COUNTERPRODUCTIVE DIETS

Crash Diets- they are all over the place...LOSE 10 LBS IN 2 WEEKS!!!  Eating nothing but tuna in water or cabbage each day may slash your calories and lose weight, short-term.  The body is a marvelous biological machine...it fights off colds, adapts to external factors like caffeine or pain killers, and even darkens the skin for advanced sun protection (to a certain extent).  Point is that the body is always reacting for survival.  The average human needs about 2000 calories daily for steady weight and health.  By significantly reducing calories, the body goes into survival mode, thinking its a very bad winter, famine, etc., and starts conserving more calories.  So after the diet is over, the weight returns quickly, sometimes even more than when you started because the body continues to conserve calories.  More importantly, by conserving calories, the body starts slowing down many important body systems like the immune system, leading to more attacks by viruses and bacteria and worse illnesses. 


Skipping Breakfast- it may seem like a good idea, but in reality its not.  Breakfast in the most important meal because after hours of sleeping and without food, you are generally low on blood sugar.  Blood sugar is essential for brain function...and when it is low, you are often cranky and tired.  Also, no breakfast leads to unplanned office junk snacking and large lunches.  The brain consumes about 420 calories daily, which is about 60% of glucose utilization by the whole body during resting state.  It cannot use fatty-acids like most of the body can during times of low-glucose and starvation.  The brain lacks fuel stores and hence requires a continuous supply of glucose, whereas muscle contains large amounts of stored glycogen.  The best choice is having a breakfast low in fat, high in protein, and fiber.  Fiber and protein help slow digestion and reduces hunger longer.  Many studies support that people who eat breakfast every morning are more likely to maintain a healthy weight.

No Snacking- The portions of meals in the U.S. have become dramatically too large. Guess where all those extra calories go if taken all at once...FAT!!!  The calories are used much more efficiently if divided 5-6 times a day.  People who eat several small meals and snacks a day are more likely to control hunger and lose weight. Snacking helps keep your metabolism in high gear, especially if the snacks are protein-rich. Nuts are a good, high-protein choice, and research suggests people who snack on nuts tend to be slimmer than those who don't.

Low-Fat is not low calories- Low-fat foods are generally loaded with simple sugars, which are easily turned into fat.  Also, you generally need to eat more if your diet is loaded with simple sugars, compared to complex sugars and healthy proteins, because simple sugars are digested very quickly and you need more to feel full. 

Liquid Calories- Many overlook the calories in their soft-drinks, lattes, and alcoholic drinks (sometimes exceeding 500 calories).

No Diary- Many cannot remember the last time they had milk.  But research suggests the body burns more fat when it gets enough calcium and produces more fat when it's calcium-deprived.  Supplements do not show the same results, so real diary products are needed.  Stick with skim milk, low-fat cheese, and non-fat yogurt.  Yogurt adds extract benefit because it helps replace essential bacteria in the digestive tract needed to absorb vitamins and minerals.  Calcium and Vit D are essential in preventing osteoporosis in older adults.

Let’s face it, there are no quick schemes in life.  If there were, we would all be rich, thin, happy, and relaxed.  The best way to keep the weight off is to find a diet that you can stick to and is realistic.