The United States ranks as one of the top countries in the world obsessed with dieting. It is estimated that more than 45 million Americans go on a diet each year and spend 33 billion each year on weight loss products, according to the Boston Medical Center. This diet culture can often lead to extreme behaviors, such as Orthorexia nervosa, which is defined, according to the National Institute of Health, as an obsession with healthy eating with associated restrictive behaviors.
Many of us strive to lose weight and if this is your goal, there are several healthy ways to make that happen, and unfortunately, many unhealthy ways as well. Plenty of people resolve to get into the best shape of their lives, which is why weight loss is such a common New Year’s resolution each year. Weight loss goals aren’t exactly easy to achieve, though. If they were, diet culture wouldn’t be a booming billion-dollar business. To this day, it’s known for being toxic and aggressive.
From nutritionists, personal trainers, and other weight-loss specialists, there is no shortage of weight-loss industry experts. Many of these professionals capitalize on the fact that millions of people are actively trying to slim down, whether to fit into their old clothing or achieve a healthier lifestyle. Some people are dedicated to weight loss plans because they have goals to achieve before certain events. The desire to lose weight for weddings, vacations, high school reunions, or for any other major reason is common.
Losing weight in a healthy manner is the most important thing to focus on. Healthful weight loss shouldn’t any harm or damage to your body along the way. People who fall prey to crash dieting techniques often regain the way they’ve lost – and sometimes the weight gain is even worse after the fact. Click here to read up on weight loss myths that cause you to gain weight instead of lose it.
To gather this list of dangerous weight loss plans you should avoid, 24/7 Tempo consulted several health-centered sources. These include US News Health, Food Network, Food Life Freedom, and Mayo Clinic Press. It is important to remember that before you embark on any weightloss journey, you should consult with your physician.
Cutting out carbs entirely
Any diet that encourages you to cut carbs out entirely isn’t a sustainable diet plan. Carbohydrates are your body’s main source of fuel and by eliminating them, it can lead to health issues. Cutting out carbs for the rest of your life isn’t something most people can easily achieve without feeling socially isolated while dining out with friends and family. To make matters worse, limiting carbs on a long-term basis can lead to digestive issues. Cutting out carbs to consume larger amounts of protein and fat could potentially increase your risk of cancer and heart disease as well.
Any sort of detox or cleanse
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Diet plans that suggest your adherence to a detox or cleanse are as dangerous as it gets. Detoxes and cleanses might lead to temporary weight loss results, but as soon as you start eating normal food again, don’t be surprised if you regain all the weight you dropped during that temporary period. Detoxes and cleanses come in many forms, including juicing and drinking plain lemon water for a few days.
Plans that don’t mention physical activity or exercise
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If a diet plan promises weight loss without mentioning any forms of physical activity or exercise, be aware of the glaring red flags. Healthfully losing weight requires being active while also prioritizing the seriousness of nutritional value. It’s never just about focusing on one or the other. Diet plans claiming to help you shed weight without any mention of physical activity or exercise should instantly make you question their validity. If it seems too good to be true, it generally is.
Replacing meals with bars or shakes
There are a handful of diet plans that encourage people to replace full-sized meals with small bars or shakes. Bars and shakes often contain no more than about 150 calories per product. That being said, there’s no way this type of diet plan is sustainable for anyone on a long-term basis. Once you’re finished swapping meals out with bars and shakes things will take a dark turn. After returning to full-sized meals, you’ll potentially regain the weight you lost.
A plan that forces you to purchase all your food from one brand
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Diet plans that force you to purchase all your food from one brand should be approached with caution. This is something to be wary about because it likely means the diet plan is more interested in profiting off of you than seeing you reach your weight loss goals. Keep in mind that truly healthy diet plans recommend purchasing nutritional foods from different sources to create a well-rounded and diverse meal plan for yourself.
A plan that induces “restaurant anxiety” in you
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When you head to a restaurant with your friends, family, or loved ones, you shouldn’t feel anxious every time, worrying about what you can and can’t eat. Diet plans that induce “restaurant anxiety” have way too many red flags to ignore. While it’s true you should be willing to stick with healthy choices whenever you’re dining out, that fact shouldn’t bring you to the point of full-fledged panic. You deserve to feel calm as you try to make the best decisions at restaurants. Diet plans that prioritize your mental health (whether you’re eating at home or eating at restaurants) are far more ideal.
