Home
>
Weight Loss
>
Weight Loss Product Warnings -- How to Spot Fat Burning Diets

Weight Loss Product Warnings -- How to Spot Fat Burning Diets

This is the second article in the series, Weight Loss Product Warnings. How to Spot Fat Burning Diets teaches you how to analyze a diet's fat burning potential. The ultimate goal is for you to trust your own judgement and not rely on the words of a face less affiliate website promoting the latest and greatest fat burner.

Why is this important? Because burning fat is the only way to healthy weight loss. Marketers of weight loss products know about burning fat and, as a result, have flooded the net with fat burning advertisements. It is my goal to teach the five easy steps used to analyze a diet's fat burning potential.

Fat Burning Diets...The 5 Step Analysis

1) Check the Rate of Losing Weight

How fast do dieters on this specific diet lose weight? The rate of losing weight should not exceed a maximum of 2 pounds per week. The classic fast weight loss ad is similar to, "Lose X pounds in Y time." Calculate the amount of weight loss per week, given the information in the ad.

Here's an example (a real ad placed in 2003)...

"Lose 10 Pounds and 4 Inches in 10 days!"

At one pound per day, the week's weight loss is 7 pounds. This is way over the 2 pounds per week maximum and simply is not healthy.

2) Check the Reduction in Total Calories

A diet plan that reduces total calories by more than 500 calories per day is promoting unhealthy weight loss. Did you know that cutting out only 250-500 calories, without doing anything else, will lead to a pound per week of weight loss? That's it. No fancy nutritional calendar, no weight loss pills, not even a highly guarded secret is needed. Just drop 250-500 calories from your diet and you will lose fat.

To analyze a diet program for calorie restrictions, look for any statements referring to the total calories you would eat on a typical day. To find this information, you might have to dig a little deeper and research several websites. But you'll find it.

If the diet calls for a reduction greater than 500 calories, it's not healthy weight loss.

3) The Diet's Exercise Plan

Does the diet have an exercise plan? Yes, good. As long as it's not a rapid weight loss diet or promoting extreme calorie restrictions, healthy weight loss is a good bet.

I can not stress enough the importance of a resistance training program as part of your exercise plan. Think muscle. Follow these three simple "muscle" rules when trying to lose weight...

Don't lose it
Tone it
Build it

I only make two guarantees to my dieting patients. One of them you'll hear about soon, the other is this...follow the three simple rules for muscle, and I guarantee you'll lose weight and keep it off! The truth is never a secret.

4) Analyze the Amount of Fat Intake

To lose fat you need to eat fat. But it needs to be the right kind of fat. When analyzing a diet for the types of fat you can eat, look to see if they list healthy fats. For a listing of healthy and harmful fats, check out how to pick a diet and make note of the good fats.

5) The Amount of Protein Intake

An adequate amount of protein must be included with any diet plan. How much protein? Depends. Make sure the diet you're analyzing has at least the normal daily requirement of 1 gram of protein per kilogram of weight per day but no more than 1.5 grams per kilogram per day (up to 2 grams/kg if body building).

Summary of Each Analysis

Fast weight loss (over 2 pounds per week) is a diet failure. Don't start a fast weight loss diet without making the appropriate adjustments.

Severe calorie restriction (greater than 500) is unhealthy weight loss. Go ahead and start the diet if you really like it, just phase in the calorie reduction over 4-6 weeks. Do not drop below 1200 calories per day.

No healthy fats to eat? Fat intake below 20%? Eat more fat while on the diet (the healthy fats!). Keep fat intake around 30%.

No exercise required? Sorry, exercise can not be avoided. Remember my guarantee? Exercise keeps muscle toned.

Not enough protein in the diet? Add it yourself. There are many options, too many to list here. But I will mention protein shakes. The scare in the late 1970's has been resolved and the proteins used today are safe. Try a protein shake.

Try analyzing a diet you're familiar with and see what you conclude. The take home message...healthy weight loss is losing fat and fat only!

To Healthy Living!
Michael A. Smith, MD
how to pick a diet

Dr. Smith is the primary physician and consultant for the Weight Loss Professional Website. His interests include preventative medicine, the genetic etiology of obesity, and several others too numerous to list.

Please visit his Website at how to pick a diet and let him know what you think.

recurring maid service Wilmette ..

In The News:

Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.

New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.

DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.

Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.

Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.

Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.

A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.

South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.

Archer Aviation has acquired Hawthorne Airport for $126M to launch an LA air taxi network ahead of the 2028 Olympics, featuring AI-powered eVTOL operations and next-gen aviation tech.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Fake AI apps disguised as "ChatGPT" and "DALL·E" are flooding app stores with dangerous malware that steals data and monitors users without detection.

Fake buyers demand specific vehicle reports from unknown sites to steal credit card information from car sellers, but warning signs can help identify these scams before paying.

Android users can now manage apps across multiple devices more easily with Google Play Store's updated remote uninstall button in the latest update.

NASA's Perseverance rover discovers shiny metallic rock on Mars that could be a meteorite from an ancient asteroid, containing high levels of iron and nickel.

Holiday scams spike during Black Friday and Cyber Monday as criminals exploit your leaked personal data. Learn how to protect yourself from fake stores and phishing.

Commerce Department proposes TP-Link router ban over Chinese security risks. Learn how this potential prohibition could affect your home network and devices.

Hyundai AutoEver America suffered a data breach affecting 2,000 current and former employees, exposing names, Social Security numbers and driver's license information.

Washington court rules automated license plate reader images are public records, even when stored by vendors like Flock Safety, setting precedent for transparency.

Fake airline texts claiming flight cancellations are targeting travelers with convincing scams. Learn how cybercriminals steal personal data and credit card info.

Discover how iOS 26's new Adaptive Power feature automatically extends iPhone battery life by learning your usage patterns and adjusting performance intelligently.

New TikTok malware campaign tricks users into running PowerShell commands that download Aura Stealer, which steals credentials and authentication tokens.

Gaia Family offers fixed upfront pricing for IVF cycles with unlimited embryo transfers and financial protection, partnering with over 100 U.S. fertility clinics.

The Jetsons Act aims to position Pennsylvania as a leader in advanced air mobility by establishing regulations for hybrid ground-air vehicles.

Fake Geek Squad invoice emails are targeting users with convincing charges and urgent phone numbers to steal personal information and money.

Fox News Digital's artificial intelligence newsletter digs into a robot in Russia that faceplanted, George Clooney's alarm and OpenAI's rivalry with the New York Times.