"We all could do this, it takes disclipline. Just put your mind to it!” -One of my clients
VERY LOW-CALORIE DIETS A crash diet will come back to bite you. Starving a body of essential nutrients to lose weight quickly is counterproductive. Instead of burning off pounds, this strategy burns muscle. Less muscle means a slower metabolism, which is precisely the wrong outcome. Plus, this type of weight-loss plan can’t last. Weight will evaporate quickly (most being water weight), but then what? Fans of this approach are doomed to regain the weight once normal eating resumes. I have seen this happen many times. Same thing with diet pills….mentioned later.
SHAKES Many dieters turn to shakes as a snack or meal replacement. But if a serving contains less than 10 grams of protein — the minimum needed to build muscle mass — any lean muscle developed by working out will wind up eating itself. Weight may disappear quickly with a shake diet, but it isn’t the type of weight to lose. Check the ingredients carefully and choose a brand that’s low in carbohydrates and sugar and loaded with vitamins, as well as enough fiber to maintain a healthy digestive tract. Spurn anything with trans fats or saturated fats. Brands such as Pure Protein and Atkins meet these criteria, but a little sleuthing for online recipes to make at home can save money.
DIURETICS Like some other weight-loss gimmicks, diuretics focus on loss of fluid, which is anything but a long-term solution. Taking a diuretic creates an imbalance in body chemistry. Along with water, essential minerals such as potassium and magnesium are lost. Counter intuitively, diuretic pills can work against the body by causing it to swell from dehydration.
DIET PILLS It’s possible to shed pounds with diet pills, yes, but ongoing use — and expense — is necessary to keep the weight off. Moreover, experts at Mayo Clinic note that research about the pills’ effectiveness is slim, express qualms about the ingredients, and caution that they can have unpleasant side effects, such as irregular heartbeat, upset stomach, loose stools, and insomnia. Only a handful of weight-loss pills have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Bottom line: Diet pills are no substitute for lifestyle changes like the ones Shawn and Christine put into effect and still work on to this day without a contest.
7-MINUTE WORKOUTS There’s no question that losing weight takes time that’s not always available, which makes working out for a mere seven minutes particularly appealing. But experts say that just isn’t enough. A small amount of exercise is certainly better than nothing, but any significant benefit from this workout routine requires several consecutive repeats. Suddenly, a seven-minute workout mushrooms to a commitment of at least 21 minutes. Don’t be fooled by the hype.