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There are no quick fixes to weight loss
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Lose 10 pounds in ten days! Heard this claim before? In the quest to lose weight fast, thousands of consumers fall prey to this false sense of hope. Among adults over age 20, over two-thirds of them are considered overweight or obese. Nearly 46% of women and 33% of men have attempted to lose weight. The solution does not come easy.
With so many “fad diets” out there to offer quick solutions, it can be head spinning to actually find something that works. The quick fixes offer a fast, almost effortless way to drop unwanted pounds. The Master Cleanse, for example, claims an individual can lose up to 20 pounds in 10 days. Or the various “Hollywood Juice Fasts” which claims a loss of up to 10 pounds in two days by simply drinking nothing but their juice all day. When the low-carb craze was at it’s high, many people were content with eating as much chicken, steak, hamburgers, hot dogs and cheese as they wanted, as long as it was not served with bread.
Here’s a few questions to ask when evaluating popular diets:
*How does the diet cut calories? For the diet to work, calories consumed need to be less than calories expended. It takes a 3,500-calorie deficit to lose one pound of fat.
*Is it healthy? A healthy diet promotes a variety of foods and exercise to improve overall health, including reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity.
*What is the nutrient density of the diet? The best diets advocate at least nine servings daily of fruits and vegetables. Fiber-containing whole grains and calcium-rich, low-fat dairy products should also be encouraged. If the diet relies primarily on supplements to ensure adequate vitamins and minerals, it probably is not the healthiest choice.
*Does the diet advocate exercise? Nutrition is only one component in making a long-term lifestyle change. Exercise moderately accelerates weight loss by increasing calorie deficit and is essential in keeping the weight off.
*Does it make sense? To sell books and win over dieters who have “tried everything,” diet plans tend to make unbelievable claims. From promises to lose 8 to 13 pounds in the first two weeks of a diet to promotion of magic supplements, diets are marketed as easy and effective that they may seem irresistible, at least at first.
*Is it individualized to your specific needs? Lots of these popular diets support the same plan for all people regardless of other individual factors. Things such as age, existing health issues, cultural differences and current levels of fitness needs to be assessed by a fitness professional to determine an individual plan that works for each person.
*How much does it cost? Even if it can be afforded, most of these popular diets can get pretty expensive when there are specific foods to buy. Once the specific products are not used or the supplements can not be afforded, success in the weight loss plan may not be effective. For example, Weight Watchers is a great plan, long as you can afford to continue attending the meetings.
*What kind of social support does it offer? Social support is key to successful weight loss. If a diet plan requires an individual to eat different food other than that of the rest f the family, he or she probably won’t be successful on the diet. Of the individual’s family is not supportive, they may struggle to adhere to the lifestyle change.
*How easy is it to adhere to the diet? Long-term adherence to a program (i.e., lifestyle change) is the most important factor for lifelong weight-loss success. From Atkins, to South Beach to Zone and cleanses, these types of “diets” are difficult to adhere to for the long-term.
So what is an effective way to lose weight? The answer: weight loss at a slow and steady rate (1 to 2 pounds a week), learning the proper way to eat through nutritious whole foods, portion control and incorporating physical activity into your life every day. Simple, small changes made every day will help a person stick with their weight loss efforts.
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