Do rapid weight loss diets actually work or are they another way to frustrate us on our journey to getting in shape? Well, it depends on how you look at it and what your idea of “working” is. I know that if you could help it, you wouldn’t ever go on a diet again, right? I think this is the case for most of us. We try dieting for the results, not for the fun or pleasure that they bring! 
I don’t think that you should ever go on diet and hopefully after reading this, you will feel the same. For now though, lets get in to why people try diets and why they don’t work.
[It's time to kiss that diet goodbye! Quit wasting your time and get on track to getting your perfect body!]
Like many people, I like to get things fast. If I decide that I want something, I want it immediately. This is human nature and explains why diet pills, muscle building supplements, and fad diets have grown so popular. This is even the big reason that people still take steroids or other illegal drugs, even knowing of the potential health problems that may arise down the road.
People don’t care as much about the consequences, they just want the results. Even if the results never come, people will still hold out hope that the newest fad diet will work this time. They will spend money and time to get what they want, regardless of how many times they have been burned in the past. If you consider the diet supplement industry, you will see exactly what I am talking about. In reality, most of the supplements do not work. . . They always promise, but rarely deliver.
You would think that if an industry is built on failed promises, that it would not be around very long. This isn’t true though, because there are so many people that are trying to lose weight, build muscle, and get in shape. As long as there are people to believe in the hype and willing to spend money, there will a market for diet supplements and fad diets. If you know what I am talking about and have actually experienced some of the failures, I want you to put all of that behind you now.
Okay, now back to the rapid weight loss diets. Regardless of what the diet consists of or what the latest fad is, there is really only one way for it to work.
It has to cause you to take in less calories than you use on a consistent basis, for an extended period of time. That’s the real key to weight loss and regardless of how it is marketed, it must do this, or it will not work.
Breaking this down a little, we see that the diet must do three things:
1) Cause you to take in less calories than you use
2) Cause you to do this on a consistent basis, such as daily
3) Cause you to do this for an extended period of time, such as long enough for you to get to your target weight.
There is one main problem with this and it is the reason that most diets do not work. The first two keys for a diet to work are easy and if you actually follow most diets, they will cause you to take in less calories and do that on a consistent basis.
The problem that most people have is the third key, which is staying on it for an extended period of time. So diets do not fail, people just do not stick with them long enough for them to work. This has been a problem ever since the first diet was invented and is going to be a problem as long as diets are around. In the beginning when you are really committed and the diet is new, it will be easy to stick with it, but what about in a few weeks or months? You know the answer, it will be too hard to stick to and you will quit. At least you won’t be alone, because so many of the other people on diets are going to quit too.
So if you want to really lose weight and get in shape this time, don’t go on a diet. Yeah, you read that right, I said, “Do not go on a diet.”
Instead of a diet, you need to find an alternative way to take in less calories than you use. When it comes to calories, they are affected by how much goes in and how much are used. The amount used is greatly affected by the kind and amount of exercise that you do. This post is not going to get in to the exercise part of it, but you can read more about this in a previous post on resistance training.
We are only concentrating on the diet part of the equation, or how many calories that you take in. So if you want to take in less calories on a consistent basis and you don’t want to diet, what do you do?
Intermittent fasting. This is what I do and this is what has worked wonders for me and for countless others. I never count calories and I never worry about what I eat anymore. I will even go as far as saying that if you consistently do intermittent fasting the Eat-Stop-Eat way, you will get in to the best shape of your life and stay that way. Your days of failed diets and wondering how many calories you are supposed to eat will be over. It is actually one of the few things that I have tried that promises so much and actually delivers. If you have never tried it, I think you should check out Eat-Stop-Eat before wasting your time on another useless diet.
Let me know what you think and how it works for you. Leave me a comment or any questions that you have and get ready to give up all of those rapid weight loss diets for good!
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Yeah, diets are bogus as long as you avoid the heavily processed garbage. I, as always, advocate eating more meat and eggs if you are trying to lose weight. Studies have found protein to be far more satiating than carbohydrates or fat. So fire up the grill!
Kelly,
I’m a big fan of Eat Stop Eat. I didn’t lose 20lbs in a month but I’ve lost 1-1.5lbs per week for the last 3 months. Plus I didn’t give up any foods I really enjoy. It’s win-win!
Dave
.-= Dave´s last blog ..Cheat Days: Maintain a Fitness, Life Balance =-.
Darrin,
This is the best time of the year for me! I love cooking out on the grill or even on a campfire. We make these foilwraps on the fire with chicken or hamburger meat, and a bunch of vegetables like carrots, potatoes, zuchini, onions, peppers, and spices. We wrap it in foil and throw it in the hot coals for a half hour or so, they are so good! There is nothing better than eating by a campfire in my backyard with some music, a couple beers, and my wife and kids running around. I love summer weather!
Dave,
I agree. It is win-win. I pretty much eat whatever I want and just fast twice a week and it has worked out great. I am just starting phase two of Rusty’s Visual Impact, so I will probably start to watch my diet a little more, but ESE has made life so much easier!