Fad Dieting or Eating Disorder?

Fad dieting has become so entrenched in US culture that it is seen by many as a normal part of daily life. It has become almost chic to be on the latest fad diet. Fad dieting has become so common place that it has actually created its own $61 billion industry. But is Yo-Yo or fad dieting really safe or is it a sign of a more serious issue? When we hear the word eating disorder, we immediately think of anorexia and bulimia. But did you know that perpetual dieting can be considered an eating disorder?

According to Psychology Today, people who diet are eight times as likely to develop an eating disorder as people who don't diet. Dieting is like a gateway drug that can trap someone in a vicious cycle of eating disorders which can take years to overcome. In fact, studies show that 35% of "normal dieters" progress to pathological dieting. Of those, 25% progress to partial or full-syndrome eating disorders. This suggests that fad dieting is indeed a type of eating disorder.

As the research suggests, fad dieting can progress to other types of eating disorders as well. Approximately 10 million women and one million men in the United States struggle with anorexia and bulimia. There are another 25 million who suffer from binge-eating disorder. There is an epidemic of eating disorders in our country that is causing more serious effects than being overweight may cause. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD), almost 50% of people with eating disorders meet the criteria for depression. Below are more statistics from ANAD related to fad dieting and eating disorders. Unfortunately fad dieting is starting to negatively affect girls at a younger age as the research shows:

• 95% of all dieters will regain their lost weight within 5 years.

• Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness

• Over 50% of teenage girls use unhealthy weight control behaviors such as skipping meals, fasting, smoking cigarettes, vomiting, and taking laxatives.

• 47% of girls in 5th-12th grade want to lose weight because of magazine pictures.

• 42% of 1st-3rd grade girls want to be thinner.

• 81% of 10 year olds are afraid of being fat.

These statistics show that fad dieting is a real problem and only getting worse as girls feel the pressure to be thin at earlier ages. Has our culture digressed so far that nearly half of 1st grade girls worry about being thinner? These statistics show how fad dieting can lead to other eating disorders which may lead to depression and even death. Fad dieting is a serious issue with serious consequences.

When you are on a diet, are you really focused on optimal health? Or are you only focused on the weight loss? Do you jump from diet to diet? Do you let your dieting and weight control your life? Then it's likely that you are a fad dieter. If you aren't sure whether or not you are engaging in fad (pathological) dieting, here are some elements taken from Scared Skinny No More, which will allow you to see the difference between healthy eating and fad dieting (eating disorders).

• A healthy diet is focused on healthy weight loss. An eating disorder (fad diet) is an unhealthy way to lose weight.

• A healthy diet makes your body stronger. An eating disorder (fad diet) makes the body weaker and can cause numerous health complications.

• A healthy diet can be enjoyable and still allows one to live life. An eating disorder (fad diet) is not enjoyable and takes over a person's life.

• A healthy diet is about helping yourself become healthier and stronger. An eating disorder (fad diet) focuses on what others think of you and draws attention for the wrong reasons.

• A healthy diet affects one's health and choice of foods. An eating disorder (fad diet) affects every aspect of your life.

Fad diets are not a quick fix and will never get you fit. The most effective way to control weight is to eat healthy natural foods. Diet foods and processed foods in general are not healthy choices. In fact before the prevalence of processed foods in the 1980's, the obesity rate was slightly less than 10 percent, yet today the rate is over 30 percent. What was the major difference in eating before 1980's and now? Before the 1980's, people ate natural foods. They rarely ate foods that were processed, mainly because very few existed, yet there were over 20,000 food products, including health and diet food products, introduced to the US market in 2010 alone.

So, eat healthy natural foods. The answer may sound simple, but in a processed food product culture it is not always so simple. You have to make a conscious effort to change how and what you eat, or you will fall right back into the processed food trap.

Here are a few tips and strategies that I recommend to change your eating habits in six weeks, so that you can be fit regardless of your body shape or your age. Six weeks is the amount of time we have found that is optimal for creating new habits. While a lifestyle change also needs to include regular exercise, a healthy diet is one of the major factors in weight control and overall health. These strategies will help you focus on eating for your health.

• Start every morning by drinking 8-10 oz of cold water. Not only are you typically dehydrated after sleeping all night, but this will "wake" the body up and get the chemical reactions going.

