When it comes to losing weight regrettably there is no magic wand. The first step you need to take is to think about ways of changing your behavior and developing new healthier habits if you are serious about losing weight and keeping it off in the longer term.
Nowadays there are so many conflicting messages in the media that it’s hard to know where to turn or which diets will work. Over the coming weeks our Dietitian Michelle Butler will review a number of fad diets, including the Baby Food Diet, Dukan Diet, Cabbage Soup Diet among other diets, explaining the benefits and health risks of each diet.
Essentially it boils down to energy balance. If you are unhappy with your current weight it’s unlikely that you reached it over night.
Often people look for a quick fix, but generally this does not produce favorable side-effects or results. Severely restricting food consumption, limits the intake of energy and important nutrients and vitamins that are essential for both health and well-being.
My advice is to STEER CLEAR of diets that:
Guarantee instant results and immediate weight loss
Endorse magical fat-burning foods and drinks (e.g. grapefruit, sliming tea)
Promote the avoidance or severe limitation of a whole food group, such as carbohydrate foods or dairy foods without medical support (and suggest large doses of vitamin and mineral supplements as a replacement)
Recommend eating mainly one type of food (e.g. cabbage soup, baby food diet or eggs)
Recommend eating foods only in particular combinations (protein for 2 days, carbohydrates for 2 days etc)
Make claims that sound unrealistic
If you want to lose weight, then do it in a healthy, enjoyable and sustainable way. In the long term this will achieve the results you are aiming for. Be wary of unqualified practitioners who may be offering unproven techniques for diagnosis and treatment of nutritional problems. Seek the advice of a dietitian who has recognized qualifications and will be able to give you safe, unbiased, evidence-based advice to support you on your weight loss journey.
Watch this space for a serious of reviews on the top Fad diets over the next few weeks. The truth will unfold…
Thanks to Michelle Butler our Clinical Manager, Dietetics, for writing this very useful blog post. Michelle works in our IFSC and Temple Bar clinics.
