The Dark Side of Weight-Control Quackery-The Ultimate Crime Stopper ! Part 4

New! Nutrition Education from Fitness Elements Express!


What Fad Diet's Don't Teach

Did you know that that every year Americans have spent $33 billion annually on weight loss foods, products, services, and the next diet fad and trend (ADA,2009)? That is an unbelievable number of weight-loss gimmicks that we as Americans and our obsession with losing weight have truly thrown right into the toilet. While some weight-loss frauds merely slim down the wallets (instead of the bodies) of those who get confused and use them, others may endanger their victims. When will this ever stop? And, of course, almost all of them fail to produce permanent weight loss. I guess if you are too lazy to truly investigate or do your own homework part of this responsibility should lie on you! Yes I said you! It may sound harsh but I've been around far too long and know the truth about weight loss and you should by know too!

Diet quacks want people to believe that special food combinations and/ or supplements promote quick and effortless weight loss (Barrett). The bottom line is input and output my health and fitness friends. What that means to you is an appropriate amount of exercise and eating that is customized to fit your whole health, fitness, and nutritional needs period.

How Weight-Loss Quackery Harms

Frances Berg, MS, RD, editor of the Healthy Weight Journal, notes that the most insidious aspect of weight-loss quackery is that it creates false hope for people trying to lose weight. Repeated attempts to lose weight, followed by the inevitable regain, bring on a sense of failure, shame, and powerlessness. It batters the self-esteem and is psychologically damaging. With their magical solutions and outrageous promises, weight-loss quacks undermine responsible weight management programs and make them seem ineffective by comparison (Berg).

Kelly Brownell, an obesity expert in the psychology department at Yale University, states, "When I get calls about the latest diet fad, I imagine a trick birthday cake candle that keeps lighting up and we have to keep blowing it out" (Liebman).

Weight loss is a lucrative field for quacks, and they are not shy about exploiting it. Our first Amendment protects them. To help combat weight-loss quackery, health and fitness professionals should be able to both recognize dietary fads and educate their clients on proper weight-loss strategies. So my health and fitness friends when you are searching for the proper education and right approach to your weight loss strategy and weight management make sure you use your wisdom and gut on this one it could cost you your life.

What Fad Diet's Don't Teach

Fad diets and fasting are also faulty from a behavioral standpoint, because they tend to reinforce bad habits once the dieters return to their usual eating habits. What you had to do to get the weight off you have to keep up that Lifestyle and this is exactly why dieters fail over and over again. Dieters are also distracted from the truth that a real long-term weight control requires fundamental changes in Lifestyle period. (Barrett). I should know I am living proof of this myself I took off 65 pounds at age 18 and I am now 35 and never gained my weight back ever. I have exercised and eaten a sensible eating plan for my lifestyle ever since. I practice what I preach and do what I tell you my health and fitness friends. Once a food addict always a food addict.

The dieter is encouraged to learn about the consumption, planning, and preparation of foods to make well-educated food selections. Rather, most diets establish rigid rules and limitations that can only be followed for a short time. Typically, the dieter abandons the diet and the weight is regained ( Barrett).

Fad diets appeal to the emotions and therefore perpetuate the myth that weight loss can be achieved quickly and easily. Rarely do they address the need to make basic changes in what are life-long ways of looking at and dealing with food (Barrett). That is why I highly suggest journals when you eat so you are aware of why you are eating what your eating and being aware of what you are doing it for. With are hectic lifestyle today fast food shoveling is making us more unhealthful and stressed out than ever before. Try to remember the three P's when approaching making your lifestyle changes, proper planning prevents poor performance. Good luck my health and fitness friends with making the right decision for your food and fitness choices for life.


Have a happy and healthy day!


References: Nutrition Dimension, Ellen Coleman, (Barrett and Herbert),(Liebman), and (Berg).


By, Natalie Pyles


NSA Speaker, Author, Medical Exercise and Post Rehab Conditioning Specialist, Licensed Nutritionist, Health, Fitness, and Holistic Nutrition and Nursing Educator

New Article from Fitness Elements Express! Food and Mood go hand in hand and TV Food ads are Promoting bad diets so Be Aware!

