Spot a Fad Diet
1:16 PM
Lots of today's popular diets take advantage of our desire to drop
weight quickly. Unfortunately, though, "quick-fix" diets don't work.
Here are 5 clues that a diet may be more about empty promises than real results:
- The diet is based on drastically cutting back
calories. Starvation-type
diets that require the body to fast often promise quick results. But our
bodies simply aren't designed to drop pounds quickly. In fact, doctors say
it's nearly impossible for a healthy, normally active person to lose more
than 2 to 3 pounds per week of actual fat, even on a starvation diet.
Here's the trick that very low-calorie diets rely on: The body's natural reaction to near-starvation is to dump water. So most, if not all, of the weight lost on quick-weight-loss diets is not fat — it's just water. And the body sucks this lost water back up like a sponge once a person starts eating normally again.
- The diet is based on taking special pills,
powders, or herbs. These
are usually just gimmicks — and the only thing they slim down is your
wallet. Many diet pills contain laxatives or diuretics that force a
person's body to eliminate more water. Just like restricted-calorie diets,
the weight lost with these supplements is mostly water, not fat.
Other supplements claim that their ingredients speed up metabolism; suppress appetite; or block the absorption of fat, sugars, or carbohydrates. For most diet supplements, there's no reliable scientific research to back up their claims. And doctors consider diet supplements risky for teens because not much is known about how the ingredients affect the growing body.
- The diet tells you to eat only specific foods or foods in certain combinations. There's no reliable scientific proof that combining certain foods works. And limiting the foods you eat means you might not get all the nutrition you need.
- The diet makes you completely cut out fat, sugar, or carbs. Depriving our bodies of needed food groups is a bad idea (especially when they're still growing). It's better to eat smaller portions in well-rounded meals (meals that contain servings of protein, grains, fruits, and veggies). When your body gets the right balance of nutrition, it's less likely to send you willpower-busting cravings! Eating smaller portions also helps you set good eating habits that will help you keep the weight off.
- The diet requires you to skip meals or replace meals with special drinks or food bars. As with diets that ban certain food groups, skipping or substituting meals can mean you don't get the nutrition needed to support healthy development. Plus, you miss out on the enjoyment of sharing a satisfying meal with friends or family.
Excerpts taken from "5 Ways to Spot a Fad Diet" reviewed by Mary L. Gavin, MD. Read more:http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/dieting/fad_diet_tips.html#cat20131
Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information for teens, parents and educators that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for peak performance.
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