Nancy Dell: Best Diet; Safest Seafood

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) -  

1. What diet is the best for losing weight?
Kate, Internet

The best diet will vary person to person. An eating plan that one person loves, another person may hate. It is best to sit down with your doctor or a dietitian and develop a plan based on your lifestyle and the food you like to eat.

I have 3 clients that have lost over 100 pounds and they all had a different eating plan. One eats out every meal, another hates exercise, and the third is a gourmet cook.

Once you have an eating plan that you like, it is key that you change your relationship with food. Most overweight people eat when they are not hungry. They eat because they are happy and celebrating, or sad and need comfort, or because they had a bad day at work and are stressed, or maybe just bored.

Food is fun and it feels good to eat. We need to find non-food ways of having fun, celebrating, and comforting themselves. This is where we spend much of our time, coaching people to change the way they think about food and identifying triggers that lead you to overeat.

Al Roker from the Today Show says he finally found food did not make him happy. Yes, he gained 40 pounds AFTER gastric by pass when his Mom got sick. He finally changed his relationship with food. 

2. I would like to add more seafood to my diet. Which are safest?
Jen, Internet

Seafood is great for your heart and your brain.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium tests seafood for contaminates and evaluates them for sustainable fishing practices.

If you like a basic white fish, have:

• White Fish
• Haddock (US, hook & line)
• Atlantic Cod (Imported, hook & line)
• Tilapia (US farmed)
• Barramundi (US farmed)
• "Meaty" Fish
• Pacific Halibut (US)
• Salmon (Alaska, Wild)
• Albacore Tuna (Troll or Pole caught, US or BC)
• Shellfish (All US farmed)
• Clams
• Mussels
• Oysters
• Scallops

Shrimp is not on the "best" list because there are some concerns about how it is fished or farmed but it is on the "good alternative" list.

Search Seafood Watch for a full list of the best seafood.