There are many ways to lose weight quickly—but few that actually promote long-term weight control. Perhaps even more troubling, many so-called “fad diets” or quick weight loss programs can actually do far more harm than good.
Here are some of the most popular “fad diet” concepts—and why you should avoid them.
* Low-Carbohydrate Diets. Popularized by Dr. Robert Atkins in the 1970s—and resurrected in the 1990s—the low carb/high protein diet can help you lose weight, but can also have a host of nasty side-effects that includes constipation, dehydration, free-radical cell damage and even kidney disease. Worst of all, when you train your body to burn protein instead of carbohydrates for energy, it becomes very difficult to go back, so any breads, pastas, starches, etc. you do eat are likely to go straight to your hips or stomach.
* Food Group Elimination Diets. Any diet that forces you to eliminate a specific food group like starches, fruits, vegetables, dairy, meats, etc., is by definition denying you the nutrition these foods provide. With all due respect to vegetarians, most people need food from all the main groups to achieve maximum health and vitality. The key is not elimination, but moderation.
* One-Food Diets. Diets that get you to lose weight by asking you stick to just one type of food are even worse than the food group elimination programs. Yes, you’ll probably lose some weight through sheer boredom, but you’ll never get the nutrients your body needs (even if you take dietary supplements). Also, these are not diets you can stick with for the rest of your life, so chances are, your weight will come roaring back—and perhaps then some—as soon as you return to your regular eating patterns.
* Packaged Food Diets. There are some well-known diet programs that promote weight loss through the sale of pre-packaged calorie-restricted meals. Unless you plan to eat (and buy) these often-expensive meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the rest of your life, it’s likely any weight loss they provide will disappear once you go back to eating in the “real world.”
* Colon Cleanses. One of the newest fads—actually one that’s been lurking in the shadows for decades—is one that promotes purging the colon of fecal material that’s stuck to the intestine walls like paste or spackle through the introduction of a harsh laxative. First, any legitimate doctor will tell you that fecal material does not stick to intestinal walls. Second, colon cleanses may result in a quick but temporary weight loss, but they can also lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalances and even the perforation of the intestinal walls, which can be very dangerous.
So how can you lose weight quickly and safely? You can’t. Healthy weight loss takes time. It takes discipline. And it takes common sense. Reduce portions. Minimize sugary foods and drinks. Bake and broil instead of frying. Exercise. Yeah, it’s boring. But it works. And best of all, it’s a plan you can live with.
