Diet culture has run rampant in recent years, creating the false narrative that you must follow dramatic cleanses and eating habits in order to achieve quick and effective results. With a little research it becomes clear that a balanced diet of protein, carbs and healthy fat is the most effective method for seeing positive changes in your body, but even so, many people still fall victim to the fads of the diet industry. 

While there is no one-size-fits-all diet for weight loss, there are several cleanses and eating plans which should be avoided at all costs in order to preserve the lasting health of your body. The reality of fads is they have the potential to damage your metabolism and cause you to gain the weight back when you stop following them, so Michele Canon, XPRO, NASM Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist, CPT and XPRO for Xponential+ outlined the three to stay weary of as you embark on your own weight loss journey.

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The Master Cleanse 

Cleanses are often used as a way to “reset” digestion and promote the flushing of toxins from the body, but the reality is that this is simply starving your body. “This diet claims that you will detox your body by drinking only lemon with water, cayenne pepper and maple syrup for 10 days,” explains Canon. Lacking in nutrients, this liquid diet will not fill you up or leave you remotely satiated for lasting results.

In order to lose weight you do need to be in a calorie deficit, but that’s not to say you should be drinking your calories for ten days. This leaves you at risk of putting your metabolism in flux, throwing off digestion and feeding off of your muscles as fuel rather than burning excess fat.

 

 

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The Cabbage Soup Diet 

Not only is this diet extremely boring to your palate, but the cabbage soup diet also lacks the nutrients to help satiate you for extended periods of time. If your diet is leaving you excessively hungry and you find yourself dreaming of the foods you “aren’t allowed to have,” it’s not a diet worth following. “This diet instructs you to consume cabbage soup for 7 days. In addition, there are specific other foods allowed each day–for example, one day you are told to consume cabbage soup and up to 8 bananas,” notes Canon. While bananas and cabbage do provide a healthy source of carbs, …….

Source: https://www.shefinds.com/collections/fad-diets-to-avoid/