There is a lot of misinformation about diets and which diet really works. We want to debunk these 17 awful diet tips once and for all. Following these misleading pieces of advice may actually do you more harm than good. Keep reading if you want to be more successful in your diet and avoid falling for all the dieting lies.
Note: The content of this article is not medical advice.
“You should try crash dieting”
We’ve all fallen for this one. Suddenly, dropping everything you’ve been eating and switching to lower-calorie diets result in weight loss because we’re dramatically losing the weight we need.
Crash diets may work for a short while and might make us happy to see the weighing scale, but such moments are short-lived because we’ll quickly faint due to a lack of energy and nutrition.
“Just remove this food group”
Cutting out entire food groups is never a good idea. While some food groups may be more unhealthy than others, completely cutting them off is a bad idea because our body relies on them for energy.
Even if we manage to find a different energy source, our body develops nutrient deficiencies because it relies on a good balance between all food groups. Removing one and increasing the other will do more harm than good.
“This detox diet will change your life”
Detox diets promise us that they’ll magically cleanse our stomachs and purify our bodies because we’re eliminating everything that’s impure. Yeah, like that idea will get us anywhere but the ER.
Most detox or cleanse diets have no scientific support, which is reason enough not to trust them. But they also heavily impact our metabolism, often to the point that we can’t digest food normally after resuming our routine meals.
“Ugh, this fad diet is the best”
Any kind of quick weight loss diet that’s being promoted by an influencer or a celeb should be considered a red flag. Fad diets are extreme and restrictive, so they may show results quickly.
But what we don’t realize is that the results are basically our body getting weaker and weaker by the day. We only shed pounds because our body isn’t getting the nutrients it needs and are unable to hold our own weight.
“Trust me, just count the calories”
Ask any experienced dieter, and they’ll tell you calorie counting matters. While true, relying on this tip too much will make things worse because calorie counting only works if you’re putting in effort in different ways.
Hyperfixation of counting calories can also lead to eating disorders. Such unhealthy food relationships will ignore if a meal is fulfilling and nutritious and will focus more on the number it’s putting on.
“Forget meals. Try this shake instead!”
If anyone asks you to try a shake in place of a meal, don’t replace your meal; replace the person instead. Meal-replacement shakes are a disaster waiting to unfold because they birth nutritional deficiencies and unhealthy eating habits.
Meal-replacement shakes typically boost one food group while ignoring the others. Lots of them are full of refined carbs, sugars and artificial ingredients which are also very unhealthy.
“Just switch to healthy sweeteners”
It’s true that some sugars are healthier than others, to some extent. Some sweeteners are also designed to help you manage weight and particular issues like diabetes.
However, overconsumption of any type of sweetener, be it monk fruit or erythritol, is damaging in the long run. While such sweeteners may be lower-caloric than others, they’re still some form of sugar that will get you in trouble.
“Just reduce your carb intake”
Ah, the good old ketogenic take. Somewhere during the years, we grew up with decadent cakes and heavenly breads, and hundreds of types of pasta, we learned all carbs are bad.
While it’s true a high-carb diet may be unhealthy, lowering them isn’t the healthiest route. Carbs are only bad when mismanaged, and this includes over and underconsumption. Eating a balanced diet with enough carbs will do wonders.
“Replace soda with diet soda”
We all have a friend who’ll order the heaviest meal with a side of diet soda. And we all know how bad that can be. Yes, diet soda is better than regular soda in some ways, but it’s also worse.
Diet sodas don’t contain sugar like regular soda, but they still contain a lot of preservatives and additives that make them equally damaging. Overconsumption of such sodas will make you sicker in the long run.
“This works for everyone”
Many fail to succeed in a diet because they look at everyone else and not themselves. Naturally, a diet that works for everyone might sound like it works for you, but that’s not the case.
We all have individual nutritional needs that no fad diet can magically fix. The only way to get and succeed on a diet is to consult a nutritionist and come up with a plan that works for you.
“Just don’t eat for x hours a day”
Extreme fasting (like intermittent fasting) is usually not the way to go, and there are two major reasons for this. Firstly, you’re depriving your body of essential nutrients and food that it needs to power through the day.
Secondly, quitting food out of nowhere severely affects your body, and extreme fasting doesn’t give your body the time to cope. Without proper time, your body will react poorly and fall down quickly.
“Take x amount of these supplements”
Eating supplements is good because they fill in the blanks your general diet contains. However, this doesn’t mean eating supplements on your own is a great idea and will always work.
In fact, many people have nutritional deficiencies because they start eating supplements. Some supplements will boost a particular nutrient while creating a nutrient deficit with others. Supplements should only be taken after consulting a doctor.
"Quit Gluten and It Will Change Your Life!"
In the past few years, gluten-free diets have become a fad. While many people need gluten-free foods to cope with actual diseases, most of us can easily process gluten. Gluten-free diets are not meant to be for weight loss.
They won't help you lose weight but they will only shift you toward more unnatural food sources. Do not go gluten-free if you are looking to lose weight. It just won't work.
"Never Ever Eat Fats!"
So many people view fat as being evil. However, there are a lot of healthy fats out there that are actually good for your body. Completely eliminating fat from your diet will not help your body function better. In fact, it may do the opposite.
Stick to healthy fats, skip just the trans fats and saturated fats and you will be off to a better start.
"Drink More Coffee, At Least 5 Cups a Day"
Many people think that coffee will boost their metabolism and help them lose weight quickly. While coffee does marginally boost metabolism, it is not a good drink to consume in excess amounts.
Coffee also affects your heart rate and nervous system. If you drink too much, your heart will pound, and your body may start to shake. If you are looking for a drink to help your diet plan, always go with more water. That is the best diet drink out there!
"Chew Your Foods X Number of Times"
Chewing food a certain number of times is an old-school diet tip. The idea is that smaller, mushed-up food is easier to digest. Many people also think that chewing will burn calories. All of this information is false. The calories in a food will not change based on how many times you chew. You will also never burn a significant amount of calories just by chewing.
Just chew your food normally and choose healthy foods paired with actual exercise. Do not sit around counting how many times you chew unless you want to waste time.
"Stop eating snacks"
While you never want to overdo it with the snacks, a few snacks throughout the day can be healthy. Eating small, healthy snacks can help you curb your hunger, making it easier to get from one meal to the next.
Make sure you choose smart snacks like nuts, fruit, or yogurt. Snacks can be good, even if you are on a weight loss journey!
More for You
16 Unhealthy Foods That Are Ruining Your Diet. Dieting is so incredibly hard and these 16 foods may be secretly ruining all your hard work. These foods may not appear to be unhealthy, but they are. Each of these sneaky foods may be why your diet is failing. Avoid them at all costs!
This article was first published at Spatula Desserts.
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