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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The Problem with our Modern Day Eating Habits

Obesity and weight-related problems are worse than ever before in the history of mankind. But what exactly is the problem with our modern day eating habits, causing such chronic problems?
Firstly, the biggest culprit is an overdose of sugar. If you look at the nutritional information of just about any product you buy, you will note the carbohydrate (partly, sometimes mostly, sugar) or energy content. While it might not seem like much, it adds up…
The bread you eat has some sugar in it. The soda you drink has some sugar in it. Your coffee or tea has sugar in it. Your snacks, your cereals, your spreads, your crispbreads…
Just about everything.
The problem?
Well, your body considers sugar to be “easy energy” As such, if it is consumed alongside other “harder” forms of energy like proteins or fats (oils), the latter is simply stored away as reserves. After all, why work hard to digest something when you have access to easy energy?
Now, consider this: Sugar and protein, oils or fats are consumed together when you eat chocolate, eat cereal (milk has some fat built into its chemical structure, even fat free milk), have a snack, have a peanut butter sandwich, etc.
It all happens little by little – but it does happen, and the effects add up – around your waistline.
Secondly, our lifestyles contribute to our weight gain – badly. Stress causes our bodies to store as much energy as possible for possible later use. Unfortunately, many people simply eat more to compensate. Additionally, we are not always able to eat when, or as regularly as, our bodies need it.
To make things worse, modern day life means that many of us get home relatively late, and end up eating at a time when our bodies cannot consume the energy – so once again it is simply stored away for future use. Ideally, we should not eat within four hours prior to bedtime – but it is simply not always possible.
To make things even worse, our lifestyles have become so rushed that we often resort to grabbing something on the go – which usually contains some unhealthy elements…
And again, all the little bits add up…
Literally.
If you don’t do something to stop it, its not going to do so by itself.
Your call.

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Side Effects of Diet Pills

In some cases, diet pills can be beneficial – depending on their content and your situation. Some of them, however, carry unwanted side effects that could cause health complications…
In fact, some of these complications can be deadly serious. Sure, you want to lose weight, but not at a price not worth paying. Consider the following:
Vitamin deficiencies
While many diet pills inhibit the consumption of fats and carbohydrates, there is a possibility of reducing vitamin absorption along with it. A number of vitamins can be caught up in the functioning of these diet pills, including Vitamin A, E, D and even K. As such, you risk damage to your eyesight, skin deterioration, etc. As such it is wise to supplement your intake – just don;t overdo it, because too much vitamins can be harmful as well.
Fat deficiencies
Since many of these products inhibit the absorption of fat into the system, the results could be problematic. There are some forms of fat that your body actually needs. Remember that your body can generate energy from fat or protein – but not the other way round. Fats are essential to elasticity of the skin, flexibility of the joints, and the Omega oils are essential for brain functions. As such, simply stopping any fat intake could be disastrous, and these side effects can be hard to turn around.
Blood pressure increase
Some diet pills contain stimulants – usually to speed up the metabolism. While it is not always the case, these can lead to rising blood pressure in some people. While a mild increase in blood pressure is not too serious for most people, those suffering from the condition already would greatly increase their risks of strokes or cardiac problems. Ironically, it is mostly obese people that suffer from hypertension anyway – so those who need to lose weight badly, are the ones who should really be watching out.
Lastly
There are obviously plenty of other potential side effects from diet pills – you should read the information leaflet inserted along with any medication (not just diet pills). Some consumers have reported insomnia, palpitations, rashes, acne, headaches, etc. In some severe cases, depression, anxiety, anorexia, and even heart failure has been seen to occur.
So…
Be careful. When attempting to lose weight, you are about to change the balance in your body – so take care that whatever you use will not cause any further complications.
It’s not worth it.

Guest Writer: Bushra

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How to Diet – 5 Golden Rules of Weight Loss

