Five Reasons Most Diets Just Don't Cut It

Have you had problems getting on a diet and sticking with it? Have you ever wondered why it's so hard to lose that weight?

David Seddon of the Daily Post in Liverpool, England, has. Moreover, he thinks he's figured out the solution: Diets don't work. Period. For a litany of reasons, your seemingly terrific, results-guaranteed plan isn't going to cut it. The columnist has come up with a list of reasons that your methods aren't working, and even more reasons why you should give up dieting altogether.

1. Diets Don't Work. We've already been over this, but here's the skinny (no pun intended): they're too specific. The problem with most diets is that they instruct you on what to eat and how much, but don't take into account people's individual preferences. On top of that, they throw such dramatic alterations at you that they're nearly impossible to follow.

Weight loss, as well as long-term health and wellness, are supposed to last a lifetime. Not fade away after a couple of weeks. Simply put, most diets aren't conducive to this goal.

2. Diets are Unhealthy. It defeats the purpose, but is nonetheless true. A diet is not necessarily unhealthy, but some of the more popular ones, such as low carb diets, urge people to cut out important components. In doing so they are actually doing you more harm than good.

Scientists and nutritionists love to confuse us with conflicting studies about whether low carb diet plans are safe, but you don't need to be an expert to know that the body needs carbohydrates -- as well as protein and fat -- to stay healthy.

3. Diets are Ridiculous. Come on. Fad diets, such as the Cabbage Diet or Hollywood Diet, employ semi-starvation methods to encourage weight loss, which is a terrible thing for your body. By restricting one or more food groups, a diet is adversely impacting your health, not promoting anything even remotely positive. Any such plan should top your list of diets to avoid.

4. Diets Make You Feel Like a Failure. Many diets are so restrictive and complicated that as hard as you try, you're almost guaranteed to fail. It helps to understand that tackling everything overnight and changing your eating habits at the drop of a hat is not going to work.

In fact, quite the opposite is true. You're pretty much sure to fail if that's the approach your diet calls for, and it's not because you're a loser. It's not because you blew it. Make small changes. Take your time with it. That's how weight loss works. It's like any bad habit.

5. Diets Require Tons of Work. Most people, with jobs and families to worry about, don't have time for the meticulous shopping and incessant calorie tracking that many diets require. If a diet calls for all kinds of things you don't have time for, do you think you'll be able to follow it? If so, for how long?

Not long. But all is not lost. Ditch that diet. Instead, you can make little adjustments that will carry you a lot farther. You can shed some serious pounds without counting calories simply by choosing lower calorie options (say, an apple instead of a candy bar). Also, make a little more time each week to be active. You'll be amazed how far that goes.

THE BOTTOM LINE: With a little exercise and some minor alternations to your eating habits, you could be able to accomplish a lot more than with all the gimmicks.

-- Wayne Terrance

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.