Can't Lose Weight?

Posts Tagged ‘Fad Diets’

Copyright (c) 2009 Stephen Lau
Nowadays, everybody wants to lose weight. Weight loss has become a fad and fancy. You see so many credible testimonials, and so many before-and-after pictures of individuals who have ultimately achieved their goals in weight loss.
Are they for real? Are they “real” people who have “real” results in weight loss? You just wonder. Well, to give them the benefit of the doubt, they may be real, but they are few and far in between. In the real world, unfortunately, there are millions who have fallen victims in the battle of the bulge. Not only are they frustrated in their futile attempts to lose weight, but they are also much worse off than they were when they began the process of weight loss.
Indeed, to lose weight is frustrating and futile. Seeing others’ success and witnessing your own miserable failure is a devastating experience.
The problem of weight loss may look complex, but it is simple in reality. Your ancestors did not have a problem with losing weight. However, the problem may look complex nowadays because it has become insurmountable. Indeed, weight loss is difficult and almost impossible to many. As such, there are myriads of approaches to the problem of losing weight, resulting in an array of programs purported to solve this seemingly-insolvable complex problem of contemporary society.
In spite of medical advancement, man has yet to come up with a pill that can eradicate all weight problems. But we are getting very close to that: medical science has enabled us to do almost anything with our body system, such as stopping food cravings, eliminating excess fat, changing body metabolism, and decreasing appetite. To date, it has not come up with something that will guarantee weight loss permanently.
On the market there are innumerable programs telling you to eat less or not at all (fasting), to cut calories, to consume more or less fat, to exercise vigorously, to use food combination, such as protein and carbohydrate, among others. To name a few, you have the Atkins, the South Beach, the Weight Watchers, and even Cabbage Soup, Peanut Butter, and Ice Cream diets. The consumer is at a loss as to what to do with their weight problems. Some decide to give up totally, ignoring their weight problems, and continue with their current lifestyles and eating habits, while others pursue these programs diligently. Unfortunately, they all end up with more or less the same result: ultimate weight gain.
So, what is the problem with weight loss?
The problem is that we all want a “quick fix” to the problem of weight gain and weight loss. Worse, we want it right away. You could have a Botox injection a few hours before you go to a social occasion, and you would look gorgeous. But you may have difficulty in losing your extra pounds and fitting yourself into the dress you wish to wear on a special occasion, such as a wedding, a few months down the road.
The problem with all these fad diets and gimmicks of eating is that they only address the symptoms and not the causes. Most of them promote weight loss through loss of water from the body, while the body fat remains. So, once you resume “normal” eating, you are back to square one – at an unhealthy weight.
The problem with most dieting is that it targets only the physical side of eating.
But weight loss involves more than the physical body: the mental, the intellectual, the emotional, and the spiritual aspects of the self have to be taken into consideration. Weight loss is not just about your body: it is all about YOU – a unique individual. How eating affects the mind, the emotions, the thinking, and the attitudes to living may vary in different individuals. And that explains why some come out triumphant in the struggle against weight problems, while others emerge totally frustrated and disappointed.

Are you serious about weight loss? This article describes weight loss myths and explains the truth about dieting.
Weight Loss Myth #1: Fat loss will come naturally if you follow a low carbohydrate diet.
Truth: The truth is that low carbohydrate fad diets are not effective for long-term weight loss. Cutting back on all carbs helps you lose weight initially and will even help you reach your weight loss goal, but the chances that you maintain the weight loss are slim. Restrictive diets are mentally challenging. What happens is the first time you give in to carbohydrate cravings you want more and try to make up for the time you deprived yourself of them. Furthermore, studies show that the brain needs carbohydrates for proper functioning.
Weight Loss Myth #2: Diet pills are the easy way to lose weight.
Truth: Some diet pills are dangerous to your health. Over-the-counter weight loss products aren’t fully tested or FDA approved. Whether it’s a water pill, a fat blocker or a metabolism enhancer, diet pills pose a health risk and have been known to cause illness and even death. Even diet pills that are approved by the FDA are risky. Products are often pulled from shelves after research show unhealthy side effects. Diet pills may help you lose weight fast; they do not provide lasting weight loss.
Weight Loss Myth #3: The top 10 fad diets are based the latest technology and information for weight loss, making them ideal to lose weight fast.
Truth: Many top 10 fad diets are just worthless weight loss products. They are scams to fool people into making the purchase. They exist only to make money off of unsuspecting overweight individuals. A top 10 fad diet may be based on a portion of a recent study that makes sense from a dieter’s perspective, but they rarely offer the big picture. Just because a book has been published on a particular weight loss topic does not make it the best weight loss plan.
Weight Loss Myth #4: Low-fat diets expedite fat loss. Eating low-fat and fat free foods is a simple plan and healthy way to lose weight.
Truth: Low-fat diets actually slow your metabolism, making it more difficult to lose weight and maintain your weight loss. Low-fat diets also leave you feeling hungry and deprived. The body needs a certain amount of healthy fats for normal functioning. Fat also helps you feel full longer. Switching to fat-free and low-fat products alone will not help you reach your weight loss goals.
Weight Loss Myth #5: Supplements are a safe method for accelerating weight loss.
Truth: Supplements advertise their natural ingredients that aid weight loss. The truth is that 97% of weight loss supplements are completely worthless. Supplements are not regulated and while they may boast all natural ingredients, that doesn’t mean they are healthy for your body.
Avoid Fad diets and Lose Weight the Healthy Way
These myths bring up the questions of why people are encouraged to buy weight loss products that don’t work. Companies that sell top 10 fad diets and run weight loss scams are simply capitalizing on a billion-dollar industry. Obviously, these companies don’t want overweight people to know the truth about healthy, simple plans that work. That would cost them sales.
The healthy way to lose weight is to avoid top 10 fad diets and weight loss scams. The best kept diet plan secrets are simply this: knowing what healthy organic and whole foods to eat and when, regular exercise and having the right mindset. This simple plan is the key to obtaining and maintaining a healthy weight.