Avoid Weight-Loss Scams

It is human nature to always look for a quick and easy way to lose weight. As a result many people fall for the countless weight loss scams that are available in today's market. To make matters even worse these fad diets sometimes succeed at helping individuals lose weight for the short term. However, these fad diets don't help the individual succeed in the long term. This article outlines a few key indicators that a weight loss diet is a scam.

Let's use the Atkins diet as an example. This diet was quite popular a few years back and many claimed to have lost weight with this apparently new revolutionary diet. The truth is that this type of high protein; low carbohydrate diet can help you lose weight for the short. However, it is impractical to think that anyone would incorporate this as a lifestyle change. I personally wouldn't want to be on a zero carb diet for the rest of my life and either would most consumers. Once the consumer is no longer employing the Atkins diet they gradually return to their previous eating habits and over time gain back the weight they worked so hard to lose because they haven't learned a long term solution for weight loss. The only real long term solution to weight loss is education.

Another key indicator of a diet scam is one that promise dramatic weight loss in a short period of time. Losing anymore then two pounds of fat in a week can be detrimental to your health. If you they to lose more then two pounds of bodyweight per week the chances are you will be losing muscle. Losing muscle is the last hings you want to do. Muscle is very metabolically active. In fact 10 pounds of muscle will burn 500 calories in a 24 hour period at rest. If you are actively exercising then this number is even greater. In fact it is better to try to build muscle while you try to lose weight. You might not lose as much weight as you originally wanted but your overall body fat percentage will drop considerably faster. Don’t forget, muscle is what gives your body the curves and shape you desire.

Any diet that requires you to dramatically reduce your caloric intake are also scams and can place your health at risk. If you drop your caloric intake to low or to suddenly your body may counter react this change in diet, thinking that it is in starvation mode and cause your body to become more efficient at storing fat as a protective device.

A better approach is to try reducing your daily caloric intake by about 100 calories each week. For example, if you begin your diet consuming 2,100 calories per day, you huld try to reduce this amount to 2,000 calories the following week, 1,900 calories the week after, and so on until you get to the point you are consistantly losing two pounds of weight per week. Once your daily caloric intake has been reduced by about several hundred calories it is wise to stop. Once again, if you drop your caloric intake to low it will result in your body storing fat as a protective device thinking that it is in starvation mode.

Another common weight loss scam is to make a client dependent on special food products or supplements as a solution for weight loss. You are far better off learning how to make the right food choices from conventional everyday foods that you can purchase at a grocery store. I have seen far too many people stock up on protein powders and other dietary supplements that eventually end up at the back of the cupboard. My advice is to save this money and hire a knowledgeable trainer that can help you learn how to diet using regular food items.

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