Diet Strategies to Avoid

With all of the weight loss information (and misinformation) out there, it’s truly hard to know what is safe and effective and what is potentially dangerous or a scam. Some diets are legitimate and actually help people to lose significant amounts of weight. While trying to find the diet that will work best for your body type and lifestyle, make sure you know which diet strategies to avoid, no matter what!

Diet Pills
The first, and possibly the most tempting, are diet pills. It seems so easy -- you just pop a pill and the weight will begin to drop off. But it actually doesn’t work that way. The reason why diet pills appear to work (at least at the beginning) is that they contain stimulants and/or diuretics. These ingredients provide only short-term benefits. Stimulants can help to decrease your appetite, but after a short period your body will adjust to the stimulants and your appetite will return to normal, even if you are still taking the diet pills. Diuretics cause your body to lose fluids through urination. You may actually weigh less on the scale since your body is holding less water, but in reality, the fat is all still there -- and the water will come back.

In addition, diet pills are potentially very dangerous. Stimulants can cause heart attacks, damage to the internal organs, stroke, seizures, and even death. Diuretics most frequently cause dehydration, and are also known to promote heart problems. These are severe medical conditions that you don’t want to play with. Stay away from diet pills (including herbal formulas); they don’t work and you’re putting yourself at risk!

Skin Patches
Diet skin patches are similar to diet pills. These patches are also similar to nicotine patches in that they release a chemical into your blood. They claim to contain appetite suppressants, but there is no proof that they are effective, and the FDA still considers them dangerous to one’s health.

Electrical Muscle Stimulators
You may have seen infomercials for these; they are little electrodes that you attach to your tummy or thighs. The infomercials claim that the electrical impulse will stimulate your muscles and give you all the effects of an intense workout. Not true! There is no scientific basis for this claim, and by running electricity through your body, you are risking serious medical conditions, electrical shocks, and burns.

Fasting
In other words, starving yourself. It may seem logical but it simply doesn’t work. When you fast, your body goes into “starvation mode” and begins to destroy muscles while continuing to store the fat. That’s the opposite of what you want to happen if you’re trying to slim down. In addition, the large majority of people who fast end up having uncontrollable binges afterwards. If they’ve lost any weight through the fast, they often gain it all back, and then some!

-- Bailey Stoller

Babysteps to Health

Slow and steady wins the race. When you slowly take off the pounds and stick to an exercise program, you are more likely to keep those pounds from coming back. Look at every pound lost as a small victory in the road to health.
Don't set yourself up for failure; set goals that are attainable. Lofty goals are hard to meet and only leave you frustrated.
Make it easier on yourself--use half the cream and sugar in your coffee. Make small changes that add up to a big defecit but don't leave you feeling like your giving up everything you love.
Reward your success--the right way. We'd all like to celebrate that 5 pound milestone with a hunk of chocolate cake, but consider treating yourself in a different way. Why take five steps forward and then two back?
Keep it interesting. Variety is the spice of life; try new things and new foods. If you eat yourself into boredom, you won't be able to stick to a diet or workout routine.
Small changes for big results. Love eggs? Ditch the yolks. Chicken? Lose the skin and try baking or grilling instead of frying. It all adds up over time.
Keep track of activity. Keeping a log or journal of your workouts not only keeps you honest, it allows you to take a look back and see just how far you've come.
If you must eat sweets, eat dark chocolate because it has many health benefits
Stay away from the scale. When your clothes get looser and your measuments shrink should be proof enough that you are on the right track. Numbers on a scale are just overrated.

When is a Fad Diet a Bad Diet?

Time for a reality check: there is no magic bullet, instant cure, or easy way out. Losing weight is not easy, and many fad diets fall easily into the bad diet category. Be wary of any diet or weight-loss program that:

Promises rapid weight loss. Any weight loss of more than 2 pounds per week is too rapid, unsafe, and is unlikely to stay off.
Promises easy weight loss without exercise or that weight loss can be maintained without lifestyle changes.
Uses miracle or magical foods. No food can melt away fat or undo years of overeating and lack of exercise.
It's basis lies in consuming only one (or a limited number) of foods, encourages consuming certain foods in mass quantities, or calls for specific food combinations.
Relies on undocumented case histories. Testimonials and anecdotes mean nothing if there is no scientific data to back up claims.
Promotes unproven or inauthentic weightloss aids such as herbs, supplements, body wraps, pills, cellulite creams, etc.
Sound too good to be true. Most of the time it's because they are.

Splurge vs. Smart: Dining Out Without Breaking Your Diet

High-calorie, fat-laden, large portioned restaurant meals don't have to be a diet breaker. With some careful reading, you too can enjoy a night out without the guilt of a caloric splurge.

When dining American, be wary of words like buttery, fried, pan-fried, crispy, au gratin, creamed, sauteed, and hollandaise. Look for items that are described as steamed, broiled, grilled, roasted and poached to help cut back on calories and fat.

In the mood for a little Italiano? Sauces created from cream or cheese, such as Alfredo sauce, quickly pack in the fat. Go for sauces that are tomato based, and take half home with you--almost all pasta dishes weigh it at well over a serving or two.

Craving some late-night Chinese? Stay clear of batter-coated, breaded, or deep-fried foods and go for the stir-fry. Plain rice is better than fried, and go easy on the sauces; soy sauce and other Asian sauces tend to have high sodium content.