Why I’m Not Tempted by Quick Fixes and Weight Loss Fads
By Nutritional Weight & Wellness Staff
August 26, 2014
By Nell Kauls, Nutrition Educator
I had a conversation with a friend recently about her struggles with weight. She knows my story very well of how I lost 90 pounds* eating real foods in balance. I have encouraged her to try a path similar to mine:
- Work with a nutritionist
- Focus on eating real foods
- Give yourself time to heal your metabolism
She resists this path because she is on a quest that many of us are familiar with—the search for the quick fix to weight loss. She told me about how much weight she had gained in the past year, and that the green coffee bean extract that she bought after seeing an episode of Dr. Oz hadn’t worked.
Modern day snake oil for weight loss
Her story made me sad, and then mad. People make billions of dollars a year peddling this type of modern day snake oil to desperate people who have tried everything to lose weight. The advertising for these products accelerates based on the time of year, trying to capitalize on the guilt we feel after holiday indulgences or on the desire to look great in a bikini.
I used to be one of these people, chasing every fad diet and weight loss pill that promised quick and easy weight loss. This is a cruel promise because it offers hope, but never delivers results.
The truth about fad supplements for weight loss
Dr. Oz has been a prominent promoter of these weight loss supplements. He has featured a variety of guests who tout the newest weight loss miracle pill with claims such as:
- Green coffee bean extract (GCBE): will melt away the pounds without a single change to your diet
- Raspberry ketones: a miracle fat burner in a bottle
Currently, no large, long-term studies have been performed on GCBE or on raspberry ketones. We don’t know how long a person can take either product and lose weight. We also don’t know if there are any negative side effects from long-term use.
These supplements don’t address the reasons people gain excess weight in the first place: poor eating habits. And many people, like my friend, don’t lose weight using these products. Excess body weight is not the problem, it is a symptom. Long-term weight loss is within your reach if you are willing to turn off Dr. Oz and give up the search for a quick fix. What I’ve learned in my journey to get healthy is that it takes time and effort, and there are no magic pills.
Real foods are the way to health
When I first saw a nutritionist in 2008, I had lost all hope of ever “losing the weight.” I thought I had tried everything under the sun, and nothing had ever worked or would ever work. So when she told me to eat fats like butter with the 5-6 real-food meals and snacks I was advised to eat each day, I figured it was worth a try. Over two years, I lost 90 pounds eating this way. I have maintained this weight loss for three years and counting. Additionally, I sleep like a rock and have vibrant good moods.
Make a commitment to yourself to eat balanced meals and snacks of real foods. Let go of the ideas that you need to starve yourself or take a pill to lose weight. This year, I challenge you to stop your search for quick fixes and believe in your own power to nourish your body.
What types of quick-fix weight loss fads have you tried? Leave your comments below.
Tune in! To hear more about how I lost weight eating the Weight & Wellness Way listen to my August 30, 2014 appearance on the Dishing Up Nutrition radio show.
*Because everyone is unique, individual results vary.
