Assoc. Prof. Dr. Müge Arslan, Head of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, who made statements about rapid weight loss and crash diets, said, “Diet recommendations such as not eating after 6:00 PM are not suitable for everyone.” Emphasizing that nutrition plans should be personalized according to the individual’s lifestyle, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Müge Arslan stated, “Nutrition and diet programs are like fingerprints and should be prepared specifically for the individual.”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Müge Arslan, Head of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences, made important statements about rapid weight loss and crash diets.
A sugar-free life is not realistic!
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Müge Arslan stated that the common belief that a permanent change can be achieved with 21-day diets does not reflect the truth, saying, "The type of sugar is very important. Sugar is not only found in tea or bread; fruits also contain sugar, i.e., fructose. Therefore, it is not possible to maintain a completely sugar-free diet, because there are also hidden types of sugar consumed within foods."
Beware of pickled foods!
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Müge Arslan, stating that consumption of processed foods and pickled foods should be avoided, highlighted that due to the amount of salt and sodium they contain, they can cause many ailments such as hypertension, stomach and oral cancers. She also pointed out that a fat-free diet is not possible, and that apart from visible fats like olive oil and butter, foods naturally contain fats within themselves, and what is important is the amount consumed and the type of fat taken.
We do not recommend white bread!
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Müge Arslan noted that the glycemic index alone is not sufficient, stating, “Glycemic load is also important. For example, half a carrot placed on a salad is not expected to significantly affect blood sugar. Some people avoid putting carrots in their salad, thinking 'it's sugary and I'll gain weight,' but what's important here is the quantity rather than the consumption of carrots.” She added, “You can also consume bananas; people cut bananas out of their lives. They cut potatoes out of their lives; as I mentioned before, quantity, i.e., glycemic load, is important here. You can also consume bread, but the type of bread is important. We do not highly recommend white bread. You can consume potatoes. The cooking method is very important. Fried or boiled? If boiled, for example, eating it cooled down if it's hot, lowers the glycemic index a little more, which is very important.”
Not eating after 6:00 PM is not suitable for everyone!
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Müge Arslan, stating that “diet recommendations such as not eating after 6:00 PM are not suitable for everyone,” emphasized that nutrition plans should be personalized according to the individual’s lifestyle.
Arslan stated that it is not possible for those who need to stay awake until late at night to adhere to such diets, and added, “For individuals experiencing problems with blood sugar regulation, not eating after six is not correct. It varies according to the individual's lifestyle, work processes and patterns, sleep/wake cycles, and medical history. If there is severe hypoglycemia or a serious problem with blood sugar regulation, meal times need to be adjusted accordingly.”
Is the goal healthy weight loss?
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Müge Arslan, also touching upon whether one should consume two or three meals a day, said, “Eating only 2 meals or a single meal is definitely not correct. This needs to be thoroughly questioned: Is the goal weight loss, or preventing the regained weight, or healthy weight loss? This is very important. Many unscientific wrong methods and crash diets can be applied, resulting in weight loss, but then causing serious problems. Even hormonal changes occur. For this reason, what the goal is, is very important.”
2 liters of water a day is not a universal rule!
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Müge Arslan, stating that individual differences are not considered in water consumption, said, “2 liters of water a day is not a universal rule. Water consumption should be adjusted according to the individual's lifestyle, and making it sustainable by changing behavior in the long term is important."
Diet programs are like fingerprints…
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Müge Arslan also underlined that nutrition programs should be personalized, stating, "The biggest factor in the failure of diets or applied nutrition programs are classic lists. An individual's nutrition is very important, and the nutrition lists prepared accordingly are like fingerprints and must be prepared specifically for the person. The lifestyle needs to be thoroughly questioned, and a list and nutrition process should be created based on that. The most important factor in the failure of weight loss processes and the regaining of lost weight is that the prepared lists are not suitable for the individual's lifestyle.”
Behavioral change must be parallel to lifestyle
Emphasizing that support from an expert is essential for diet and nutrition, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Müge Arslan said, “Behavioral change is very important, but this behavioral change must be parallel to the lifestyle. It is very important to work with an expert during the weight loss process. Adequate and balanced nutrition, healthy eating are very important.”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Müge Arslan also drew attention to sweeteners, stating, “We are in favor of avoiding sweeteners, as substances such as aspartame and Acesulfame-K, which they contain, can lead to very serious diseases like stomach ailments and cancer. A healthier life is achieved by staying away from simple sugars.”
Drawing attention to the holistic approach in the weight loss process, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Müge Arslan emphasized the importance of a nutritionist creating the individual's diet, a physician being involved in the medical process, and exercising under expert guidance, and concluded by saying, “It is a process that needs to be managed with a multidisciplinary approach. If one truly wants to lose weight healthily, this process should be carried out with a nutrition and diet specialist.”