Avoiding Fad Diets and Losing Weight
• Does it promise rapid weight loss?
• Do proponents claim you’ll get long-term results after following the diet for only a short time?
• Does the diet restrict you to just a few specific foods or food groups?
• Does the diet separate foods into “good” or “bad” categories?
• Do you have to restrict your calories severely? (Diets with 1,200 calories a day should be used only under a doctor’s supervision.)
• Are meals limited to certain times of the day or days of the week or to certain combinations of foods?
• Is the diet linked to products that are only available through a particular diet program?
• Do the proponents make wild claims such as “being able to eat all you want and still lose weight?”
• Do the proponents base their claims on testimonials?
Fad diets may take off the weight quickly, but they generally do not result in long term weight loss. Most people who lose weight on fad diets quickly regain it when they return to their normal lifestyle. Losing weight is about lifestyle change and not about quick fixes. Most people took years to put on the weight and should expect it to take years to take it off again. Taking it off over time allows your body to reset its thermostat and get used to lower calorie intakes and increased exercise. To achieve a healthy and permanent weight loss, try these things:
Maintain a healthy balance of food intake versus activity. When your calorie consumption is more than you expend, then you will gain weight. If your calorie expenditure is less than you consume, then you will gain weight. It is as simple as that. In order to lose weight and have it last a lifetime you need to consume your basal metabolic rate worth of food daily, which is derived by a simple equation that considers your age, size and activity level. For most people this is a minimum of at least 1200 calories a day to keep your body functioning. Eating less than 900 calories is actually considered starvation and can deplete your muscles of protein, including your heart, and cause more health problems than good.
Try to eat foods that are high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals and low in fat, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. Fish is high in omega 3 fatty acids and is good for you. Those who don’t like fish or vegetables should consider a good supplement that will provide the needed nutrients.
Also be sure to add sufficient protein to your diet. Many people when losing weight cut out meat intake because of the calories and high fat levels. However, protein is essential for your body in building up muscles and repairing cells. A smart way cut down on calories and still get your needed protein is in the form of whey protein shakes.
Drinking more water can help cushion your joints, decrease headaches and prevent dehydration. Our bodies are about 60 to 75 percent water and drinking plenty of water helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins and is an important part of a healthy diet.
Don’t be the food police, or too critical of everything that you eat. It is okay to enjoy your favorite sweets and fried foods in moderation. On those days, increase your exercise and activity level to compensate. Some find having a cheat day when you can eat what you like helps to decrease cravings for those “forbidden” foods.
A healthy diet and physical activity improves your energy and feelings of well-being and reduces your risk of many diseases. Fad diets may offer a quick fix, but losing weight isn’t a contest. It is our health that we are gambling with. Establishing new food and exercise habits is much easier than one can imagine and the rewards will be a life time of strength and fitness, without harm to your body caused by fad dieting.