What would you be willing to do to achieve your desired weight? Many companies are hoping you’d do just about anything, or at least believe anything. How else to explain the abundance of diets that promise you’ll shed pounds overnight without so much as lifting a finger?
“If a diet program sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” said Dr. Jenna Anding of Texas Cooperative Extension’s Foods and Nutrition Unit. “Successful weight management requires you to reduce calorie intake and increase your physical activity. Choose an eating plan that has the right amount of calories for your needs, and be sure you include plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables in your diet. Remember, all foods can fit. The key is to exercise moderation and portion control.”
To help you make an informed decision when it comes to weight management, Anding takes a look at some of the more common “miracle diets” and separates diet fad from nutritional fact.
Fad: Diets that promote fat-burning foods.
Fact: No food has been shown to melt away body fat.
The fact remains that if you eat more than your body needs, your body
uses the excess energy to make fat.
Fad: Diets that promise rapid weight loss (except for
medically supervised weight-loss programs).
Fact: Most of the weight you lose at the beginning of
these diets is water. If you are losing more than two pounds per week
after that, the chances are good that some of that weight is muscle.
Losing muscle lowers your body’s metabolism and will likely lead
to weight gain once you stop the diet.
Fad: Diets that claim you can lose weight without exercising.
Fact: Successful weight management requires a nutritious
diet and physical activity. To prevent weight gain in adulthood, you
need 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise on most days of the
week. This is in addition to a diet that contains only the number of
calories you need.
Fad: Diets that include large amounts of a specific food.
Fact: Not only are these diets boring, but they often
lack one or more important nutrients. In addition, following these diets
may lead to some unpleasant side effects, such as bloating and intestinal
gas.
Fad: Diets that use the results of a single study to
prove their success.
Fact: One study is not enough to determine the effectiveness
of a weight-loss diet.
Fad: Diets that promote strict menus and specific times
to eat.
Fact: Such diets don’t take into account people’s
varying taste preferences, and they are usually so strict that they are
too difficult to follow for an extended length of time. This can result
in disappointment when the person doesn’t lose weight or maintain
the weight loss.
Fad: Diets that include excessive dietary supplements.
Fact: Most likely, the only weight you will lose here
is in your wallet. Vitamin or mineral supplements are usually not needed
unless one is eating fewer than 1,200-1,500 calories a day. If you are
following a diet that is very low in calories, you should be under the
care of a registered dietitian or physician to make sure you getting
the nutrients you need.
Fad: Diets that include large amounts of a specific food.
Fact: Not only are these diets boring, but they often
lack one or more important nutrients.
Fad: Diets that label foods as “good” or “bad.”
Fact: Healthful eating for successful weight management
means all foods can fit on the plate. Forbidding specific
foods or food groups (such as carbohydrates) is unhealthy, unrealistic
and may lead to bingeing or cheating.
Fad: Diets that do not include a warning for you to check
with your doctor if you have a chronic disease, such as diabetes or hypertension.
Fact: According to the American Heart Association, some
fad diets can raise blood pressure or blood sugar even if they result
in weight loss. Diets that are high in fat may lead to heart disease
and cancer. In addition, high protein diets can strain the kidneys or
liver in persons with kidney or liver disease. Children, teens, pregnant
women and adults 65 years and older should not try to lose weight unless
they are under the care of a physician.
This information is provided as a service by Texas Cooperative Extension. If you have questions or would like more information, talk to your physician or registered dietician.
H.E.A.D.s Up is a monthly column that features articles on a wide array of Health, Exercise And Diet issues. Information for these articles is provided by health and wellness professionals from throughout the A&M System. If you have questions or story ideas for this column, email Ruth McMullan.