That's what South Jersey moms Danuta Highet and Roberta Cahn were thinking when they decided t
o put thought into action by creating The Dish Diet™...a program that tackles American's ongoing issues with diet and portion control. The Dish Diet™ Program is unique, it focuses on how you eat and not on what you eat.
"Many diet programs have been in place for decades" said Cahn "yet we are getting heavier than ever. These programs force us to change what we eat. They make us think about food constantly throughout our day. We are able to make that kind of commitment for a short time and lose some weight quickly, but as soon as we go back to our regular routine, we gain it all back and more".
Highet and Cahn, mechanical and bio-chemical engineers, respectively, have long-pondered the impact of growing portions and the effect of excess weight gain on children and adults.
It's no secret that dieting is one of the all-American pastimes...and yet obesity is fast-becoming the norm, not the exception. With all the food choices available, it seems that ever-growing portions are the biggest stumbling blocks to healthy eating; and portion control is key to maintaining a sustainable eating plan.
Hence the development of The Dish Diet™, a set of specially- designed patent pending dishware that takes the guessing out of portion-control...and excess calories out of your daily food intake.
The Dish Diet™ dishware is different than other portion control devices on the market. Most of those are a single plate divided into sections for different food groups. The Dish Diet™ approach is unique. It is a program that includes numerically sized dishware that lets you "step down" your calorie intake and gradually adjust your portions to lose weight and keep it off. You start with the largest size...and work your way down at your own pace.
AND you can eat your own food.
Many diet plans make you eliminate some categories of foods. One of the problems with these " restrictive food" diets is feeling "deprived" because you're munching on celery while the rest of the family eats a typical dinner. With The Dish Diet™ Program, you eat the same food you normally would. No matter what foods you eat, you just train your body to eat less, gradually.
Another reason that these programs fail, is because they are designed for adults. Once the bad eating habits are engrained, and our children are more and more overweight, it is difficult to break these bad habits. The Dish Diet™ dishware can be used to help children develop the right portion size from the start and throughout their lifetime.
"The Dish Diet™ is designed to help you change your eating habits without depriving you of the foods you love," says Highet. "Any eating plan that makes you feel like you're missing something won't be sustainable in the long term. The Dish Diet™ is not a quick fix weight loss gimmick...it's a tool to help you establish healthy eating habits for life. Weight loss is a result of learning to eat portions that are right for you...and banishing the "supersized" mindset."
According to the American Dietetic Association1 eating smarter does not mean you have to immediately go sugar-free and fat-free. You can make a big difference in your calorie intake by just eating and drinking smaller portions. The key is to moderate, not eliminate. Automatic portion size control is a simple way to cut back without cutting out.
In a recent article, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services2 agrees that changing the way eat can make it easier to eat less without feeling deprived, i.e. use smaller plates so that moderate portions do not appear too small. How small?...You will discover the right size for you with the Dish Diet™.
And even the USDA3 states that implementing a dietary regimen that can transition an individual into a healthful eating pattern after the "diet" ends is very important. Lifestyle practices that help people maintain a healthy body weight, incorporate the right balance of foods and appropriate portion sizes.
"I've tried a number of diets in the past," says Highet "and spent hours and hours every week counting calories and points...stressing on every mouthful. Now with our Dish Diet™ Program, those days are gone. No special meal-planning and altered shopping trips. Even my daughter, who's been on the program as well, has lost 25 pounds and has maintains her weight effortlessly with the program for over 2 years"
Another bonus of the Dish Diet™ Program is saving money. It's a one-time purchase - period. There are no meetings to attend, and no expensive, pre-packaged food to buy. No prepackaged diet food can compare to your fresh home-made meal in nutrition or taste. Yes you can eat your own food and lose weight.
"You can pay a small fortune for meetings or frozen/rationed meals," says Cahn, "and chances are that you'll gain back the weight you lost and have to start over from square one. With The Dish Diet™, if you "fall off the wagon" - maybe while you're on vacation or around the holidays - you can restart WITHOUT having to spend another dime. In fact, the whole Dish Diet™ Program costs less than a month of some other diet plans."
"All around it just makes sense," says Highet. "We have been trained from a young age to eat what's put in front of us and "clean our plates." Over the years, acceptable serving AND plate sizes have grown bigger as everyone wants more for their money (even if it leads to more inches around their waistline!) The Dish Diet™ Program is a simple, effective plan that helps train your brain and eliminates "portion distortion" leading to a healthier eating routine that lasts."
According to the American Medical Association4, when creating an action plan for healthy eating you have to remember you're not "on a diet" – you're building a healthier habits for a lifetime.
"We're not looking to be the next fad diet," says Cahn. "Our aim is to make a contribution that leads to a healthier world. Just think...when you need to put a nail in a wall...you use the right tool to accomplish the task. The Dish Diet™ Program is just that – the right tool to finally get your weight under control."
1 American Dietetic Association: Back to Basics for Healthy Weight Loss http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6847
2 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: Guide to Behavior Change - Get the Fullness Message
3 USDA A "Stick-to-It" Diet Is More Important Than a Popular One http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/mar06/diet0306.htm
4 AMA Healthier Life Steps™A physician-patient alliance for a longer, healthier life
Action Plan for Healthy Eating, http://trailtofitness.org/pdf/hl_eating%20Action%20Plan.pdf
