Nutrition Professor Loses Weight on Twinkies

If you want to lose weight you'll see results faster if you eschew fancy and complicated dietary rules and focus on reducing the number of calories you take in—though we might suggest not measuring them out in Twinkies.

Invariably anytime weight loss is the topic of conversation somebody chimes in with the time-honored advice of "eat less" and others counter with explanations of how it's vastly more complicated than that. While optimal nutrition intake and overall wellbeing are more complicated than simply cutting calories Mark Haub, a nutrition professor at Kansas State University, makes a compelling case for the power of calorie cutting. To prove his point, that the most important element of weight loss was raw calories cutting, he went on an odd-ball diet of primarily junk food mixed with a daily protein shake and a multi-vitamin. In 10 weeks he lost 27 pounds by shifting his daily caloric intake from 2,600 calories per day to 1,800 or under.

The most puzzling part of the experiment, one for which he has no concrete answer at the moment, is that he didn't just lose weight he also increased the "good" forms of cholesterol in his blood and decreased the "bad" forms despite eating box after box of Twinkies and other junk food. Regardless of the anomalies of his research the evidence stacks strongly in favor of calorie reduction as the gold standard of dieting.

10 Incredible Weight-Loss Transformations

Get inspired by real women who have lost major pounds

Sometimes the hardest part of making a big change is getting motivated. Which is why we’ve found 10 seriously inspiring women who have lost anywhere from 84 to 206 pounds. Their weight-loss secret? Good old-fashioned healthy eating and exercising.

Martha Price, 52, from Stoneham, MA

Weight Lost: 84 pounds
I started working with a weight-loss coach at Healthy Fit for Women in Woburn, MA. The key was slowly making changes in the way I ate, which eventually led to permanent habits. I used to think I was eating “healthy” foods, but my portions were way too large, not to mention packed with sugar. I started eating breakfast, then tried to eat five small meals a day, every three hours, instead of larger ones later in the day. I now pay more attention to food labels and allow myself the occasional indulgence to keep cravings at bay.
Top Tip: Create accountability for yourself—try keeping a journal to keep track of the food and calories you are eating each day.

Rachel Lima, 39, from Sacramento, CA

Weight Lost: 85 pounds
I gradually scaled down my portion sizes (to 1/3 of what I had been eating), and if I wanted ice cream, I went for a walk to get it!
Top Tip: Hire a personal trainer—I started going to one at my gym, 24 Hour Fitness. Who better to invest in than yourself?

Michelle Fritts, 25, from Rockville, MD

Weight Lost: 89 pounds
I wrote down everything I ate as well as the calories, and did a combination of cardio and weight-lifting at the gym almost daily. Sometimes, I’d just go for a walk or do toning exercises in my office during lunch to squeeze in whatever exercise I could!
Top Tip: Find support from a network of people who are also living a healthy life. I found mine in my boyfriend and coworkers, as they were either dieting right along with me, or at least working on living a healthier lifestyle.

LeAnne Richards, 48, from Hesperia, CA

Weight Lost: 90 pounds
I joined Weight Watchers and promised myself I would attend all the meetings. I also diligently tracked everything I consumed and maintained a one-hour daily regimen of riding my bike or walking.
Top Tip: Find an exercise buddy—it not only keeps you motivated but also makes exercising more fun!

Maureen Albrecht, 56, from Arcadia, CA

Weight Lost: 111 pounds
After years of trying but failing to lose weight with my busy schedule as a law enforcement officer, I tried the Lindora Lean for Life program—a medically based program that consists of three meals and three snacks per day and aims to permanently change eating habits.
Top Tip: Stop making excuses! In order to change your life, you have to change your habits, which means fully committing to a new healthy lifestyle.

Charlotte Siems, 49, from Stillwater, OK

Weight Lost: 112 pounds
I started doing the T-Tapp Workout, a DVD series that combines strength and aerobic training. It requires no equipment and takes minimal time (some workouts are just 15 minutes). This helped reshape my body as I lost the weight. I also started to eat only when I was hungry and stop when I was full.
Top Tip: Take your own photos (front, side, back) monthly because sometimes you see progress in those pictures that you won't see on the scale or tape measure.

