My Top Ten Reasons Not to Diet

It's the dawn of a New Year again and most of us find we've done it again. Put on those extra holiday pounds. Our usual instinct is to get on the latest hyped up diet fad that's spreading like wildfire over the media. Here's my top ten reasons to opt for sensible eating and exercise instead of those quickie diets:

1) Name one diet that's worked... forever. Don't count the one's you've lost even 10 lbs on. The weight always comes back. Even worse, your actual percentage of body fat may be greater and your lean body mass lower.

2) Diets don't teach moderation. True success at weight loss will come when you learn to eat the correct balance of foods each day.

3) Many diets are restrictive. Restricting the kinds of foods you eat can lead to serious nutritional imbalances. You should choose from all different kinds of food groups.

4) Many diets are misleading. They make a claim to fortune and fame and then quickly disappear. In other words, the diet was a scam.

5) Some diets are simply dangerous. Too little food translates to low energy levels. You should be eating well enough to keep up with your normal daily activities and to exercise.

7) Low calorie diets will often allow some weight loss early on, but eventually a drop in metabolic rate occurs and the weight loss stops.

8) Diets often convey poor information. For example they often stress only counting calories over making wise food choices. Some diets just have point systems. As long as you don't go over your alloted number of points it doesn't matter what kind of food you eat.

9) Diets do not like to talk about exercise. They want you to think you will be beautiful and slender by following their program alone. While losing weight will improve you appearance you need some buff muscle tone to really look sharp.

10) Dieting and low self esteem tend to go together. You'll feel a lot better about yourself if you are eating healthy and exercising regularly. This way you know you are treating your body right every day.

OK, it's your choice. You're at the post holiday crossroads and you need to lose a little weight. Will you go for the whisperings of the diet queen who entices you with those "too good to be true" claims? I hope not. Instead put some moderation in your eating and exercise habits as you progess and succeed through the rest of the New Year.

Dr Lanny Schaffer is an Exercise Physiologist and the President of The International Fitness Academy. For more nutrition and weight loss information go to http://www.aerobic-exercise-coach.com