How to Spot a Dangerous Fad Diet Plan

Although Jane has been dealing with unhealthy weight gain and excess pounds for years, she has abruptly decided to go on a weight loss plan. Like 99.9% of all dieters, her desire to lose weight was triggered by a specific event, or a chain of events. That magic moment may have occurred amid her frustrating shopping excursion when the only items that had fit were labeled triple-x, or when she was invited to a party to meet people she hadn't seen since her thin days, or when her doctor suggested that dropping weight could assist in lowering her bad cholesterol. But make no bones about it, Jane plans to go on a diet and this time, she's going to lose all the weight. And no more of this 'gaining the weight back' business.

Dieter Jane decides that a weight loss plan is in order. To begin with, she has a copy of the drastic diet plan provided by her doctor that is so low in calories, fat grams and flavor that for a moment she rethinks her decision to lose weight. But no - she needs to get the cholesterol in check to cut health risks to her heart. However, this bland diet just won't do!

Dieter Jane desires a healthy weight loss plan that is easy, one that will get rid of the weight quickly. She already plans to incorporate 30 minutes of walking into her daily schedule to speed-up the weight loss results. With this said, here are a few tips that can assist Dieter Jane in choosing a healthy weight loss plan - rather than a fad diet plan that can end up being more dangerous to her health than the current extra weight. A fad diet plan can also leave the dieter weighing more in the end than they did at the beginning of their weight loss plans.

Separating Healthy Weight Loss Plans From Dangerous Fad Diet Plans - How to Spot a Dangerous Fad Diet Plan

1. One Food Diets - Fad Diet Plans may concentrate on one food, such as eating 6 bananas per day or making grapefruit the star of the daily diet. Oddly enough, fruits appear to be the star of these-type Fad Diet Plans more often than not. While fruit - as well as other foods that reside under the roof of the official food pyramid are healthy, they cannot supply the body's nutritional needs on their own. Popular Fad Food Diet Plans may also include the following words: chocolate, grapefruit, popcorn, rice, banana.

2. The Numbers Game - The following is generally associated with trend-type fad diets that promise weight loss: " Walk x-amount of steps per day and you'll lose all the unwanted weight" " take x-amount of spoons of food to lose all the unwanted weight" " exercise x-amount of time per day to lose all the unwanted weight" . These types of fad diet plans can be dangerous to the body and impact health. Weight is governed by the amount of energy (calories) consumed and expended by the body. Let's delve a bit deeper:

Walk x-amount of steps per day to lose all the unwanted weight: Dieter Jim weighs 200 pounds. It takes him 2 1/2 hours to walk five miles. The result? Dieter Jim burns off a tab over 1,200 calories. He consumed the following for breakfast: 1 bagel with cream cheese + 1 cup of chocolate milk (whole) for a total of 800 calories. He consumed the following for lunch: 1 large chef salad with the works and extra salad dressing (because after all, he's going to work all those calories off on his five-mile walk) + sweet tea for a total of 1,000 calories. For dinner, he consumes the following: cheeseburger - fully loaded, fries and a large shake for a total of 2,000 calories. He also enjoys 3 snacks throughout the day: a jelly filled donut for morning break, cupcakes for afternoon break with a large soda and 2 beers and buttered popcorn during his evening relaxation time for a total of 2,000 calories. Total calories consumed for the day equal about 5,800 calories.

Because Dieter Jim is active, his body requires 3,400 calories per day. Now, let's do the calculations: 5,800 consumed calories minus 3,400 required calories equals 2,400 excess calories that will go to Dieter Jim's fat cells unless he burned them off through his daily activity. Let's subtract the 1,200 calories that he burned off during his walk. Oh no! We have an excess of about 1,200 calories that are just sitting there, waiting to be stored in Jim's fat cells. How can this be? All that activity only to gain weight? Unfortunately so.

On the other hand, if Dieter Jim would have made smarter food choices, the weight loss results could be stellar. Trouble is, he can't possibly keep up the 5-mile daily walk with his current schedule. Now....maybe if he were a star.....with plenty of time on his hands....and plenty of money for personal trainers.

