3 Reasons To Avoid Fad Diets
There is an abundance of silly, fad diets that are gaining traction at the moment with fat loss as the main goal
All the usual suspects...meal replacement shakes, keto, fasting etc
Pushing for the limelight claiming to be the best or having specific health benefits over others
So here are 3 reasons why you should avoid fad diets when you want to lose body fat
1. They don't work (long term)
In a study published in 2019 that looked at 29 long term diets, 50% of the weight lost was regained in 2 years.
For us, the main reason for this is that most diets aren't sustainable.
Keto as an example is an extreme diet that cuts out carbs to just 10% of the total diet and the majority of food comes from fats (55-60%) with the rest protein.
Can you see yourself doing keto in a year's time?
No potatoes
No rice
No pasta
No oats
No cookies
No bread
No...you get the idea
For the majority of people - it's no. So why do it in the first place?
This is where we must look long term with diet.
2. You sacrifice aspects of your social life
Say your friends or family want to go out for a meal
Someone who just manages their calories can eat whatever they like but stay within their calories
Whereas someone who is on a low carb will struggle to eat a normal meal
You may also want to have a few drinks and you don't want to be the only one turning it down?
Focussing solely on calories allows you to be flexible with what food you eat as long as you stay within your calorie target
Allowing you to go out socially without the guilt and awkward conversation
3. Some remove key aspects of a healthy, balanced diet
Let's take meal replacements as an example
For us, nothing compares to eating real food
Nothing will give you as good as a whole, nutritious diet filled with veg, fruits and lean protein diet
Using keto again as an example, carbs are our body's preferred source of energy
Cutting them out can reduce your energy and take away key vitamins and minerals that carbs have.
Every food group that makes up our diet plays a role
Fats if reduced too much can take away important nutrients for hormone regulation and energy levels
What we recommend is a balanced approach.
Where no food group is taken away. We focus on overall calories and protein intake.
80% of your food should be 'healthy' food fruits, veggies, lean meats, starchy carbs
20% should be enjoying food. Some junk food for example.
So we get a balance and don't restrict ourselves too much.
We have seen great, long term success with this way of eating with our clients maintaining their weight loss 2, 3 and 4 years on...
You can be the same!
If you would like to start your own fitness journey with us, fill out a form on our homepage to arrange a free consultation.
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