There are dozens of fad diets out there, but they mostly come with one commonality: you have to deprive yourself of food, sometimes even of beverages. One of the latest craze to hit the market is called ‘The Hallelujah Diet’, which encourages people to simply ‘eat what they want’ and ‘lose the weight as they go’. Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, most people who try it soon find themselves back at the same weight they started at.
The Hallelujah Diet encourages users to cycle through a 4-week ‘cleanse’, sticking to a diet rich in greens and healthy fats. The theory is that after going through a rough patch of withdrawal symptoms, you’ll be better equipped to make the right dietary choices for the rest of your life. Is it possible to lose weight through a diet? Most definitely! But how long should you go on a diet for to actually see the results you’re looking for? That’s a different story. It depends on how you look at it.
The Science Behind Slimming
When you’re following a fad diet, you’re essentially depriving your body of the nutrients it needs to function properly. Depriving yourself of food can cause you to lose a lot of weight, as your body will start converting unused calories into fat. But in most cases, once you start eating normally again, the weight will return. That’s not a sustainable way to lose weight. So while it’s possible, you’re not going to see long-term results from a fad diet.
The good thing about following a more sustainable route is that you’ll be able to enjoy the food you eat while you watch the pounds drop off. The closer you stick to a sustainable diet, the more you will see visible results. What is a sustainable diet, you ask? It’s one that doesn’t deprive your body of the nutrients it needs, but rather provides these nutrients in the most effective way.
Our bodies need some level of nutrients to function properly. This is why a diet low in nutrients can make you feel sluggish and tired. Depleting your body’s stores of nutrients is like depriving yourself of some essential vitamins and minerals. When this happens, you’re going to start losing weight without even trying, simply because your body can’t function at its best. The issue is that when this happens, you’re also setting yourself up for some serious health problems down the line. What are these health problems? They are mainly related to your heart and blood pressure.
How Long Should You Cycle For to Lose Weight?
If you’re following any sort of ‘diet’, you’re going to go through a period of sluggishness and tiredness. This is normal because your body is adapting to a way of living that isn’t conducive to long-term health. When you start adapting to a healthier way of living, you’ll experience a boost in energy and a decrease in appetite. This is when you want to stop eating and starting losing weight. The issue is that when you do this, you often find that your body has adjusted to the lack of food and is no longer interested in losing weight. Your best bet is to take a break from dieting for a while and then try again when your body has had enough time to relax and adjust to a new lifestyle.
The Downsides to Fad Diets
Aside from the fact that most fad diets are unsustainable, depriving yourself of food is psychologically brutal. Once you begin to understand how your body works and realize that you don’t necessarily need to deprive yourself of food to achieve healthy results, the whole concept of a ‘diet’ loses its appeal. There’s also the fact that following a fad diet means you’re putting your health on the line. If you deprive yourself of nutrients, there’s a chance that your body will suffer long-term damage. What’s more, some of the diets out there are dangerous. They aren’t constructed with the appropriate amounts of nutrients, so instead of helping you lose weight, they’re actually making you fat. Don’t put your health in jeopardy by following a fad diet. It isn’t worth it.
The Upsides to Steady Eating
If you’re looking to lose weight, it’s best to go the straightforward route and stick to eating less and moving more. There are many fad diets that encourage you to eat the ‘right’ foods or follow a certain regiment to shed the pounds. But if you want to keep the weight off, the best thing you can do for yourself is to be diligent about exercising and making healthier food choices. The results of this sort of lifestyle change are more than worth it.
Instead of following a fad diet, take the time to find out what works best for your body. Ask yourself questions about how you’re feeling physically, how you’re sleeping, and whether or not you’re experiencing any significant mood swings. From there, you can begin to create a healthy eating plan that will help you reach your desired weight. The key is to be consistent and not deprive yourself of the foods that make you feel good. You’ll find that a steady diet leads to visible results much faster than any fad diet. So instead of wasting your time and effort trying to follow a random diet plan that may or may not work, invest in some good quality food that tastes wonderful and makes you feel fantastic. You’ll be happier and healthier in the long run.