When you're trying to lose weight fast, you may try a quick fix, like skipping meals or experimenting with fad diets. But instead of sustainable, fast weight loss, these diets may lead to yo-yo weight loss. Although you may lose some weight, you will gain it all back once you stop the diet. Talk to your doctor before making any changes in your diet or exercise program, especially if you have injuries or health conditions.
Tempting Yo-Yo Diets
When you read about a miracle juice fast or a three-day diet that promises quick weight loss, it's probably too good to be true. Diets that involve heavily restricting your calories or eating strange food combinations for a few days or weeks are unsustainable in the long run. You will gain the weight you lost as soon as you start eating normally again.
Fad Diet Warning Signs
Some fad diets may be recommended by celebrities or holistic health experts as a fast way to drop a few pounds. Some diets, like the Cabbage Soup Diet, may be erroneously attributed to a hospital, like the Sacred Heart Medical Center. In reality, the Cabbage Soup Diet is not recommended by any hospital, including the Sacred Heart Medical Center. If a diet recommends cutting out food groups, mixing two foods together in order to burn fat, eating the same low-calorie foods over and over again, or making some foods off-limits, it is probably a fad diet.
Healthy Weight-Loss Alternatives
Instead of going on a diet, quitting, and gaining all of the weight back again, stick with a diet program that is sustainable in the long run. A healthy eating and exercise plan may be challenging to follow at first, but it should also include foods and activities you enjoy. Eat a variety of whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies and lean protein with every meal -- eat sweets and salty snacks only occasionally. Get exercise most days of the week to burn calories and keep the weight off for good.
Resisting the Yo-Yo Diet
Healthy weight loss is slow and steady. Although choosing to go on a fad diet and lose 10 pounds of water weight in a week may sound easier, you will eventually gain the weight back again. Instead, focus on losing 1 to 2 lbs. of weight per week as you exercise more and eat a variety of nutritious, healthy foods. Although the weight loss will be less drastic, it will help you break free of your yo-yo dieting pattern and you will eventually see some permanent results.
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