5 Signs that Diet is Too Good to be True
karmasays
Posts: 82 Member
I've taken this from an Emeals blog post (found at http://blog.emeals.com/five-signs-that-a-diet-is-too-good-to-be-true) and written by their Registered Dietitian.
"If you’re trying to lose weight, there are plenty of diet plans, weight loss products and miracle superfoods that promise to deliver quick and easy results. How do you know if a diet or product is too good to be true? Watch out for these five signs:
1. Promises weight loss of more than 1 pound per week.
In the world of weight loss, slow and steady wins the race. Weight loss of ½ to 1 pound per week is a practical goal and is best for your health. When you lose weight more rapidly, you’ll lose water, bone and muscle mass, and you’re likely to gain the weight back. Setting a goal of losing weight more quickly will be hard to achieve, leaving you feeling defeated. Set yourself up for success by starting with an attainable goal.
2. Advertises “no need to exercise.”
Diet plans that promise you’ll lose weight quickly without exercises may sound appealing, but they’re taking the focus off living an overall healthy lifestyle. According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, everyone should aim to get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity every week, and studies have shown that 5 hours or more of physical activity weekly may be needed to help contribute to weight loss. People who exercise regularly are more likely to maintain their weight loss. Exercise is a valuable tool in helping you achieve your weight loss goals, but it’s also good for your heart, can help maintain bone mass, and help prevent chronic diseases.
3. Claims to change the way the body works.
No one superfood, magical combination of foods, or supplement can change your genetic code or change the way the body processes food. Any diet that promises to “melt away fat,” or cause your body to become a “fat-burning machine” is definitely too good to be true. Be especially cautious with herbal remedies and supplements, which are not regulated by the FDA and can be dangerous.
4. Eliminates entire food groups.
Eliminating a specific food group from your diet may lead to weight loss initially, but the reason is because you’re consuming less total calories. Eating a variety of foods from all of the food groups allows you to get the wide range of nutrients your body needs. Avoiding entire food groups can prevent you from getting those nutrients. The key to weight loss is to consume fewer calories than you burn, so enjoy foods from every food group, and reduce your portion sizes.
5. Focuses on a small list of approved foods.
Just as eliminating entire food groups is an unbalanced approach, eating one specific food or recipe or a very short list of approved foods every day is not a reasonable approach to long-term weight loss. If you’re eating the same soup or smoothie for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you’ll only stick to your “diet” for so long. Instead of looking for a very specific “diet,” aim to make lasting healthy lifestyle changes that will help reduce your waistline and improve your overall health. Think more veggies, fresh fruit, leaner cuts of meat, whole grains, and low-fat dairy in reasonable portions, and you’ll be more likely to achieve slow, steady and lasting weight loss."
"If you’re trying to lose weight, there are plenty of diet plans, weight loss products and miracle superfoods that promise to deliver quick and easy results. How do you know if a diet or product is too good to be true? Watch out for these five signs:
1. Promises weight loss of more than 1 pound per week.
In the world of weight loss, slow and steady wins the race. Weight loss of ½ to 1 pound per week is a practical goal and is best for your health. When you lose weight more rapidly, you’ll lose water, bone and muscle mass, and you’re likely to gain the weight back. Setting a goal of losing weight more quickly will be hard to achieve, leaving you feeling defeated. Set yourself up for success by starting with an attainable goal.
2. Advertises “no need to exercise.”
Diet plans that promise you’ll lose weight quickly without exercises may sound appealing, but they’re taking the focus off living an overall healthy lifestyle. According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, everyone should aim to get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity every week, and studies have shown that 5 hours or more of physical activity weekly may be needed to help contribute to weight loss. People who exercise regularly are more likely to maintain their weight loss. Exercise is a valuable tool in helping you achieve your weight loss goals, but it’s also good for your heart, can help maintain bone mass, and help prevent chronic diseases.
