Diets can do more harm than good if you
just follow along mindlessly without considering the long-term effects. There’s
all kinds of diets out right now that ask that for many days in a row, you eat
nothing but the one food (cabbage soup, grapefruit), or one food group (raw
vegetables and fruit), or one type of food (juice, protein).
just follow along mindlessly without considering the long-term effects. There’s
all kinds of diets out right now that ask that for many days in a row, you eat
nothing but the one food (cabbage soup, grapefruit), or one food group (raw
vegetables and fruit), or one type of food (juice, protein).
That, or you’re encouraged to
drastically cut your daily calorie intake without considering what you truly need to consume on a day-to-day to function at your best.
drastically cut your daily calorie intake without considering what you truly need to consume on a day-to-day to function at your best.
The promise: You’ll drop pounds fast, kick-starting a
long-term healthy-eating plan; you’ll reset your metabolism; you’ll clear out
the “toxins”, fats and other nasty things that
are bloating you up.
long-term healthy-eating plan; you’ll reset your metabolism; you’ll clear out
the “toxins”, fats and other nasty things that
are bloating you up.
The problem: When you eat only one kind of food, you fail to
eat all the other kinds, so you miss out on protein, fats, fiber and other
essential vitamins and nutrients. Also, when you drastically cut calories,
your body adapts by learning how to do more with less. It lowers your metabolic
rate, holds on desperately to fat stores and takes longer to execute basic
functions like breathing; it literally slows down to survive.
eat all the other kinds, so you miss out on protein, fats, fiber and other
essential vitamins and nutrients. Also, when you drastically cut calories,
your body adapts by learning how to do more with less. It lowers your metabolic
rate, holds on desperately to fat stores and takes longer to execute basic
functions like breathing; it literally slows down to survive.
The risks: After a few days, your calorie-starved body may
break down muscle mass for energy. This can throw off your metabolism and make
future calories (i.e., the ones you’ll consume after the fast/diet)
harder to burn off.
break down muscle mass for energy. This can throw off your metabolism and make
future calories (i.e., the ones you’ll consume after the fast/diet)
harder to burn off.
Furthermore, what are leaving your body
aren’t only “toxins” because your body will also naturally flush out
excess nutrients and chemical substances.
aren’t only “toxins” because your body will also naturally flush out
excess nutrients and chemical substances.
Bottom line: Learn to eat nutritious, balanced meals as your
main “diet”. If you want to do a cleanse, (unless it is supervised by
a credible professional), make sure it’s a short-term cleanse (1-3 days) that
involves all kinds of nutrients and not just one or only a few kinds.
main “diet”. If you want to do a cleanse, (unless it is supervised by
a credible professional), make sure it’s a short-term cleanse (1-3 days) that
involves all kinds of nutrients and not just one or only a few kinds.
Also, if you’re going to reduce calories, consult with a credible professional to ensure you’re choosing a
method that is sustainable for you, and the process in itself allows your body
to not only survive, but to truly thrive for the long-term.
method that is sustainable for you, and the process in itself allows your body
to not only survive, but to truly thrive for the long-term.
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