Summer will be here in the blink of an eye, and while most people can't wait for the longer days of sunny skies and warm weather, the idea of bathing suit shopping can be a bit scary.
Sure, those winter months may have taken their toll on our bodies, but clinical nutritionist Nina Hunley of Good Shepherd Medical Center and registered dietician Rebekah Stark of Longview Regional Medical Center say that's no reason to turn to fad diets, meal skipping or diet pills. Although we all want to squeeze into a cute new two piece, shedding pounds at a rapid pace is no walk on the beach.
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Skipping meals, weight-loss pills and most fad diets won't prove to be beneficial in the long-run. Focus on modifying your lifestyle — eat better and exercise.
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Forget fads
"Any diet that severely restricts you from eating an entire food group isn't a good idea," Rebekah said. "Whether it's no meats or no carbs, these diets violate a key phrase in nutrition: balanced meal."
Also, eating just one kind of food can be pretty monotonous and boring — who would want to stick with it? Unfortunately, when women decide to end their fad dieting, they find that they gain their pounds back just as a rapidly as they lost them ... plus a few extra.
"You tend to just lose water weight with the fad diets, so the weight regain is pretty fast," Rebekah said.
No quick fix
Another weight-loss plan that is a no-no is skipping meals a few days in a row just to achieve a 'look'.
"Quick-fix dieting can sometimes lead to an eating disorder," Nina said. "Women decide to cut out foods in their diets — let's say bread and cheese. After awhile, they may decide since they could cut out bread and cheese, why not try something else? Pretty soon, they're eating a piece of lettuce."
Banning certain foods could also lead to cravings, leading to binges, causing weight gain instead of loss.
Throw out pills
Sure, it would be great to find a pill that would burn your fat for you while you sat on the couch eating potato chips and ice cream, but Nina said such a pill just doesn't exist.
"I don't know of any diet pills that are effective," she said. "They promise easy weight loss with no changes in your diet, but as soon as your money runs out or you forget to buy a bottle you gain any weight you lost right back."
Some pills on the market will reduce your appetite, but for a better hunger suppressant, just drink more water.
Modify your life
Permanent weight-loss and adherence is a hard goal to achieve (let alone stick to), so choose your new diet carefully.
"Make sure you find a diet that's similar to what you already enjoy," Nina said. "If someone chooses a diet that is bizarrely different from what she's used to, as time goes by she'll have a harder and harder time maintaining her weight."
In the end, it's all about making a change in your lifestyle.
"The word diet is obsolete. It's a lifestyle modification," Rebekah said. "Slow and steady wins the race, so take some time to develop a meal plan that you like. Also, check with your physician about exercising a bit. A little bit of cardio is good for everyone."
If you're wanting to lose some pounds, there are a number of reputable weight loss clinics in the area. Consultants at these clinics will work with you to create a weight loss program that will help you lose your weight and keep it off.
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Nina and Rebekah did say that if you are wanting to try your hand at a fad diet, the South Beach Diet is the best to try. Of all the fad diets, this one offers a healthy balance of vegetables, fruits, carbs and proteins.
Mango Smoothie
2 mangoes, peeles, pitted and diced
1 1/2 cups sugar-free vanilla yogurt
ice cubes
Puree mangoes in a blender. Add yogurt and 4 or 5 ice cubes; blend until thick and smooth (about 30 seconds). Pour into a glass and serve.
140 calories
0g fat
4g protein
30g carbohydrate
1g dietary fiber
50mg sodium
