Why It’s Not a Good Idea to Cut Out Entire Food Groups for Weight Loss

Megan Fox appears to have regained her pre-pregnancy shape, as evidenced by the trim physique she’s been sporting on her Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles press tour. That said, we’re not totally on board with the nutritional message she’s been sending about how to drop pounds.

"I cut out all bread and those sort of carbohydrates," Megan recently told E! News. "No crackers, no pretzels, no chips. Nothing unhealthy. I don't have any cheat days." She even compared giving up carbs to giving up smoking and told the hosts of The View, “I don’t eat anything fun.”

Megan’s message in favor of restricting is disconcerting, says Keri Gans, M.S., R.D., author of The Small Change Diet. “I would never tell anyone to eliminate an entire food group, especially carbs,” she says. “These are our body’s fuel. Our brain only functions on glucose, and carbs break down into glucose." Gans says that it's not a good idea to eliminate any food group—carbs or otherwise—since each one has vital nutrients that your body needs.

Gans also cautions against buying into Megan's overall attitude about eating for weight loss. "The mentality that healthy eating shouldn’t be fun is not the right message,” she says. “As a nutritionist, I still eat pizza, cake, burgers—but I also eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats. It’s all about balance.”

In fact, Gans says that these “unhealthy” foods should make their way into your overall diet. “I never use the word ‘deprivation’ with my clients,” she says. “You want to eat healthy the majority of the time—roughly 85 percent—and still leave room for the indulgences like French fries, cake, and pizza. The key is moderation and portion control.”

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