We bust some fad diet myths- The New Indian Express

Express News Service

I’m no stranger to fad-diets. Before I got serious about my health, I tried pretty much every one of them… Atkins, South Beach, The Zone. Even something called The Dukan. They all worked but for a very short period. Fad diets are exactly that. Fads. They depend on current social tropes. They are not standard dietary recommendations. They often promise unreasonably fast weight loss only for the short-term and tend to leave out key elements in a person’s diet that creates imbalances in the body.

These diets focus on depriving you of essential nutrients or food groups. When one goes through this deprivation, weight loss is inevitable but at what cost? Most of these diets were originally created for specific medical purposes. For example, the Keto diet was created to treat epilepsy, not to be a weight-loss mechanism. Deprivation is never sustainable. One can only imagine the stress these programmes create on the body. It is just not healthy.

Nowadays, I eat more than I did before. But I make sure I am eating right. I am fitter and so much stronger. I look better than ever before and keeping myself away from any favourite foods is out of the question. The key to a healthy life is eating right and exercising regularly. I had PCOS and gestational diabetes, in addition to a major problem in my spine. Today, with proper food and regular workouts, I’ve beaten it all.

Another peril are online workouts, where experts tell you that weight-loss is quick and easy. Trust me, it doesn’t work like that. Let me give you an analogy. Let’s assume you are a student, aiming for 90 percent. You don’t know the subject and also don’t have a teacher. All you do is depend on Google. What do you think is going to happen? You need a structured programme for sustainable success. 

My goal is to make sure everyone has access to quality programmes that offer proper exercise and nutritional guidance, irrespective of social standing or budget. It is very easy to eat less and lose weight. The moment you start eating normally, it all comes back. Let’s go slow and achieve long-lasting results. 
The author is a certified Deep Health Coach and the Founder of Nourish with Sim.