• Don't skip breakfast and make sure to eat protein.

• Include a quality source of protein with every meal and snack.

• Consume beans, and fibrous carbs, such as broccoli, squash, zucchini, and peppers & limit fruit intake.

• Make sure to include foods that are good Omega 3 sources (wild salmon, halibut, avocados, nuts, Macadamia oil) as these help burn more of your body fat.

• Avoid: Processed foods, and refined carbs such as white bread, pasta and rice that are low in fat and spike blood sugar.

• Plan your menu at the beginning of the week to ensure good food choices. Cut up veggies to store in containers for the week.

Eating healthy is not about cutting out certain nutrients, or following some crazy meal plan. Fad diets create a sense of desperation and despair. With a nearly 100 % failure rate, it's no wonder that fad dieting often progresses to pathological dieting and other eating disorders. It is time to change the fad dieting insanity and reverse the trend that is now affecting even our young children at an alarming rate. Ditch the diets, throw away the processed foods, and begin to eat for your health. Let today be a new beginning for you and your family. Focus on eating real natural foods that will actually help you look and feel fit!

Dr. Brad Johnson is an international speaker in the field of wellness/fitness. He is author of 6 Weeks to a Bikini Body & Scared Skinny No More: Exposing the Myths of Weight Bias and Weight Loss. Dr. Johnson has taught wellness/fitness at the collegiate level and has trained D1 and professional athletes in multiple sports. He recently spent a month in Malaysia helping develop a fitness diploma with their Ministry of Education. His books are available on Amazon.
6 Weeks to a Bikini Body http://www.amazon.com/6-WEEKS-BIKINI-BODY-ebook/dp/B00DKF5A7A
Scared Skinny No More http://www.amazon.com/Scared-Skinny-No-More-ebook/dp/B00C3U76K2

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr_Brad_Johnson

Dieting: Why Am I Not Losing Weight?

Bad food choices:

Even though we say we are on a diet, we still tend to make bad food choices. The word diet on its own can be very daunting, because we think we have to deprive ourselves of the food we enjoy. Especially with bad food choices we are very rarely aware that we are making them. Most times it is a subconscious decision we make for instant gratification of a craving for a certain type of food or other times it is driven by how we feel.

Bad food choices include eating:

• Sweets/ chocolate

• Potato chips

• Greasy and oily food

• Junk food

Bad diets:

A bad diet is anything which says you should eliminate any of the essential food groups. Carbohydrates, protein, dairy, fruit and vegetables and fats are all part of the essential food groups. Deprivation of any of these food groups will not allow your body to function optimally. You will feel tired and moody if you do eliminate any one of the food groups listed above. You will wonder what is wrong with you, but it is all due to not eating the correct nutrition. When you do come across any of the essential food groups you will tend to eat them in excess, because they had been previously banned from your diet. This will result in you gaining weigh instead, which is the complete opposite of your goals and will send you into depression.

The other end of the spectrum is to make:

Healthy food choices

The word diet on its own can be very daunting, because we think we have to deprive ourselves of the food we enjoy. That is why personally I don't like the word diet but instead replace it with healthy food choices. Sounds better doesn't it. This change in wording also places the power to lose weight back in your hands. As now you will see it as a conscious decision to make healthier eating choices and not as a task. As we humans are governed by our emotions and taste buds, I suggest you keep a journal to write down what you eat every time you are emotional or craving something. This will help you keep track of the wrong food choices you make, so that you can try to not repeat that choice next time. I am by no means saying that you should completely cut out all the foods you enjoy, but those unhealthier choices should be kept to a minimum.

In as much as weight loss is about seeing results physically, it can also be quite mentally and emotionally challenging. Changing the way we think about food and especially cutting out most of your favorite foods which tend to lean more towards the unhealthier side, can leave you feeling like a dragon permanently breathing fire. In order to see results when it comes to losing weight you should also have the following mentally: will power, determination and be able to persevere, so that this new change in thinking about food can be a lifelong decision to remain healthy.

Here are some tips:

• Drink at least 6 - 8 glasses of water a day. Water aids in increasing your metabolic rate (rate at which your body burns food).

