Chances are, if you’ve done any sort of research about how to lose weight—whether you searched for recipes or physical activity plans—you’ve gotten more than a few ads promising weight-loss cures. Anything that promises you will lose weight “overnight” or lose a significant amount of weight in just one week is a lofty claim, and an unsafe one at that.
Five-bite diet
The Five-Bite Diet is exactly what it sounds like. The diet consists of skipping breakfast and only eating five bites for lunch and five bites for dinner. An eating plan that severely restricts your caloric intake is unsafe. Failing to eat enough calories not only prevents individuals from meeting their nutrient requirements for optimal functioning, it can lead to an unhealthy relationship with food and cause your body to go into starvation mode. This can lead to numerous other harmful effects.
Waist trainers
If you follow popular celebrities in Hollywood like the Kardashians, you’ve probably heard about waist trainers. The waist trainer is a modern take on the corset, and users wear it for several hours per day to lose weight and change their body shape. Not only are they restricting and uncomfortable, they can make it difficult to breathe. They can even damage your internal organs and bones, leading to pain and indigestion. This “quick fix” won’t lead to long-term weight loss.
Portable infrared saunas
The claim is that by sitting in a portable infrared sauna every day, you can increase your metabolic rate. In fact, sitting in a sauna for prolonged periods is not recommended and can actually cause dehydration. Not only that, but the weight lost is usually only water weight. Sauna suits are also not recommended.
Surrounding yourself by the color blue
There’s information floating around that the color blue can make food seem unappealing and can actually suppress your appetite. There are even blue-tinted glasses sold on the market as appetite suppressants.
Stay away from any “magic” pills or creams sold over the counter that promise “unbelievable weight loss!”. Chances are, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Throw out those odd beliefs about losing weight by smelling fruit or watching yourself in a mirror as you eat, and talk to your doctor about an exercise regimen, eating plan, or weight-loss procedure like the non-anatomy altering Lap-Band® Program that works for you and your lifestyle.
