Fad diets have taken our society by storm and it seems that everyone has tried at least one in their lifetime. But do they work? The results are mixed. Some people claim they feel better or have shed pounds quickly, but how is the rest of their body affected?
Medical weight loss solutions are not the same as fad diets and are far more effective, without compromising your health (if done correctly). Let's dive into the differences to give you a better understanding of why that is.
What Are Fad Diets?
Here's the thing about fad diets: they claim to help you lose weight and provide other health advantages, but they aren't sustainable, nor are they backed by scientific evidence. What's more, is that they also tend to rob you of essential nutrients that your body needs to stay healthy. They tend to eliminate whole food groups or are highly restrictive in a way that deprives your body of healthy foods that need to continue being part of your daily food intake.
Here's what you can expect to hear about fad diets:
- They promise a quick fix to reach your ideal weight
- Certain foods or combinations of food are promoted as being the end-all answer
- Imply that food can detox your body and change your body chemistry
- Severe restrictions on certain food groups
- Strict rules about when and what you should be eating
- Make claims founded on a single study or testimonials
Why You Should Stay Away from Fad Diets
Although these claims may seem harmless, they actually do more harm than good. For example, when you begin a fad diet, you'll see an initial drop in weight; however, this is simply the loss of water weight and lean muscle. They have little effect on your body fat. The reason for this is that (because of restricted food intake) your body begins to break down your muscles in order to meet your body's energy needs.
The breakdown of muscle causes your body to lose water, therefore creating the illusion that you're losing weight. Then when you end your fad diet (because you just can't sustain them for long), you end up gaining that weight back just as quickly as you lost it.
Fad diets can actually make it difficult for you to lose weight in the future. When you're on a fad diet, your metabolic rate is affected and your body is actually more prone to gain weight. So, although you may see short-term results, you'll likely see long-term difficulties and frustration caused by weight.
Possible Side Effects
Fad diets can also cause serious health issues or complications. Many people who have participated in fad diets in the past have experienced symptoms such as:
- Muscle weakness
- Dehydration
- Nausea
- Dizziness/lightheadedness
- Bowel issues
- Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
There is also evidence that fad diets that are repeated can lead to more long-term health issues such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and kidney disease.
Medical Weight Loss Plus a Balanced Diet: A Better Alternative
If you're looking to lose weight and create a sustainable lifestyle that supports it, medical weight loss options combined with a balanced diet is the way to go. Medical weight loss solutions can help you kick-start your weight loss goals, and eating balanced meals and healthy foods can help you sustain that momentum.
A sustainable and balanced diet includes:
- Eating vegetables, fruit, and legumes daily (preferably with every meal)
- Incorporating whole grains and avoiding processed grains
- Eating lean meats (grass-fed), poultry (pasture-raised), fish (wild-caught), and protein-packed meat alternatives such as tofu, seeds, and nuts
- Incorporating dairy or dairy alternatives
- Drinking lots of water
- Limiting saturated fats and moderating your overall fat intake (healthy fats are important!)
- Putting a cap on your alcohol intake
- Limiting foods and drinks that have added sugars (natural sugars are fine)
- Avoiding foods with high sodium but including a healthy amount of salt in your diet
- Mindful eating
When a balanced diet is paired with medical weight loss solutions, you're far more likely to lose the amount of weight you're desiring to and have created a far more sustainable regimen than any fad diet.
Medical Weight Loss Options
When we mention weight loss solutions, you may be wondering what those include. Here's a glimpse of the types of medical weight loss solutions you could incorporate:
- The HCG Diet: Incorporates the use of HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) with a low-calorie diet. Here are some tips on shopping while on the HCG diet.
- Ultra Lite: A health and weight management system that directs you on how to eat, when you should eat, and what you should eat to train your body to burn fat while also maintaining a well-balanced diet.
- Weight Loss Injections and Medications: These can contribute to a better metabolism, improved health, increased energy, as well as increased weight loss.
- Appetite Control: When combined with the right lifestyle changes and balanced diet, appetite suppressants can produce dramatic weight loss results.
- VASER Shape: Can help tighten skin, shrink fat cells, eliminate trouble areas and is non-invasive.
- Peptides: Amino acids that can act as neurotransmitters signaling the body to heal or promote your body’s natural ability to process fat.
- Hormone Optimization: Optimize your body's hormone levels in a way that maximizes your health and helps you feel like your best self.
All of these are physician-supervised and are recommended on a case-by-case basis. What may work for one person may not be the best solution for you. Medical weight loss is not a cookie-cutter solution, which is part of why it's so much more effective. Schedule an appointment with us to talk through which medical weight loss solution would benefit you the most!