Beware of the Diet Fads.....It's been going on for years....

The idea for this post came from a conversation with my Mother in law.

She was talking about her need to lose weight. SO she began to tell me about a diet Dr that she and her sister went to about 28 years ago. I will share what she told me - NOT to encourage anyone to do these things BUT to show how ridiculous it is and how it could never be a long term way of life. Unless you continue to go to him and get the pills he was selling - which I guess was truly the point of what He was doing- setting himself up for long term patients....

They were limited to 800 calories a day. He suggested they have "150 calories for breakfast and for lunch and then 500 calories for supper - to get them through the night."

So she began to tell me what she would eat. And it was sad because it seemed that because she was limited in calories - she hardly included any fruits or vegetable to her menu.

I don't think that I have heard of any Dr ever suggesting a person go SO low in calories. But I guess it helped him - because since his patients would be hungry then he could prescribe them appetite suppressants.

I have to add something here - I really don't think it is a good idea to watch your calories - because I think that when people watch their calories - they seem to bypass healthy things like fruit and veggies - not wanting to "waste" their calories. But truthfully fruit and veggies don't make you fat. The truth is "fat" is what makes you fat. Now don't go crazy and do without fat - because we need fat - but by choosing the healthy fats- we give our bodies the things it needs. In the book that I read that opened my eyes to the importance of watching your fat intakes suggested that women keep their fat grams between 20- 40 grams a day. And for men- 30-60 grams. In my experience when you take your fat intake too low - your immune system is not able to work as well. Anyway - there are my two cents.

So the diet dr had them go on super low calorie diets- and then would prescribe meds for them. It was not something anyone could do for long term - it was a quick fix - an expensive quick fix. Losing weight does not need to cost a lot of money. Please do not fall for all the hype of the newest diets- that involve you spending lots of money on their special supplements. Spend your money on a variety of fruits and vegetables and whole grains and beans. That is where your money needs to go - on good food that God intended us to eat.

You can lose weight without using crazy low calorie diets. You can lose weight without buying expensive diet aids. Please don't fall for the crazy diet fads. Choose the lifestyle strategies that can lead to better health as well as weight loss. Many of the fad diets- don't lead to health - in fact, when followed long term lead to health issues.