3. Claims to change the way the body works.
No one superfood, magical combination of foods, or supplement can change your genetic code or change the way the body processes food. Any diet that promises to “melt away fat,” or cause your body to become a “fat-burning machine” is definitely too good to be true. Be especially cautious with herbal remedies and supplements, which are not regulated by the FDA and can be dangerous.
4. Eliminates entire food groups.
Eliminating a specific food group from your diet may lead to weight loss initially, but the reason is because you’re consuming less total calories. Eating a variety of foods from all of the food groups allows you to get the wide range of nutrients your body needs. Avoiding entire food groups can prevent you from getting those nutrients. The key to weight loss is to consume fewer calories than you burn, so enjoy foods from every food group, and reduce your portion sizes.
5. Focuses on a small list of approved foods.
Just as eliminating entire food groups is an unbalanced approach, eating one specific food or recipe or a very short list of approved foods every day is not a reasonable approach to long-term weight loss. If you’re eating the same soup or smoothie for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you’ll only stick to your “diet” for so long. Instead of looking for a very specific “diet,” aim to make lasting healthy lifestyle changes that will help reduce your waistline and improve your overall health. Think more veggies, fresh fruit, leaner cuts of meat, whole grains, and low-fat dairy in reasonable portions, and you’ll be more likely to achieve slow, steady and lasting weight loss."
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Replies
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1. Promises weight loss of more than 1 pound per week.
2. Advertises “no need to exercise.”
I broke the first two rules and still managed to lose 130lbs and counting...
Guess I need to turn around and give all that fat back. Damn. I rather enjoy being lighter.0 -
1. Promises weight loss of more than 1 pound per week.
2. Advertises “no need to exercise.”
I broke the first two rules and still managed to lose 130lbs and counting...
Guess I need to turn around and give all that fat back. Damn. I rather enjoy being lighter.
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Great list for people who are tempted by the idea that weight loss is easy, if you just have that one product! Then all your problems would go away! Just that one thing!
The first point is a little knee-jerk misleading. I understand that the list means, "don't trust anything that PROMISES more than 1 lb lost a week," but really, people can lose 2 lbs per week. People who are bloated may lost even more. I think the list would be more effective in saying, "Don't believe any Diet that promises you will lose X amount of weight in Y amount of days."
To the other points, I wish that there was a big fat banner at the top of MFP that said something to the tune of "SUPPLEMENTS ARE BUNK." Ugh.0 -
Great list! People need to be realistic when it comes to weight loss. There is no quick fix. Consistency and patience are key.
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1. Promises weight loss of more than 1 pound per week.
2. Advertises “no need to exercise.”
I broke the first two rules and still managed to lose 130lbs and counting...
Guess I need to turn around and give all that fat back. Damn. I rather enjoy being lighter.
My thoughts exactly. Working for one person does not equal working for everyone.0 -
1. Promises weight loss of more than 1 pound per week.
2. Advertises “no need to exercise.”
I broke the first two rules and still managed to lose 130lbs and counting...
Guess I need to turn around and give all that fat back. Damn. I rather enjoy being lighter.
Gotta second the pic........ sorry0 -
Good points. Thanks for sharing.0
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1. Promises weight loss of more than 1 pound per week.
2. Advertises “no need to exercise.”
I broke the first two rules and still managed to lose 130lbs and counting...
Guess I need to turn around and give all that fat back. Damn. I rather enjoy being lighter.
My thoughts exactly. Working for one person does not equal working for everyone.
And please quote where I said, or implied, that what works for me works for "everyone".0 -
1. Promises weight loss of more than 1 pound per week.
2. Advertises “no need to exercise.”
I broke the first two rules and still managed to lose 130lbs and counting...
Guess I need to turn around and give all that fat back. Damn. I rather enjoy being lighter.
My thoughts exactly. Working for one person does not equal working for everyone.
And please quote where I said, or implied, that what works for me works for "everyone".
You are correct that people can lose more than a pound a week and that you can lose weight without exercising. These are examples of the points you missed.
