Various weight loss diets are popping up everywhere as obesity rates continue to rise worldwide. Though all of these diets offer similar promises, only a select few can deliver long-lasting results by targeting the various causes of obesity.
After all, multiple factors contribute to obesity, and our article on hormonal obesity emphasizes that overeating is just one of its leading causes. Unfortunately, most weight loss diets focus on restricting people’s food intake and ignore other important factors that lead to obesity, like hormones. These food restrictions can be extreme, which is why some of these diets do more harm than good for people who want to get healthier.
So if you want to learn which diets are good and bad for you, here’s what you need to know about fad diets:
Uncovering the Truth Behind Fad Diets
Many people fall for fad diets because they promise quick weight loss. Most of these fad diets can deliver these quick results—but in exchange, you’ll have to compromise your health.
To illustrate, one of the most popular diets is the Atkins Diet, which recommends people increase their protein consumption and lower their carbohydrate intake. A high-protein and low-carb diet can be effective in inducing weight loss. However, the Atkins Diet’s extreme carbohydrate restrictions can cause headaches, fatigue, and weakness because you limit your body’s energy source.
Furthermore, a study on fad diets revealed that low-calorie detox diets and juice cleanses also harmful because they provide much lower nutrients than the minimum daily requirement. Though the lack of nutrients can lead to weight loss, these detox diet products can raise your body’s stress hormone levels and increase your appetite, leading to binge eating and weight gain. Aside from that, the study also warns that no authorities regulate these products so these products may contain toxic ingredients.
Given that the Atkins Diet and detox juice cleanses have extreme restrictions, grapefruit diets may seem like a healthier weight-loss alternative. However, most people need to learn that you have to follow a restrictive eating plan for this diet and eat a grapefruit before all three meals for a week or more. While grapefruit is a nutritious food, the diet prohibits you from other fruits, whole grains, and other important food that can support your health. Most of all, the diet is based on a false assumption because people lose weight due to the diet’s nutrient restrictions and not due to the grapefruits alone.
Elements of a Healthy and Effective Diet
Fad diets are everywhere. So if you want to lose weight without risking your health, here are the green diet flags you have to look out for:
Lacks restrictions that can harm your health
If there’s one thing that fad diets have in common, it’s their restrictive rules regarding certain foods or food groups. Unfortunately, having too much or too little of these foods can cause nutritional imbalances or deficiencies in your body in the long run.
To illustrate, the Atkins diet will restrict your carbohydrate intake to 20 grams for two weeks, even if the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that you eat at least 130 grams of carbohydrates at a minimum. While excess carbohydrate intake can lead to unhealthy weight gain, you still need to meet your daily carbohydrate requirements to get enough energy throughout the day. As such, experts recommend eating a balanced diet to get all the nutrients you need, even while losing weight.
Designed by nutritionists and science experts
Restrictions are unnecessary because there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to weight loss. As such, the generic instructions of fad diets can be ineffective and even unhealthy because they don’t take important factors like gender into account.
In contrast, the science-based weight loss plans for men on WeightWatchers provide a custom list of healthy foods suitable for each man’s health goals and preferences. Thanks to the intervention of nutritionists, men can enjoy food that they typically like, such as burgers or grilled food, without worrying about the meals’ impact on their weight. These nutritionists can also develop programs that target men’s health problems, making the program more beneficial for people trying to lose weight.
Tailored to your specific health needs
There are plenty of reasons why people want to lose weight. As previously mentioned, some may even face gender health concerns that can contribute to obesity, so it’s crucial to look for a diet tailored to your specific health needs.
To point up, the leptin diet can be advantageous for women struggling with weight and fertility issues due to the leptin hormone. A woman with unhealthy leptin levels is likely to have irregular menstrual cycles and poor control over their food intake, which is why it’s recommended for them to observe proper dietary practices. These Leptin Diet rules include healthy habits like avoiding caloric beverages, avoiding snacks and fast food, and eating three meals per day.
You don’t have to stop eating certain foods to lose weight. The key here is to balance your meals and work with a health expert to lose weight healthily and sustainably.