Weight

What is in NutraSweet? It tastes good and doesn't leave a bitter aftertaste like saccharin. NutraSweet is the brand name of aspartame. Aspartame contains two amino acids, aspartic acid, and phenylalanine. Together they make foods taste sweeter. Persons with PKU (phenylketonuria) cannot use aspartame because it would raise their blood levels of phenylalanine. PKU is...

I am a sixteen-year-old female and am 5 feet and 98 pounds. I e-mailed you earlier about a problem I have. I am obsessed with weighing 95 pounds. I have recently started taking laxatives to help me get down to my desired weight. I'm cold all the time and I am a workout fanatic....

What is a healthy way to lose weight and gain energy too? A combination of less food and daily exercise is the best plan for slow weight loss that supports the energy (fuel) your body needs to function. Eat a variety of food from all food groups - meat, dairy, starches & whole grains, vegetables,...

My girlfriend is 16 and will not eat. She says she can't and doesn't feel like eating and that she doesn't want to become fat. I think she has anorexia. She's about 5 feet tall and is no more than 100 pounds. I am writing to you from the Netherlands and we do not...

Recently I've come across a metabolic diet which supposedly is nothing but eating certain foods that burn off our fat naturally by increasing our metabolism. Do you have a list of the foods that do that? Thank you. There are no foods that burn off fat by increasing our metabolism. This concept has unfortunately been...

I am a 28-year-old woman who has anorexia and bulimia. I started these behaviors when I was 16 years old and was recovered until last year. Last December I fell into the terrible anorexic trap again and lost 30 pounds, which only put me at 100 pounds (I'm 5 feet 5 inches). Luckily I...

Does lowering heart rate speed metabolism? Not exactly. Your heart is a muscle that when it works less (lower heart rate or beats per minute), it needs less fuel (blood sugar as glucose). Since the heart is not a big muscle, you are not talking about much glucose. However, your heart rate contributes only a...

Everyone, including yourself, seems to be attacking low carbohydrate diets. If your traditional weight loss programs of balanced diet and exercise are the way to go, then why do we have an obesity epidemic with the majority of obese people have tried that way of dieting (myself included) without long-term success? You are so eager...

I'm so glad I found your site on the Internet! Eating disorders are hardly acknowledged in Asia and I'm starting to get really worried about my best friend. My friend has been on this crazy diet for 6 months since we started freshman year at law school and she's lost 17 kilograms (37.4 pounds)! She...

Where can I find a dietitian who works with bulimia? The Behavioral Health Nutrition dietetic practice group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics specializes in working with patients who have eating disorders. You can find a dietitian at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Include your zip code or city/state and the type of...