It is very tempting to try that fad diet that you have found in the latest magazine, it promises the world with fantastic fat losses without doing a thing, just take a couple of fat burning pills follow the diet and then bang! a brand new you in a couple of weeks.
The sad fact is they don't work, they just provide more suffering in your efforts to lose weight, the only thing you lose is your hard earned money.
Firstly we will look at the latest fad diets on the scene at the moment, their pros and cons and then you will be shown how to save your time, money and unnecessary suffering by pointing you in the right direction for permanent weight loss.
The latest studies show that 90 per cent of fad dieters regained everything they had lost and even gained more within eighteen months.
The Atkins Diet.
The body burns carbohydrates and then fat for energy. This diet recommends limiting the intake of starchy, high carb foods so that the fat is burned first. So by eating meat, cheese and eggs and keeping bread and potatoes to a minimum, fat is lost.
Pros: Steak with cheese topping, Chocolate mocha ice cream and pork scratchings.
Cons: Studies show high protein diets lead to increased risk of heart disease, colon cancer, bad breath (halitosis) and constipation. Consuming more carbohydrate that can be used by the body will store this excess in fat cells.
The Zone Diet.
This diet claims to decrease hunger and boost energy by keeping your bodies eating habits in the zone or at its peak. This is done by keeping all your meals and snacks in the ratio of 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, 30% fats.
Pros: Being a low calorie diet, you can't help but lose weight.
Cons: Very difficult to adhere to the strict regime the diet requires. Will experience metabolism slow down because of low calories and will lead to starvation response which will eat away at the muscle tissue while retaining the fat.
The Blood Group Diet.
By having a blood test and determining your blood group, this then tells you how you can absorb nutrients, thus you can plan your diet accordingly. Different blood groups can eat different food groups.
Pros: Another calorie restricting diet so weight will be lost.
Cons: There appears to be little clinical and scientific evidence behind this diet and by the elimination of whole food groups important nutritional deficiencies are likely with long term health problems encountered.
The Ashram Diet.
This diet is basically a very low calorie diet (near starvation) which is coupled with a very high intensity exercise regime. A sample of this diet would include: One boiled egg for breakfast, a green salad for lunch and a baked potato with salsa for dinner.
Pros: A very quick weight loss, 10 - 15 lbs in a week (Mostly muscle tissue and water).
Cons: Fast weight loss leads to many unpleasant side effects such as bad breath, bone loss, constipation, deprivation of nutrients (vitamins and minerals), muscle loss, metabolism slow down, headaches and poor sleep. Who would want all these problems for the sake of quick weight loss which would be all put back on and more in a couple of months.
The Hay Diet.
The main rule to follow for this diet is to not eat protein and carbohydrate together. Combination of these two foods together appears to prevent protein from being digested in the gut and can lead to an accumulation of toxins. Vegetables and fruit form the bulk of the diet with very small portions of protein and carbs.
Pros: Plenty of fruit and veggies in the diet means plenty of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Cons: There doesn't appear to be too much scientific evidence about food combinations and by limiting yourself to certain food groups you will miss out on important nutrients.
All these diets work because of a drastic cut in calories, when this happens our metabolic rate can be brought down in a matter of 36hours by as much as 50% which means your body is now burning only half of your calories. To compound matters further, hunger kicks in after a period of inadequate eating setting you up for over eating and binging.
Everyone is an individual so have to be careful of diets that require you to set out what types of foods and quantities you have to eat at every meal. Just because a movie star lost weight on a fad diet doesn't mean that you will. Before starting a weight loss program take into account your age, fitness levels, activity levels and medical history.
A real weight loss program includes all the food groups, strength training, low level aerobics, a slight decrease in your daily calorie levels and a program that can be followed for life.
Gary Matthews is a fitness trainer from "down under" who has been coaching clients from athletes to bodybuilders for two decades. You may contact Gary directly at gary@maximumfitness.com and visit his website at
shuttle to Midway Beardstown .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareNLP Setting an Anchor Process to Get Back Motivation for... Read More
Don't get discouraged. I, too, have found myself in this... Read More
Phentermine, like many other prescription drugs, works with chemicals called... Read More
Speculating on the scientifically proven memory unreliability, the memory specialist... Read More
Low carb (carbohydrate), high protein diets are the latest ... Read More
Sometime, during the phase of rapid weight loss after gastric... Read More
At the University of Illinois, a new research found that... Read More
You may have read the old stories about how much... Read More
Everybody you know is on the latest weight loss bandwagon:... Read More
Chances are if you've stepped foot in a gym or... Read More
Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) is often viewed as a quick... Read More
With all of the conflicting studies and fuzzy interpretation of... Read More
Dieting Dilemma No 1: When Life Gets in the WayThat... Read More
Every day, it seems, a new study pertaining to weight... Read More
One of the hardest aspects of getting yourself into shape,... Read More
It seems everyone is looking for that magic bullet -... Read More
Your health is affected not only by how much body... Read More
Are you one of the 90 million Americans who are... Read More
Addicted to Restaurants Are you addicted to restaurants? So are... Read More
Please feel free to comment, to provide good information and... Read More
No doubt about it, when we feel stressed we want... Read More
You have noticed your obese friend suddenly slimmer. You want... Read More
"I've put on 40 pounds in one year!" "It doesn't... Read More
This article is about making long-term changes in the foods... Read More
Fasting, when done properly, can be a basic part of... Read More
Green Bay Hummer H2 SUV rentals ..Research from Harvard, recently published in the highly respected peer-reviewed... Read More
I don't know about you, but I absolutely love bread... Read More
If you're serious about losing weight and getting fit, you... Read More
You need to reset your weight-o-stat. No matter how much... Read More
Here are a few free tips on losing weight that... Read More
Losing weight doesn't have to be boring when you focus... Read More
If you're serious about losing weight and getting fit, you... Read More
Doctor, Why Can't I Loose Weight and by the... Read More
Low Carb diets have become as popular as apple pie... Read More
Telling yourself you have to "struggle with this weight issue... Read More
The diary is an essential help in reaching your weight... Read More
Which diet is the best? ALL of them and NONE... Read More
While low-fat dieters and non-dieters may want to avoid chicken... Read More
As of the writing of this article, May 16, 2005,... Read More
Once upon a time, I fretted about going to a... Read More
Your brain has this really interesting system that is kind... Read More
Welcome to bodybuilding weightloss exercise tips!This is the engine room... Read More
It's the travel time, meaning hours spent sedentary. It prepares... Read More
Sometime, during the phase of rapid weight loss after gastric... Read More
Want an after dinner snack? Jealously watching your family consume... Read More
This article is about making long-term changes in the foods... Read More
Zero Calorie Diet Sodas: Good Or Bad For Weight Loss?Calorie-free... Read More
Everyone who has ever tried to lose weight has hit... Read More
Green Tea Also Has Anticancer PropertiesGreen tea, which has been... Read More
Every day, it seems, a new study pertaining to weight... Read More
Weight Loss |