By: StacyAtZeel
lemon-water-flickr-citeIf the sound of lemon water and cayenne pepper-all day long, and without room for any other snacks or meals-sounds less than appealing, know that you're not alone. While cleanses, especially during summer, have been at the frontline of the dietary battleground for some time now (made popular by the Beyonce's, the Gwyneth's and other waist-watching A-list celebs), most nutrition experts agree-these pseudo liquid fasts should probably be cleansed from our vocabulary for good.
According to Zeel fitness and weight loss expert Johnny Nasello, "All of these diets have two things in common:"
1. "With these diets you lose 5 to 10 pounds really quickly, and with no additional physical exertion. This is a huge gimmick selling point for these diets. Who doesn't want to lose 5 to 10 pounds really quickly?"
2. "None of these diets provide a blueprint on how you should eat for the rest of your life. Nobody can maintain a restrictive or cleanse diet indefinitely; they are not good-habit forming; and the weight loss and methods of eating are not sustainable."
[Read the rest of Johnny's write-up on nutrition, diets and weight loss here.]
Elizabeth Patton, a clinical dietitian who believes in practical solutions for long-term health, recommends against doing a cleanse as well. "As long as you are healthy, your body is very efficient at filtering out waste products on its own," she says. "Focus on a well-rounded diet composed of mostly healthy foods and include regular exercise. You won't need one!"
