It’s easy to mistake dieting for healthy eating, but popular diets may actually do more harm than good when it comes to your body and overall health. During National Nutrition Month, Healthtrax is here to help you understand common misconceptions around dieting and what proper nutrition is really about.

Why Popular Fad Diets Don’t Work

The first “fad diet” to gain popularity was the low-calorie Grapefruit Diet in the 1930s. Re-named the Hollywood Diet in later years, this involved eating a grapefruit with every meal. From then on, more and more unusual diets began to gain traction, including the Last Chance Diet in the 70s, and even the Cigarette Diet, which originated in the late 20s when Lucky Strike released a marketing slogan, “Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet.”

But fad diets ultimately don’t work in the long run. Fad diets and crash diets—like those that replace solid food with green juice or lemonade—tend to be highly popular and promise rapid weight loss in a short period of time. While the idea of quick results can be appealing, those results are often temporary and can make your body more susceptible to weight gain in the long run.

In fact, studies show that 83% of dieters tend to regain lost weight after completing a fad diet. The temptation is to then start another diet, setting the stage for weight cycling. This involves a vicious cycle of gaining and losing weight and occurs when your body gets used to those dramatic fluctuations. Every time you diet and lose 10 pounds, for example, you’ll gain back the weight just as quickly when the diet ends.

Popular diets can also be highly restrictive and deprive your body of proper nutrients, impacting overall health and wellness. At the turn of century, the American Heart Association declared a war on fad diets, saying fad diets can “undermine people's health, cause physical discomfort, and lead to disappointment when people regain their weight soon after they lose it.”

Most crash diets also focus on eating and avoiding specific foods, which can put dieters at risk of developing heart problems. Plus, high-protein, low-carb diets—like the Atkins diet—can run the risk of raising cholesterol levels and cause calcium and fiber deficiencies. Diets that cut out certain food groups may increase cortisol levels, which can cause you to eat more after the diet ends than you did before it began. Elevated cortisol can also trigger insulin resistance, the central problem associated with Type 2 diabetes.

In addition to potential health problems, an imbalanced diet can also impact physical fitness and overall energy level. Food is meant to fuel your body—so the secret to healthy eating is not to eliminate certain foods altogether, but rather to balance your diet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, maintaining a healthy weight is less about short-term dietary changes and more about healthy lifestyle changes.

To find the right eating regimen for you, it’s crucial to learn everything there is to know about your body. Healthtrax’s InBody 570 Body Composition Analysis Machine examines your blood pressure, body composition, overall strength, cardiovascular fitness, and flexibility to help you understand holistically what your body needs to be healthy.

Develop Healthy Eating Habits

You don’t have to make radical changes overnight. To introduce healthy eating habits, start with the basics of Harvard’s Healthy Eating Pyramid and learn the best structure for your plate. This is a newer take on the traditional food pyramid that accounts for overall lifestyle, including exercise and vitamin intake. Whole grains, fruits and vegetables, healthy oils, and lean protein should be staples in your diet.

Preparing your own meals ahead of time is a great first step, as it gives you more control over your diet. Cooking your own meals enables you to eat fewer calories, make healthier meal choices, and keep an eye on additives like salt, sugar, and preservatives. Try to build your meals around Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate, which illustrates how much space on your plate different food groups should take up. Craving pasta? Swap your typical white rigatoni for whole wheat. If you’re in the mood for a burger, try ground turkey instead of beef. Make sure to prepare plenty of vegetables and finish off your plate with a small portion of fruit.

If you’re hungry between meals, look for healthy snacks to fill you up and give you an energy boost. Instead of a bag of chips, which provides mostly empty calories and won’t keep you full for long, grab a piece of fruit or handful of raw vegetables.

Another important habit is to drink plenty of water. Not only does water help flush your system of waste and toxins, it also boosts brain health and can speed up your metabolism by 24-30%. Increased water intake can help you make healthier food choices too, as hunger is often mistaken for thirst. Aim for a daily goal of drinking approximately 2.7 liters for women and 3.7 liters for men. Use this Hydration Calculator to determine how much water you should drink per day based on your BMI.

If you're just beginning your healthy eating journey, Healthtrax’s Healthy Start Program can provide a personalized introduction into your ideal health and wellness plan.

How Nutrition Relates to Exercise

Nutrition and exercise go hand in hand. Skipping breakfast or starting your day with mostly simple carbohydrates can leave you tired or feeling weak. Instead, look for breakfast foods that are high in protein and fiber.

Not all carbohydrates are bad, however. In fact, carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy. Complex carbs found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans can help stabilize your blood sugar levels, make you feel full longer, and provide vitamins and minerals.

The food you put in your body before a workout can affect its results, so always fuel up before you exercise. The best foods to eat before a workout include fruits like bananas, berries, grapes, and oranges. Nuts are also a great choice because they provide protein and other essential nutrients.

Just like exercising with a friend can keep you accountable for your workout regimen, friends and family members can also support your healthy eating plan. Sharing recipes, cooking together, and committing to positive changes with loved ones can provide the moral support and encouragement you need to make your new choices become habits.

Find a Registered Dietitian Near You

For further guidance, connect with a specialist near you. Registered dieticians are available to help at Healthrax locations in Avon and Bristol. Newington, North Haven, Raleigh, and Warwick members can meet with nutrition-certified personal trainers. 

Trax Trainers can also help you develop healthy habits that are right for you and provide simple tips on how to incorporate them into your routine. Take charge of your health this National Nutrition Month and contact Healthtrax to learn more.

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