Laurel Fooks, 33, from Springfield, OR

Weight Lost: 125 pounds
I got organized: meal planning, food tracking and enjoyable physical activity helped me drop pounds. I started with walking and pushing my baby in the stroller (if it was too cold out, I did Leslie Sansone’s Walk Away the Pounds in my living room during naptime). From there, I built up to short jogs, and eventually started running. I also joined SparkPeople.com, which provided me with a supportive community and weight-loss network.
Top Tip: Focus on baby steps. If you try to make huge changes in multiple areas all at once, you’ll burn out and feel defeated. I used to never eat breakfast, so I started eating just a piece of fruit when I woke up. Now, I crave a full, healthy breakfast each morning.

Mary Darcy, 41, from Charlotte, NC

Weight Lost: 152 pounds
I signed up for the Nutrisystem program and, for the first time in my life, I was truly eating a well-balanced diet including fruits and veggies. Plus, I never once felt deprived.
Top Tip: Set small weight-loss goals for yourself—it makes the whole process much less overwhelming!

Terri Fisher, 40, from Sioux Falls, SD

Weight Lost: 201 pounds
I lost my weight through the Weight Watchers At Work program, which was great because the meetings were conveniently held at my office. Once I was able to become more active, I started doing exercises like karate and kickboxing with a couple of my girlfriends, which kept me on track because it’s so much fun!
Top Tip: Tell everyone you know that you are trying to lose weight and get healthy. This kept me accountable during the tough times.

Brenda Smith, 43, from Lithia Springs, GA

Weight Lost: 206 pounds
I’ve always worked out, but it was my emotional connection with food that kept me from losing weight. With the help of my trainer at Gold’s Gym and participation in a 12-step support group for food addiction, I finally took control of my body. I recognized that I ate through every emotion I was feeling, whether that was joy, sadness or stress. I learned that receiving support is crucial because you feel a lot of shame with addiction and you need to lean on others to help get you through the difficult times.
Top Tip: Think about how much weight loss will affect other areas of your life. I never realized how unhappy I really was until I lost weight and improved my health.

10 Easy to follow Tips to help You Lose Weight

Dieting is not easy. If it were, we would probably all be thin. Since we are not, here are some tips that successful people use to lose weight so that others can benefit, too.
SUCCESS TIP NO. 1: DRINK 8-10 GLASSES OF WATER EACH DAY
Okay, for many people this is a big problem. Water doesn’t taste all that great generally because water doesn’t really “taste” like anything. Drinking water 8 to 10 times each day gets easier the more you actually do it. It is simply a matter of conditioning your taste buds, and yourself, so that it becomes easier to do. Once you get started, you will begin to crave water.

To begin with, you should drink a glass of water in the morning first thing, before you eat. This is probably the easiest glass you will drink all day and it will help you remember to drink water all day long. Better yet, why not drink two glasses?

If you really cannot bear the taste of water, try using a water purifying pitcher or filter. You can also add a few drops of lemon or lime to your water – but no sugar or sweetener! Ice also helps.

Check out flavored waters on the market, too. Just keep an eye out for additives.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 2: EAT BREAKFAST

Do not skip breakfast. If you need to go to bed a little earlier so that you can get up 20 minutes earlier each morning – do it! Breakfast is so important to your good health and to weight control. According to Dr. Barbara Rolls a professor of nutrition at Penn State University, "Your metabolism slows while you sleep, and it doesn't rev back up until you eat again."

Eating breakfast is not only good for overall weight loss, it will help you stay on track with your diet the rest of the day. You are more likely to binge on something sweet and in the “bread” group if you skip breakfast.

You can always keep a couple of hard-boiled eggs in the fridge or some high-fiber, low starch fruit around. If you plan to eat fruit at all during the day, breakfast is the perfect time to do it.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 3: EAT AT LEAST 3 MEALS AND 2 SNACKS EACH DAY

This can be one of the hardest adjustments to make. After all, you are busy! You already have a “full-plate”. When do you have time to worry about filling your plate with more frequent meals?

