Have you ever witnessed diet schemes that promise to make you lose 10 kg in a month? This may sound appealing, but losing such a great number in such a short period will have a terrible impact on your health and emotions.
Plenty of diet regimens on social media and internet platforms promise a quick solution for losing those excess pounds, but the problem is that these remedies are temporary solutions with long-term negative impacts. Such “quick fix” diets are known as Fad Diets.
If these diets are so bad, then, why do they still exist?
It is simply because people get hooked upon such diets easily without knowing the true meaning of health and fitness. Dr. Archana Batra, a Dietician, and a Certified Diabetes Educator explains how to spot a fad diet?
Extremely strict food guides
Some plans may advise you to eliminate all carbohydrates from your diet and rely solely on high-protein diets, or they will offer a magic drink or wonder food that will help you lose weight overnight. Cutting out foods strong in fibre and other nutrients will make you lose weight, but the risk of damaging your digestive, muscular, and skeletal health increases.
Increased cravings
Following these rigorous diets, increases your cravings. Our bodies rely on carbohydrates and fats for certain metabolic activities, and when these are low, your body constantly sends messages to your brain expressing its need. So, when we entirely restrict carbohydrates and fats, the body responds by releasing certain hormones that boost cravings for those macronutrients.
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More gain than before
Fad diets are excessively low-carb diets that deprive your body of the nourishment, vitamins, and minerals it requires to function. After a few weeks of restricting yourself of essential nutrients, you will probably binge-eat all those calories back, causing additional weight gain and damage to your body.
Frustrates our mood
Carbohydrates and certain fatty foods produce serotonin. Serotonin, known to regulate your mood and emotions, is termed the feel-good hormone. You feel dissatisfied because your carbohydrate consumption is nearly zero on fad diets, which influences your mental health.
Not pocket-friendly
Not only do such diets harm your body and mind, but they also drain your bank account. Fad diets encourage specific foods or commodities that are not readily available in your area and cost more than conventional food items. Secondly, they urge the consumption of some branded juices or supplements that are highly overrated. Furthermore, the benefits claimed by those supplements can be obtained from fruits, vegetables, spices, and other readily available ingredients.
No-exercise required
Diet fads never emphasize the importance of regular exercise or any type of workout. They directly assure weight loss without requiring you to exercise a single day.
Goal is only weight loss
The sole purpose of a diet plan should not be weight loss. A healthy diet program is supposed to include long-term improvements that we can stick to. The primary goal is to change your unhealthy eating patterns and build a healthy connection with food. In the case of fad diets solely targeting weight loss, the resolution is just temporary.
A diet that includes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lentils, legumes, pulses, healthy fats, dairy, and spices, as well as room for your favourite sweets, is way more sustainable than the overpromising fad diets. Thus, a balanced nutritious diet and consistent aerobic activity for at least 30 minutes a day could be the start of your healthy journey. You can also consult a licensed dietician or nutritionist for expert advice on sustainable diet plans.
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