Fast Diet Fraud by Dr. Donald A. Miller

Under the theory that "seeing is believing", people continue to buy books and pills for dramatic weight loss in 7 days, or 4 weeks, or some other rather short interval. What should be checked is how much weight loss remains effective in one year.

There are several reasons for this caution.

Recognize that the ability to store calories as fat is pro survival, when the food supply various a lot throughout a year. With steady food supplies, this is anti survival. Eat more calories than you need, of whatever type, and you will put on fat. Even excess protein consumption is stored as fat. Note that high meat diets are high in saturated fat as well as protein.

Most people who try to lose weight do not make permanent changes to life style. They can lose a few pounds in the short term, but not keep them off.

Many fast diet schemes are tricks, some even dangerous. Especially bad are those plans which emphasize weight loss, but ignore what component of weight is lost.

WATER LOSS: many plans show quick results because they cause the body to drop water. The medical term for such pills is diuretics. Weight-wrap clothing makes one hot, and sweat. The same is achieved with steam rooms, saunas, and the like. Any professional athlete knows that a typical workout can cause the loss of 1 to 10 pounds of water, or more, which must be replaced to prevent heat stroke, even death.

MUSCLE LOSS: Many plans concentrate on reducing the total calories consumed, which is great if done wisely. The dangerous plans are those that starve the body so that muscle, as well as fat, is lost. As most dieters return to pre diet food practices, the lost muscle is usually replaced with fatty tissues. Muscle mass consumes calories even when the body is at rest. Reducing muscle mass merely to lose weight means that body is less balanced for controlling weight.

LOSS OF INJESTED FOOD: bowel stimulants are okay if needed for constipation, or to aid regularity, but NOT for weightloss. If you aren't eating much raw fruits and vegetables, moderate doses of dietary fiber supplements are okay.

FAT OR STARCH BLOCKERS: Two criteria must be met; they must work, and be safe to the metabolism. None are known to exist. I wrote elsewhere about chitosan, a "fat magnet" that does not work.

APPETITE KILLERS: They exist, but many have been removed from the marketplace. Narcotics are one such drug group.

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BIO:

Dr. Donald A. Miller is author of "Easy Health Diet" http://easyhealthdiet.com/diet.htm, "Easy Exercise All Ages" http://easyhealthdiet.com/eeaa.htm, and numerous free articles on health http://easyhealthdiet.com/articles/.
Seven of ten deaths are caused by preventable diseases.

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