Diets: Why It Works Now and Not Forever

You should read Diets: Let's Be Real before getting into this one.

To show you why I believe diets do more harm than good. Let's look at the "science" behind these diets and why real science can debunk the illusion of what healthy is. 

There is a common modality throughout almost every single diet/weight-loss program, of the thousands I've looked at...

RESTRICTION.

The word alone reminds me of growing up. Whenever I did something wrong in my parents perception, I was grounded. However, they read in a 'parenting book' to call it restriction. It's the only restriction I've ever known. I never heard of a diet that restricts food until I stepped into the industry. Wait...

People actually do that to themselves?

Restriction is the most common way weight loss programs work. Essentially, they're all designed the same way. Look at any diet and you'll see it restricts something from entering your body. Macronutrients (macros) are your Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Fats. These are the only things on Earth that can give you energy to sustain life.

Not energy bars. 

Not prepackaged shakes. 

Not energy drinks. 

Just Macros.

A few terms are commonly used to suck a person into frenzy of money wasting, powder mixing, food avoiding, obsession(s):

• Low Carb
• No Carb
• No Fat
• High Protein
• Low Calorie
• Cleanse
• Detox

Doctors say the same things!!!
Here's another Doctor saying the same shit!!!
Here's a University with my same opinion...

Tangent:

I understand these companies can (and do) spit a slew of articles and studies at you to support their claims. Yet the majority of them say the exact opposite of their claims, lack evidence, are poorly executed, or simply show insignificant data. These companies hire and pay people for the single task of searching for studies. Sometimes, if you search hard enough through these peer-reviewed articles you can find information completely unrelated to the product it's meant to sell. It may just have the name of an ingredient in the title of the article. Meaning you've been lied to and cheated out of your money by brilliantly constructed marketing. Have you actually read any of this "evidence?" If you have, did you actually understand what you read? Do you understand all the statistical data? Do you make the time to read pages and pages of information? Or even read the references cited in the study? 

Studies are used and cited in other studies. The more (solid) citations the better but not a single one should be over looked either. 

Let's just say if you partake in these (or have in the past) diets and programs like the ones listed in Diets: Let's Be Real, it's possible you didn't understand anymore than the price tag, the claim, "supporting" peer-reviewed articles exist somewhere, and the directions.

Let that soak in for a minute...

Back to restriction...

It doesn't matter which macronutrients the restrictive diet is focused on. Most likely, being deficient in a macronutrient, is being deficient in one or more micronutrients. Deficiencies of micronutrients and macronutrients can lead to chronic disease(s), poor performance (even sex), cognitive functioning, organ malfunctioning, and more. More importantly, the body will only allow so much change (fat loss) with restriction. The body recognizes a deficiency and adapts to the intake (or lack thereof).

"I lost some weight so I stuck with the diet but the scale just won't budge anymore."

The body is incredible at adapting. It adapts to the environment the body is exposed to. With a restrictive diet your body adapts as well. Your body decreases cellular metabolism, increases muscle catabolism (body "eats" muscle for energy), and non-survival functions slow or stop completely. Some non-survival functions include: reproductive organs (trying to have a baby?), cognitive function, and some endocrine gland functions (hormones). These adaptations is why people are more likely to end up with a higher body fat percentage than when they started a diet. For some people, this negative response only takes a few days, to others a few weeks, but the response is the same. A slower metabolism. 

Diet, lose weight, plateau, return to normal eating habits, gain, diet...

That's what people experience on the norm. What I see is...

Wreck the metabolism (diet), loss scale weight, stuff face again, gain, wreck the metabolism further, lose scale weight, stuff face again, gain...

For you visual learners this...

Equals this...

She's not done either.

Results can happen a number of ways and the change on the scale is different for each scenario. It goes like this:

Eating the right amount of whole foods and training a specific way will result in muscle gains and fat loss...example:

-5 pounds of fat and +5 pounds of muscle = zero pound change on the scale.

On the contrary, the reason why it's possible to see ginormous changes with a quick fix diet...

(-5 pounds of fat) + (-5 pounds of muscle) = -10 pound change on the scale.

Remember your muscle mass is your metabolism. (Keeping it simple)

A higher metabolism is an adaption the body makes with gains in muscle mass. This means less effort to maintain a healthy body (scale) weight. The organs function better, hormones potentially balance, bones strengthen...even sex is better. 

The time has come for everyone to face their own music. To be honest to themselves. To accept that a lot of work goes into being healthy and taking care of yourself. To make the choice, the right choice. 

This desire for a quick fix is sure to end in a quick mess. 

Do the right thing for yourself.

"It doesn't matter what you know if you don't DO what you know." - Martin Rooney

Bottom line. Take ACTION.