Considering a fad diet? Remember, there’s a reason they’re called “fad diets.” Foods or pills don’t magically burn fat. No products will miraculously melt fat while you watch TV or sleep. Looking for long-term weight loss? Fad diets aren’t your answer, and they could very well jeopardize your health severely. Instead, consider a sustainable approach to nutrition by understanding the principles of intuitive eating explained. This approach emphasizes listening to your body’s hunger cues and making mindful food choices rather than following restrictive rules. By adopting this mindset, you’ll foster a healthier relationship with food and your body, ultimately leading to more lasting results.
- Fad diets promote a quick solution to weight loss
- Does not focus on the health of your body or mind
- “Healthy” is not defined by physical appearance
- Why they don’t work:
- Often limit/eliminate certain food groups
- Elimination of food groups make a diet unsustainable
- Typically, after diet “ends” people regain the weight that was lost as they tend to overindulge in foods that were restricted
- During the diet period, people often lose muscle mass which is directly related to metabolism
- As muscle mass decreases, metabolic rate decreases
- Tip: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is
- How does it contribute to disordered eating?
- Causes categorization of foods such as “healthy” or “unhealthy”
- Can cause feelings of guilt/shame when you do indulge in foods that are “not part of the diet”
- Takes the enjoyment out of food and meal times
- So what does work?
- A balanced diet that includes ALL foods in moderation
- Eating intuitively…if you feel hungry that is your body telling you it needs nourishment!
- Our nutrient intake does not only affect us physically but also mentally
- To stay in a good headspace, you must nourish your body with what it needs
- This directly affects your personality and emotional well-being
Authored by Emily Baum, M.S., RDN, LD
