5 Of The Biggest Weight Loss Myths Busted December 2014 | Page 7
Myth 5:
A Fad Diet will help me shed some unwanted kilos quickly, then I can maintain my new, lighter
weight easily.
‘Fad Diets’ are diet plans that promise quick weight loss without much of a scientific or proven basis.
These diets often encourage you to avoid entire food groups or strictly limit your calorie intake and
are usually difficult to maintain.
While these diets do usually result in fast weight loss, this weight loss tends to be unrelated to your
body fat – the majority of weight lost is water and lean muscle. If you are not eating the right
balance of nutrients and strictly limiting your calorie intake, the body prefers to breakdown muscle
to meet its energy requirements rather than breaking down fat as the metabolic process for muscle
breakdown is easier for the body!
The breakdown of lean muscle mass actually contributes to a slowing down of the metabolism so
when you stop following the diet, it tends to be easier to gain body fat than previously – which is
why people usually regain all the lost weight (and then some!) after following these diets.
As well as this, fad diets often do not provide an appropriate range of important nutrients due to
either encouraging very little intake or recommending the avoidance of entire food groups. If
followed for a long period of time, this can result in nutritional deficiencies, constipation and other
complications such as osteoporosis.
The key is to implement a balanced and moderate approach to your diet rather than a short-term fix
that bans favourite foods, only permits a limited number of foods or is too low in calories.
Key Action Areas
An overall healthy lifestyle is the best weight loss diet plan. This includes regular exercise and a
healthy, balanced diet that you can easily stick with in the long-term.
Some tips for a healthy lifestyle rather than a ‘Fad Diet’ include:
Avoid skipping meals
Drink plenty of water every day
Avoid having treat foods every day, but enjoy them in moderatio n
Think of ways you can incorporate more natural activity into every day
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