The Pros and Cons of Fad Dieting

It is very tempting to try that fad diet that you have found in
the latest magazine that promises the world with fantastic fat
losses without doing a thing. Just take a couple of fat burning
pills follow the diet and then bang! A brand new you in a couple
of weeks.

The sad fact is they do not work, they just provide more
suffering in your efforts to lose weight, the only thing you
lose is your hard earned money.

Firstly we will look at the latest fad diets on the scene at the
moment, their pros and cons and then you will be shown how to
save your time, money and unnecessary suffering by pointing you
in the right direction for permanent weight loss.

The latest studies show that 90 per cent of fad dieters regained
everything they had lost and even gained more within eighteen
months.

The Atkins Diet.

The body burns carbohydrates and then fat for energy. This diet
recommends limiting the intake of starchy, high carb foods so
that the fat is burned first. So by eating meat, cheese and eggs
and keeping bread and potatoes to a minimum, fat is lost.

Pros: Steak with cheese topping, Chocolate mocha ice cream and
pork scratchings.

Cons: Studies show high protein diets lead to increased risk of
heart disease, colon cancer, bad breath (halitosis) and
constipation. Consuming more carbohydrate that can be used by
the body will store this excess in fat cells.

The Zone Diet.

This diet claims to decrease hunger and boost energy by keeping
your bodies eating habits in the zone or at its peak. This is
done by keeping all your meals and snacks in the ratio of 40%
carbohydrates, 30% protein, 30% fats.

Pros: Being a low calorie diet, you can’t help but lose weight.

Cons: Very difficult to adhere to the strict regime the diet
requires. Will experience metabolism slow down because of low
calories and will lead to starvation response which will eat
away at the muscle tissue while retaining the fat.

The Blood Group Diet.

By having a blood test and determining your blood group, this
then tells you how you can absorb nutrients, thus you can plan
your diet accordingly. Different blood groups can eat different
food groups.

Pros: Another calorie restricting diet so weight will be lost.

Cons: There appears to be little clinical and scientific
evidence behind this diet and by the elimination of whole food
groups important nutritional deficiencies are likely with long
term health problems encountered.

The Ashram Diet.

This diet is basically a very low calorie diet (near starvation)
which is coupled with a very high intensity exercise regime. A
sample of this diet would include: One boiled egg for breakfast,
a green salad for lunch and a baked potato with salsa for dinner.

Pros: A very quick weight loss, 10 – 15 lbs in a week (Mostly
muscle tissue and water).

Cons: Fast weight loss leads to many unpleasant side effects
such as bad breath, bone loss, constipation, deprivation of
nutrients (vitamins and minerals), muscle loss, metabolism slow
down, headaches and poor sleep. Who would want all these
problems for the sake of quick weight loss where the weight will
eventually be put back on and more in a couple of months?

The Hay Diet.

The main rule to follow for this diet is to not eat protein and
carbohydrates together. Combination of these two foods together
appears to prevent protein from being digested in the gut and
can lead to an accumulation of toxins. Vegetables and fruit form
the bulk of the diet with very small portions of protein and
carbs.

Pros: Plenty of fruit and veggies in the diet means plenty of
vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Cons: There doesn’t appear to be too much scientific evidence
about food combinations and by limiting yourself to certain food
groups you will miss out on important nutrients.

All these diets work because of a drastic cut in calories, when
this happens our metabolic rate can be brought down in a matter
of 36 hours by as much as 50% which means your body is now
burning only half of your calories. To compound matters further,
hunger kicks in after a period of inadequate eating setting you
up for over eating and binging.

Everyone is an individual so you have to be careful of diets
that require you to set out what types of foods and quantities
you have to eat at every meal. Just because a movie star lost
weight on a fad diet doesn’t mean that you will. Before starting
a weight loss program take into account your age, fitness
levels, activity levels and medical history.

A real weight loss program includes all the food groups,
strength training, low level aerobics, a slight decrease in your
daily calorie levels and a program that can be followed for
life.

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