Diet remains the major factor in any genuine plan to reduce your weight. The truth about fad diets is aimed at those needing help in deciding on appropriate diet plan. It’s no coincidence that so many new diet books are published around the new year. However, following the latest diet is often not a good idea if you want to lose weight and keep it off.

For a picture of an overweight woman, please click here

Below are some of the problems with many diets, plus tips on how to lose weight healthily. As well as eating healthily, it’s important to be active as this burns calories and can help you lose weight.

Five good reasons to avoid fad diets

Many weight loss diets promise to help you lose weight quickly. Often, these diets focus on short-term results and don’t work in the long term. They may also be bad for your health.

Here are five reasons to avoid them:

1. Many diets, especially crash diets, involve dramatically reducing the number of calories you consume. You may lose weight quickly but you risk losing muscle rather than fat. “Crash diets make you feel very unwell and unable to function properly,” says dietitian Ursula Arens. “Because they are nutritionally unbalanced, crash diets can lead to long-term poor health, including eating disorders.”
2. Some diets recommend cutting out certain foods, such as meat, fish, wheat or dairy products. Cutting out certain food groups altogether could prevent you from getting important nutrients and vitamins, which your body needs to function properly.
3. Some diets are very low in carbohydrates (such as pasta, bread, and rice), which are an essential source of energy. While you may lose weight on these types of diets, they’re often high in protein and fat, which can make you ill. “It has been suggested that the high protein content of these diets ‘dampens’ the appetite and feelings of hunger,” says Arens. Many low-carbohydrate diets allow you to eat foods that are high in saturated fat, such as butter, cheese and meat. Too much saturated fat can raise your cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.
4. Detox diets are based on the idea that toxins build up in the body and can be removed by eating, or not eating, certain things. However, there’s no evidence that toxins build up in our bodies. If they did, we would feel very ill. “Detox diets do not work,” says Arens. “They are, in effect, a form of modified fasting.”
5. Some fad diets are based on eating a single food or meal, such as cabbage soup. Others make far-fetched claims, for example that eating grapefruit can help burn body fat. Often, there is little or no evidence to back up these claims. “If followed over long periods, these diets are very unbalanced and bad for your health,” says Arens. “You may lose weight in the short term, but it’s much better to lose weight gradually and to be healthy.”

The healthy way to lose weight

We put on weight when the amount of calories we eat over time exceeds the amount of calories we burn off through normal everyday activities and exercise.

The only way to lose weight healthily and keep it off is to make permanent changes to the way you eat and exercise. These don’t have to be big changes. A few small alterations to your diet can help you achieve a healthy weight, and there are plenty of ways to make physical activity part of your everyday routine.

Aim to lose about 0.5-1kg (1-2lb) a week until you reach a healthy weight for your height. You should be able to lose this amount if you eat about 500 to 600 calories fewer a day than you need.

An average man needs about 2,500 calories a day and an average woman about 2,000 calories to stay the same weight.

Five ways to kick-start your healthy weight loss plan

Here are five simple things you can do to eat healthily and help you lose weight. To reduce the amount of fat you eat, you could trim the fat off meat, drink skimmed or semi-skimmed milk instead of full fat, choose a reduced- or low-fat spread and replace cream with low-fat yoghurt.

1. Eat wholegrain foods, such as wholemeal bread, brown rice and pasta. They’re digested more slowly than the white varieties so will help you feel full for longer.
2. Don’t skip breakfast. A healthy breakfast will give you the energy you need to start the day, and there’s some evidence that people who eat breakfast regularly are less likely to be overweight.
3. If you feel like a snack, try having a drink first, such as a glass of water or cup of tea. Often we think we’re hungry when really we’re thirsty.
4. Aim to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

Fitness tips to boost your healthy weight loss

Regular exercise will not only help you lose weight but could also reduce your risk of developing a serious illness.

Adults should do at least 30 minutes of activity five times a week for general health benefits. To lose weight and keep it off, you need to do at least 60 minutes of activity regularly.

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