E L M O

I never heard about the ELMO diet until my roommate brought it up one day. The Eat Less More Often diet is one of the many tricks and techniques to shed pounds.

Of course the natural method of old fashion good nutrition and exercise is the best way to go about weight management and health control, the strategy of switching up meal amounts or sizes is a controversial one.

The truth is, everyone's body is different. Most of us are to a point in our lives where we know what our body wants and what helps it operate in the best of its ability. Just like some of us need that caffeine in the morning to get going, others can get by with relying on a set schedule of feeding times.

An interesting question/answer session on Columbia University's Health Q&A Internet Service did a great job of looking into the myths of different portion and variations of meals.

"Various studies have examined the connections between eating patterns and obesity. Even with the same number of calories, people who ate fewer times per day were actually at a higher risk of becoming obese. People who skipped breakfast in particular were more likely to be overweight. Scientists believe skipping breakfast may lead people to crave more calorie-dense foods later in the day."

In addition the article goes on to look at the health risks of eating one large meal a day as well as eating various small meals (ELMO style) throughout the day. Changing the typical eating patterns can affect your blood insulin levels as well as your natural metabolism.

The site does a good job of giving alternatives to weight loss with food. Whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables all enhance your body's natural ability to lose weight. Fiber (as noted in a previous entry in this blog) also helps your body maintain regularity.