Dr. Michael Zemel

Can regular cheese be part of this weight loss plan, or do all dairy products have to be lowfat or fat free?

Most of our patients are used to lowfat milk and yogurt and don't want to use their calories on the full-fat versions. But if they prefer them, they can have them and make trade offs using an exchange system. When it comes to cheese, most people prefer full-fat cheese and find it satisfying. It's fine, but they have to take the fat away from somewhere else in their diet. At some point we need to blend science with practicality! As long as people follow the plan, they'll lose weight very effectively whether they choose full-fat or lower-fat varieties.

Is it a case of "if a little is good, more is better"?

No! The answer is not to go from four to seven servings. It's to increase dairy from a serving or a serving and a half, the amount many people consume, to three or four servings a day. People often say to me, "I eat a lot of dairy and I'm still fat." I try to point out that if they didn't eat the dairy, they'd probably be even fatter. Obesity and overweight have many causes, and milk, cheese and yogurt are just a part of the answer. Calories still count. It's keeping dairy in the diet and seeing what else you can do to increase physical activity and decrease calorie intake.

Does this research apply to kids too?

We want children to have normal growth, but we want that growth to be primarily lean tissue, not fat. New studies show that growing children who consume the most calcium and the most dairy have the least body fat. We don't want kids who already consume enough dairy to double it. We just want to bring the majority of kids who fall short of their recommended dairy intake to where they should be - three to four servings a day. In addition to building a stronger skeleton, they're also reducing their risk for overweight.

How important is calorie reduction compared to adequate dairy intake for losing weight?

To lose a pound a week, you need to cut 500 calories a day. But we increase effectiveness of that 500 calorie restriction by 70, 80, or even 90 percent with a dairy-rich diet. The calorie restriction that's supposed to produce a pound a week of weight loss will produce 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of weight loss with a dairy-rich diet.

Where does exercise fit in?

You don't have to take all those calories away by dieting. For example, if you walk about 5000 steps a day and increase it to 7000 steps a day, you use a hundred additional calories. Now you only have to cut 400 calories from your diet. If you go to 9000 steps a day, you have to cut 300 calories. The idea is to fool around with the physical activity-calorie restriction until you reach a balance that's comfortable for you.

What is a healthy weight loss goal?

If you're overweight, losing 5 to 10 percent of your current body weight is a healthy goal. This is where most of the health benefits are gained. For a 160 pound person, this is between 8 and 16 pounds. Once you achieve the initial 5 to 10 percent weight loss, move on to your next goal. A reasonable and comfortable amount of weight loss with The Calcium Key diet is about six pounds in a month.

Editor's Note: Health experts also recommend losing weight gradually, and typically recommend no more than one to one-and-a-half pounds per week.

There's a lot of buzz about Body Mass Index. What is it and why is it important?

Simply put, body mass index (BMI) compares our weight to our height. The reason for the buzz is that it correlates so well with health risk. Obesity is the second leading cause of death and is on its way to being number one. A healthy BMI is less than 25. It's easy to calculate your BMI. Just multiply your weight in pounds by 703. Divide the answer by your height in inches. Divide the answer by your height inches again. This is your BMI.

How does someone know how many calories they need so they have a baseline for weight reduction?

Here's a simple rule of thumb to find out number of calories you need to maintain your present weight: If you are more or less sedentary (sit at a computer/desk all day at work and have no regular exercise), multiply your weight in pounds by 13. If you are moderately active throughout the day (stand or walk often throughout the day and exercise regularly), multiply your weight in pounds by 15. To lose weight, subtract 500 calories from this number. You should normally lose about 1 pound a week, but with the inclusion of three dairy servings, this should increase to 1 1/2 to 2 pounds per week. A more detailed approach is outlined in the book.

1 | 2 | next page

Ask the Expert archives: