1. Introduction to weight loss
Have you been searching for a way to lose weight? Well, let me ask you this, do you enjoy feeling: nauseous, constipated, dehydrated, fatigued, weak, or emotionally ill? Of course you don't! So why would you even consider purchasing a fad diet? Fad diets are products that supposedly melt your fat away, or help you miraculously lose weight quickly. In short, fad diets are unsafe, ineffective, and do not provide a long term diagnosis for weight loss. People should not use fad diets because they are harmful to one's health.
2. Why are fad diets harmful?
So, let's take a look at why fad diets are harmful. Each year, a new fad diet is released that offers effortless, guaranteed, or magical weight loss. The fad diets begin to enter conversations fluently, and people of all ages rush to the store to pick up the diet that will, surely work this time. Sometimes the diet works, and people do experience weight loss, but the weight you are losing is a combination of water, muscle, nutrients, blood, and other essentials your body needs to live. As described in Understanding Nutrition, here's how Dr. K. Brownell, an obesity expert at Yale University, describes this phenomenon: "When I get calls about the latest diet fad, I imagine a trick birthday cake candle that keeps lighting up and we have to keep blowing it out."
As acknowledged in Understanding Nutrition, new fad diets can keep making the same claims because no one requires them to prove what they say. They do not have to conduct credible research on the benefits or dangers of their diets. They can simply make statements that fall far short of the truth, but sound impressive to uninformed people.
Most fad diets are made up of the same high protein, low carbohydrate diet. High protein diets, such as "The Zone" and the Atkins diet can legitimately claim success in delivering weight loss. "However, are these diets safe and effective, and are the results long lasting?-probably not. First of all, both of these diets encourage those following them to eat very high protein and extremely low carbohydrate diets. According to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, these programs eliminate important nutrients from the daily diet. Even fruits and vegetables are largely off limits because of their high fructose content. In addition to eliminated key foods and food groups, these diets encourage eating patters that differ from what people are used to, so it is unlikely that these eating patters will be maintained after the weight loss has been achieved-and that's all according to Rebecca J. Donatelle, author of Access to Health."
There is a high level of fat that goes un-accounted for in high protein diets. The recommended daily intake of fat ranges from 60 grams to 100 grams of fat, dependent on how active you are. The average high protein diet recommends you scarf down at least 120 grams of fat per day, which is a huge dietary risk for heart disease-as indicated by the eight edition of Understanding Nutrition.
According to CNN's website, people who take the fad diet drug, fen-phen, have a 25-times greater chance of contracting PPH, a deadly lung disease. Also, some people that take fen-phen experience "harmful or possibly deadly reactions while under general anesthesia."
According to DietRiot.com, a number of products, such as Nature's Way, and East Indian Guar Gum, were recalled because they posed serious health risks. The products contained guar gum, which swells in the stomach to provide a feeling of fullness. This swelling has caused blockages in the throat and stomach, and in some cases death.
3. ** How to Achieve Weight Loss **
But if we should avoid fad diets because they are harmful to our health, how can we lose weight effectively? The most effective and safest way to lose weight is by obtaining a healthy diet and exercise plan. A healthy diet can be achieved by eating enough food from each food group. You don't have to abide by an extremely strict diet plan to lose weight; you just need to tap into each food group. You should eat plenty of fruits, beans, whole-grains, nuts, and vegetables every day. Try eating fish, canola oil, peanut oil, dairy products, and poultry every day, or at least 3-4 times per week. Eat eggs, meats, and sweets in very small quantities. You should eat when you're hungry, and only when you're hungry. Remember, eat to live; don't live to eat--according to Access to Health.
Personally, after a long day at work, I enjoy the satisfying taste of a shake. My shakes consist of one whole banana, frozen strawberries, frozen blueberries, frozen raspberries or pineapple, non-fat vanilla yogurt, and 1 cup of skim milk-all mixed inside a blender. Eating healthy doesn't have to be a chore, it should be enjoyable.
