Weight loss diets: The good, the bad and the very ugly

by angela.booth on November 28, 2008

Weight loss diets are a perennial favorite topic for most of us. Every day there is a new one that promises you will shed pounds overnight. Here is a look at the good, the bad and the ugly in weight loss diets.

Ugly weight diets are those that involve supplements and other products with mysterious substances. Look at the labels. Quite often they list so called “natural ingredients” that are generally herbs that few people have ever heard of before. While these substances are likely to be safe, who knows what the long-term effects of these products may be?

The weight-loss diet supplement industry is poorly regulated and sometimes the claims made on the packaging are just plain false. The only thing that will lose weight is your bank account. If you do lose weight using these bogus supplements, it is probably because you have been following the “sensible diet plan” included with the packaging. (Notice that almost all of diet supplements have a diet plan. If a weight loss diet pill were that good, shouldn’t it work without the diet?)

Bad weight loss diets are those that limit you to one or two foods for several weeks. Remember the cabbage soup diet? Sure, these diets do help you to lose weight quickly but most people are miserable while on the diet because of the monotony. In addition, all the weight that comes off during the diet comes right back on when life returns to normal because you don’t learn healthy habits for eating in real life.

Even worse are those weight loss diets that claim you can eat all the chocolate you want and still lose weight. Sorry, but no. Your body was not meant to live on chocolate alone. It was meant to have a variety of nutrients. Chocolate and other treats were meant to be for special occasions only.

Good weight loss diets are those that gradually teach you how to choose healthy foods that you can enjoy throughout your life. Yes, you can have chocolate and other treats but occasionally. Good weight loss diets help you to savor the different tastes of foods that are delicious and good for you too. They also help you to find other ways to deal with stress and other situations without hitting the vending machines or the candy dish.

Good weight loss diets are also adjustable to meet your particular needs. If you cook for your family, you should all be able to enjoy the same recipes. The foods should be readily available at a reasonable price so the average person can afford them. The weight-loss diet should have provisions for people who work outside the home as well, including restaurant and brown-bag options.

New weight loss diets will always be around. Learn to judge between the good, the bad and the ugly to find a system that works for you and stick with it. Then you will see the pounds melt away and you will be thinner, healthier and happier.

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