Why Fad Diets Fail - Plus 3 Bonus Tips to Avoid Them!
I freaking hate the word "diet."
It is beyond a four letter word. In my book it's right next to the "C" word, which is considered the ultimate in nasty words. But to me "diet" is even worse.
As kids we used to say "Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me." The "C" word is a "word." "Diet" is an action, something one does, and yes, it can hurt you! From negatively affecting cardiovascular and heart health to developing an unhealthy relationship with food to potentially developing eating disorders such as bulimia, orthorexia, anorexia or an innate fear of bacon (OK that one might be reaching a bit), dieting is terrible!
Related: The Ultimate Diet for Muscle and Strength
In this article, I will tell you why fad diets FAIL and also what to do to never say that word again and instead use my favorite word in the English language (next to boobies and bunz) - LIFESTYLE!
This absolutely sucks. So who is to blame?
I am all for being accountable for oneself. It is your fault that you aren't healthy or in shape. But the problem is, who do we listen to?
Go to a Barnes and Noble bookstore. Shelves upon shelves filled with books. Grapefruit Diet, Low Carb Diet, Blood Type Diet. Heck, every damn housewife in the suburbs I live in thinks they are freaking gluten intolerant when the reality is, according to CeliacCentral.com, only 1% of Americans are Celiac. But because some dopey book salesman in a lab coat said that gluten is the cause of your health problems and junk in the trunk, you now have it.
And good luck sticking to a diet when you cannot eat a delicious sandwich anymore or real cake, not that 400 pound gluten-free excuse for a cake. I mean REAL CAKE. Yeah, gluten terrorists, I want to slap you with a dead fish. So when you deprive yourself and lose weight by doing something that cannot be sustained as a lifestyle is a short term plan for long-term failure.
So we know why fad diets fail now and why not to follow them. So what should we do to lose weight and keep it off? What should we do to look sexy now and also five years from now? Who should we listen to?
Well, firstly, listen to me, because I am always right. Secondly, let's look at how to avoid fad dieting.
Dieting takes control, not deprivation.
If you like pasta, don't go on a low carb diet. If you like steak, don't go on a diet that doesn't allow red meat. If you like blondes, move to Norway.
By eliminating things you like, you are setting yourself up for failure. You don't plan you fail.. you fail to NOT listen to idiots.
Pick a diet that relies on the diabetic exchange (I will list a few below) so you can get your food groups and estimate on portions without blowing the entire thing. On the contrary, if you eat at home a lot and like fitting fun foods into your diet, choose a flexible diet like this article explains.
Vegetarians might eat a burger because they crave it, but if they believe in the lifestyle and the ethical reasoning for it, they get right back on and are still vegetarians.
I will say the word again..."LIFESTYLE"!
It is beyond a four letter word. In my book it's right next to the "C" word, which is considered the ultimate in nasty words. But to me "diet" is even worse.
As kids we used to say "Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me." The "C" word is a "word." "Diet" is an action, something one does, and yes, it can hurt you! From negatively affecting cardiovascular and heart health to developing an unhealthy relationship with food to potentially developing eating disorders such as bulimia, orthorexia, anorexia or an innate fear of bacon (OK that one might be reaching a bit), dieting is terrible!
Related: The Ultimate Diet for Muscle and Strength
In this article, I will tell you why fad diets FAIL and also what to do to never say that word again and instead use my favorite word in the English language (next to boobies and bunz) - LIFESTYLE!
Tiger Fitness CEO Marc Lobliner rants about the gluten-free diet.
Why Fad Diets Fail
In the December 13th online edition of the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, researchers found that not only was the weight regained back after a diet mostly fat and not lean mass, but their diabetic and cardiovascular risk factors went back to baseline (before the fat loss) and even higher in some cases! And the really crappy take home from this to me is that in any diet program, most people regain all of the weight PLUS extra weight within five years!This absolutely sucks. So who is to blame?
I am all for being accountable for oneself. It is your fault that you aren't healthy or in shape. But the problem is, who do we listen to?
Go to a Barnes and Noble bookstore. Shelves upon shelves filled with books. Grapefruit Diet, Low Carb Diet, Blood Type Diet. Heck, every damn housewife in the suburbs I live in thinks they are freaking gluten intolerant when the reality is, according to CeliacCentral.com, only 1% of Americans are Celiac. But because some dopey book salesman in a lab coat said that gluten is the cause of your health problems and junk in the trunk, you now have it.
And good luck sticking to a diet when you cannot eat a delicious sandwich anymore or real cake, not that 400 pound gluten-free excuse for a cake. I mean REAL CAKE. Yeah, gluten terrorists, I want to slap you with a dead fish. So when you deprive yourself and lose weight by doing something that cannot be sustained as a lifestyle is a short term plan for long-term failure.
So we know why fad diets fail now and why not to follow them. So what should we do to lose weight and keep it off? What should we do to look sexy now and also five years from now? Who should we listen to?
Well, firstly, listen to me, because I am always right. Secondly, let's look at how to avoid fad dieting.
3 Tips to Avoid a Fad Diet
#1 - Do not deprive yourself, ever
Dieting takes control, not deprivation.If you like pasta, don't go on a low carb diet. If you like steak, don't go on a diet that doesn't allow red meat. If you like blondes, move to Norway.
By eliminating things you like, you are setting yourself up for failure. You don't plan you fail.. you fail to NOT listen to idiots.
#2 - Long term adherence
Pick a lifestyle (formerly known as "diet") that compliments your preferred lifestyle. If you go out to dinner a lot or travel, don't rely on a diet that requires you to weigh all of your food on a food scale... because carrying a food scale into a restaurant or a date is hella lame.Pick a diet that relies on the diabetic exchange (I will list a few below) so you can get your food groups and estimate on portions without blowing the entire thing. On the contrary, if you eat at home a lot and like fitting fun foods into your diet, choose a flexible diet like this article explains.
#3 - If you fall off the program, don't give up!
To have a healthy lifestyle, you will encounter setbacks like weddings and gatherings. don't let one mess up kill the entire thing.Vegetarians might eat a burger because they crave it, but if they believe in the lifestyle and the ethical reasoning for it, they get right back on and are still vegetarians.
I will say the word again..."LIFESTYLE"!
Example of A Good Diet to Follow
This diet utilizes the diabetic exchange and make counting calories effortless and also allows for you to have a little bit of fun!- A diet for everyone: The Fat Loss Factor
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