The Dangers of Diet Fads


Being overweight or obese is not just frustrating, it can also be embarrassing and leave a person with low-self esteem. Even if it's common belief that the best method for weight loss is eating healthy and exercising, some people just can't resist the temptation of using claimed rapid body fat loss methods like diet fads. However, these diet fads can pose serious health risks.

While losing weight can be better for an overweight person, diet fads often produce more health problems than obesity. Some are yo-yo diets, where you gain the weight back as soon as you stop the diet; some severely restrict one's intake of calories and vital nutrients, and others proclaim the superiority of one particular food group.

Identifying diet fads is not as difficult as it seems. Watch out for diets that severely restrict or advocate one food group. Claims of rapid body fat loss are clear warning signs of a diet fad which will also rapidly just return one's weight before the diet. Be suspicious of programs that rely on "chemical reactions" to produce weight loss or boost the metabolism.

"Banning" certain food groups is one of the biggest mistakes people make when dieting. Restricting specific food groups will only lead to cravings and subsequent binges, causing weight gain instead of weight loss. There are actually no "good" or "bad" foods, just good and bad eating habits. Healthy dieting should be about altering those poor eating habits to not only lose weight but to keep it off permanently.

Most diet fads are not nutritionally sound, and majority of them have one major flaw. They allow to eat only one type of food, depriving the body of important vitamins and minerals that are vital to overall health. Diet fads can produce rapid weight loss, normally water weight, but the weight seldom stays off long-term.

Many of these diet fads' side effect is that the improper nutrition can result in a potential loss of muscle density. Diet fads can cause a 3-6% loss of muscle along with any body fat loss. When the weight is regained, more fat and less muscle is replaced, which results in less overall muscle protein. The lesser muscle in the body, the fewer calories are needed to maintain it. This means that overtime, one will be able to eat less and less without gaining even more weight.

High-protein or low-carb diet is supported by very little scientific evidence and result in greater water weight loss than body fat loss. A diet high in animal protein is loaded with cholesterol and saturated fat, putting people at an increased risk for heart disease. A high-protein diet can also lead to enlarged kidneys and renal failure. High-protein diets are also very low in carbohydrates that the body goes into ketosis, burning muscle for energy. This reduces hunger, but is neither safe nor healthy.

Instead of risking one's health by trying out diet fads, it's best to seek professional assistance through personal training and following a healthy diet. A personal trainer can not only help in weight loss, but can also help in muscle gain.
To know more about effective body fat or weight loss, muscle gain, personal training, or personal trainer in London, visit Shaping Change now!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Weston_Moores

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