New Year, New You...? Think Again.
New Year, New You...? Think Again.
Happy New Years and welcome to the not-so-happy season of increased fad diet and weight loss promotion. |
| Image via Kelly Sikkema @ Unsplash |
While watching the ball drop on tv this past new year, I felt very aware of the plethora of dieting ads. Between 11:30 pm and 12:30 am I saw over 5 ads for various diet plans - and even 1 for a weight loss plan claiming not to be a diet.
While the advertisements can seem very enticing, they’re usually misleading and ultimately problematic. Today I want to do a little breakdown of the most common New Year's diet messages, why they’re misleading or problematic, and how to respond to them.
I understand the appeal for these diets because I too have fallen into their trap. But here’s the secret - they don’t work. Sure, they might cause weight loss in the short term but their methods are simply not sustainable - once you inevitably quit the diet, the weight will come back. This often becomes a cycle for people - diet, lose weight, quit diet, gain weight, repeat. Sure the specific diet might change but the pattern typically remains the same. This is called yo-yo dieting… not only does it not work but it can actually be quite hazardous to your health.
I want to add that it's not your fault if (and when) you do quit a diet. It is not a measure of “strength or willpower.” It’s just that these extreme diets are not sustainable - mentally or physically. If you are truly concerned for your health in terms of your nutrition, I recommend seeing a dietitian rather than picking up a New Year’s diet. Now let’s get into some of the diets that are expected to be big this year…
Fad diets and why they don’t work
note: if following a diet for medical reasons/under medical supervision then this will not apply to you. This article might still be something you find interesting but should be taken with a grain of salt. Do not make changes to a dietary pattern that has been prescribed to you without consulting your medical provider(s).
First off, the infamous Keto Diet
Fun fact - the keto diet was actually invented as a treatment for epilepsy before we had medications to help with care! (Therefore, if you’re on this diet for epilepsy, the rest of this does not apply to you). This was considered an effective yet difficult to maintain treatment because it is very difficult to stay in a state of ketosis - which is what this diet was made to create. The modern keto diet rarely causes ketosis because it is not done under medical supervision and also doesn’t come with the education necessary to adhere to it. Because of this, the diet is really just another low carb diet, albeit with a little flare.
Next up, we have Intermittent Fasting
As an ex-dieter, I can understand the appeal of it. But, as an RD2BE, I can also see the dangers of it. In addition to the commonly cited physical dangers - headaches, digestive issues, sleep problems, low energy - I also worry about the mental ones - dysregulated mood due to changes in neurotransmitters, disordered eating development, binge eating, irritability, and more. Most of all, I worry about how this diet can just destroy your hunger and satiety cues. After all, it tells you to blatantly ignore these in the name of weight loss. When people get off of this diet, which most inevitably do, it is extremely difficult to return to “normal” eating. This will, once again, continue the cycle of yo-yo dieting.
And for the grand finale, this year's “non-diet diet”
You may have seen advertisements for this years newest “non-diet weight loss program,” which I will not be naming here. They claim to be more a way of life than a diet which, in theory, sounds great. Unfortunately, many people who have quit this program have reported extreme restriction with this diet - such as receiving recommendations of 1200 calories for an adult. Beyond the low caloric recommendation, it also has a mental component that can be potentially harmful. The program requires tracking everything you eat and blatantly categorizes food as “good” or “bad” using red/yellow/green categories. (This is beside the point but all vegan proteins such as tofu, beans, and nuts have reportedly been categorized in the “red zone.” Not very health-promoting if you ask me.) This categorization of foods can do a number on your mental health and lead to restricted or disordered eating… even once you’re off the program.
…
• • •
Every fad diet has its own WOW factor but every diet also has drawbacks and risks under the surface. If you want to quit the yo-yo diet trap once and for all, I strongly recommend seeing an Intuitive Eating based Dietitian, if possible. I also recommend familiarizing yourself with the principles of HAES - Health at Every Size. HAES shifts the focus to behavioral change for health rather than dieting for weight loss. This has been seen to be much more sustainable in many individuals. Again, I do recommend seeing an RDN if possible so that your nutrition can be catered to you. At the end of the day, no health measure is one-size-fits-all so we need to stop treating it that way.
If you want to learn more about any of the topics discussed today, feel free to check out my sources!
Sources
It is so important to spread the word of fad diets. Especially when it comes to apps and programs that preach to be a way of life but aren't providing their users with any actual skills (like mindful eating or portion sizes) to take with them when they inevitably stop participating. People are quick to jump into programs like these thinking they're not a diet so they're not a fad diet. Spreading awareness that programs like these are the same as a diet is important - people need to start learning healthful eating skills and proper decision making instead of scanning their food to see if it falls into the green yellow or ref category. - DZ
ReplyDelete