˜Tis the season of sunshine, warmer temperatures¦.and beachwear no bigger than a folded napkin. All of this good fortune brings the advent of unhealthy crash diets which sure, may get you the quick results you’re looking in order to slim down but may not be the healthiest options for you in the long run.
Big bucks go into the fitness industry and especially into the marketing of quick fixes that are generally geared to women and prey on some well documented insecurities.
Here’s a list of some diet strategies you should consider avoiding. When you eventually tire of the diet, you’ll likely gain back what you temporarily lost and long-term, the health ramifications aren’t so hot:
Pill Popping:
No beating around the bush that popping diet pills can be a scary science. Have you ever turned a bottle around to read the list of ingredients only to discover the list is in close running with ˜War and Peace’ in terms of length? Most of the ingredients you won’t be familiar with, including the so-called ˜natural ingredients’. These ingredients will likely flush out your system and if you do experience weight loss, it will likely be water weight you are loosing. Not to mention, diet pills have long been associated with irregular heart beats, insomnia, restlessness and irritability. Doesn’t sound like much of a ˜magic pill.’
Extreme calorie restricting:
Keeping your calorie consumption in check is important. But when it turns into a preoccupation, you know you are looking for trouble. Bottom line, calories equal fuel for the body. And you want to make the most of what you are eating, so good, healthy choices that will fill you up are key. Health experts say eating less than 1500 calories a day will put serious strain on your body in terms of it getting the nutrition it needs to function optimally. As a general guide for women, daily calorie consumption should even out at 2000 to maintain weight, depending on age, current weight and activity level.
The Cayenne Pepper Diet:
Celebrities have made this diet infamous for quick results. And while it has widely been marketed as a cleanse, it calls for restricting all food for anywhere from three to 10 days. No surprise here, nutrition is sacrificed and what can follow is irritability, headaches, dizziness and overall weakness. Anyone who has ever missed a meal knows, it ain’t pretty.
As irritating as it is, regular exercise (cardio and weights) and healthy, well proportioned eating is the best combination for weight loss and keeping your results long-term. With all of the effort you put in, why not make sure you’re results last and keep you feeling energetic and looking your best?
