do diets work?

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Dieting is something most of us will have experienced. Whether you’re looking to lose weight or just be a little healthier, new ways to change your eating habits continue to emerge – from diets that eliminate all carbs to programmes that change your entire attitude towards food.

However, diets are rarely as simple as they first seem. Not only are they notoriously hard to stick to (because let’s face it, cutting out carbs for the rest of your life just isn’t sustainable), it can be equally hard to keep the weight off. Plus, some diets aren’t even that good for you in the first place.

So how can you tell the good diets from the bad ones, and how effective are the good ones anyway?

Good diets versus bad diets

When we’re on a mission to shed pounds for an upcoming wedding or long-awaited holiday, we often become so focused on the number on the scales, we forget to give our bodies the nutrition they need.

Juice diets are a good example. These ultra-low calorie fads lure people in with buzz words such as ‘detoxifying’ and ‘cleansing’. In fact, liquid diets have been known to cause fatigue, headaches and poor concentration, which isn’t surprising given that they don’t provide your body with the sustenance it needs. What’s more, any weight you lose probably won’t last, as super-restrictive diets such as these are virtually impossible to stick to.

Diets aren’t all bad, however. Long-term programmes such as Weight Watchers promote a sustainable approach to dieting without restricting you to a single food group. Newer diet programmes are also entering the sphere, such as app-based Noom, which focuses on education, healthy habits and behavioural changes to help dieters lose weight – and keep it off.

The key to an effective diet

While not every diet will work for everyone, the most important thing is balance. Any diet that’s extreme and restrictive simply won’t last, and has the potential to lead to an endless cycle of ‘yo-yo dieting’.

Liquid diets have been known to cause fatigue, headaches and poor concentration, which isn’t surprising given that they don’t provide your body with the sustenance it needs. What’s more, any weight you lose probably won’t last.

It’s also important to consider your activity levels when choosing a diet. We often assume that every woman can consume 2,000 calories a day, and every man 2,500, without gaining weight – but this isn’t necessarily true. Getting a wearable fitness device is an accurate way of working out how much energy you burn, and thus how many calories you can eat per day to reach your end goal.

But how do you keep the weight off? Planning your meals can be a huge help. Stocking your kitchen with healthy, nutritious foods and creating structured meal plans will help keep any unwanted weight gain at bay. All in all, if a diet is to work longterm, it has to be a complete lifestyle change, not just a quick fix. So take it slowly, eat mindfully and be kind to yourself.

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