There are just so many different eating plans and weight loss programmes out there that it can become confusing. If in doubt on how to diet, use the 5 golden rules to guide your choice:
1. It should not be something drastic. As with everything else in life, moderation is the key. Keep in mind that, in most cases, the weight you want to shed has been building up over a long period of time. As such it is unrealistic to simply expect it to go away overnight. Take time to do it right – naturally.
2. It should be easily understandable. If it does not make sense to you when someone explains it, chances are it might not make sense to your body, either – so beware when people simply start throwing around big words and complex concepts. While body chemistry is complex, most of it can be explained so that common people can understand it – pretty much like Dr. Oz on Oprah explains stuff that he took years to learn.
3. It should not be complicated to follow. The fact of the matter is that losing weight is a challenge by itself. As such, you don’t need to make it any more difficult than it already is. The more complex it becomes, the more of a hassle it becomes. The more the hassle, the more the chances of just giving it up. The simpler the eating plan, the better – although it still has to make sense from a nutritional point of view.
4. It should be easy to maintain over long periods – especially if you have lots to lose. If you lose weight in a healthy manner, it is bound to take some time. As such, your diet should not be something of which you will get tired within a month, or else you are likely to just call it a day and go back to your old ways of eating again. If it strenuous to maintain the eating plan, it simply lowers your chances of success. Pick something you feel you can sustain indefinitely if need be.
5. It should focus on health as well – many fad diets and crash diets out there are solely designed for rapid weight loss. Unfortunately, if you try and fix a long term problem in a week or two, something’s gotta give – and usually it is your health that pays the price. Not that you see it immediately – the damage is usually under the skin, and you will pay the price only at a later stage…
So…
Whenever you are confronted with the question “how to diet?”, just measure anything you are interested in against these 5 golden rules – and your chances of success will increase dramatically.

Guest Writer: Bushra

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Slipping on your Diet is Not Failure

Many dieters feel that, once they slipped up or cheated on their diet, everything has gone down the drain. While it is discouraging, you might want to look at the bigger picture…
Firstly, think logically. Do you give up on everything in life if you make one single mistake? Heck, no. If you did, you would never have been able to walk, ride a bike, knot a tie…
Weight loss is no different. If you have to give up every time you make one slip-up, you will never allow yourself to achieve your goals.
Secondly, consider the immensity of your weight problem. For most people, the excess weight is the result of years of poor eating habits or inactivity. It is not something simple or insignificant, so you would be unwise to underestimate the power of habit.
Lastly, get over the “all or nothing” mindset. A war is won one battle at a time – and not all of them are easy victories.
So how do you handle it when you slip up, or cheat?
1. Accept that you are human – which is why you are struggling with your weight in the first place. What we fail today, we can always try and improve on tomorrow.
2. DON’T make it worse than it already is. In other words, if you find yourself eating something you should not be eating, simply stop. Don’t throw in the towel and indulge “because you already failed”. You had a setback, that’s all. Yes, it does mean that it will take longer to achieve your goals, but it need not be the end of your diet.
3. Try putting up a few notes throughout your living space that will constantly remind you – not that you are fat and on a diet, but what you want to achieve. Don’t focus on the sacrifices you make along the way while you are dieting, but instead focus on what the end result will be.
So – give yourself – and your diet – a fair chance of success. Heck, even if it takes you a month to get past the vulnerability of cheating, you will still be closer to weight loss success than you have ever been before.
Always remember this:
Many great people have worked through many failures (or rather, falling down) before they were able to achieve success.
As with all things in life, falling down is not failure.
Failure is when you don’t get back up.

Guest writer: Bushra

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How to Diet: Failure = Learning

Many people try one diet after another, failing time and time again. Many people eventually give up, and simply “accept that they will never be slim”. But maybe…
What most people fail to realise is that every failure brings you closer to success – mathematically speaking, anyway. In real life it depends on how we handle those failures.
But let’s look at a few facts:
The average “dieter” attempts weight loss roughly four times in any given year.
As such, the “average dieter” actually starts every time with the expectation to fail, while hoping that maybe, just maybe, “it will be different this time.”
This mindset becomes the basis for “justifying” failure, and makes us more prone to slipping up and cheating.
We move on from one eating plan to the next, failing time and time again. Every time the effect on your self esteem is a little worse, and it takes more courage to pull yourself together and go ofter “the next weight loss miracle.”
You end up spending a small fortune – and never getting what you paid for.
Right?
Now let’s consider this:
When you started walking, how many times did you fall before you could walk? Did you eventually give up, saying that it was just not something you could achieve?
When you started riding a bike, how many times did you come off before you were able to stay on top?
Well…
Consider this:
Beside the fact that you stuck it out until you got what you wanted, weight loss already has ONE advantage…
Once upon a time, even if it was long ago in childhood, you did have the perfect figure. You have already been there, so it should be possible for you to get back there – unless of course you are suffering from a condition that interferes with weight loss, or take medication that acts similarly.
You have already been where you want to go to – so it is not a “first time journey”, but it is a “returning trip.”
So…
Look back at your failures…
And see what dd not work for you. At least you know that much now. Failure is a tough teacher – no need to study any longer than is necessary.
If you have been doing any reading on the side, you might even have found out why they did not work for you.
So…
Simply avoid any new diet that is based on the same principles as the ones that failed you before.
And then – get your mindset right before you start.
Commit and dig in. It might not make your diet journey easier, but it sure will add to your chances of weight loss success.

