Follow the Leader

For a nation founded upon independent thinking and ideas, I’m always amazed at how that can be thrown out the window when it comes to the latest diet and fitness crazes. The U.S. isn’t the only country where this occurs.

Recently I read about the Japanese Banana Diet, which is making bananas all but impossible to find in grocery stores in Japan. The diet was created by a young pharmacist to help her husband lose weight. As far as fads go, this one isn’t terribly restrictive, but also doesn’t give any recommendations for healthy foods beyond eating only bananas and water before lunch.

We have a long history of fad diets focused on eating only one food or one color of food which promise to be the key that unlocks amazing and rapid weight loss.While this is sure to limit calories, it’s also severely limiting important nutrients.

Diet, like life, is all about balance…calories in vs. calories out. No tricks or fads will give you good results in the long run. Check out this article on
‘Worst Conceived’ plans for weight loss to see the extremes some people will go to…like wiring their mouths shut. Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction. The only things you lose fast will be time, money and often muscle mass. So where is the disconnect for otherwise intelligent people when it comes to weight loss?

As much as those selling books, potions & pills want you to believe; there is no quick fix. Eating healthy and cutting back on calories (along with increased exercise) may not get you the results as quickly as you want…but it will get you there eventually.

So keep eating bananas, but just make sure they are part of your healthy ‘balanced’ diet.

- Renee

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Sensei Talks: NEXT BEST DIET PLAN…Try it today!

Sensei Talks: Lose 9 pounds every 11 days…SAFELY?

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Weight Loss Lip Gloss?

It’s amazing what we’ll do to try to shed a few pounds, isn’t it? I’ve even been known to fall prey to the diet scams, shams and tricks (in the distant past, of course) that promise magical results with minimal effort. Having wised up since then, I can advise you, beyond a shadow of a doubt, not to waste your time or money on such things.

Betty Kovacs, Registered Dietitian from the New York Obesity Research Center gives us the real scoop on 8 of the hot get slim quick tips including things like the Weight Loss Lip Gloss, Calorie-Burning Drinks and Eating in the Dark.

I couldn’t agree more when she says "I always tell my clients that if any of this actually worked, it would be the cover story everywhere". Weight loss is a multi-million dollar industry and everybody’s trying to cash in. Don’t be fooled, stick with what we all know works for weight loss…eat less and move more!!!

- Lauren

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NEXT BEST DIET PLAN…Try it today!

I just can’t take it anymore! Every day I’m bombarded with ads for diet programs promising easy and rapid weight loss. “Eat the foods you love, never exercise, and have a buff body in 30 days! Sound familiar? It seems the crazier the claims, the more famous they are.

I’ve finally decided to cash in on the fad diet market. So here’s the plan that’s going to make me millions (you’re all invited to my book release party). Start sending your money now and be the first to try it!

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NEW-EXCLUSIVE-BEST DIET YOU’VE EVER TRIED!!!

With the ALL NEW ‘Fiber-iffic Diet Plan’ you can drop 1 size each week! Never feel hungry, be the envy of all your friends, look great in your bathing suit by next week and improve your love life!

Breakfast: 2 Fiber-iffic fiber pills and 3 cups coffee (you’ll be full and buzzing around so much it will burn lots of calories)

Lunch: 2 Fiber-iffic fiber pills, 1 Fiber-iffic multi-vitamin, Fiber-iffic lunch recipe (from the book), 3 cups coffee

Snack: Fiber-iffic fiber bar

Dinner: 2 Fiber-iffic fiber pills, Fiber-iffic dinner recipe, Fiber-iffic fiber dessert

Snack: 2 Fiber-iffic fiber pills, Fiber-iffic fiber bar

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“This was the best plan I’ve ever tried, the weight just melted off me!”
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“I always felt full and the fiber snacks and desserts are delicious.”
– Noah Way

Disclaimer: (generally in a font only a mouse can read)
Testimonial results not typical. This diet makes no promises to its effectiveness or safety. Once we have your money, you can kiss it goodbye. We will continue to bill you for monthly supplements and will not cancel until you call us 3 times, send a written request and a letter from your attorney. We are not responsible for the side effects of consuming this much fiber.

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For any of you seriously thinking about trying this (or anything like it), haven’t you learned anything from our blog yet? Any extreme diet program can result in weight loss (mostly water along with some muscle), but usually doesn’t do much to get rid of the excess fat (which is really what you want to lose). Very low calorie plans (typically less than 1200 calories a day) make your body think it’s starving, slow your metabolism, and encourage additional weight gain once you start eating normally again. We’ve all heard of the ‘yo-yo’ diet syndrome… lose 15# quickly - gain 17 back over the next couple months, lose 5# - gain 10, lose 10# - gain 12#.... over the years your weight creeps up higher and higher. How good do those fads look now!?!

In a nation of instant gratification and quick fixes, there is not a magic plan for losing weight and being healthy. We all seem to need reminding of this once in a while. With bathing suit season just around the corner, many otherwise sane people will fall prey to these crazy plans. Here’s an idea, do something really outrageous…cut back on your portions, drop all (or most) of the sweets, and get more exercise. I know, crazy… but believe me, this one REALLY works.

- Renee

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Lose 9 pounds every 11 days…SAFELY?

