Dangers of the fat diet
Fad or fast weight loss diets don’t work. They usually come with dramatic promises of weight loss in a certain amount of time. The weight you lose at first is mostly water, not fat. This does not result in long-term weight loss. In fact, some of these diets are actually unhealthy. If you’re evaluating diets now, keep these sales pitches in mind and stay away:
1. It guarantees you to lose a certain number of pounds per week, especially more than two pounds.
2. Recommend supplements to compensate for the loss of vitamins and nutrients.
3. Skip an entire food group as in no-carb diets. Remember that fruits and vegetables are carbohydrates.
4. Rationalizes that your diet is healthy based on a new or complicated theory.
5. Suggest a daily caloric intake of less than 1200 calories unless under a doctor’s supervision.
Everyone wants to lose weight as fast as possible with as little effort as possible, that’s human nature. But everyone who has lost weight only to gain it back knows how frustrating and complicated it can be. You certainly don’t want to risk short-term malnutrition or weight loss that quickly comes back from the diet. Certainly, you no longer want to set yourself up for failure.
When I was teaching the psychology of eating at the weight loss clinic, weight loss was presented as a healthy lifestyle change, not a quick fix. This involved evaluating her entire life to see where unhealthy behaviors occur. Some people had food-loving friends or family members who needed to adjust to healthier ways. So, they got involved in the support part of the program, even if they don’t diet themselves. Our diet program encouraged a mindset of positive adaptability to a new diet, exercise routine, and social support from friends and family. The team approach proved much more successful than going it alone.
My two favorite diets are the Mediterranean and Okinawan diets due to longevity qualities, a particular interest of mine. But, today’s diets are designed for your individual physiological needs. Nutritionists build diets to treat cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and even things like anemia. So, the best diet for you is not the one that is fashionable today.
Your diet should be based on your ancestry of medically transmitted diseases, your current physiological needs (ie, high blood pressure, etc.), and your individual health goals for the future. Some people just want to lose weight, while others may want to control diabetes or cholesterol. If you’re serious about dieting in the healthiest way, make an appointment with a dietitian or nutritionist and let them recommend a plan based on your personal needs. johnson
