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Food Photography

Eating and
Weight Loss

You Are Unique.
Your Diet Should Leverage
and Embrace That.

At Holland Clinic, we understand that the science of weight loss is just that - a science--- and we will never recommend a diet that is unscientific. At the same time, you are a totally unique human being who is different in many important ways from everyone else. The art of weight loss lies in respecting the science while supporting your individuality and reflecting your unique essence in the diet we help you create.

 

We take the time to teach and provide support for all rational diets, so that you can make the best choice for your individual needs. We believe that one size does not fit all, so we let you choose whatever diet you feel will serve you best. Our experienced weight loss physician, Dr. Mark J. Holland, will then use his three decades of experience and his medical judgment to help refine your diet into a customized eating plan that is fine-tuned for you. You are a unique individual and your diet should affirm and leverage that. This is a major key to success.

The Very Best Diet for You:
Key Considerations

Finding the best diet for weight loss can be a challenge. The best diet for you is one that is both effective and livable. Factors predictive of success include

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  • Choosing a diet that matches your food preferences

  • Affordability of foods needed for the diet

  • Your interest in and time available for cooking 

  • The number of other people you cook for and their willingness to try new styles of eating

  • If you do not cook, then your success with a diet will depend heavily on the person who cooks for you and that person's willingness and ability to prepare foods required by your diet

  • Your understanding of the diet: its core principles, why it works, what types of food are generally good and bad

  • Previous success with the diet 

  • Openness to change

  • Burnout and boredom with diet 

  • Your belief that the diet will work

  • Support from family and others

  • Your access to high quality information about the diet

  • Your access to support---having people you can turn to for advice and encouragement 

  • Having a wide variety of food choices

 

The list could go on much farther, but you probably get the point: your success with a given weight loss diet depends on how carefully you evaluate all of these considerations and how honest you are with yourself about the diet's suitability to your life today. Also, and perhaps most critically, you have to be open to change and realistic about the fact that new approaches to eating may feel pretty uncomfortable at first.

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As a patient at Holland Clinic, you can count on us to provide you with the support you need to succeed at changing your eating habits. You should also understand that weight loss medications can help you adopt a new way of eating. By providing real appetite control, they can make it easier to say "no" to foods you want to avoid and by ensuring greater early weight loss, they can help you get and stay motivated. Ultimately, weight loss requires many changes to your life and we will offer you the help you need to make them happen. 

Holland Clinic Will Help You Create The Best Eating Plan for Your Needs and Preferences

At Holland Clinic, we understand that no two individuals are the same. That’s why we don’t believe that one size fits all when it comes to designing an eating plan for weight loss. We are flexible and understand that different diets work for different people. Dr. Holland is an expert in all the popular diets, including low carbohydrate diets like Atkins and keto, low fat, low calorie, portion control, intermittent fasting, plant based diets, commercial diets, Mediterranean diet, paleo and many others. We can help you choose the best option for your individual needs and provide guidance and advice based on our expertise.

Basic Types of Weight Loss
Diets (with Links to Them)

There are several basic types of weight loss diets, each with its own approach to reducing calorie intake, controlling portion sizes, or emphasizing certain macronutrients. Some of the most popular weight loss diets include:

  1. Low-carbohydrate diets: These diets, such as the Atkins diet, ketogenic (keto) diet, and South Beach diet, restrict carbohydrate intake while increasing protein and fat consumption. The aim is to encourage the body to burn fat for energy instead of relying on carbohydrates.

  2. Low-fat diets: Low-fat diets focus on reducing overall fat intake while emphasizing complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and fruits and vegetables. Examples include the Ornish diet , the Pritikin Diet and the traditional low-fat, low-calorie diet.

  3. Balanced diets: These diets aim for a well-rounded, healthy eating pattern that emphasizes portion control and nutrient-dense foods. Examples include the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) and the Mediterranean diet, which both focus on consuming whole grains, lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats.

  4. Plant-based diets: Plant-based diets, such as vegetarian and vegan diets, emphasize the consumption of plant-derived foods, which can be lower in calories and saturated fats. These diets can be effective for weight loss when combined with portion control and balanced nutrient intake.

  5. Calorie-counting diets: These diets involve tracking your daily calorie intake to ensure you are consuming fewer calories than you burn, leading to weight loss. Programs like Weight Watchers and MyFitnessPal are examples of calorie-counting diets.

  6. Intermittent fasting: Intermittent fasting involves alternating periods of eating and fasting to create a calorie deficit, which can lead to weight loss. Popular methods include the 16/8 method (fasting for 16 hours and eating within an 8-hour window) and the 5:2 diet (eating normally for five days and restricting calories for two non-consecutive days per week).

  7. Meal replacement diets: These diets involve replacing one or more meals per day with specially designed shakes, bars, or other low-calorie options. Examples include SlimFast and Optifast.

  8. Paleo diet: This diet focuses on consuming foods that would have been available to our Paleolithic ancestors, such as lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, while avoiding processed foods, grains, and dairy.

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Again, you don't need to learn all the details. That's our job. We'll give you a simple, easy to understand diet that actually works and we will be with you every step of the way from there. With the serious help supplied by weight loss medications, you will find that following our diet is very easy.

Not Just Calories:
How Foods Influence Body Fat

Eating is about much more than calories. While calories certainly do matter, food has a lot of other properties that also affect body weight. Here are some of them:

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  1. Calorie density

  2. Macronutrient composition

  3. Good fats

  4. Inflammatory fats

  5. Sugar, especially fructose

  6. Fiber and fiber types

  7. Sodium 

  8. Water

  9. Monosodium glutamate and other "hyper-palatable" ingredients

  10. Probiotic bacteria

  11. Timing of eating

  12. Endocrine disruptors (pesticide residues in food)

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And the list could go one much farther. The point is that foods affect weight in complex ways that go far beyond calorie counts. You don't need to learn all the details though. We'll give you a diet that is easy to follow and to understand.

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