• If u can also drink green tea, this also helps with weight loss and also counts towards you 6 - 8 glasses of water for the day.

• Eat breakfast. This helps the metabolism to get started after a few hours of not eating. Breakfast is to break your fast. If you skip this essential meal, your metabolism will become very slow. When your body eventually receives food it is not certain what to do with it and will store it as fat and not burn it as fuel, the way it is designed to do. Thus resulting in weight gain.

• Eat smaller meals. Rather have 6 smaller meals (as this will keep you metabolic rate working at a constant speed) than 3 large meals (this will make you feel more sluggish and tired).

• Make sure your meals consist of healthy carbohydrates (whole grains, low GI, brown carbohydrates). This will keep you fuller for longer. Also include protein such as fish, meat, poultry, eggs, dairy to help build strong bones and muscles. Include healthy fats. Examples of foods which contain these are fish, avocados, eggs and beef.

• Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. The more colorful the better. This will also be more appealing to the eyes. Don't forget we eat with our eyes first. So the more appealing food looks the more likely we will eat it and enjoy it. Also please note that when it comes to vegetables do not add unnecessary creamy sauces and oily salad dressings to make it more appetizing, as this will defeat the objective of being healthy. You can still have your sauces and salad dressings, but just opt for the low fat options.

Please be patient and don't be hard on yourself when it comes to losing weight as it does take time.

If you would like to find out more information on living a healthy lifestyle visit: http://healtylifestyleandbeauty.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jessica_R_Bergover

7 Ways To Stay Motivated While Dieting

Diet is a dirty word for most people. Many people start a diet only to quit after just a few days or maybe a few weeks. Staying motivated to diet is difficult as you think that eating that one cookie is fine until you slip up and then become derailed both physically and mentally.

If you are truly ready to start a diet and are looking for ways to stay motivated here are seven things that you can do in order to make sure your diet is a success.

1. Set Goals that are Realistic

The most important thing that you need to do when starting a diet is to make sure that the goals that you set are realistic. If you set your goal to lose 30 pounds within a month or two, you are setting yourself up for failure. You are going to be more successful with a diet if you focus on your health and create eating strategies that are sensible.

2. Go Slow

Making changes to your lifestyle is difficult and you want to make sure that you give yourself time to adjust. Start out slowly. Consider cutting out just 200 calories per day from your diet. If you do this you will lose between one and two pounds a week, which is a healthy weight loss that can be sustained over time.

3. Expect Set backs

Remember, at some point you are going to give in to your temptations. Allow for this. Treating yourself to a hot fudge sundae or other favorite desert every once in a while is okay. Remember, dieting is about moderation - one slip up does not mean that you have failed.

4. Remember You Are Not Perfect

So, you had a rough morning and then you eat a pint of ice cream for lunch. An indulgence is just an indulgence and you need to move on from it. One of the biggest problems that people have is thinking that the only way they are going to succeed is if they stick to their diet perfectly. They think that making a mistake means that they have failed and this causes them to give up entirely. The bottom line is when you screw up, forget about it and remember tomorrow is a new day.

5. Find a Friend

The people that succeed at losing weight almost always have a partner. If you are married try to get your spouse on board with you. Find a friend to help motivate you to stay on track. If no one in your life is currently ready to start a healthier lifestyle consider one of the many online programs that are available. These sites will provide you with support from outsiders that are on the same mission as you are. When you have a bad day you record it and the group will help you move on from it.

6. Reward Yourself

Going on a diet is hard and it is not always all that fun. A small reward can be a great incentive to keep going. Do not use food as a reward though. Consider a massage after losing five pounds or something else that you enjoy. Perhaps you want a night out with some friends or a great new pair of jeans. Celebrating your achievements throughout the process can be a great way to help you stay on track.

7. Create a Maintenance Plan

For most people, losing weight is the easy part it is keeping the weight off that is difficult. The most important thing to remember is that healthy eating should be a life-long goal and not just a one-time project to meet your goals. If losing weight and keeping it off has been a problem in the past make sure to devise a maintenance plan before you start. Sometimes consulting an expert is the best way to create a diet and exercise plan that will work for you.

For intelligent, no-nonsense advice to living a healthier life through weight loss and exercise check out Will Arlo's blog at http://fatburnhelper.org

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