The New Year is approaching! Have you made any New Year’s resolutions? Like thousands of Canadians, you may have resolved to lose weight this year.
January is often considered a time for new beginnings and fresh starts. It is also the time of year when you are most likely to hear New Year’s resolutions involving weight loss and trendy fad diets. Before you jump on the latest fad diet bandwagon, we need to tell you: fad diets don’t work! You can lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way without unhealthy fad diets.
How can you recognize a fad diet vs. a healthy weight loss practice? Continue reading to find out!
What is a Fad Diet?
A fad diet is a diet or meal plan that promises dramatic weight loss results, usually over a short amount of time. Fad diets can be dangerous and are an unsustainable way to lose weight. Often, you’ll gain weight once you return to your previous way of eating. Fad diets are typically low in calories, leaving you with low energy levels. They also tend to be restrictive in food choices, which can lead to nutrient deficiencies.
Read More: Why Fad Dieting is Unhealthy and Does Not Work
How to Identify a Fad Diet:
Fad diets tend to make a lot of claims regarding their success. The claims are often unbelievable and are too good to be true. A diet is likely a fad diet if it:
- Promises dramatic weight loss results (more than 2 lbs per week).
- Promises weight loss in a short period of time.
- Forces you to buy a company’s food or products, rather than promoting healthy food choices.
- Lacks scientific evidence to support the claims.
- Provides an inflexible diet plan or provides a list of “good” or “bad” foods.
- Involves drastically cutting calories or eliminating food groups.
- Does not promote physical activity with the diet.
- Is a “one size fits all” diet.
If a diet you’re considering checks “Yes” to one or more items on this list, it may be a fad diet you should stay away from.
There are countless fad diets that have gained popularity in Canada over the past few years including intermittent fasting, the keto diet, paleo diet, and blood type diet, just to name a few.
Remember, fad diets are only short-term solutions and ultimately will result in you regaining the weight you lost, and unfortunately in some individuals, gaining more weight than you originally started with. Fad diets are often dangerously limited in calories and/or food groups. They pose a very real risk of malnutrition and should be avoided. It is always recommended to contact your doctor or dietitian prior to starting a new diet to make sure it is the right fit for you.
Cheers to a fad-diet-free New Year!
Read More: Is Weight Loss Surgery Right for Me?
Lose Weight Safely and Sustainable This Year with SmartShape: Home of the Mini Gastric Bypass, Gastric Sleeve, and Lap-Band in Toronto, Ontario
If you’ve resolved to be healthier and lose weight in the New Year, SmartShape can help you. If you’ve struggled with your weight, and diet and exercise haven’t worked, weight loss surgery in Toronto may be the answer you’re looking for.
SmartShape Weight Loss Centre is located in Ontario, Canada and works with people across Canada to improve their health and lose excess weight. When diet and exercise aren’t enough, weight loss surgery may be the tool you need to finally reach your weight loss goals and take control of your health.
We are Canada’s leading experts in weight loss surgery to help you finally achieve your goals this year and feel confident about the way you look. We offer several weight loss surgery options in Canada, including mini gastric bypass surgery, gastric sleeve, and Lap-Band or gastric band. SmartShape’s team of experienced bariatric surgeons and our clinical Aftercare Support Program team will help you every step of the way throughout your weight loss transformation. The result? Long-lasting, sustainable weight loss. Our unique 5-Year Aftercare Success Program ensures all our patients have the tools and clinical support they need for success.
SmartShape is the first weight loss surgery centre in Canada accredited by the Bariatric Centre of Excellence. Explore our weight loss surgery procedures and read our patient success stories and reviews to discover how weight loss surgery can improve your overall health and happiness. If you’d like to learn more about our weight loss surgery in Ontario, schedule a complimentary virtual consultation with our expert bariatric surgeon to discuss your goals and which weight loss surgery is right for your needs.