They'll still stick by low-fat diet

Do you think the recent Women's Health Initiative study gives you license to eat unlimited quantities of burgers, fries, and hot fudge sundaes?

Well, diet counselors Linda Russo and Donna Fitzgerald don't. As owners of The Healthy Weigh, an independent weight-loss program based in Arlington, they've been preaching the gospel of low-fat, balanced meals for nearly 12 years, and they're not about to give up now.

The results of the study were published Feb. 8 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study followed 48,835 postmenopausal women over several years and found that those who ate a low-fat diet showed little improvement in breast cancer rates and no improvement in colorectal cancer, heart disease, or stroke.

Some doctors and nutritionists are skeptical of the findings, however, citing problems such as a lack of differentiation among types of fats and insufficient differences between the low-fat and high-fat diets consumed by participants. Fitzgerald and Russo are also unconvinced.

''As diet counselors, we've seen too many people who have improved their cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and prediabetic symptoms by eating right to believe in a study that seems to point in the opposite direction," Russo said.

Fitzgerald and Russo first met in 1993 as members of Diet Workshop. Fitzgerald works in and marketing for a large corporation, and Russo, who has a bachelor's degree in psychology and counseling, has been a classroom counselor for children with learning disabilities and a fashion model.

After reaching their personal weight-loss goals, they became Diet Workshop instructors, and when that organization went out of business in 1999, Fitzgerald and Russo decided to strike out on their own. They soon founded The Healthy Weigh and began holding weekly meetings at the parish center of St. Camillus Church in Arlington.

With 40 to 50 members now, The Healthy Weigh is unusual in that it is not affiliated with a national corporation. It is a small, local group that costs $40 for one month, $75 for two months, or $90 for three months of membership. The nutritional program emphasizes the importance of eating three meals a day, including carbohydrates (60 percent), protein (20 percent), and fat (20 percent). ''The right weight the right way" is the group's motto.

A number of corporate weight-loss groups require members to buy meals from them, which greatly increases the cost of membership. Although Fitzgerald and Russo offer snacks like low-calorie cookies, chips, and protein bars for members to purchase, there are no meals to buy.

''Our program is very flexible, but it's structured enough that we're really teaching you how to eat well," Russo said. ''On this program, you can go on vacation, go out to dinner, and lead a normal life."

Unlike some popular diet programs, The Healthy Weigh does not limit any major nutrient group, such as carbohydrates.

''When you lose weight by limiting carbs, as soon as you start eating carbs again, the weight comes right back on," Russo said. ''We put the emphasis on good carbs, like whole grains, vegetables, and fruits."

''Our program is not a diet," she said, ''because when you go on a diet, eventually you go off a diet, and that's when you gain weight."

Fitzgerald agreed. ''What we are promoting is behavior modification and permanent lifestyle change."

Most members of The Healthy Weigh are on a meal plan that includes at least 1,400 calories a day. In addition, they drink 48 ounces or more of water a day and exercise a minimum of two hours a week. No one eats fewer than 1,200 calories a day.

''Less than that," Russo said, ''and you're not getting enough food for your body to run properly."

Weekly meetings of the group consist of a weigh-in with a physician's scale and a short class on a range of subjects that might include how to make good food choices during the holidays and how to read nutritional labels.

Anita Nichols of Arlington, who has lost 54 pounds in the year and a half she has been a member of The Healthy Weigh, is enthusiastic about the program.

''The thing I found particularly helpful was learning to think about what, when, and how much I was eating. I have to do it every day, but it's doable, and the outcome is everything I wanted it to be."

Gerri Marcantonio of Belmont joined the group in July 2003 and has lost 36 pounds.

''I've maintained my weight loss for about two years, and I continue going to meetings to help keep it off," Marcantonio said. ''Portion control has made a big difference, and eating the right things. This, to me, is a realistic way of eating."

In addition to regular meetings at St. Camillus, The Healthy Weigh also offers ''Lose Weight at Work" programs at local corporations and in the past has held workshops at local gyms.

Meetings of The Healthy Weigh are held at 9:30 a.m., and 5:30 and 7 p.m. Tuesdays at the parish center of St. Camillus Church in Arlington. For more information, visit healthyweightlossarlingtonma.com.