Avoid Fad Diet Pitfalls
Like many members, one of your motivations for joining Cape Carteret Aquatic & Wellness was probably to lose weight. You also understand that exercise and a healthy diet are both crucial to achieve this. Unfortunately, people sometimes become so desperate to shed the unwanted pounds that they fall for a fad diet such as HCG or detox. They promise to help you lose weight faster than you could by just eating sensibly. It can be tempting to go this route when you’re overweight or obese, but here are five reasons why you shouldn’t:
1. Extreme calorie deprivation makes you fatigued more easily, which in turn deprives you of the energy you need to exercise regularly. People who are constantly hungry, thirsty, or tired can quickly give in to the urge to overeat or eat poor quality food just to get some energy. Most nutrition experts recommend eating four to six small meals each day at regular intervals to lose weight and maintain your energy level.
2. Rapid weight loss typically consists of water weight, despite what the promoters of fad diets might say. Your body drops the weight it holds onto to prevent dehydration when you subject it to a fad diet. This can result in serious and long-term health consequences. Instead of taking such drastic actions, aim to trim 500 calories from your diet each day. You will see slow, steady results when you combine that with regular exercise at our gym.
3. Fad diets often exclude entire food groups or sources of nutrition. Despite taking the blame for weight gain, everyone needs carbohydrates and fats. The key is to eat them in moderation. Vegetables are an excellent dietary choice because they’re rich in fiber, water, and antioxidants yet low in calories.
4. While their promoters claim otherwise, fad diets actually slow your metabolism. This is because extreme calorie deprivation causes your body to conserve energy by holding onto fat and slowing down your metabolism. A better alternative is to focus on consuming foods rich in nutrients for every meal and snack.
5. Following a fad diet is simply not a sustainable way to lose weight. You may drop the weight quickly, but you will put it back on just as quickly when you resume regular eating patterns. Unfortunately, this pattern of yo-yo dieting increases the risk of cardiovascular problems and premature death.
We hope this convinces you to lose weight the right way by making healthy food choices, reducing calories, and increasing activity. Please let us know how we can assist you on your journey.