We all have that moment after the holidays or the countless binge-eating sessions at home, when we think to ourselves it’s that time of the year to get fit and lose some weight. But how we do it matters too. Fad diets usually focus on quick weight loss rather than a long term lifestyle and fitness regime. They typically promise an exact amount of weight loss over a specific time period, promote magic foods, negate body chemistry or type and exclude multiple food groups. Below are three things to be wary of when thinking of what diet to go on.
1. Too restrictive and may involve cutting out essential nutrients
A balanced diet involves consuming protein, fat, carbohydrates and sugar. Fad diets may eliminate one or more of these food groups, depriving your body of essential minerals and vitamins. Your body needs the proper energy to get through your day to day activities. Such energy can only be derived from eating carbohydrates, protein which helps cell growth and regeneration as well as fat for nutrient absorption and hormone production. Potential side effects may include fatigue, nausea, dehydration and headaches.
2. They are not long term solutions and may have negative effects on your mental and physical health
Diets like these are usually highly restrictive and we’ve all experienced what it is like to be hangry (hungry + angry). The lack of nutrients means you will feel more sluggish and have no energy to socialise or experience brain fog where you won’t be mentally at your best. Physically, you might feel weaker and be a lot more prone to injury when you do try to exercise.
3. Causing Weight Gain
A constant fluctuation in weight causes incremental weight gains and higher chances of binge eating after being denied multiple food groups for so long. Some research has also shown that fad diets can contribute to visceral fat amassing around your internal organs. Also, the initial weight loss from fad diets could be from water weight and maintaining an extreme diet over time can force your body into survival mode and slow down metabolism: clinging to every ounce of fat for energy. Physiologically, the body will stop converting the food you consume into energy as quickly as before the fad diet, resulting in you gaining weight at a much faster rate.
Thus, losing weight should always be done the proper way by eating and sleeping healthy, followed by regular exercise to ensure that your output is more than your input. Your goal should also be for health reasons rather than aesthetic purposes. Ultimately, this will be a challenge that takes a lot of discipline to accomplish but never be too harsh on yourself. Lifestyle changes are made slowly but surely and just be body positive no matter what.