- With Mayo Clinic nutritionist
Jennifer K. Nelson, R.D., L.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Jennifer K. Nelson, R.D., L.D.
Jennifer K. Nelson, R.D., L.D.
Jennifer Nelson is your link to a better diet. As specialty editor for food and nutrition, she plays a vital role in bringing you healthy recipes and meal planning.
"Nutrition is one way people have direct control over the quality of their lives," she says. "I hope to translate the science of nutrition into ways that people can select and prepare great-tasting foods that help maintain health and treat disease."
Nelson, a St. Paul, Minn., native, is a registered dietitian and has been with Mayo Clinic since 1978. She is director of clinical dietetics and an associate professor of nutrition at College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic.
She leads clinical nutrition efforts for a staff of more than 70 clinical dietitians and nine dietetic technicians and oversees staffing, strategic and financial planning, and quality improvement. Nelson was co-editor of the James Beard Foundation Award-winning "The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook" and the New York Times best-seller "The Mayo Clinic Diet."
She's been a contributing author to and reviewer of many other Mayo Clinic books and publications, including "The Mayo Clinic Family Health Book," "The Mayo Clinic/Williams Sonoma Cookbook" and the "Mayo Clinic Health Letter." She contributes to the strategic direction of nutrition, healthy eating and healthy recipes content, including creating recipes and menus, preparing and reviewing nutrition content, contributing to the Nutrition-wise blog, and answering nutrition questions.
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Question
The Special K diet: Helpful for weight loss?
What is the Special K diet? Can it help me lose weight?
Answer
from Jennifer K. Nelson, R.D., L.D.
The so-called Special K diet is a diet plan created by Kellogg, the manufacturer of Special K cereal. The Special K diet, officially known as the Special K Challenge, encourages you to replace two of your regular meals, such as breakfast and lunch, with a low-fat, low-calorie Special K product, such as Special K cereal or a Special K protein meal bar or shake. The Special K diet says you can eat your third meal as you normally would. The Special K diet also encourages you to eat two snacks a day, either fruits and vegetables or additional Special K products.
As with any calorie-reduction diet, you can probably lose some weight on the Special K diet. By replacing regular meals with portion-controlled Special K products, you probably will cut your normal daily calorie intake, leading to weight loss.
On the other hand, the Special K diet may leave you feeling hungry and deprived because of the lack of variety from fruits, vegetables and other healthy food options. It also may be difficult to stick to the Special K diet long enough to reach your weight-loss goal. And once you stop the Special K diet, you may regain any weight you lost if you haven't changed unhealthy behaviors that led to your weight gain to begin with, such as overeating and lack of exercise. Remember, the key to permanent weight loss is developing healthy eating and exercise habits.
Next questionHigh-protein diets: Are they safe?
- Special K Challenge. http://www.specialk.com/challenge/reso. Accessed July 6, 2010.
- Zeratsky KA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 13, 2010.
- Nelson JK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 21, 2010.
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