Say No To These Diets

There are thousands of people out there who are still looking for the ideal diet. Who would want to carry extra weight for the rest of their lives anyway? Sorry to say, many of today’s well-known diets do not deliver their promised results. On that note, we have gathered some useful tips so that you can save yourself from disappointment. There are five signs that you should look out for. Any of these is enough for you to say no.

The first sign that a diet is destined to give minimal results is if it is highly dependent on limiting your calorie intake. We need calories. Cutting back calories leads to a slower metabolism. Your metabolism rate is accustomed to the number of calories you consume. If you usually eat 2,500 calories a day and then suddenly go down to 1,000 calories, your body slows the metabolism so that the calories are preserved. Simply put, if you consume fewer calories, your body will burn fewer calories too.

A lowered calorie intake also results in feelings of deprivation. After a month of a following an almost-calorie free diet, you go back to your normal eating habits with more gusto. In other words, you lose about two to three pounds a week then gain more pounds once you stop the diet. What’s more, starving yourself by staying away from calorie-rich food is unhealthy. The human body is not fashioned to lose weight rapidly.

The second sign to watch out for is if the diet advises you to take pills, herbs, powders, or other forms of supplement that are weightloss miracles. You have seen your share of advertisements claiming that these supplements are guaranteed to help you lose weight. Most diet supplements available in the market say that they block fat absorption or curb appetite. Do not be easily deceived. Yes, advertisements include testimonials and test results but how sure are you that what they’re saying is accurate? Are you willing to spend money on something that lacks dependable scientific study? Buying diet supplements can lead to serious risks as well, especially if you do not take time reading the ingredients. There are ingredients that can be dangerous to the heart and can affect blood pressure. Before you try a diet based on consuming diet supplements, consider the safety issues and your wallet.

The third sign to say no to is a diet if it is limiting your food intake to only one food type. For example, your diet has room for high fat and higher protein intake but no carbohydrates. This defies the idea of a balanced diet. The body needs carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Remove one and you are leaning towards an unhealthy lifestyle. Losing weight may be your goal but the way to do it should not be at the expense of your health.

Another sign that a diet is up to no good is if tells you to skip meals or trade meals for food supplements. This is taking weight loss to the extreme. Skipping meals will not make you lose weight. What you will get is a bad case of gastrointestinal problems.

If skipping meals is bad, substituting meals with food bars or food drinks is not any better. No matter how great a food bar claims to be, it is not enough to replace a meal. You may lose some pounds but it is not advisable if you are talking about a long-term diet. Again it is unhealthy.

The last sign that a diet is not going to help you lose weight is if the principles are so far-fetched. Have your heard of the Amputation Diet? According to the diet plan, you can lose weight if you get rid of some body parts. This takes the cake. Anybody who gives this diet a try is either too gullible or really desperate. Donating a kidney, giving blood, cutting nails, and trimming the hair can result to several things but not weight loss.

You may feel pressured to lose weight over a short period of time but that does not mean you have to take any diet recommended to you. You now know when to say no to a diet but they can only be helpful if you heed them. Otherwise, you will end up with a diet that slims down your savings account and not your body.