New Science-based research reveals a direct correlation between what you eat and how you feel

How your Food and Mood go hand in hand and TV Food ads are Promoting bad diets so Be Aware!

Have you ever felt emotional and couldn't figure out what was making you feel this way? Well my friends you are not alone the secret to happiness could be in your very next meal. What you eat may play a role in how content you feel according to recent findings from studies have found the connection to food and how it relates to your moods.This is just one more reason for me to express the importance of healthful eating so you can be in more control of your emotional state, feel great and live well.

While the link on food and moods is always ongoing research and scientists have shown how diet effects our emotions. For example Protein-rich foods give us mental alertness and carbohydrate-rich foods help put us in a more relaxed state.

Other types of diets have also been investigated that affect moods. For example the Mediterranean diet results in a much lower risk of depression , according to large population -based study (Sa'nchez Villegas et al. 2009). The results showed that even after the modification to healthier lifestyle changes and better behavior patterns the Mediterranean diet clearly had a 58% less likely hood of developing any kind of mental unhappiness or depression.

The reason this diet pattern proves to be so highly effective is the increase of monounsaturated fats and includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, fish, legumes, cereals, and nuts. You may also want to keep in mind what the Mediterranean diet doesn't include: a lot of red meat, alcohol or dairy. The foods that proved the most mood-lifting benefits were fruits, nuts, legumes, and olive oil. These good for you foods have been around a long time and you always want to keep them in your lifestyle tool box.

While another recent Study has found these TV food ads peddle huge amounts of sugar and fat, with few fruits and vegetables can you imagine how unhealthful this is if you aren't paying attention to what your consuming and putting down your throat on a regular basis. Some of this information is so alarming! If you let TV ads dictate your diet and what you eat this is what you will get huge amounts of sugar and fat but precious few of vegetables, fruits, and nuts in your diet. That's the findings of a new study that analyzed what would happen if a person were to eat 2,000 calories of foods that are advertised from the tube.

"The results of this study clearly show and suggested that the foods advertised on television tend to oversupply nutrients associated with chronic illnesses including saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. These ads also under supply potassium, fiber, Vitamin A,D, and E ," and and could protect us against other illnesses as well.

Researches came to their conclusions after analyzing the food advertised during 84 hours of prime-time broadcasts and 12 hours of Saturday morning broadcasts during a month. You can find these findings in the June issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

It is a wonder why are food and mood matter. More importantly we can't afford to make any more emotional decisions without being aware at all times. Believe it or not my friends you do have control I am living proof. Just think a sound body, mind and spirit wouldn't that be wonderful! Have a healthy and happy day!

By, Natalie Pyles

Source: Maggie Moon, MS. RD, (Sa'nchez Villegos et al.2009), Health Day, Journal of the American Dietetic Association

Author, NSA Speaker, Health, Fitness, & Nutrition Consultant, Wellness Coach, Holistic Health, Nutrition, and Nursing Educator, Medical Exercise and Post Rehab Conditioning Specialist

In the Mood Foods for Valentines Day from Fitness Elements!

"In the Mood" Foods

Since Aphrodite, Greek Goddess of Love, appeared on the scene in mythology, modern-day diners have been trying to bring her back to the dinner table. We can help.

The Foods of Love

Dating back to the Aztecs, a sultry rumor existed that certain foods could either increase sex drive or enhance fertility. According to the buzz-kills at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, sampling chocolate, oysters, and asparagus might make you feel more amorous, but it won't do a thing for your sex drive. Myths and legends aside, we choose to believe that you can make a little magic with a mouthwatering recipe. Why not try a few using these alleged aphrodisiac foods and see what happens?

Next: Chocolate >

Give it a shot what do you have to Lose You never know about Food Myths it Never hurt to be a little Mystical!! Enjoy Yourself this Year Lots of Love from Your Fitness and Nutrition Expert Natalie Pyles!