In addition to obtaining a healthy diet, you should develop an exercise plan. To obtain the greatest results, you should work out 3-4 times per week. It is best to work out every other day, to let your muscles recover. Try lifting weights for at least 30 minutes, and then do some cardiovascular activity for at least 30 minutes. Remember, these are minimums, for increased results, increase your workout. Personally, I lift weights for 1 hr 30 min per day, 3 days per week, and exercise my heart 3 days per week by doing some kind of cardiovascular activity, such as walking, rowing, running, or racquetball, for at least 40 minutes.
Keeping yourself healthy is certainly a great start, but, is there something else that can be done, something at a national, state, or community level? Influencing people at the national level for example, would be very effective. The government should require hard evidence that proves a certain diet is safe and successful before it hits the market.
Secondly, can something be done at the state level to promote good health? Certainly…some states have already taken that step, and are requiring students to take nutrition and/or health classes. In addition to educating children about good health, other means need to be taken. The L.A. Unified School District, for example, has decided to eliminate junk food and other high-fat and calorie drinks from its menus. Other schools are trying to replace vending machines filled with pop and candy with nutritious vending machines, offering healthy foods. This is all according to the Clark Chronicle online newspaper archive.
Lastly, promoting a healthy lifestyle as a community can certainly be beneficial. Boycotts can be directed towards fast food restaurants in a community, with the exception of Subway. Businesses can offer health magazines in their waiting rooms. Organizations in a community can avoid any unhealthy means of advertising, like smoking, drinking, fast food, and fad diets.
4. Visualize the results of implementing a healthy lifestyle
Think to yourself for a moment, how great you would feel at your ideal weight. Imagine looking at a mirror, and being satisfied with what you look like-being satisfied with life, and how you live it. There's not a better feeling in the world than being satisfied with yourself.
5. Take specific action
Now, there are many things you can do to improve your health, without the "help" of fad diets. According to the July 14, 2000 issue of USA Today Weekend, (written in Access to Health) J. Thornton establishes that there are many ways to achieve, and maintain weight loss. For example, eating breakfast allows you to burn up to 200 more calories per day than non-breakfast eaters. This is because breakfast eaters awake with a "souped up" metabolism for the rest of the day. Eat wet foods, such as apples and oranges. Water content within foods plays a critical role in weight control. Eat more mono-unsaturated fats, such as canola oil, peanut oil, and nuts. Eating nuts can satisfy your appetite and prevent overeating.
You may not believe it, but repeated mini-movements, fidgeting, may play a tremendous role in weight control. Try walking around while on the phone or while brushing your teeth, every little bit counts--all according to R. Donatelle's Access to Health.
By eating healthy, you not only benefit yourself, but you benefit the people around you by setting a good example. If you're not satisfied with the food/snacks offered at your work, let your boss or manager know about it. If you'd rather not verbalize with them, write the company you work for a letter.
Finally, don't be tempted by the inviting advertisements that describe weight loss products or programs as being easy, guaranteed, or breakthrough. Read between the lines and remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it is (according to Access to Health).
-Fitness Guru, Douglas Hull
Sources:
Clark Chronicle. "GUSD Looking into Removing Junk Food." 22 Oct. 2002 [last update].
[http://www.clarkchronicle.com/Archives_Vol.05/issue1/news_junkfood.html]. 23 Nov.
2002.
CNN. "Diet Drug Combo may cause Problems during Surgery." 4 Nov. 1996 [last update].
[http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9611/04/fen-phen.surgery/index.html]. 22 Nov. 2002.
CNN. "Fad Diet Drug may be Deadly." 18 Dec. 1996 [last update].
[http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9612/18/fenphen/]. 22 Nov. 2002.
Donatelle, J. Rebecca. Access to Health: seventh edition. San Francisco, CA: Pearson
Education Inc., 2002.
Rolfes, R. Sharon and Whitney, N. Eleanor. Understanding Nutrition: eighth edition. Belmont,
CA: Wadsworth, 1999.