Guest writer: Bushra

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How (not?) to Diet – The Caveman Diet

The controversial Caveman Diet has some positive and negative points. While it could definitely be useful in losing weight, it also raises concerns about potential risks that could develop along the way…
The Caveman Diet, also referred to as the Paleo or Paleolithic diet is simply a simulation of how our ancestors supposedly ate when they were still living primitive lives. As such, food sources only include that which they were supposedly able to kill or gather, limiting it to meat, fish, fruit, nuts and vegetables.
Additionally, fire was not really a big thing back then – as far as cooking was concerned, what they ate was raw.
The reasoning behind this is that our bodies were genetically engineered for these conditions, and we should simply accept that the human system will function best of treated as it was designed to be treated. In prehistoric times, it is assumed that there were no problems with heart disease, cancer, etc.
Since fire was not yet available, cavemen did not have the ability to cook foods – which means that there were no rice, grains or potatoes in their diet. The diet does, however, make provision for cooking your meat – for the sake of safety (micro-biologically).
As such, the actual calorie content of their food was quite low – which is actually healthy. Some people have raised concerns about the low calorie content – and the debate still goes on about its suitability to the modern human body chemistry as it is known to doctors today.
Compared to our modern day way of eating, it is rather drastic – cutting out most food types we have gotten used to – like bread, cereals, potatoes, pasta, etc. Additionally, man has not started milking animals yet, so dairy products were unknown. Keep in mind that pottery had not been invented yet, so even if they had fire there would not be any way of preparing grains or warming any liquid.
The risky part comes with a lack of calcium…
(although the jury is also still out on the high fat content…)
Since there is no dairy or soy involved in the diet, there is not much to supply decent amounts of calcium as we know it. There are some people who reason that the calcium is only needed to balance the acidic nature of our systems…
But we have to keep in mind that we are living in stressful times – unlike our caveman ancestors – which tends to drain calcium (and some other minerals) from our bodies at an unnatural rate.
So…
Do you dare risk applying ancient habits to modern conditions?
Your choice.
But the Caveman Diet – even if it can be used effectively for weight loss – might simply not be suitable for weight loss considering the demands placed on our bodies by modern day life.

Guest writer: Bushra

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Elements of Successful Weight Loss

Many people fail to acknowledge that there is more to losing weight than simply going on a diet. As such, it is no wonder that around 98% of diets fail – miserably. So what are they missing?
Firstly, most people fail to recognise the fact that being overweight represents a problem. Note – it isn’t the problem, just the result of another problem.
As such, most people simply address the visible problem – the excess weight – and even fail to succeed in doing that, purely because they ignore the other pieces of the puzzle.
Secondly, in most cases, being overweight has underlying psychological causes. In some cases it can be emotional eating, or even a food dependency, and in others it can simply be bad habits. All of these, however, need to be addressed.
Thirdly, consider your lifestyle. If you work yourself into the ground, and then eat a huge meal just before going to sleep, your body will not need the energy right away, and store it for another occasion – as fat. It has been said that you should eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a common man, and supper like a poor man – unless, of course, your working hours are irregular, in which case you will need to adapt.
Next, you will need to look at your medication. There are a number of medications which can interfere with weight loss – and in fact cause you to pick up weight while you are using them. Trying to lose weight while consuming these will simply be counter productive.
Lastly, consider your own likes, dislikes, strengths and weaknesses. If, for instance, you hate vegetables, a diet like the raw food diet would probably end in disaster. If you prefer to eat healthy portions, any “starvation diet” would be disastrous. Know yourself – and adapt to it.

Guest Writer: Bushra

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The Dangers of Indulging in Fad Diets

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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How to Diet – the Grapefruit Diet