A drastic caloric intake cut
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Another non-sustainable method for people focused on shedding unwanted weight is by facing a drastic caloric intake cut. It’s unsustainable because cutting your caloric intake in half for a limited period isn’t something you’re going to do for the rest of your life. As soon as you start consuming a higher caloric intake again, there’s a chance you will regain the weight you lost. Cutting calories is the right thing to do while losing weight, but the amount you cut shouldn’t be unbelievably aggressive.
Suggests a dangerous level of exercise
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Pairing smart nutritional choices with exercise is the most brilliant way to achieve weight loss goals. Nutritionists, weight loss doctors, and personal trainers can agree that this is a winning combo for people striving to make major changes. It only becomes a problem if the diet plan you’re on suggests a dangerous level of exercise. The amount of exercise you do should be individualized based on your gender, height, and weight. For example, a woman who is 5’2″ weighing 105 pounds should not be doing the same workout as a man who is 6’5″ weighing 250 pounds.
Enforces rules about hours when you can eat
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Diet plans that enforce rules about the hours when you’re allowed to eat can be highly problematic. Some forms of intermittent fasting are perfectly acceptable after you’ve discussed that type of diet plan with your doctor, though. Aside from that, the hours when you are allowed to eat shouldn’t be a factor in your weight loss journey. Telling yourself you’re not allowed to eat from 7 pm until 7 am, for example, can lead to greater levels of food temptation between those hours.
Cutting out sugar entirely
Unless you have a serious medical condition that dictates your sugar intake, diet plans that tell you to cut out sugar completely are far too restrictive. While it’s true that you should be limiting how much sugar you consume during a weight loss journey, cutting out sugar entirely isn’t always the best way to go about it. Cutting out all sugar is a terrible move because it might compromise your physical stamina and mental health by negatively impacting the level of glucose you have in your body.
Cutting out processed foods entirely
Crispy potato chips in white bowl
Just as cutting out sugar in its entirety is considered a highly restrictive dietary red flag, cutting out all processed foods is another controversial and troublesome method. There are a lot of benefits that come along with cutting out processed foods, including the fact that you’ll feel more energized and focused throughout your day. But it is important to remember that when you become too restrictive with your diet, if you aren’t careful it may potentially lead to binge-eating the foods you’ve been avoiding.
Using the words “cheat day”
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Diet plans that allow you to eat whatever you want once a week or once a month aren’t problematic in and of themselves. This becomes more of an issue if the diet plan uses words like “cheat day” to describe days when you can freely eat whatever foods you want. Using a word like “cheat” adds a level of guilt to the cravings that you are indulging in. You shouldn’t feel guilty when you’re eating items from any food group. Knowing you’re allowed to enjoy a few unhealthy options in moderation should be enough to start healing your overall relationship with food.
Enforcing exercise as punishment
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Any diet plan that enforces exercise as a punishment is beyond toxic. Some diet plans will tell individuals they’re allowed to eat an extra slice of pizza, have a donut, or drink a glass of soda – if they can make it up to themselves in the gym. Holding yourself accountable is important in the midst of a weight loss journey, but enforcing exercise as punishment takes this notion too far. Exercise should be something you look forward to rather than something you dread.
A plan that forces you to compare yourself
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Any modern diet plan that encourages you to compare yourself to others is riddled with red flags. This includes diet plans that suggest comparisons to influencers, celebrities, or anyone making waves in the fitness world. Comparing yourself to others in any circumstance is self-destructive and emotionally toxic. It might sound like a great way to get motivated at first, but it’s not. This is a dangerous method that can negatively impact your mental health. Keep in mind that the only person you should compare yourself to is yourself.
Any plan that promises rapid weight loss
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If a diet plan is promising rapid weight loss, it’s a huge red flag. While rapid weight loss is very possible, it usually only occurs if you’re willing to lean into dangerous methods like exercising for hours on end or starving yourself. To make matters worse, when you lose weight rapidly, there’s a chance you’ll regain the weight just as rapidly. Click here to find out about the Best ways to keep weight off if you’re over 40 years old.