Spot Toning

Crash weight loss plans and fad diets are an unreasonable alternative to permanent healthy eating habits, according to the American Heart Association.

Many of these fad diets, such as the notorious and outright silly Cabbage Soup Diet, will undermine your health, cause physical discomfort (abdominal discomfort and flatulence (gas) ) and lead to the yo-yo effect of gaining weight soon after losing it. In other words the risks aren’t worth the rewards.

Quick-weight-loss diets generally put far too much emphasis on one particular food or type of food. They violate the first principle of good nutrition which is to eat a balanced diet including a variety of foods.

If you are able to stay on such a diet for more than a few weeks, you may develop nutritional deficiencies, because no one type of food has all the nutrients a human being needs for good health. One such diet is the Cabbage Soup Diet. The myth of this diet is that cabbage soup is some sort of weight loss potion.

People supposedly lost 10-17 pounds in only a week, eating mostly cabbage soup. On top of not working to lose weight, this diet lacks essential nutrients and can cause serious health issues. Pixies, elves and fairies, or even cabbages, can’t provide magical weight loss. That’s why you should eat moderate amounts from each of the food groups rather than cutting out everything but a cabbage and water.

The second principle of good nutrition is that eating should be enjoyable. You think eating only cabbages every day is enjoyable?. These diets are so monotonous and bland that it’s almost impossible to stay on them for long periods. Imagine eating cabbage soup, nothing but cabbage soup, for even a few days much less for a whole week.

By mid week crawling bugs would look good. They’d cart you off in a straight jacket by week’s end.

There are many other ways fad diets aren’t good for you. Many don’t encourage exercise, for example, walking 30 minutes most or all days of the week. Physical activity helps maintain weight loss, while physical inactivity is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. When a diet includes no need for a workout, run the other way.

Quick weight loss is possible. Just don’t fall for tricks or gimmicks that might end up ruining your health.