The grapefruit diet was not designed to be a long term sustainable eating plan. It was developed to induce rapid weight loss – a concept which is always popular, albeit controversial….
This fad (ok, not quite as bad as some others) diet promotes quick weight loss over a period of eight to ten weeks. Some people doing the Grapefruit Diet have claimed to have lost as much as fifty pounds in these ten weeks – which makes it attractive to people who have plenty of weight to lose. But…
Losing five pounds per week – constantly – is pushing it a bit (from a medical point of view).
However, this eating plan was designed to deliver drastic results from drastic measures. Since it is not a sustainable eating pattern, you will have to change to a healthier, long term eating habit once you have reached your goal weight.
The Grapefruit Diet Plan:
Here is an example of typical meals from the grapefruit diet eating plan – as you can see by the total absence of carbohydrates, it is not really balanced, not even towards the “very low calorie diet” end. This is – to an extent – compensated for by the gaps between cycles (see below), and explains why the diet is not indefinitely sustainable.
For breakfast you would typically consume half a grapefruit or eight ounces of unsweetened grapefruit juice, accompanied by two eggs (however you like) and two slices of bacon.
Lunch would once again contain the same in terms of grapefruit, while you can eat any salad with any dressing, and any meat, in any quantity, as you like it.
Dinner also includes the grapefruit or juice, but here you have a choice of either the salad or a vegetable (green or red), cooked using butter and/or spices, and topped with butter. This is topped off with fish or meat prepared any way you like it. if you wish, you may have one cup of tea or coffee with this meal.
As a late night snack, you may have a glass of tomato juice, or alternatively a glass of skim milk.
The Grapefruit Diet guidelines:

1. As with any weight loss attempt, you are expected to drink at least eight glasses of water per day. However, it is recommended that you only drink one cup of coffee per day, since it can interfere with the weight loss process.

2. The eating plan does not allow for any snacks between meals – but if you follow it correctly, it is very unlikely that you will get hungry in between. Additionally, you are not allowed to eat any bread, sweet potatoes or desserts – no starch or sugar.

3. You may eat as much as you want – as long as it is done in the right ratios. You may, however, not eat less than the specified minimum amounts. If these quantities are too small, simply double or triple the servings of meat, salad or vegetables.

4. You must never alter the quantity of grapefruit or grapefruit juice, since this is critical to the working of the diet. Additionally, you cannot alter the combination of foods, since the fat burning qualities of the diet depend on it.

5. The diet should be followed for twelve days at a time, followed by two days off, after which you can engage in another cycle of twelve days of dieting. Repeat the cycle for about ten weeks.

Guest Writer: Bushra

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What is Your Diet Plan for Weight Loss?

Think about it – what is YOUR diet plan for weight loss? Is it something sensible, or are you chasing the latest fad? Will it really benefit your body, or just mess it up?
Many people thing that “going on a diet” simply means that you eat less, or eat foods containing less substance. As such we have seen fads like the soup diet, the popcorn diet, the grape diet…
STOP RIGHT THERE.
Yes, it is true that, if you want to lose some weight, you will need to consume less energy or Kilojoules. You do need to force your body to dip into its reserves and start burning fat as a source of energy.
However…
There are other nutrients your body needs, too – which it cannot supply from its reserves. It needs vitamins, minerals, fibre, protein, and even some essential fats and oils. If you simply cut your food consumption, you will cut these essential nutrients beyond your body’s minimum requirements.
Doing this will mean that you will be wearing down your system (and your immune system) while trying to lose weight. Your diet might result in shedding a few kilograms, but it is also going to poor brain function, aching joints, impaired functioning of your internal organs, and the possibility of falling ill due to your immune system being weakened.
However…
These problems are not necessarily going to manifest themselves while you are following the diet – but only after your reserves of these specific nutrients have been depleted. As such, you will be at risk until such time as you have been able to recoup the deficiencies – which could, depending on how long you followed your particular diet plan for weight loss, be quite a while.
It’s a risk not worth taking.

Guest writer: Bushra

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The Negative Calorie Diet – Fact or Fiction?

In principle, the negative calorie diet is great. But is it real, or is it just another fad? There are two sides to the story, and you should know both before making your choice…
On the one hand, the concept of “negative calories” is debatable – some experts consider it to be a myth. They believe that there is enough energy contained in any type of food to have some left over after digestion. To add to this argument, a number of the foods included in the negative calorie diet are fruits containing sugar – albeit natural sugars, or fructose…
How can these foods contain less energy than it will take to digest them? It is rather unlikely…
In addition to that, there is the little matter of nutritional value – which demands that your body has to have access to not only minerals and vitamins, but also to some protein, essential fats, etc – none of which seems to be included in the basic form of the eating plan.
But on the other hand…
The concept – even though it does not quite behave as claimed – does have merit. If we keep in mind that you need well over a thousand Calories or kilocalories per day just to perform bodily functions, then cutting down the energy intake to a bare minimum could be advantageous.
Imagine needing, say, 1200 kcal per day, and you only give your body 500…
The rest will come from your reserves – fat.
Theoretically, it is a great way to limit your energy intake, while still being able to feel full after eating. In fact, companies like Weigh-Less(R) use exactly this principle of “almost zero Calorie food” to have you eat a huge plate of food without consuming any more calories than you need to.
However…
Since the basic form of the negative calorie diet is comprised mostly of fruits and vegetables, you will have to add some form of protein, as well as essential fats to it. You have a few choices – but keep in mind that, when considering supplements, natural is better than anything else.
As such, you can – theoretically – use Omega 3 supplements – but eating fish would be better. Additionally, you do need some protein as well – which allows some options including fish, nuts and seeds, and some “light” dairy products.
At the end of the day, it will not be a “negative calorie diet” any more -but it can be a very low calorie diet – completely nutritionally balanced – if you put it together carefully.

