The Dangers of Indulging in Fad Diets

Monday, March 17, 2014

Every now and then a new fad diet comes by. One day it is based on eating a single type of fruit, and the next day it is based on a single snack. But how safe is it to indulge in these, regardless of “how well they work?”
NOTE: A “fad diet” is any weight loss programme that is not medically and scientifically sound.
Firstly, let’s think logically:
Your body needs a range of nutrients, including carbohydrates for energy, protein for muscle growth and maintenance, fat for lubrication and elasticity, vitamins and minerals for a multitude of bodily processes, fibre for the digestive system, and water to keep everything working.
If you totally remove ANYTHING besides the carbohydrates, you have a problem. The body can use its fat reserves to offer energy, but it has NO WAY of replacing any of the others.
If you cut out protein, your muscle tissue will deteriorate.
If you cut out fat, your body will not necessarily release its reserves – those have been stored as a source of energy. Additionally, cutting out all fats and oils will also mean you are withholding essential oils like Omega oils needed by the brain.
If you cut out any vitamins or minerals, you will slow down and impair any or all of a large number of bodily processes, causing your general health to deteriorate.
If you cut out fibre (like so many people on high protein diets often – wrongly – do), your digestive system clogs up. You can imagine the consequences for yourself.
And of course, not taking in enough water – even just for short periods – also hampers bodily functions.
So…
While fad diets might be effective in helping you to lose weight, the results come at a price – your health. AT the very least, your immune system is compromised, leaving you vulnerable to illness.
Additionally, these fad diets create temporary conditions in your body – since you cannot follow the eating plan indefinitely. As such, once you stop, the weight starts piling up again – albeit slowly.
So…
Is it worth taking the risk?
It depends. How much is your health worth to you?

Guest writer: Bushra

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What is YOUR Reason for Losing Weight?

Different people have different reasons for wanting to lose weight. However, if you do not know the real reason, you might find it hard to stay motivated and follow through until you have reached your goal. So…
What drives YOU?
Is it the vanity factor?
For some people it is just about looking good, and being able to show off their bodies. They enjoy being the envy of their friends – or at least to be able to “be in” with the crowd, and not stand out like a big finger…
Is it something about desirability?
As we grow older, our metabolisms slow down, and we tend to pick up a few bulges along the way. As such, we often find out partners looking around, appreciating things they see. At times like these, it is only logical to consider losing weight to be desirable again.
Is it about health?
For some people, going on a diet is really about taking care of their health. Some people with serious medical conditions are at severe risk when overweight, and as such they need to lose the excess weight as a matter of precaution.
Is it about your self esteem?
For many people, being overweight is a burden to their self esteem. They view themselves as they feel the rest of the world views them – which is usually very critical.
Or is it a little bit of everything?
For most people, losing weight is about a combination of any or all of the above. So – take some time, and decide WHY you want to go on a diet. What do you REALLY want to achieve? Be honest with yourself – nobody else needs to know…

Guest Writer: Bushra

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Weight Loss vs Weight Management

Weight loss vs weight management – which should you be looking at? Usually, weight loss is the only thought that comes to mind. Weight management is usually associated with thoughts of dieticians – but it need not be. It’s just a question of approach…
Weight loss is merely the process of reaching your target weight. While it is necessary, it is only a part of the solution. For most people, this is all they pay attention to – with the result that they eventually pick up the shedded kilos again, and have to repeat the dieting process.
And at the end of the day, the “diet” gets the blame – because it didn’t work…
Weight management is what you should be aiming for – in other words, after reaching your target weight, you should have a plan in place to keep it there. Yes, there will always be ups and downs – very few people are actually fortunate enough to have their weight remain constant – but you can minimise these variations.
Being able to manage your weight requires the forming of new habits to replace old ones. It is as simple as planning ahead, and committing to sticking tot he plan. Take note – NOT easy – but simple.
Make a habit of substituting unhealthy meals with healthy ones. Make a habit of being a bit more active – indulging in whatever activity you enjoy (swimming, cycling, dancing…). Get into the habit of saying NO – and sticking to your guns.
On the positive side, though…
Doing a diet will prepare you – both in terms of mindset and in terms of good habits – for when you have to adjust into your new, healthier lifestyle. As such, working through weight loss will prepare you for weight management – which is where you take control of your weight and your life for good.


Guest Writer: Bushra

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Rapid Weight Loss – Quick Fix or Not?

Many people find themselves overweight, and would like to do something drastic to get rid of it ASAP. But is rapid weight loss really a quick fix, or is there more to it than meets the eye?
Firstly, consider this:
How long did it take you to gather the excess weight in the first place? If it is something that happened over a long period, and it is a substantial amount of weight, it would either be unrealistic, or even dangerous to indulge in something “extreme”.
Secondly, what does it involve?
Look at the scientific basis of the diet you are considering – does it make sense? Or is it just something designed to make you shed some water weight quickly to make you feel better? Is it something drastic that will deprive your body from the nutrients (besides energy) it needs to function properly?
Thirdly, is it sustainable?
If you have been picking up weight over a period of time, the problem does not only lie with your weight – it lies with the way you do things. There are exceptions – such as women picking up weight during pregnancy, or people adding weight after having their ability to move taken away temporarily (like a fractured leg, etc). On the whole, however, a rapid weight loss quick fix is not going to solve the problem – it will just push it back.
So…
What is your situation? Did you pick up weight due to an unusual occurrence, or did you simply neglect to watch what you eat? If it is the latter, it would be better to start on something that starts healthy habits – like a diet built around a healthy eating plan, and not just an extreme attack on the fat.

