Losing Weight and Healthy Eating

QUESTION: My question is, what is a good, safe "diet" for a woman my age (43) to be on. I need to lose 65 pounds. Soon, it will be one year since my last chemo treatment. I am cancer-free (with the aid of surgery and chemo). I am confused about which is the best plan to use. I am taking tamoxifen. I have read many different things about eating natural foods/fruits and vegetables (especially tomatoes, red peppers, strawberries, and blueberries). But I have also read that some food, potatoes, carrots, etc., turn into sugar once eaten. I want to stay cancer-free and I do not want to gain back the weight I have lost. I want to be healthy. I want to continue to beat breast cancer! But I know to do this I must change my eating habits. Please help!

ANSWER: Congrats on finishing all of your treatment! Give yourself credit for all the hard work and commitment. You can lose weight and eat relatively well—without feeling too punished—by following a Weight Watcher diet or a Mediterranean diet. You need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Lots of fruits and vegetables—free of pesticides—are most healthy. Don't buy into the food fads. Look for healthy eating habits that you can take with you even past the time that you've lost the weight you want. Of course regular exercise is great for you and will help you accomplish your goals: weight control, better general health, and good sense of well-being.

—Marisa Weiss, M.D.