The Cutting Edge: COMPUTING / TECHNOLOGY / INNOVATION : Overweight? Try Dieting Digitally

The holidays are over and, for many, ‘tis now the season to go on a diet. You could go to a health club, stand on the scale at Weight Watchers or pay a fee to dine on Jenny’s Cuisine. Or you can let your computer be your diet coach. Diet software--like my waistline--is a growth area.

I don’t mean to brag, but I happen to be an expert when it comes to dieting. I’ve lost hundreds of pounds over the years. Unfortunately, they’re the same pounds. Right now I need to lose a few pounds, though I’m in much better shape than I was many years ago when I was 80 pounds overweight.

So rather than unwrapping yet another candy bar, I took the shrink-wrap off several diet software programs. I also logged on to Prodigy, CompuServe and America Online to seek out a “diet buddy.” Finally, I hooked up a device that turned my PC and indoor bike into a great arcade-style racing game. I’m not any thinner yet, but I am a little wiser. These programs and services can be useful tools--though they’re clearly no substitute for willpower and supportive people.

At $14.95, Diet Expert from Expert Software is probably the cheapest program on the market. It’s actually pretty good, though more limited than some other programs.

Using Diet Expert is--forgive me--a piece of cake. You begin by telling the software your name, age, current weight, height and weight goal. You can also give it the date on which you want to reach your weight goal, or select the number of pounds per week and let the software choose the date for you.

The program doesn’t let you enter a weight-loss goal of more than two pounds a week. Many experts feel that a more rapid weight loss is self-defeating or even dangerous. I appreciate the software’s concern, but I’d rather have it warn me of any risks and allow me to set my own pace.

Like other diet programs, Expert Diet lets you enter your activities and what you’ve eaten so it can keep track of your caloric balance and other nutrients. (Losing weight, most experts say, is a matter of burning more calories than you consume.)

There is a built-in database of about 2,400 foods, but you can add others if your preferences aren’t listed. Like most diet programs, it contains popular fast-food dishes like Big Macs and Whoppers. I had to add one of my favorite treats--sugar-free frozen yogurt. In addition to calories, the program keeps track of protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, sugar, fats, cholesterol, sodium and potassium. Once you’ve entered your diet for the day, the program provides a graph and a written analysis of your nutrients.

The program also lets you enter your activities so it can track the number of calories you’ve burned. There is a list of 93 activities. Reading a newspaper, alas, is not among them, but you can add it if you wish.

Another program, DietPro from Lifestyle Software Group lets you create weekly meal plans. Unlike Diet Expert, foods are listed by category, making it easier to find a particular item.

Each of the major fast-food companies has its own category, so you know just where to look prior to your visit to Pizza Hut. (One piece of the “thin and crispy pepperoni,” according to the program, provides 154% of your daily fat requirement.) The program also lets you add your own foods and recipes. The recipe section builds on the foods in the database, so if your recipe calls for a cup of beans, you just select the type of beans and let the program enter the data.

Data on calories expended for activities is listed as the number of calories per minute above what you’d burn while resting. There are 120 items, ranging from watching TV (0) to running 6 miles per hour (7.16 calories per minute for a 150-pound man). I’m happy to report that typing at the computer, in my case, burns up 20 calories per hour--and that doesn’t even include pointing and clicking with the mouse.

For those looking for a more vigorous workout, Lifestyle Software also publishes Multimedia Workout ($49.95) on CD-ROM and floppy disks. The program, which includes the diet features of DietPro, lets you click on any part of the anatomy for a list of appropriate exercises and video instructions.

Believe it or not, there is also a way to connect your PC to an exercise bike, treadmill, stepper, skiing or rowing machine. I was so skeptical about this product that I didn’t even open it until six months after my evaluation unit arrived. Now I’m hooked.

Computer Athlete ((800) 272-0136 or (508) 230-8010) is a $149 device that comes with a photo eye you aim at a moving part such as the pedal of your indoor bike or the seat of your rower. Each rotation of the device cuts off the light beam and sends a signal to the PC via the serial port. It took about 20 minutes to install the cables. The MS-DOS software was a snap.

The software comes with a series of arcade-style racing games. The faster you pedal, row, run, ski or step, the better you’ll do. The software keeps track of calorie consumption based on data you enter about your physical condition. Even using a bike, I had fun playing the skiing, rowing, stepping and running games. If this device can get you to use that old exercise machine, it might be worth the investment.

The company also manufactures a complete stepper ($249), treadmill ($299) and cross-country ski machine ($299) with the electronics built in so you don’t need to fool with the photo eye and cables.

Although a computer can do an excellent job of recording and analyzing data, it can’t provide the human feedback, the hearty congratulations, the heart-to-heart talk. That’s one reason people go to dieting companies such as Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig and the Diet Center. However, if you have access to an on-line service such as CompuServe, America Online or Prodigy, you can join a forum where you can find a diet buddy who can serve as your personal counselor.

Once you establish an on-line relationship with another dieter, you can use the forum or electronic mail to keep each another apprised of how you’re doing. You’ll also find lots of diet advice and sample programs similar to the ones reviewed here.

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Computer File welcomes your comments. Write to Lawrence J. Magid at magid@latimes.com on the Internet or KPVN58A on Prodigy.

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Diet, Exercise Products

Dine Healthy ($99. Mac, MS-DOS and Windows)

Dine Systems, (716) 688-2400

Expert Diet ($14.95. MS-DOS, Windows)

Expert Systems, (800) 759-2562

DietPro ($19.95. Windows)

Micro Kitchen Companion ($49.95. Mac and Windows)

Multimedia Workout ($49.95. Windows CD-ROM or floppy disk)

Lifestyle Software Group, (800) 289-1157

Kathy Smith’s Fat Burning System ($39.95. Mac and Windows CD-ROM)

Xiphias, (800) 421-9194 or (310) 841-2790

Diet Balancer ($49.95. Mac, MS-DOS, Windows)

Nutridata Software Corp., (800) 922-2988 or (914) 298-1308

Dieter’s Edge 2000 ($79.95. MS-DOS)

LivingSoft, (800) 626-1262 or (916) 253-2700

Diet Analyst ($29. MS-DOS and Windows)

Parsons Technology, (800) 899-8955

Professional Nutritionist ($49.95. MS-DOS)

Nutrisoft, (717) 383-1188