A diet cannot promise you will lose anything over a pound a week. Example:
And that you don't need to exercise at all to get a gym body:
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1. Promises weight loss of more than 1 pound per week.
2. Advertises “no need to exercise.”
I broke the first two rules and still managed to lose 130lbs and counting...
Guess I need to turn around and give all that fat back. Damn. I rather enjoy being lighter.
My thoughts exactly. Working for one person does not equal working for everyone.
And please quote where I said, or implied, that what works for me works for "everyone".
You implied that when you stated this
"Guess I need to turn around and give all that fat back" in reference to your personal experience violating two of the OPs examples. This implies that you believe that if what the OP said was true you could not have lost the weight and that therefore the fact that you did lose the weight invalidates the OPs post. Since you are one person this implies you believe these rules must apply to everyone to be valid.
When you state something you say not only that thing but alsi all deductive consequences if that statement which are implicit and implied by the statement.0 -
6. Ad has the "quack miranda warning":This/these statement(s) have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.0
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1. Promises weight loss of more than 1 pound per week.
2. Advertises “no need to exercise.”
I broke the first two rules and still managed to lose 130lbs and counting...
Guess I need to turn around and give all that fat back. Damn. I rather enjoy being lighter.
My thoughts exactly. Working for one person does not equal working for everyone.
And please quote where I said, or implied, that what works for me works for "everyone".
You implied that when you stated this
"Guess I need to turn around and give all that fat back" in reference to your personal experience violating two of the OPs examples. This implies that you believe that if what the OP said was true you could not have lost the weight and that therefore the fact that you did lose the weight invalidates the OPs post. Since you are one person this implies you believe these rules must apply to everyone to be valid.
When you state something you say not only that thing but alsi all deductive consequences if that statement which are implicit and implied by the statement.
And you read all that depth in my original comment?
I must say I can't recall the last time I saw such rich insight born from such shallow beginnings. Congratulations.0 -
1. Promises weight loss of more than 1 pound per week.
2. Advertises “no need to exercise.”
I broke the first two rules and still managed to lose 130lbs and counting...
Guess I need to turn around and give all that fat back. Damn. I rather enjoy being lighter.
My thoughts exactly. Working for one person does not equal working for everyone.
And please quote where I said, or implied, that what works for me works for "everyone".
You implied that when you stated this
"Guess I need to turn around and give all that fat back" in reference to your personal experience violating two of the OPs examples. This implies that you believe that if what the OP said was true you could not have lost the weight and that therefore the fact that you did lose the weight invalidates the OPs post. Since you are one person this implies you believe these rules must apply to everyone to be valid.
When you state something you say not only that thing but alsi all deductive consequences if that statement which are implicit and implied by the statement.
And you read all that depth in my original comment?
I must say I can't recall the last time I saw such rich insight born from such shallow beginnings. Congratulations.
I clearly wasn't the only one and I was just answering in a straightforward non-sarcastic manner the question you directly asked. If you didn't want the answer, don't ask the question.0 -
1. Promises weight loss of more than 1 pound per week.
2. Advertises “no need to exercise.”
I broke the first two rules and still managed to lose 130lbs and counting...
Guess I need to turn around and give all that fat back. Damn. I rather enjoy being lighter.
My thoughts exactly. Working for one person does not equal working for everyone.
And please quote where I said, or implied, that what works for me works for "everyone".
You implied that when you stated this
"Guess I need to turn around and give all that fat back" in reference to your personal experience violating two of the OPs examples. This implies that you believe that if what the OP said was true you could not have lost the weight and that therefore the fact that you did lose the weight invalidates the OPs post. Since you are one person this implies you believe these rules must apply to everyone to be valid.
When you state something you say not only that thing but alsi all deductive consequences if that statement which are implicit and implied by the statement.
And you read all that depth in my original comment?
I must say I can't recall the last time I saw such rich insight born from such shallow beginnings. Congratulations.
I posted the picture because the post was about claims diets made.
Last time I looked you were not a diet...0
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