How to Avoid Fad Diets
By Sara Butler
Being healthy is important, and a large part of being healthy is maintaining a healthy weight. In pursuit of this, people are tempted to try out fad diets that make a lot of promises about getting results. In reality, many of these diets can’t deliver and won’t deliver in the long term, and some may actually be damaging to your body! How can you avoid these diets? Well, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Here are a few of the claims fad diets make that should be a red flag for you to stay away from them!
Rapid Weight Loss
Dramatic weight changes that happen quickly are not healthy nor are they sustainable. If you’re looking to reach a healthy weight, then you need to channel a turtle because slow and steady is always going to win that race.
If you’re working on reaching a healthier weight, then you should aim to lose about one pound per week. If you lose more than that you risk losing bone, water and muscle instead of fat. Losing any faster can also increase the likelihood you will gain the weight back.
Strict Limitations and Quantities
The thing about eating is you need to do it in order to live, so any diet that has massive restrictions or limitations is not a diet you can sustain for the rest of your life. Be on the lookout for plans that allow unlimited quantities of certain foods such as cabbage. You should also be on the lookout for diets that restrict entire food groups such as carbohydrates. You need things from every major food group to fuel your body appropriately.
No Exercise Required
Regular exercise is the cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle. You need it to stay healthy and to help stay at a healthy weight. You should aim to get at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. Any diet plan that tells you exercise isn’t required to get results isn’t a plan that is healthy for you to follow, nor is it the right way to achieve overall fitness for your health.
At the end of the day, the only formula that will truly help you to live healthily and maintain a healthy weight is an appropriate balance of smart eating and movement. You can see a registered dietician or speak with your chiropractor to develop a personalized plan that will work for you, but building muscle to maintain a healthy weight is always going to be a winner!