Guest writer: Bushra

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How to Diet : 5 Simple Tips

There are so many people out there trying to tell you how to diet, all offering advice, that many people find it hard to know where to start. Here are 5 simple tips to help you get into it:

1. Be sure to stick to a balanced diet. Why After all, there are many “easy” diets out there telling you to simply live off soup, popcorn, grapes, etc…

Well, your body needs a number of different nutrients – besides energy – to carry on with its normal functions. It needs a variety of vitamins, minerals, fibre, protein and even some specific oils and fats. If you simply start eating ONE specific type of food, you will deprive your system of what it needs to function properly, and simply wear your immune system down, while opening yourself up to a multitude of possible medical conditions brought about by deficiencies.

2. Skip the junk food and processed foods. Junk and processed foods were made to taste good – not necessarily to BE good. It is filled with unwanted substances which wreak havoc on your body chemistry – and it’s not just fats.

3. Get more active. No need to kill yourself trying to exercise – but any additional physical activity will help you burn more calories or kilojoules. You can do anything you like – dancing, cycling, hiking – doesn’t matter – as long as you divert those excess calories somewhere.

4. De-stress – it has been proven that stress kicks you into “survival mode”. As such, your body will tend to store up more energy, and consume less, in case it needs it later on. The higher the level of stress, the higher the perceived danger level, and the more fat will be stored. Engage in specific activities to reduce stress that work for you – regardless of what they may be.

5. Don’t overdo it – may people planning how to diet actually over-commit themselves, and then they can’t keep up with what they decided to do. Don’t rush into heavy exercise programmes, or seriously restricted diets – since you will just make it difficult for yourself to stick with the plan.

It is better to take it slowly, and lose a few kilograms or pounds every month, than try to lose a lot, and give up before you had any success at all.

Guest writer: Bushra

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Exercise Is Key When You Talk About Losing Weight

Exercise training increases the consumption of calories and especially stimulates muscle mass, making it firmer.
Increasing the amount of muscle mass and reducing fat, you will get a much healthier body composition, which will also help maintain the ideal weight in the long term. The higher the proportion of fat relative to muscle mass the worse your condition in terms of metabolism will be. The fat cells, they spend little energy to maintain themselves. This tissue is metabolically only a bit active. On the other hand, muscle cells are factories effective on energy production. For this reason, the greater muscle mass you have the less likely chance you have to gain weight because your body is better able to process the calories.
The combination of CLA with physical exercise results in a very effective way of losing weight, reducing fat mass, lean body and getting a steady weight and avoiding increases in the future.
Sometimes there is some confusion in distinguishing exercise of physical activity. It is considered physical activity, any involuntary movement: walking home, move to the car including the simple tap your foot. Exercise is designated with an activity program, such as walking for 45 minutes with a fast pace without stopping, cycling, playing football.
For those who have a busy life with work, family obligations and week-ends filled in, should schedule physical activity in their day-to-day. With some physical activity and with the right diet to lose weight fast, you will learn how to lose weight fast in no time.
Here are some suggestions:
1. Choose a physical activity moderate / intense you can practice for periods of 10 minutes, can be as effective as doing 30 minutes followed;
2. You can combine various exercises, for example walking, on a fast pace for 30 minutes, 2 times a week and do something else other intense two days of the week;
3. “Play” with your plan. Sometimes it may be easier to walk at lunch or it may be easier to walk after dinner. The trick is to plan your week, determine the day, time, duration and type of physical activity.
4. It is not compulsory to join a gym. All you need is comfortable sneakers and a little motivation. The important thing is to have a more active lifestyle and healthy. Remember the 10,000 steps a day; use a pedometer for counting steps.
5. Make exercise a social event or family, grab their children, husband and friends and organize something fun to escape the routine. It is also a way to encourage children from small to practice physical exercise and promote healthy living!

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