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Don’t Fall for Unhealthy, Unsustainable Diet Trends

Desperate woman standing on a weigh-scale.

You are what you eat. A healthy diet means a healthy body. There are two popular industries that have formed as a result of such beliefs. The billion-dollar diet industry that promises shortcuts and the nutritionist industry based on professionals who stay true to the facts. Unfortunately, many people fall for the scam of shortcuts due to celebrity endorsements and the charm of a quick weight loss. While certain healthy supplements can help, they are not the end-all-be-all of a sustainable diet plan. So what does work?

By constantly bombarding us with unrealistic photographs everywhere we look, certain elements of the diet industry feeds off of our insecurities. Often this industry relies on influencers rather than scientists to improve the reputation of a certain product or diet trend. Some of these diet trends can cause immense harm, destroy self-confidence, and lead to toxic eating habits, all in the name of quick weight loss.

Woman looking at her food getting tired of different diet trends.
The Diet Industry Feeds Off Of The Insecurities Of The Naive Population (Image Source: Shutterstock)

Unsustainable diets have harmed the mental health of millions of people around the world. They often equate thinness with a healthy body and take harmful measures to achieve that which leads to mental disorders and body dysmorphia. Starving, missing out on nutrition because an internet guru labeled a food group as “bad”, and trying toxic diet trends has become the norm.

Nobody wants depression, eating disorders, and health issues such as decreased immunity, chronic fatigue, osteoporosis, and anemia. Yet diet trends and scams can contribute to all of these problems.

Instead of using a healthy and active body as motivation for a proper diet, people instead use weight loss itself as motivation. They often focus on their outer appearance, and forget to prioritize their physical and mental health in the process. If you want to prioritize a healthy functioning body, then spend some time and learn about some of the more harmful diet trends.

Unsustainable Weight Loss Ideas

While supplementation can help with weight loss, you need to choose the right supplements, and combine them with a healthy and sustainable diet and exercise program. Here’s what you need to know.

Fat Loss Pills 

Some fat burning supplements can help you with your weight loss journey when they’re combined with proper exercise and nutrition. But some are scams, and by themselves, none of them are sustainable solutions—you have to build healthy habits at the same time. Keep in mind that many of them aren’t regulated, so you have to do your research to confirm that they don’t contain any unhealthy chemicals. The wrong fat loss pills can cause liver damage, high blood pressure, anxiety, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding if they are full of toxic substances like phenolphthalein.

Detox Tea for Weight Loss 

Drinking yourself thin sounds like an easy and quick weight loss diet, but it’s not sustainable. Plus, detox tea companies always use thinness and health synonymously even though they’re two different things. Many of us love tea and there’s nothing wrong with drinking it in moderation. But keep in mind that too much caffeine can dehydrate you. So, you just lose water weight until you rehydrate. Additionally, Senna is a drug used to treat constipation. It’s a laxative found in some teas and causes several stomach issues such as stomach cramps and diarrhea.

Juice Cleanses 

Juicing sounds like a delicious do-nothing-gain-everything technique. But that’s not true. Your body needs fiber, protein, and fat to function. Many juices are missing these key ingredients. When you juice a fruit or vegetable, it can lose much of its fiber, where you’re left with a sugary drink that won’t satisfy your hunger. A low-calorie diet is not the same as a well-balanced nutrient-rich one. Sugary drinks may also increase your blood glucose levels which may lead to diabetes. Last, protein is essential for your muscles, and if you drop protein from your diet, you will suffer from muscle and bone loss. So, if you do juice, make sure you’re getting the protein, fiber, and other nutrients that your body needs.

Woman juicing making green juice with juice machine in home kitchen.
This Diet Can Create Sudden Spike In Your Sugar Level That Leads To Diabetes (Image Source: Shutterstock)

An Effective Quick Weight Loss Diet

There isn’t one. That’s right. You cannot change your diet abruptly for two weeks and expect to lose a hundred pounds. What you can do is change your lifestyle. If you want a healthy and active mind and body, you have to commit to long-term goals instead of quick results at the cost of your future. Keep that in mind if you’re exploring any of these diet plans:

Ketogenic Diet 

A ketogenic diet was previously used to treat epilepsy but now there are claims that it cures everything. It involves eating foods that are high in protein and fat and low in carbohydrates. You replace fruits, legumes, rice, and potatoes with a diet that consists entirely of things like meat, eggs, avocados, and cheese. If you completely eliminate carbohydrates and consume excess fat, you could have a number of unhealthy consequences. These may include muscle loss, low blood sugar, bowel problems, and heart diseases. 

5 Bites Diet 

One of the most harmful types of diet is the 5 Bites Diet. It promotes severe calorie restriction, allowing only 5 bites per meal of anything. It’s popular because it doesn’t require you to count your calories or exercise. But such a low-calorie diet can cause digestive problems, and you’ll often feel hungry. It’s just not sustainable and taken to the extreme, it can be associated with anorexia and other health issues.

Woman eating an apple.
Avoid Junk Food, Sugary Sweets Or Drinks And Add More Fiber (Image Source: Shutterstock)

Instead of looking for shortcuts and following diet trends, opt for a healthier solutions. If you do try a diet for weight loss, make sure that you’ve got a sustainable plan for staying healthy and fit. This includes getting an adequate amount of protein to prevent losing muscle mass during weight loss. Make sure you include high fiber, leafy green vegetables, too, along with healthy fats, such as olive oil. Avoid junk food, sugary sweets or drinks, eat slowly and add more fiber to your diet. Exercise regularly and stay hydrated.

Conclusion

Low-calorie diets have gained immense popularity over the years, along with weight loss scams. Products with more harmful ingredients than good ones have flooded the market. And their targets are busy people desperate to look as good as the models on magazine covers. These shortcuts lead many people downhill every year. Eating disorders, digestion problems, depression are but a few of the side effects of these do-nothing-gain-everything solutions. So be careful and do your research before making drastic changes to your diet.