New York-trained dietician Chella Po
Cover New York-trained dietician Chella Po

Dietitian Chella Po shares why diets are unhealthy and why one should embrace guided nutrition today

“Nutrition does not look the same for everyone, which is a big reason why diets don’t work,” declares Chella Po, a US board registered dietitian and founder of Better Being. Seemingly unbelievable, this striking statement is in fact corroborated by scientific and medical research. In Longterm Weight Loss Maintenance, an article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, experts claim that nearly 80 per cent to 95 per cent of dieters return to their pre-dieting weight within three years.

See also: Fact or Bluff: 7 Popular Weight Loss Myths Debunked

Tatler Asia
A balanced nutrition is key to good health (Photo: Getty Images / Claudia Totir)
Above A balanced nutrition is key to good health (Photo: Getty Images / Claudia Totir)

Whether it’s the buzzwords of late such as Keto, Paleo and Intermittent Fasting, or the more dated but still popular Atkins and Military regimes, diets tend to propose a blanket set of rules and methods intending to be adopted by anyone. However, when it comes to overall health and nutrition, there is truly no one size fits all solutions. “What is valuable is getting people out of this cycle of constantly dieting and failing because the fad diets often don’t make you healthy anyway,” explains Po. Doing something that’s only meant to last a few weeks or months might not be the most helpful in the big picture. “Dieting” is temporary, which means you are right back where you started once the “diet” is over, and maybe you have a poorer relationship with food, disordered eating habits, nutrient deficiencies and a wonky metabolism and hormones.”

Read more: Intermittent Fasting: Is It Truly Effective For You?

 

Po further explains what happens to the body on fad diets: “When a person rigidly restricts calories or cuts out food groups, his brain and body realise something is wrong; so, it modifies his hormones and other body systems. This is thought to be a survival mechanism from our evolution. That’s why the tendency is to binge once there’s a chance to eat again, and that’s what makes people feel out of control around food.”

Many people are left feeling disillusioned and frustrated, often rebounding on their unhealthy habits and ending up in a worse situation than they started with. “That experience takes people farther away from what real health is,” explains the New York University-trained nutrition coach. “Instead, what people can do is make permanent lifestyle changes that are sustainable for life. This takes discipline and motivation at first, until it becomes a habit. However, if a change is causing too much stress, or if someone is making too many changes at once, that’s not ideal either.”

Tatler Asia
New York-trained dietician Chella Po
Above New York-trained dietician Chella Po

Therefore, what is one to do if they wish to take control of their health? Po encourages working with a professional who can help navigate and tailor-make a programme suited specifically for one’s needs. “Instead of just generic internet searches, I help people figure out what is actually healthy for them, how to make it enjoyable and also doable for the rest of their lives.”

See also: Sandra Seifert Shares How Having a Plant-based Diet Makes Her Skin Glow

There are certain signs that one can look out for that point to poor nutrition. “Fatigue is a common one and poor sleep, which often go with irritability, poor mood and brain fog,” says Po. She also cites brittle nails, dry, scaly skin and hair fall. “These can indicate some kind of deficiency.” Women should also watch out for changes in their periods and very bad PMS. “Digestive disorders like frequent diarrhoea or constipation can also be due to nutrition issues, like lacking fibre or a food intolerance. Getting sick frequently and slow wound healing can also mean a person is missing something. A simple way to counter this is to make sure to eat from all the food groups, include more fresh and minimally processed foods and to also eat enough.”

See also: 5 Gluten Free Foods to Keep in Your Cupboard

All in all, her advice is to look at one’s wellbeing with a holistic approach, where all factors are interconnected. “When people have health issues, it’s important to figure out the root cause. These days, the biggest issue I see is stress. Improving nutrition can support a positive stress response; better stress management improves a lot of health issues, too. It helps to heal the body if you are well nourished and not causing your body more stress through an unhealthy diet.”

See also: 7 Heart-Healthy Food to Add to Your Diet Today

All in all, Po underscores the importance of empowering oneself to take the reins and change what is possible—including defying your genetic pre-dispositions. “Beyond genetics, there are a few lifestyle factors that we can control to support good health, not just when we are older but even in the present. Our lifestyle choices can affect which genes are expressed, so your genes are not your destiny! Physical activity, the environment we live in, stress, and sleep, all matter, but nutrition is key. When we digest food, we give information to our body. When you eat well, you feel better, and that affects what you can do and how you live.”

When people have health issues, it’s important to figure out the root cause. These days, the biggest issue I see is stress, as you can imagine. Improving nutrition can support a healthy stress response, but also, better stress management improves a lot of health issues too. It helps to heal the body if you are well nourished and not causing your body more stress through an unhealthy diet. But we are seeing more and more how everything is connected, and a holistic approach is what makes the biggest difference.

NOW READ

Diet Tips 2021: How To Shift To An Organic Or Plant Based Diet?

5 Ways To Incorporate More Spinach Into Your Diet

Collagen: 9 Easy Ways To Implement It Into Your Diet

Topics