For one week, write down every morsel that passes between your lips. Analyze what you have eaten by using food labels to gather the total amount of calories, fat, sodium and fiber that you have consumed. Survey this with your physician to determine whether or not you are eating too much or too little among the different food groups and whether or not your intake of fat, salt, sugar and fiber is insufficient or excessive.

Finally, with your physician's and-or dietitian's advice, make a plan for slowly modifying your diet and to make certain that you don't go overboard by making too many changes at once. This will give you realistic goals to strive for and to stay motivated. Remember that acquiring new eating habits takes lots of practice, but by doing so you can slowly improve your diet for a lifetime of good health.

World Wide Web Resources

The following sites offer an abundance of resources to educate you on healthy lifestyle choices.

Ask The Dietitian

http://www.askthedietitian.com/

This site provides helpful and interesting answers to questions regarding a variety of nutritional and health topics ranging from food fads to vitamin supplements by a registered dietitian.

Prevention's Healthy Ideas

http://www.prevention.com/

Informative sites on weight loss and fitness, healthy cooking, family health and natural living. Click onto a host of links for useful sources for healthy living from Prevention.

Healthy Weight Network

http://www.healthyweightjournal.com/

Here you will find the latest scientific information on weight and eating issues. This site provides health-centered solutions and practical applications for a healthier lifestyle. Reports the latest news releases on controversial issues in a clear, objective manner for better understanding.

Keys to Healthy Weight: Balance Food Energy and Physical Activity

http://odphp.osophs.dhhs.gov/pubs/prevrpt/95sum1.htm

From the U.S. Public Health Service, a prevention report containing information on what is healthy weight and solutions for achieving healthy weight, and risk factors of the overweight person.

Dr. Scott Gibbs is a neurosurgeon and editor-in-chief of Mosby's medical Surfari. You may e-mail questions to him at drgibbs@semissourian.com or write in care of the Southeast Missourian, P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63701.