It is incredibly important to be aware of your body and recognize that every person has a different body system so what works for one person could be fatal to another. Rather than searching for the fastest way to shed pounds, shift your focus to creating the healthiest body in the most sustainable way possible. By learning how to recognize a fad diet and understanding the issues behind them, it becomes clear that there are much healthier options that are also practical and sustainable.
Fad diets have four tell-tale components:
- The promise of rapid weight loss
- Requirement of eliminating foods
- Have very rigid rules, and
- Severely restrict calories
While these fad diets have promises of big weight loss with little effort, they don’t recognize the huge downfalls of the diet’s stipulations. An example of food elimination fad diets is those that call for the complete elimination of carbohydrates.
Cutting carbs may contribute to some weight loss but at a huge cost because they are the main energy source for your body! Carbs help keep your nervous system, heart, and kidneys performing. If an individual has diabetes, goes on a diet that cuts out carbs, and puts their body into ketosis, it can result in a life-threatening condition called ketoacidosis.
So why aren’t fad diets sustainable? Fad diets do not promote behavior modification. The human body cannot survive nor function properly based on the operations of fad diets. The way fad diets affect mood and energy levels alone leaves many people unhappy and they end up resorting back to their old eating habits. Which leads them to gain weight and then search out the next fad diet and start the cycle over again.
Extreme restrictions may shed pounds quickly but it won’t keep the weight off because sticking to a fad diet for extended periods of time is nearly impossible. Even though small changes aren’t perceived as having the capability of weight loss, they do! In order for weight loss to be healthy and long term, the focus should be on the reality of losing weight and that is variety, exercise, and a sustainable long-term plan.
There should be no finish line in the quest for a healthy body, the changes must be holistic in the approach to your lifestyle so you can live with the changes forever.
My name is Elizabeth and my goal is to be as much of an asset to my community as possible. I am here to help you understand some concepts in the world of personal health that might be a little fuzzy.
I was born and raised in Central California and then went to the University of Nevada, Reno. I will soon begin my journey as a nursing student so that I can be an even bigger asset to my community and help those in need! Growing up I spent the majority of my days in a pool. I swam and played water polo for 13 years, unfortunately, it all came to an end after bilateral shoulder surgeries. With a limit to my mobility and lots of physical therapy, I turned to nutrition to keep me healthy!
We have all heard that fruits and veggies are important to our health, but why? And what about those extra vitamins and minerals that are always promoted? Well, I am here to offer some guidance! Sometimes it is difficult to know where to begin or even understand what articles are describing. So, my goal will be to make all the scientific studies and processes of WHY we need certain power-foods more accessible and give it to you as a fun and easy read.
It can be easy to feel overwhelmed with everything going on around us and feel like we lack control but one thing we have control over is what we put in our bodies! I’m here to help you make the best decisions for your long-term health and well-being.