A Nutrition Coach’s Perspective on “Trending” Diets
The thought of an “easy jump-start” on any weight loss journey is tempting. Getting started is always the hardest part- so why not jump on the bandwagon and find a plan that:
Has food/bars/shakes already made
Has a black and white plan that’s easy to follow
Has provided results for so many of your friends
Has provided results for so many of your friends
As appealing as this may sound, there are a lot of things that these diets do NOT offer. Believe it or not the pieces of the puzzle that these diets are missing, can be detrimental to your long-term goals.
These diets do not teach people how to implement healthy habits into their everyday lives. - Although the thought of prepared food, bars, and shakes sound easy and appealing, living off this type of food is not sustainable. What happens when it’s time to prepare your own meals? Dieters struggle because they’re not equipped to add meal prepping into their schedule. If their meals are not prepared, they make quick (and usually poor) decisions, leading to weight gain.
These diets do not teach people how to make healthy choices outside of a rigid plan. - While it may be easy to make good choices when the meal plan is mapped out for you; what happens when you decide to go “off plan”. Most people start these diets as a way to “jump start” their weight loss. They do this with the intention of eventually getting off the diet. If the plan offers little flexibility, it becomes hard to choose healthy snacks, order off a restaurant menu, or find a new recipe to spice things up a little at home.
“But a few of my friends have lost over 30 lbs on this plan” - It is likely those friends haven’t found their way OFF the plan. They may be finding great results on the plan, but you have yet to see them sustain their results. The odds are not in their favor. Most people who start plans that require a big lifestyle shift, will gain their weight back (and many gain more). Before you determine whether someone is successful on a plan, make sure you see what their experience is like 6-12 month post-diet.
Weight loss takes time, energy, and patience. Plans promoting fast weight loss and/or easy to follow programs typically have a “downside” that is not advertised. Do your research. Check reviews (the good and the bad) of people who share their experience. It is best to find a professional to work with who can provide a plan specifically for your body and your goals. You wouldn’t want to put diesel fuel into a car that takes regular gasoline would you? Food is the fuel you put into your body- putting the wrong fuel in can cause you to break down!
