I've fallen for fad diets in the past, but it wasn't until about two years ago that I finally realized they were just that - fads. They've been around for decades, and they won't be going away anytime soon, but it's about time women stopped falling for them. Sure, some forms of dieting can help you drop unwanted pounds or even help you get back on track with eating, but if you think you'll get that dream body you've always wanted, because you heard a celebrity drank that lemon-maple syrup-cayenne pepper water and you want to drink it too, think again. Here are three reasons why you should give up on fad dieting:
It's just not realistic - If you eat nothing but grapefruit or lettuce leaves, of course, you will lose weight! Unfortunately, weight loss won't come in the form of fat loss, but rather muscle and water loss. Not only that, but are you really going to eat grapefruit and lettuce for the rest of your life? The minute you incorporate regular food back into the diet, you'll experience a gain, so don't make drastic cuts to your lifestyle. It's not sustainable for long periods of time.
It slows the metabolism - You've heard that people with a fast metabolism burn the food they eat, but if you don't eat, you are causing your body to go into starvation mode, and your metabolism will come to a screeching halt. Again, if you don't eat very much, you are going to lose pounds, but it will be muscle and water. You won't look or feel any better. Now, think about when you bring food back into your diet and combine it with a slow metabolism. Sounds like a recipe for weight gain to me!
They aren't true - If you think the miracle weight loss pill you see on a late night infomercial is all that stands in the way of you and your amazing body, you're mistaken. According to the Mayo Clinic, many over-the-counter pills aren't monitored under the same guidelines as prescription drugs, meaning they can be sold to you with a limited amount of safety. That's just not worth the risk, and if they worked, obesity wouldn't be an epidemic like it is now.
After my share of fad diets, weight loss pills and unrealistic expectations, I decided the only way I was going to look the way I wanted was to do it the old fashion way: diet and exercise. Lifestyle changes are the best, and most effective, ways at looking and feeling great.
Good reasons for limiting soda consumption
