Some people are aware that they have the will power and determination needed to live a healthy life. Some others, however, believe that they need “quick fixes” or easy ways to achieve the same results in an easier way and in a shorter period of time. They think that the journey to achieving the perfect figure and health can somehow magically be shortened through various means such as fad diets or weight loss pills. The term fad diet refers to diets and eating patterns that promote short-term weight loss with almost no concern for the long-term weight maintenance. Such diets claim to be scientific yet they hold no scientific evidence to support such claims, thus questioning their validity. Fad diets are characterized in three groups where either one particular food or food group is emphasized upon because of its ability to reduce weight, some foods are eliminated because they’re seen as harmful, or some certain foods are exaggerated greatly to express a particular lifestyle. Examples of such diets are Paleo and Atkins diets. Atkins diet allows unlimited protein consumption and fat but little to no carbohydrates. This diet may induce short-term results but in the long-term, it could cause many problems such as strain in the kidneys and double the risk of breast cancer in women. Fad diets may also cause the following symptoms: dehydration, weakness and fatigue, nausea and inadequate vitamin and mineral intake. Other people may resort to appetite suppressants. Those promote weight loss by tricking the body into believing that it’s not hungry by increasing serotonin (the happy hormone). These drugs’ effects tend to wear off after a short time, and also have unpleasant side effects such as increased heart rate, insomnia, drowsiness, headaches, anxiety, sweating, constipation, excessive thirst and increased blood pressure.
So no, there is no shortcut to a healthy life without negative consequences. The way to a healthy lifestyle is through a balanced diet and exercise plan. The keyword in this phrase is balance. Through balancing your intake of food, you can achieve long-term results and be well on your way to healthy living.
Aya Hassan