Just like eating breakfast will increase your metabolism, so will eating more often. This will also help you curb your bad-carb intake by making sure that your snacks are planned and occur regularly throughout the day.

Really, it will just take a minimal investment of planning time at the grocery store and at home each morning before you head out for the day to make some healthy food choices and prepare a few healthy snacks and meals. For suggestions, just see the handy list of snacks and appetizers listed later.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 4: AVOID WHITE FOODS

This is one easy way to remember what not to eat. If it is made from sugar, flour, potatoes, rice or corn - just say no. Remembering this rule of thumb will make it easier to recognize those rice cakes as an unhealthy high-carb snack.

Always look for colorful fruits and veggies to substitute for the white ones. Buy broccoli, lettuce, bell peppers, green beans and peas, brown rice in moderation, leafy greens like kale and spinach, apples, melons, oranges and grapes.

These foods are not only colorful they are also high in fiber, nutrients and important antioxidants. Eating colorful fruits and vegetables will give your diet variety as well as give you added health benefits.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 5: EAT YOUR VEGGIES

It is so easy to use a low-carb diet as an excuse for poor nutrition. Resist this temptation. If the only vegetable you have eaten in the last 5 years has been the potato, now is a good time to begin experimenting with other vegetables. This is important for your overall health and to avoid some nasty side effects of not getting enough fiber in your diet.

If you try hard enough, you will find vegetables that you enjoy eating. Experiment with grilling veggies and cooking with real butter to add flavor. You can also search for new recipes on the Internet or in cookbooks.

Remember, if you are only eating 40 grams of carb a day or less, two cups of plain salad greens contain only about 5 grams of carbohydrate. You have no excuse not to eat your veggies.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 6: PREPARE YOUR OWN FOOD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

While more and more restaurants are offering low-carb friendly menu items, many of them are still not ideal low-carb fare. There are many recipes for quick and easy meals that you can prepare yourself at home. Try to do this as often as possible.

If you cook your own foods, you know exactly what the contents are and you will be able to better control for hidden sugar and otherwise processed foods.

Another benefit is the cost savings over the long run. Even if you must go to the grocery store more often, you will save a significant amount per meal as opposed to eating at restaurants and fast food establishments.

It will also be easier to maintain your diet with your own favorite fresh food selections on hand.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 7: INVEST IN A GOOD SET OF FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS

Having food storage containers of various sizes on hand will make it so much easier for you to plan your meals and snacks. When you buy nuts, fruits and vegetables in bulk you can simply prepare, separate and store them for easy use later.

For instance, you can pre-slice your apples and snack on them over several days. Simply cut them, rinse them in pineapple or lemon juice and store. This will make a quick and easy snack for later.

Fix your lunch and take it with you to work. Better yet, fix your lunch and 2 snacks for work.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 8: EAT SOME PROTIEN AT EACH MEAL & AS A SNACK

In addition to everything that’s been discussed before, eating protein helps you burn more calories. Jeff Hample, Ph.D., R.D., a spokesman for the American Dietetic Association says that, "Protein is made up mainly of amino acids, which are harder for your body to breakdown, so you burn more calories getting rid of them.”

Just think – eating a protein rich snack can help you lose weight. How about a few slices of turkey or ham or some string cheese?

Eating protein will also help you feel full so that you are less likely to crave unhealthy snacks.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 9: DRINK A GLASS OF WATER AFTER EACH SNACK

This will help you get in your 8 to 10 glasses of water each day but it can also have other benefits. Ever feel hungry after eating a handful or standard serving of nuts? Try drinking water afterwards. The water will help you feel full and prevent overindulgence.

Drinking water after a snack will also help remove the aftertaste from your mouth and can help curb your desire for more.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 10: EAT SLOWLY & ENJOY YOUR FOOD

You will feel full and more satisfied if you take the time to savor your food and chew it slower. Don’t get in the habit of eating while standing or eating quickly. Sit down and chew.

Eating slower will help you enjoy your food more, pay attention to what it is you are actually eating and get a better sense of when you are actually full.