Should you use a fad diet to lose the holiday weight?
Taking off those extra holiday pounds is rarely easy — at least not as easy as it is to pack them on.
Fad diets can offer a quick fix, but more often than not dieters end up gaining the weight back.
And fad diets rapidly become bad diets without the structure of a healthy, balanced diet and exercise plan.
Many people have tried some form of a fad diet at one time or another, possibly without even realizing it.
Do the Cabbage Soup Diet, Chocolate Diet, Scarsdale Diet, Three-day Diet, Seven-day All-you-can-eat Diet, One Good Meal Diet, Chicken Soup Diet, Metabolism Diet, Russian Air Force Diet, or Grapefruit/Fruit Juice Diet sound familiar?
What about diets promoted by so-called nutritional “experts,” such as the Zone diet, South Beach diet and Atkins diet?
Or the ubiquitous Slim Fast franchise which spawned an entire meal replacement bar and drink industry?
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends “adopting healthy eating habits permanently, rather than impatiently pursuing crash diets in hopes of losing unwanted pounds in a few days.
“Many of these diets — like the infamous Cabbage Soup Diet — can undermine your health, cause physical discomfort (abdominal discomfort and flatulence) and lead to disappointment when you regain weight soon after you lose it,” the AHA Web site states.
* Promises people can lose weight and keep it off without giving up “fatty” foods or exercising on a regular basis.
If a diet plan or product sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
* Bases its claims on “before and after” photos.
* Offers testimonials from clients or “experts” in weight loss, science or nutrition.
Remember that these people are probably being paid to advertise the diet plan or product.
* Draws simple conclusions from complex medical research.
* Limits food choices and doesn’t encourage balanced nutrition by eating a variety of foods.
* Requires spending a lot of money on things like seminars, pills or prepackaged meals in order for the plan to work.
But the AHA says there are a number of ways to keep the pounds off, including physical activity and nutritional plans designed for permanent use.
According to the AHA, physical activity — such as walking 30 minutes most or all days of the week — helps prevent weight gain and maintain a healthy weight.
Physical inactivity is also a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
Following a regimen for a few weeks won’t give you the chance to learn about how to permanently change your eating patterns.
The AHA site added, “a healthy diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat dairy products, along with regular physical activity, can help most people manage and maintain weight loss for both cardiovascular health and appearance.”
Often, ‘fad’ amounts to ‘bad’ when it comes to diets (Monroe Times)
MONROE — Taking off those extra holiday pounds is rarely easy — at least not as easy as it is to pack them on.
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