Guest Writer: Bushra

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If You Fail to Plan for This, Your Diet will Fail

Most people see a diet as a means to an end. It is merely a tool brought in to achieve a specific amount of weight loss, and that’s that. But is it? Maybe not…
You see, there is an emotional or psychological aspect to weight management as well – and if it is not taken into account and prepared for, chances are that you will not make it through, and quit somewhere along the line – or cheat so much that you will sabotage all your efforts.
You see – picking up unwanted weight usually happens because of poor eating habits. For some people, it is simply a matter of “grabbing something on the go” (usually nice and fatty…:). For others, it is simply a case of eating too much in between. For others, it is often a case of “comfort eating” – meaning that they find comfort in food when they cannot find the support they need.
Regardless of whether your emotional or psychological aspect is simply a case of laziness, or a case of a lack of control, or a deeper psychological issue, it will have to be addressed.
Sit down, take a pen and paper, and analyse your eating present patterns. What are you doing wrong? Are you eating the wrong foods, too much food, or snacking too frequently? Why? Are you simply too busy, did you just stop caring, or are you finding comfort in food due to stress? Once you are aware of the problem, and acknowledge that you have to do something about it, half the battle is won.
Once you know what NOT to do, you will constantly remind yourself not to do it. Yes, there will probably be a slip-up here and there – but in general, being aware of what you should NOT do is enough to remind you every time you are about to do it.
On the other hand, if you fail to acknowledge that there is an emotional or psychological aspect involved, it will keep getting in the way of your weight loss efforts – causing you to slip and cheat every so often…
Putting you right back to square one every time.
Be prepared.

Guest Writer: Bushra

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Reasons why Diets Fail

There are a number of reasons why diets fail – but eventually, they all boil down to one of a few basic causes. If you have ever failed at dieting before, or failed to keep off the weight that you lost, it is probably due to one of the following:

1. The diet itself – while most reputable diets do have some scientific basis, there are many fads that are really not capable of resulting in any sustainable form of weight loss. If you embark on a harsh “starvation diet” your body will simply fight to replace the “reserves” you lost (just in case the “starvation” happens again). This includes diets that make you feel full without really nourishing your body.
If the meal plan does not make sense scientifically, let it go. There are plenty of real, proven concepts available.
There is of course also the odd occasion when someone is not properly familiar with the eating plan they are following, and then cheats unknowingly – while being under the misimpression that they are actually sticking to the plan.

2. Habit – there is an expression that says “old habits die hard”. In many cases, being overweight comes from a habit of just grabbing something on the run, or finding comfort in food in stressful times. Keep in mind that these habits are formed over years – and as such they can be deep rooted in your subconscious mind.
Be aware of the habit – and be conscious about replacing it with something better.

3. A lack of motivation – in many cases, people embark on a diet, and are then faced with adverse circumstances. These could be emotional, physical, job related – it doesn’t matter. The end result is that another problem surpasses the need to lose weight in terms of urgency or importance, and your focus on your weight takes a back seat.

4. A lack of support from people around you can make it difficult. For instance – they are having a treat which you would rather not have. It is tough enough refraining from indulging in it – and then they still offer you some, knowing fully well what you are trying to achieve. And then they usually have the audacity to say: “Just this one would not make any difference…”

5. Medical reasons – although the numbers are actually very low, there are people whose medical conditions cause their diets, or any attempt at losing weight, to fail. Additionally, there are some forms of medication that can interfere with weight loss, and sabotage your body’s attempts to rid itself of the unwanted fat.
Lastly…
Once you have found our reason, analyse it.
Decide how you are going to work around it.
Commit to success.
Achieve it – for good

Guest writer: Bushra

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Children and Weight Loss

Losing weight is often tough for children – much more so than for adults. There are a number of factors at play which adds to the difficulty…
Firstly, consider the examples set by their role models: Are you as a parent perhaps the cause of your child being overweight? Do you indulge in irregular eating, or do you allow your child to do so? Do you allow your child to indulge in long periods of low or no physical activity? If so, you might very well be part of the problem.
Secondly, consider their nature: After all, it is only a child, so why would he or she have to exercise self discipline to the point of eating less? Kids are supposed to have fun, and not have to stress about diets, food groups or counting calories or kilojoules.
Thirdly, consider the motivation – or lack of it. Sure, your overweight son might want to be able to keep up with his friends – but is it bad enough that he will stick to a tough weight loss program for a few months in order to do so?
Fourthly, consider that your child moves among other kids at school who are indulging in sweets and chocolates, making it more and more difficult for him or her to resist the temptation. To make things worse, children are more susceptible to impression, so they are less likely to resist the temptations created by advertising.
Fifthly, keep in mind that children have faster metabolisms than we as adults do. As such, a child who has to do a diet is likely to run out of energy a lot sooner than you would, making it even harder for them to resist temptation. Keep in mind that the average school day is rather physical, and demands a good amount of energy.
Lastly – thanks to their faster metabolic rates, most overweight kids do not really need to diet in order to lose weight. Most of them can be helped by just making some sensible adjustments to their eating habits. There is no need for your child to go hungry – all he or she needs is to cut down on the fatty substances, and to become a little more active to keep the metabolism up.
The rest usually takes care of itself.

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