The Fad & The Fiction

I've heard of the all apple diet, the master cleanse diet, I've even heard of the molasses/cayenne pepper diet(ugh!!). It seems that at any given moment, millions of people are following some diet. Television, (tell lie vision) magazines, newspapers and other forms of mass media, all present ads that promise a "quick fix" to weight loss. Most fitness professional, nutritionist and weight loss professionals know and admit that traditional methods of dieting and cutting calories simply don't work for most people. People spend hundreds of dollars on fad diet programs, lose a few pounds only to gain it all back, plus some, when they stop the program.

There are several reasons why you should stay away from low calorie, fad diets:

• Very low calorie diets cause the body to become less efficient at burning fat. This causes more fat to be gained. After a few weeks on a low calorie diet, the basal metabolic rate (the rate at which the body burns up calories) drops. At this time, the body begins to use muscle as its energy resource. The body thinks that it is starving, so it converts to an energy(calorie) storing mode. This causes you to gain weight over time.
• Again, fad diets are temporary fixes not permanent solutions to your weight problems. The real problems are often eating habits and lack of activity. Until you begin eating healthier and exercising regularly, your weight will continue to go up and down.
• Fad diets tend to focus on food instead of exercise. You can cut calories and lose a few pounds, but without exercise you won't have a toned look. How many people have you seen that lose weight and still look flabby?
• Most of these diets concentrate on quick weight loss instead of gradual loss. The quicker you loss the weight, the quicker you gain it back. Most of the early weight that you lose is mostly water weight.
• Many fad diets limit carbohydrates, an important component in burning fat cells. The body extracts energy from fat with the help of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates from natural foods, such as fruits and vegetables, actually help muscle use fat for energy. Natural carbohydrates are actually good for you even when you are trying to lose weight.

Healthy, permanent fat loss results come from following a balanced and nutritious diet, a regular exercise program and a consist desire to maintain a healthy lifestlye. With these three elements, you can be sure to achieve and maintain that perfect weight that you've always wanted. Thanks for your ear and keep reading!