Spotting the Signs of a Bad Diet

These days it seems as though there is a new diet plan that comes out on the market almost on a daily basis. This is mainly due to the facts that there are now so many people in America who are overweight and that obesity has reached epic proportions.

So, while it is great to finally throw your hands up in the air and declare this to be your time to create a “better you,” you must be sure you are going to start your journey with the right diet program. Failure to do so can lead to far more than little to no weight loss as some “bad diets” have the tendency to leave you with all sorts of negative side effects including fatigue, bad breath, and even weight gain due to a slowed metabolism.

Armed with this knowledge, it is important to know what the telltale signs are that a diet might do you more harm than good. The following signs should alert you that something just might be amiss with a diet you are considering:

• Too Eager to Cut Out Whole Food Groups: Diets that either restrict or totally cut out whole food groups should be avoided. You know the kind; they will cut out carbs almost entirely and have you focus on all proteins. These kinds of diets are dangerous because they rob your body of vital nutrients it needs in order to function at an optimal level. For example, having no carbohydrates in your diet is not good for your brain and muscles, which will be evident after just a little while on such a restrictive diet. Instead, focus on finding a diet that allows you to use all the food groups which will be easier to stay on and will do your body the most good.
• Too Extreme: Change has to come with time. If you attempt to do a diet that is too restrictive and too extreme in its approach you are far more likely to drop out after just a bit. Instead of totally changing your habits start with a diet that allows you to enjoy a lot of the food that you are used to, but maybe just in smaller quantities.
• Too Easy: Avoid diets that do all the prep work for you by providing you with pre-packaged foods. First of all, some of these meals are packed with high sodium levels. Furthermore, while it is not good to have to do tons of prep work, you also don’t want a complete absence of prep work. You have to learn how to prepare proper meals if you truly wish to make weight loss a long-term goal and this is hard to do if you are constantly buying them ready made.
• Too Good to be True: The golden rule of “If it sounds too good to be true it probably is,” certainly applies to diets. Losing weight takes patience and determination and there is no magic potion for that. Fad diets will come and go, but in the end they are simply fads, not a lifestyle shift.

Being in shape and living healthy sometimes requires a total shift in the way you live. Therefore, when you are selecting a diet, don’t just go for one that promises weight loss, but instead find one that will help you change your life forever.