Beware of Diet Claims that Sound Too Good to be True
TEXARKANA, Ark. –
The holidays are over and many are looking for ways to shed those extra pounds gained. We are bombarded with advertisements for weight loss, but we have to beware of diet claims which sound too good to be true.
Everyone wants a quick fix, but you didn’t gain it overnight and you will not lose it safely overnight either. The claims to lose weight through detox, eating the way cavemen ate or an all liquid or shake diet, may promise immediate results, but think about how likely is it that you will maintain your lost weight? There is an old adage, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” In most diet claims, it is generally true.
No diet works best for everyone. Choose and personalize a weight loss plan that suits your lifestyle, habits, tastes, and needs such as allergies, intolerances, and chronic conditions you are monitoring. You want to find a diet that you can adhere to and achieve.
A good old fashioned diet rich in fruits and vegetables, plus exercise is a great recommendation for those who want to reach a healthy weight. Plus it’s a lifestyle that you can adhere to. Your diet should be realistic and not restrictive of certain fool groups. Other diet fads might be tough to follow over the long haul.
The price of nutrition misinformation can be high. Questionable advice may not only cost you money, but can result in malnutrition, toxic overdose or nutritional imbalances. Don’t be fooled into thinking that you are buying health and wellness.
Millions seek a painless way to win the battle of the bulge. Proper diet and exercise takes constant discipline and work. Quick weight loss claims are especially appealing to some individuals. Quick weight-loss products aren’t worth a try when they affect your health and harm you.
The truth is you can’t lose weight if you don’t cut down on the amount of food you eat or increase your exercise to burn up calories. Any product claim that promises to trim you down and tone you up effortlessly is false.
There are no quick answers to losing weight or preventing disease by diet or nutritional supplements. There are no wonder drugs or foods. Maintaining good health requires sound nutrition throughout a lifetime. It is never too late to improve your health by changing your lifestyle. But it takes a strong desire and the realization that positive results may not be apparent for months. As always, consult your doctor before beginning any diet program.
The next time you see a new diet claim, think about the nutritional quality of the proposed product, and evaluate the claims before you invest your time, your money and your health. Above all remember, if it sound too good to be true, it probably is.
Contact me at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, in Miller County for more information at 870-779-3609, or e-mail chadley@uada.edu. Follow me on facebook at UAEXMillerCountyFCS/CarlaHaleyHadley, and twitter @MillerCountyFCS
By Carla Haley-Hadley
County Extension Agent - FCS
The Cooperative Extension Service
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Media Contact: Carla Haley-Hadley
County Extension Agent - FCS
U of A Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
400 Laurel Street, Suite 215 Texarkana AR 71854
(870) 779-3609
chaley@uada.edu
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