What Do These Have In Common?
Quick Weight Loss, Crash and Fad Diets...

Quick Weight Loss Diets Don't Work!

Ok now that I have said that... (whew) let me explain why I said that.

"Fad" is defined as a fashion that is taken up with great enthusiasm for a brief period of time; a craze. Simple enough... something that happens fast and fades out.

"Crash" has many meanings but the one I associate with dieting (from personal experience), is "crash and burn" which means to fail utterly!

"Quick weight loss" of course is easy enough... I want to lose weight and I want to do it right now.

"Diet" as a noun is defined as "the usual food and drink of a person."

Somewhere along the way, the interpretation of the word "diet" has changed. It's associated with being overweight or fat. That association has created a "six billion dollar" quick weight loss market.

Each year dozens of new books and infomercials hit the market. In 2007 it is projected this market will exceed six billion dollars.

Dieting Can Become A Bad Habit!

For some people, weight isn't a big issue. Maybe you're only 5 or 10 pounds overweight. If a special event is coming up, a high school reunion or you're going to be a bridesmaid in a wedding, you can easily jump into a fad diet and lose 5 or 10 pounds quickly.

If you're 10, 20 or more pounds overweight, it's not easy to get that weight off fast. But the more overweight you are, the higher your risks for womens health related issues.

But there are quick weight loss programs out there that will take it off faster than eating healthy and exercising.

After dieting the scales may show you're lighter, but do you know why?

What Happens During Quick Weight Loss Diets

The loss you're seeing on the scales is from body fluid and muscle. You're not losing body fat. Your body goes into starvation mode. Your intake of calories isn't enough to give your body the energy it needs. Your metabolism slows down causing your body to conserve energy from the fat, and in turn, burns fat much slower.

Maintaining your weight loss will be very difficult. Your body has become accustomed to the amount of calories you were feeding it. When you return to eating normal portions, your body won't need that many calories and will store them as fat.

Most crash diets emphasize one food or one food group. Eliminating food groups is very unhealthy. Your body needs a variety of foods from all of the food groups in order to get the nutrients that keep you healthy.

To sum it all up, fad diets drain your energy, slow your metabolism, are unhealthy, and deprive you of food you enjoy.

And if all of that isn't bad enough... fad diets are "crash and burn"... they leave you feeling you have failed utterly.

The thing is, you didn't fail, the diet did by being restrictive, unhealthy and not promoting physical activity.

Dieting Doesn't Work!

I can say this from my personal experience. Yes... you can go on a quick weight loss program and lose the weight fast. But...do you keep it off?

No...and that's the problem.

Quick Weight Loss Diets Tell You What?

• What to eat.
• When to eat.
• How much to eat.
• No pain no gain... don't worry about being hungry it will pass.
• It cuts foods that supplies nutrients to your body.

What Quick Weight Loss Dieting Doesn't Teach?

You need a healthy diet and weight management strategies to preserve your weight loss.

Eating all foods in all the food groups in moderation.

Slow calorie reduction preserves your muscle and gives you the needed energy to burn fat.

Slower weight loss allows you to maintain your strength and stamina while you lose body fat.

You need exercise not only to lose weight, but to maintain your weight and to be even healthier.

Transitioning back into normal eating can be challenging.

There isn't a "quick fix" or a "quick weight loss" to losing your weight and keeping it off. To maintain weight loss and your health, the only answer is making lifestyle changes in your eating habits and adding physical activity.

"Achieving A Healthy Lifestyle For Women's Health and Fitness"