Why Fad Diets Don't Work
We’ve all been there. You hear about this amazing new diet that promises awesome results with minimum effort. You have a busy schedule, and you also want to be healthy, so this presented opportunity sounds right up your alley.
Maybe you’re thinking, “I mean, if it worked for [insert any famous, beautiful celebrity here], then it must work for me, right?”
So with high expectations, you give it a try, but soon enough, reality hits - the results aren’t coming in quite as you thought, your diet is restricted to the point of misery, and you simply don’t feel your best. Then, you give up... until you're scrolling on Facebook again and see another friend that swears they have the magic formula for how to get healthy and thin quickly.
This endless and disheartening cycle is due to what we call “fad diets.” But you're not alone, we’ve all been tempted by a diet that seems to have the answers to all our problems, but rest assured these trends are not your best bet in achieving weight loss or wellness.
What are fad diets?
Fad diets are similar to fashion trends. They show up on the scene suddenly, everyone loves them, but they tend to disappear just as quickly. However, fad diets are much more harmful because they promise unrealistic results (usually in an ultimately unhealthy way.)
Some popular fad diets you might have heard of include the Atkins Diet, South Beach Diet, Master Cleanse Diet, just to name a few. Many of these fad diets can be detrimental to your health because they aren’t always backed by science and instead sold through intense marketing and endorsements. They seem to be effective though. That's why so many people try them.
Some things they might promise are:
- Extreme weight loss in a short amount of time
- Get trim without needing to exercise
- Ability to eat as many desserts as you want
- [insert anything that sounds so incredible that you wonder how it could be that easy]
Fad diets can be harmful to your health
One of the biggest issues with popular fad diets is that they represent a "one size fits all" approach to wellness. This mentality leads readers to think that just because something works for one person, it should work for everyone when in reality, we are all made differently. Adopting this mentality can be quite discouraging and can foster an unhealthy self-image when desired results don't show, making it easy to give up on finding a wellness regime that works for you.
This can be seen when popular fad diets promise drastic weight loss in an extremely short and unrealistic amount of time or promoting unbalanced nutrition by encouraging over-limiting the amount of food you should eat.
These factors might cause you to lose weight initially, but it can be difficult to maintain such extremes. And these extreme conditions often end up depriving you of the essential nutrients needed to maintain proper health. So instead of feeling better and healthier, you end up feeling tired, hungry, and in some cases you can even end up with unbalanced hormones, disrupted metabolism, mental stress and fatigue, just to name a few. This can lead to overeating the things that you denied yourself during the diet, and you might even gain weight in the end.
It's a vicious cycle, and an unsustainable way to live.
How to avoid fad diets
Nowadays, social media makes it virtually impossible to avoid the clutter of fad diets, so here are some tips that you can follow to help guide you away from yet another fruitless pursuit.
- If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Anything worth it in life requires some work, right?
- Do your research. Don't just take someone from Facebook's word for it. Read articles from various trusted sources on the topic. Educate yourself so you’re aware of what’s healthy and what’s not. Connect with a Certified Health Coach to help guide you in a personalized wellness plan.
- Listen to your body. Again, many of these fad diets want to make you think that wellness comes in a one size fits all approach, but each body is different. Just because one person sees results, doesn't necessarily mean that the same routine is the best for you. It's important to be mindful and develop an awareness of how you’re feeling with eating certain foods or doing various exercises. It’s all about getting to know your body, and doing what's best for YOU!
Instead of turning to fad diets...
Be mindful of what you’re putting into your body and get into the habit of reading labels on products. If the ingredients listed are in a paragraph of words that you don’t even recognize, then they’re probably not natural, and certainly not the best thing you could be putting into your body. Try swapping it out for some whole foods.
Secondly, give yourself grace when you “mess up.” It's okay to indulge every now and then. Nobody is perfect, and learning to accept that balance is a part of the process will save you from unnecessary stress.
Lastly, commit to the “long game.” Health and wellness are more than just a month-long diet that will help you lose that post-quarantine weight, it’s a lifestyle and it takes time, dedication, and patience. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and that goes for our health too. It’s a lifetime journey, but if you treat it like a marathon rather than a sprint, results will follow.
Instead of looking for short term solutions, start at the base of all wellness: rebuilding your gut.
Bonus tip: Try replacing the word “diet” to “lifestyle” to help put you in the right mindset for longterm success.
Start with gut health
The biggest step you can take toward improving your overall health goals is starting from the inside out. Meaning, start with your gut! Gut health is the base of ALL wellness.
The state of your gut influences almost all areas of your health - sleep, energy, digestion, the list goes on and on. So when sifting through the ever so popular fad diets, keep in mind that what you put into your body IS your health. So what’s the best thing you can consume to start your wellness journey and optimize gut health?! You guessed it - Organic Bone Broth.
Bone Broth It's made by boiling the bones from high-quality meats alongside various vegetables, herbs and spices. During the simmering process, the broth becomes infused with a variety of rich proteins, vitamins, and minerals that are excellent for our health. All in all its nutrient-dense, easy to digest, rich in flavour and boosts healing.
Unlike popular fad diets, bone broth is here to stay. Tried-and-tested since the beginning of time (thank you to our hunter-gatherer ancestors!), bone broth has proven itself time and time again to be the number one way to rebuild your gut, boost your immune system, and lay the base for a healthy lifestyle. Like we always say - food first!
One of the reasons bone broth is so highly recommended for the gut is that it's extremely rich in collagen and gelatin. These essential nutrients are introduced in the broth during the simmering process and contain various amino acids that do wonders for the intestinal tract and digestive system. You can learn more about what bone broth can do to optimize your gut health here.
What you put into your body has a direct relationship with how you feel, so why wouldn't you give yourself the very best? If you're looking to make a real difference in your health and wellness, skip the fad diets and start from within by rebuilding your gut. When your gut is happy, the rest will follow.
Take the first step to feeling your absolute best with our one week supply of batch-made Organic Beef or Chicken Bone Broth for just AED 195 (free shipping in Dubai and Abu Dhabi!!)
If you're still searching for help in learning more about yourself, your body, and a wellness routine that works for YOU, schedule an appointment with our Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach, Dean Henry.
