Today, there are as many quick fix diets as there are number of people. However, despite so many quick fix diets available, most people who have followed these diets know that the initial response is great, the response becomes lukewarm after a while and by the time one has reached the third week it becomes virtually impossible to follow the diet.
What exactly is a quick fix or a fad diet?
A quick fix or a fad diet is any diet which involves a strict regime of eating some particular kinds of foods, promises a quick weight loss, and is in vogue for that time.
Can such a diet be healthy?
Such diets done for a short time, though not very healthy, can be tolerated by the body for a short period but the real complication comes in when such a diet is done continuously or repeatedly. The health problems vary from diet to diet and person to person but a rough guide is as follows:
- Fruit and milk fasting:
It is acceptable for upto 3 days as a kick start diet but if it is continued for long, the person will lose protein and muscle which will decrease the metabolic rate and lead to rebound weight gain. Another disadvantage is that the person starts to experience cravings which lead to mindless overeating and further weight gain.
Side-Effects: Rebound weight gain and binge eating behavior.
- Eating only fruits, vegetables and salads soups:
It results in a rapid loss in the first few days, therefore popular as a kick start diet. The tough part begins after a few days, when the body acts stubborn and refuses to lose weight. Again in this case too, the body loses muscle if the diet is continued for a long time. This diet is acceptable if done once a week.
Side-Effects: Due to excessive muscle loss, the rebound weight gain is more than the original weight. Also sets off binge eating behavior.
- Only Non-Vegetarian/Atkins plans:
This diet works on the basis of introducing a semi-ketotic state which leads to fat loss due to the fact that protein being a more cumbersome and energy burning fuel leads to fat loss. Acceptable upto 2 weeks continuously, only in people with protein compatible constitution, and in women upto a week only.
Side-Effects: Hair loss, skin pigmentation, kidney damage, liver damage, imbalanced eating pattern, rebound weight gain more than the original weight.
- South beach diet:
A reasonably balanced diet to follow , but a big problem is that it needs to be redefined in the Indian context and also for vegetarians.
- Diet pills/ diet powders:
They artificially suppress appetite and after a continuous use of 1 year, the side effects ( nausea , vomiting ) force the person to junk these pills/powders, which triggers a massive rebound weight gain. Such diet pills/powders are already banned in many countries.
So what is the solution?
Firstly the extremist behavior in body weight management is the key to failure. In my experience, any of the above diets is only useful as a kick-start diet for the first 10 days, after which the person has to follow a regime "compatible" with his/her individual constitution. To explain this further, some people need a balance of higher protein-lower carb ( plus fruits and vegetables ). Some others need higher carb-lower protein to remain healthy. Some need dairy while others need to avoid dairy. Some need salads while others cannot digest raw food , therefore need to have vegetables more in the form of soups The diet has to be coupled with 30 minutes of brisk walk daily.
Anyone who is planning to go back to eating junk food after a phase of extremely frugal eating is heading for a massive rebound weight gain! So the final word is, do a weight loss plan in one of the following ways :
- A slow weight loss plan with health foods and a lifestyle improvement done slowly and consistently (Better).
- A focused weight loss program (slightly quickly) followed by a very long weight maintenance program looking at life-style change (Acceptable).
* what abt the ppl who r physically very active throught the day? wht abt their calorie needs?
* This might be mis leading to various teenagers who are still in their developmental stage, but alwaz luking out on net for a weight loss diet
* wht abt ppl with medical conditions like blood pressure, diabetes, where food is a must for being able to take the medicine and manage the disorders..
* a huge number of weight watchers are mostly lactating women, who want to lose their post delivery weight, while they are still feeding their babies, malnourishment for the mother and the baby both.
* wathcing your weight is not the only thing a person does, rite .. ? at the end of the day .. you need energy to pull out what ever occupation you are in , will this diet make you do justice to it?
I think a balanced diet and a gud exercise regime is the right approach !!