I’ve been reading a lot of hype about the Fat Loss 4 Idiots diet lately. Apparently Fat Loss 4 Idiotswill show “ordinary people” how to lose up to “9 pounds every 11 days” SAFELY. Hold the phone! 9 pounds every 11 days…SAFELY?

I come across statements like this all too often, but for some reason it really struck a cord today. Let me first start by saying the you CANNOT lose 9 pounds (of fat) every 11 days SAFELY…it’s just not possible. And even if you do manage to lose that amount of weight (which is mainly going to be water along with some fat & muscle) in that short of a time period, I can almost guarantee that the approach was not healthy and that rate of weight loss would be very difficult to maintain.

I know that we all want quick results, but please don’t be fooled by diets making such claims. It’s a hard pill to swallow for some people with so many companies and products making these types of statements; but most people on these programs end up back where they started eventually, if not heavier then before. It’s wasted time, wasted money and just not good for your health. If you want to lose weight and keep it off you have to do so by making healthy changes in your behavior, eating and exercise habits.

Some things to keep in mind when evaluating a diet program:

(1) Every person is different. Just because a program worked great for your best friend or your Aunt Sally, doesn’t mean it’s going to work the same for you. To read more check out this great post by Craig Harper.
(2) Unless you want to ride the yo-yo diet train the rest of your life you have to find a program that fits your needs and lifestyle. Ask yourself if the program is something you can stick to in the long run? If not, then you need to look elsewhere.
(3) Watch out for any program making outrageous claims or promising quick results. If you have to pop a pill, eat only pre-packaged food or cut out an entire food group, keep looking.
(4) Look for programs that offer support. Losing weight is hard, and the support will be important for your long term success.
(5) Does the program include exercise? Exercise is a huge piece of the weight loss puzzle. If a program promises weight loss without having to move your body, it may not be the best choice.

- Lauren

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Headline Horrors

"Diabetes Numbers Staggering"

"Lose Weight By Watching TV: New Weight Loss Hypnosis Video Declared "Powerful Stuff!" By Expert"

"Carrying Extra Weight May Cause Early Death"

"Eat Like An Ape"

"The pH Factor In Weight Loss"

"Childhood Obesity On The Rise In West Virginia"

Reading the health headlines can be a little like watching a horror film; and just as frightening, trying to tease out the fact from fiction. The headlines above are just a sampling of those I found in one day. So, what do you believe?

Before jumping on the “maple syrup diet” bandwagon, or sending in your “3 easy payments of $29.99” for a revolutionary new diet pill, you should critically evaluate whatever you’re buying into.

First, answer a few questions:

- Where is your information coming from? Who wrote the article or created the advertisement? Are they qualified to write/speak on the topic, what do they stand to gain? If the author doesn’t have a health background, do they speak with respected experts in the field? No matter what, it’s still a good idea to do a little more research on the topic before making any changes in your life.

- Some articles are really just cleverly disguised advertisements. Is this the case? Read the fine print!

- Does the article/author/program promise “amazing results, never seen before”? Think back to what our parents & grandparents always said: “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is”. If there really was such an amazing thing out there, the medical community would be all over it!

There is good information out there, if you know where to find it. Start with websites like Shape Up America, government sites like, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), or the American Heart Association (AHA) to get some general information. Then investigate for more detail at sites like Mayo Clinic, WebMD, and Joslin Diabetes Center.

When it comes to dieting and weight loss, I did find one headline that I felt spoke the complete truth: “All that wobbles is market gold to some eyes”. Be savvy, do some research, and if you’re planning on a major diet change or adding any diet medications, talk to your doctor. Better safe than sorry!

- Renee

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It's all about choices...

"Obesity is less about the body doing anything wrong than it is about an environment that is all wrong for our bodies. We are adapted to survive in a world where calories are scarce and physical activity demands high. To use pharmacotherapy to fight obesity, we are, in essence, hoping to redirect the fundamental activities of human metabolism. I don't think we'll ever succeed in doing so, without dire cost in toxicity and side effects."

-Dr. David L. Katz, an associate professor of public health and director of the
Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine

I think this quote is pretty powerful! Focusing on the first sentence really made me stop to think about how we live today. Many people who want to lose pounds and manage their weight turn to outside methods – using medication, diet pills or more extreme surgical methods.

I agree with Dr. Katz that the environment we live in today is different than what our bodies were created to deal with. We are lucky that technology has made life easier in so many ways – we don’t have to go hunt our dinners or worry that food is scarce. In fact, we have the opposite problem! Food is abundant (both healthy and unhealthy options!) and most jobs involve sitting at a desk for most of the day. So, in order to get back to our roots, we need to be more conscious of putting activity back into our day and making healthy selections from the different food options available.

And this takes work, that is for sure! But remember that the decisions are yours to make. A little thought and planning ahead can help make this process easier. While you don’t HAVE to be active during the day, remind yourself that it is a healthy choice and find ways to move more. Even though it may take some mental effort, work on choosing healthy, nutrient-filled meals to keep you full and satisfied. When we get to the basics, our bodies are pretty amazing pieces of machinery – we can grow, heal, think, feel, talk, and adapt. Make thoughtful decisions to treat your body well and it will work well for you.

There will always be a new pill to try for quick and easy weight loss. But after all this time, it always seems to come back to the same conclusion: Quick and easy doesn’t work for long-term success. Instead of opting for the newest drug or fad-diet, focus your energy on creating positive habits now and you will have a long, healthy life ahead.

-Dr Z.

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