Here we go again. More fad diets promising you super-fast and easy weight loss. Self-appointed diet gurus are popping out of the woodwork, making the rounds on talk-shows and infomercials, each claiming to know more than the next about the "secrets" to losing unwanted pounds and inches. Follow this diet or that diet and you are practically guaranteed success. These people "in the know" (who, by the way, rarely agree with one another) go about convincing you that they have the answer to your prayers, and sadly, we want to believe that they do.

I recently watched a television show about one such diet and was amazed at what I heard. The audience was filled with overweight people who were for the most part eating a very poor diet of highly refined or simple carbohydrates (carbs). What are these foods? Anything with sugar, such as donuts, cakes, pies, candies, etc. Other popular foods included bagels, pancakes, breads, pasta, potatoes and rice. It was explained that replacing most of their high sugar/starch meals with high quality and low calorie protein foods such as chicken and fish, and eating certain types of fruits and vegetables would result in weight loss. Does this really surprise anyone? When is the last time you ate your pancakes without syrup, bread without butter, or macaroni without cheese? Breads, pastas and the like are rarely eaten plain, and it is widely known that eating too much sugar is associated with gaining weight. It is also no secret that certain carbohydrate foods have an effect on blood sugar, increasing the likelihood of cravings, mood swings and high and low energy levels, as well as weight gain. Knowledge about high and low glycemic (sugar) foods is helpful for anyone to have, but it is nothing new. It is simply a healthier way of eating.

Another point worth mentioning: Whenever you decrease carbs you lose water weight. For every gram of carbohydrate ingested, your body holds as much as 3 to 4 times that much in water. For someone whose diet already consists of excessive amounts of refined or simple carbs, switching to a high protein diet will result in the loss of many pounds (of water) fast. Ever wonder about those commercials promising that you will "lose 7 pounds in 7 days" ? Now you know how this is possible. Complex carbohydrates should never be reduced drastically, they are your bodies chief source of energy, and are extremely important. Complex carbs include whole grains, vegetables, nuts, some fruits and legumes. Proteins are primarily used for repair and growth. The addition of protein can be useful if your body's demand for it is greater than usual. For example, athletes and bodybuilders may need more protein because they are more active. The body can only assimilate a certain amount of protein each time you eat. Consuming more than your body needs results in increased fat storage.

We often turn low calorie foods into high calorie foods by the way we fix our meals, and consume too many sweets. Anything enjoyable, done often enough, easily becomes a habit, and habits are hard to break. Hard, but not impossible. This leads me to my final point. Aside from the lack of discussion on the many benefits of exercise on losing weight and improving health, what annoyed me most about this particular television show was the underlying message that the audience members were somehow weak and/or helpless. They were referred to as "addicts", which suggests bearing less responsibility for their own choices. This is such a great disservice. To make a person feel powerless and out of control is not the answer. In fact, it helps to create more stress in people who are already feeling victimized, and who are obsessed with perfection and weight loss. I feel offended that the audience members, by virtue of being overweight, were assumed to have no shred of discipline or self-control. The time devoted to giving excuses and pointing out flaws would have been much better spent sharing the basics of nutrition and exercise, such as giving acceptable food choices and appropriate exercise routines.

Bottom line: Your best bet is to reinforce your existing strengths and take responsibility for your own health and well-being. Individual responsibility belongs to each of us, and making the choice to take good care of ourselves reaps its own reward.

Site developed & maintained by
Custom Fitness Personal Training Services