- Vanessa Ricetto shares her diet dos and don’ts on the Today Show.
- She explained that people should be careful not to cut too many calories.
- They should also ensure that they eat enough protein, fat and fiber
A registered dietitian takes the lid off six mistakes people make when adjusting their diet this summer, from avoiding entire food groups to not drinking enough water.
During a recent appearance on the TODAY show, Vanessa Ricetto, CEO and founder of Culina Health, talked about how people can achieve their health goals without going to extremes.
Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb break down the dos and don’ts of pre-summer dieting.
Rissetto Before changing your lifestyle, the first thing you should do is ask yourself ‘Is it okay?’
Strictly restrict calories to lose weight
Rissetto suggested ‘Many people try to cut calories’ to lose weight, but sometimes they go too far.
‘My friend eats 1,000 calories a day, so they think I should do it too,’ she told Guthrie and Kotb.
Eating too few calories puts the body into starvation mode, which increases the risk of hair loss, anemia, and brittle bones.
As a general rule, she suggests dividing your weight by 2.2 and multiplying that number by 25 to determine how many calories you need per day to maintain your current weight.
If Rissetto weighs 150 pounds, you’ll need 1,700 calories a day to maintain your current weight — and less if you want to lose weight.
You shouldn’t go below 1,300 calories a day, she adds.
Cut protein and fat
Another mistake people make is skimping on fat and protein in their diet.
‘Everybody please, eat protein and fat,’ Risetto said. ‘You need that to warm you up.’
Healthy dietary fats give your body energy and support cell function. They also help the body absorb some important vitamins.
‘On average, fat makes up 20 to 35 percent of your caloric needs,’ Risetto said.
Meanwhile, protein plays an important role in building bones, muscles, cartilage and skin. It also helps build and repair tissue, transport oxygen throughout the body, digest food, and regulate hormones.
The nutritionist explained that your daily protein intake should be 1.2 grams (about 0.04 ounces) per kilogram of body weight.
If you weigh 150 pounds (68 kilograms), you should get 68 (2.4 ounces) to 82 grams (2.9 ounces) of protein per day, says Rissetto.
‘For context, four ounces of chicken has 31 grams (1.1 ounces) of protein,’ she said.
You don’t get enough water or fiber
Like fat and protein, water and fiber are cornerstones of a healthy diet, but they aren’t always the top priority.
People don’t realize that digestion slows down in summer. So what helps speed it up? Fiber and water,’ Rissetto said.
Fiber helps with weight management, she says, so adding more vegetables and fruits to your diet can help you reach your goals.
When it comes to water, most people don’t drink enough to stay hydrated.
We need about 90 ounces of water [per day]” she said to Kotb and Guthrie.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends 125 ounces of fluid daily for men and 91 ounces for women.
Riceto said she carries a 32-ounce water bottle that she refills two or three times a day to make sure she reaches her hydration goal.
Avoid all food groups
Rissetto urges people not to cut out all food groups, including carbohydrates, which have gotten a bad rap in recent years.
Carbohydrates are not bad. They are our main source of energy. We need them for fuel,” she said. ‘We fear carbohydrates because no one has taught us how to eat them.’
The nutritionist described it as ‘easy to digest’ once you know what carbohydrates are and what the serving size should look like.
Kotb points out that there are carbohydrates in everything from lentils to avocados.
“There are different types of carbohydrates. So it’s not always bread and cookies,” Rissetto agreed.
Having unrealistic expectations
Rissetto advises people to consider their daily life and make sure they understand their limits before making drastic changes to their diet.
‘If you’re this busy mom with a big job and you’re cooking for a family of six, how does all this banning work?’ she asked.
The nutritionist pointed out that buying ‘all these different foods’ quickly becomes ‘cost prohibitive’.
She stressed that the diet should not be too strict and they cannot go out to eat in a restaurant.
‘What can be sustainable in the long run without really losing your mind?’ She said.
Wasting money on hygiene and fad diets
Rissetto said people should think twice before splurging on expensive diet programs and should be cleansed to be sustainable.
‘When you think about these fads, like juice cleanses, you have to buy the whole system and that’s costing you hundreds of dollars a month,’ she explains.
And then it’s not sustainable anymore so all that money goes by the wayside.
People need to ‘do the math’ and ask themselves: ‘Can I achieve the goal without blowing my pocket?’
Ricetto said there are experts like herself who can help you make lifestyle changes without breaking the bank.
‘Dietitians carry insurance, and the cost is probably a co-pay,’ she said.
‘Seek help. Just like you go to the doctor, go to the dentist, go to the nutritionist.”
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