Common False Myths About Weight Loss Diet Plans That You Should Avoid

Because of the huge market for efficient weight loss programs in our developed societies, there has been an avalanche of different weight loss programs that have been introduced into this huge market.

However, if you take a closer look at some of these programs you will realise that "all that glitters is not gold". Some of these products are actually dangerous to your health while others are not really as beneficial as they claim to be.

So, in this article we shall be taking a closer look at some false myths that surround some of the diet and weight loss programs that have hit the market recently:

-The raw vegan diet plan

The proponents of this raw vegan diet plan brainwash people into believing that this type of diet is good for their health whereas, this diet actually leads to serious vitamin and nutritional deficiencies if it is not properly supplemented.

Children that have tried this type of strictly raw vegan diet for long periods developed growth problems like the development of abnormally low heights and body weights in children, reduced bone density and development of skinny limbs.

Some children fed on this diet also develop swollen bellies and pinched cheeks while some other children developed rickets.

If you want to be on this type of raw diet you should seek professional advice and you must supplement this diet with the right amounts of nutritional and vitamin supplements.

-Meal replacement diet plan

A good example of this type of diet is the lighter meal replacement plan which advocates that you should restrict your calorie intake to 500 calories by replacing your major meals with lighter products like shakes and soups. The dieter is instructed to drink only water in addition to these products.

However, if you do not follow the instructions in this diet plan diligently, it can lead to catastrophic consequences; some people that drank too much water after making use of the products in this diet plan actually died.

If you want to make use of this diet plan, you must follow the instructions to the letter.

-Acai berry fruit

One of the most overhyped weight loss foods is acai berry; most of the advertising campaigns about this false super food are full of fake testimonials and a lot of pseudo-science claims.

Some of the funny adverts about this fruit claim that it has cleansing and detoxifying properties. They also claim that once you are using this acai berry, you do not need to adjust your diet and lifestyle.

The truth of the matter is that even though acai berry contains some vitamins and minerals, you can also get most of the nutrients and vitamins that it contains form less expensive fruits like oranges and lemons.

Also if you consume only acai berry to lose weight, all the pounds of weight that you lose will be gained back once you revert to your normal diet; it causes serious rebound weight gain after you stop eating it.

-Hoodia diet pills

The hoodia diet pill is a diet pill that is commonly advertised as an appetite suppressant which is able to trigger significant weight loss. Some advertisers of this pill also lay claim to the endorsement of this pill by various celebrities.

However the truth about this pill is that most of the scientific trials on this pill have not given any conclusive and consistent positive results thus refuting the claims that this pill is a wonder weight loss pill.

Also, you must realise that this Hoodia pill is yet to be fully approved by the food and drug administration known as the FDA. So, please do not get carried away by all the advertising hype around this pill.

-Excessive use of vitamins

The health benefits of vitamins have been exaggerated to false high levels in recent times and this has made a lot of people erroneously believe that using high doses of vitamins will make them stronger and boost their immune system.

However the truth is that if you use excessively high doses of vitamins you can develop the following complications:

a-If you consume more than 1.5mg of vitamin A in a day your bones will become brittle and more prone to fractures.

b-If you consume more than 1000mg of vitamin C supplements in a day you can develop diarrhoea and flatulence.

c-Excessive consumption of vitamin A rich beta-carotene foods like green leafy vegetables, yellow fruits like mangoes, apricots and lemons can actually increase your chances of developing lung cancer especially if you are a smoker.

d-Consumption of more than 540 mg of vitamin E could be detrimental to your health.

e-Excessive use of more than 0.3mg of selenium in a day leads to complications like hair loss, nail loss and skin loss.

-Weight loss teas and slimming capsules

Many weight loss teas and slim capsules contain a substance called sibutramine that can cause serious harmful diseases like heart attacks and strokes. If you are interested in using weight loss teas and weight loss pills you must check their ingredients to make sure that they do not contain sibutramine.

-Accu fat burning beads

These beads have been banned in the United States and in Great Britain.

-Other common false diet myths

Other common overhyped and inefficient weight loss diet plans include the lemonade diet plan.

Healthy Weight Loss Diets - Tips for Losing Extra Weight and Maintaining It Off

When an individual decides to take on a diet from the many healthy weight loss diets available, the first thing that comes to mind is which type of dieting is appropriate and effective. Generally, dieting is a process wherein an individual focuses on eating specific foods to either lose or maintain weight.

Although there are many weight loss regimens out there, still you need to remember that it's best to indulge yourself on healthy diets to make sure that your body still gets enough nutrients to help you live a healthier lifestyle. Keep in mind that the benefit is not only the weight you lose but the fact that you improve your health as well.

Golden Rule:
No matter which of the many available health programs you choose, it is important for you to know that when you eat more calories than you burn, this leads to weight gain but when you eat lesser calories than you burn, then it will lead to weight loss.

Types of Healthy Weight Reduction Diets

Low Calorie Intake Diet
One important thing to remember when engaging in a natural weight loss regimen is to practice on burning up more calories than you take in. When our body doesn't have calories to burn, it tries to burn the reserved calories in the body and this cuts the overall weight.

The dietary diet and the weight watchers diet are some healthy diets which are introduced by the national institute of health. So basically, reducing calorie intake involves eating lean foods that are still rich in nutrients. Some great examples of these types of foods are whole grains, vegetables, and lean poultry.

Low Carb Intake Diet
A low-carb diet aims to reduce calorie intake to utmost 60 g per day. However, to balance the cutback individuals must take in more protein and fat. Since this type of diet remains debatable on whether it is safe or not to do, it is still best to consult first with a medical expert or dietitian to make sure that you choose the right diet regimen.

Low Fat Intake Diet
Among the healthy weight loss diets, this diet is also recommended to be included in your diet plan since consuming more fat is believed to have a connection on gaining weight. It aims to reduce the calories from fat to at least 25 percent of the overall caloric consumption. Likewise, it includes decreasing cholesterol and saturated fat consumption. In this case, individuals should focus on eating foods that are high in protein, and those that are lean like seafood and legumes.

These are some of the healthy weight loss diets that are worthy to consider when engaging in dieting. But again, it is best to consult first with a medical expert to confirm that you're engaging in an appropriate way of dieting.