Ditch the Trendy Diet: Trainer’s Tip #6

Trainer’s Tip #6:  Ditch diets that cut out whole food groups.

I love this article, written by a registered dietitian, which expresses the downside of the Whole30 diet perfectly.  My favorite line:  “Any diet that bans nutritious whole grains like quinoa and millet, but allows you to survive exclusively off of bacon and Larabars, should make you question the legitimacy of its health claims.”

I know there’s disagreement here.  I know that some of these diets have helped people lose weight, and if they educate people about the health risks of eating too much sugar and processed foods, that’s all good.  But research shows that they are not the best way to get in shape, and stay in shape for the long haul.  Let’s look at the facts:

1.) Many of the pounds lost on fad diets are made of water.   Dehydrating yourself is not sustainable for the long term.

2) Weight lost is the result of drastic calorie reduction, not the elimination of so-called bad foods.  Furthermore, usually muscle is broken down and burned, not fat.  Less muscle=lower metabolism.

3)  When off the diet, studies show the weight comes back easily because people are unable to stick to the drastic eating regimen for the rest of their lives.  Hence, a lifetime of yo-yo dieting.

4) Many of these diets do not place importance on physical activity, which is necessary in maintaining a healthy weight and body composition.

5) Many of these diets are created by unqualified people who publish books that have little scientific weight to stand on.  Someone who has passed a test in nutrition is not a registered dietician.   What do the creators of the Paleo diet think about this bit of knowledge?  I’d be interested to know.

I hereby commit to posting extremely brief tidbits of useful wisdom, termed “Trainers Tips,” on a regular basis.  You may ponder, ignore, or do as you wish with them as you go about your day.

Info about what?  Well…fitness.  Exercise tips, motivational tips, nutrition tips, health and well-being tips.  Maybe mind-blowing, maybe obvious but perhaps overlooked.  Tips to help you in your quest to become the happiest, healthiest you ever, one day at a time.

How often?  Most days.  Okay, I may get super busy or lazy one day.  Or two.  Don’t hold it against me.

Where?  Here.  On this site.  And my Facebook page and google+ page.

Why?  Because they’re short and sweet and force me to post to my blog regularly.  And because I love helping my readers in any small way I can, of course.