Take x-amount bites of food per day to lose all the unwanted weight: Dieter Susie weighs 150 pounds and is on the short-side she lives an inactive lifestyle. Her recommended weight is 113-126 pounds based on her medium-sized frame and her height. She decides to embark on a fad diet plan which recommends taking 30 bites of food per day. Dieter Susie enjoys 10 bites of oatmeal for breakfast for a total calorie count of 200. For lunch, she enjoys 10 bites of a fast food taco salad for 500 calories. For dinner she decides to satisfy her sweet tooth by enjoying a rather famous cheesecake containing 1,500 calories per thin wedge - which happens to translate to 10 perfect bites. Total calories consumed throughout the day equal about 2,200 calories. Her body requires 1,638 calories per day in order to weigh 126 pounds. Needless to say, the Diet Math doesn't add up in Dieter Susie's favor.

3. Counting Fat Grams - The body requires a certain amount of fat in order to thrive. Fat helps pad vital organs, provides luster to our hair and adds health to our largest organ - the skin. Too little and the body takes a downward spiral. Hair loss occurs skin damage appears - and the body doesn't feel perky anymore.

While restricting fats can offer substantial health benefits to the body, eating virtually zero fat isn't an insurance policy against weight gain. If Dieter Bill requires 2,000 calories per day and decides to enjoy only fat-free foods, if he exceeds 2,000 calories the excess will be stored in his fat cells - even if those calories are the gift of a healthy carrot or cucumber.

4. Exercise Your Brains Out - It is virtually impossible for an individual to eat any food they desire, and as much as they desire and expect to burn it off via intensive exercise. In addition, over-exertion of the body can create more health risks than health benefits. So exercise wisely and listen to your body talk. That pain in an over-exercised knee may not be solely due to too much exercise, but a serious ACL injury requiring extensive surgery, 8 months of rehabilitation and much pain in the body and the pocketbook.

5. Counting Carb Grams - Some might argue that carb-reduced daily diets aren't fad diet plans. Many individuals have enjoyed weight loss success using carb-restricted diets. On the other hand, for some dieters - including those individuals with heart conditions and those with diabetes, carb-restricted diets can present major health risks, including death. Initial weight loss generally stems from water loss rather than fat loss and when the dieter returns to their former daily diet, weight gain quickly ensues.

In addition, carb-restricted daily diets tend to be rich in red meat and eggs, an excess of which has been associated with increased heart risks. Therefore, great caution should be taken before considering carb-restricted daily diets - which should also be discussed with the individual's doctor beforehand. In addition, hidden health conditions should be ruled out, as well as pregnancy before a carb-restricted OR any weight reduction plan ensues.

6. Weight Loss Pills & Supplements, including Herbal Health Supplements - Check the labels. If the weight loss product or supplement hasn't been approved by the FDA or your doctor, don't put it into your body. And even then, there is no guarantee that your body won't suffer negative results. More and more, we're seeing drugs recalled due to increased stroke risks, kidney damage, liver damage, heart damage and increased respiratory risks. And what do most of these weight loss pills and supplements accomplish? They may - and we use the word 'may' liberally, assist in reducing the unpleasant feeling of hunger. NONE have the ability to melt, burn or reduce body fat on their own. Weight loss can only be accomplished when the body consumes less energy (calories) or expends more energy (calories) than is required by the body.

7. Fat Cleansing, including Laxatives - The mechanics of the body are efficient and yes, sufficient. Think about it..... How many people do you know who have dropped significant weight and kept if off via cleansing AND who isn't pitching such product for fame or money?

8. Miracle Foods - Super Food Fad Diet Plans - From oil to apple cider vinegar, whatever 'magic daily weight loss potion' is chosen, centralizing the daily diet on one or two miracle foods or super foods won't perform miracles where your good health is concerned, nor will it ensure weight loss results. Great news - because almost all foods in their natural state are super foods!

9. Trendy Weight Loss Plan Names - Have you ever known someone who had a special name whose popularity rose solely to that name? Well, so have many fad diet plans to the tune of millions - from beaches to celebrity fad diet plans.

10. Miracle Diet & Weight Loss Recipes, Diet Bars, Diet Drinks - including diet and weight loss teas - One of the most famous of fad diet plans is the Cabbage Soup Diet. It can also prove deadly. Same applies for weight loss teas which stimulate a laxative effect, as well as other miracle weight loss potions. Know what's in the weight loss potion before even thinking about putting such into your body.

In Summary: Dieter Jane decided to use her doctor's weight loss reduction plan rather than a popular fad diet plan. By simply adding a few spices, grilling rather than frying her meat, opting for lower fat foods as well as less sugarized versions of her favorite foods, and incorporating a healthy dose of daily exercise - she succeeded in dropping all the unwanted weight safely and quickly. And she didn't regain the weight.

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