We’ve talked a lot about popular fad diets on this blog, but what about SAFE diets? Safe diets aren’t really a major topic of conversation in 21st century America – but diets are. Unfortunately, the ‘safe’ part is mostly overlooked. These days, we have much more information about the proper way to take care of our bodies, how to properly exercise, and about proper nutrition; however, people continue to gain more weight. Two out of three people in the United States are overweight or obese. Obesity rivals only tobacco as the biggest cause of preventable death in the United States. It is very obvious why there is such a great interest in weight loss.
Most every person in America believes that they should lose at least a small amount of weight. Unfortunately, not every person is very sure what the best way is for doing so. When determining what the best weight loss solution is for your personal needs, there are some things you should be sure to avoid.
Safe Diets & Food
You should beware of a diet that requires you to avoid entire food groups, such as proteins or carbohydrates. Low carbohydrate dieting, which requires nearly all carbohydrates to be avoided, have been popular in recent years. However, carbohydrates are important source of fuel for the body. The brain itself cannot function properly without glucose, which is provided by carbohydrates.
And most of these diets aren’t just about carbs – they’re low carbohydrate & high protein diets. Low protein diets have also been popular recently, and should also be avoided. Protein is a very important component in many parts of the body. Protein makes up our body tissues. The body is constantly repairing cells, and proteins are necessary for this process to continue.
Personally, I’m a fan of the alkaline diet, best promoted by Dr. Robert Young. He has evidence that our need for protein is greatly overrated but I recognize that many disagree with him.
A balanced diet is important, so that you get all of the nutrients that you need. Consuming the right kind of proteins and the right kind of carbohydrates, instead of cutting them all out completely, is the best solution.
Safe Diets & Exercise
The second thing to avoid is any diet that promises weight loss without any type of exercise. The food you eat is an important part of weight loss, but it isn’t the only important part. Being fit and in shape is also very important to losing weight. Muscles will burn three times the calories that fat will. By building more muscle, your body can burn calories naturally, even while you rest.
Safe Diets & Your Mental/Emotional State
The third thing to avoid is any diet or program that does not take the mental and emotional side of obesity into account. There is a very strong mental component to any weight loss program. It’s possibly the most important part. You must realize that there is always a reason for any weight you gain. While this isn’t always the case, emotional problems or negative attitudes can largely affect weight gain and weight loss. It involves both the mind and the body.
A safe diet is even more important than actually losing the weight, unless you’re one of those giant people who weighs hundreds of pounds. After all, being a skinny invalid or a thin corpse has very little appeal!
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