Did you know that approximately 95% of diets will fail, and people will likely regain any lost weight within 1-5 years? Without the help of medical professionals, dropping pounds and reducing your body fat percentage can be quite challenging!
Rather than relying on so-called diet experts on the internet, there are a few important reasons why you should consult a trained medical professional before embarking on a new diet:
Some “Trendy” Diets Might Hurt More Than Help
Every year, there seems to be a new trendy diet spreading like wildfire on social media. Popularity doesn’t always equate to success, though, as the latest best diet rankings confirmed. The ultra popular “keto” diet was ranked last. Another example–a diet called “intermittent fasting” is gaining traction in social media lately, but if you suffer from blood sugar crashes, then fasting is one of the worst things you could do!
Other diets may lack essential nutrients like protein if you’re not consuming enough meat or non-animal sources like tofu and tempeh. For these reasons, it’s important to discuss possible diet options with your doctor before jumping on the latest dieting bandwagon. With today’s photo-shopping technologies, you never really know what’s real weight loss and what’s artificially enhanced, so don’t trust online before/after photos of people who supposedly tried the plan.
Got Blood Work?
Some diets can have a positive effect on your blood pressure and other internal bodily functions. The DASH or “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension” diet is approved by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and may be something your doctor would recommend if you need it. However, a high-sodium diet could negatively impact your blood pressure, just as a diet low in iron can cause anemia without careful monitoring.
To avoid potential pitfalls of switching to a diet that’s quite different from your current eating habits, it’s important to ask your doctor about getting blood work done first. They can ensure you don’t have any health problems lurking beneath the surface that could make you feel worse instead of better.
Pace Yourself
One of the major reasons why dieting fails for so many people is because they do too much all at once. For example, someone who is accustomed to eating lots of sugar and carbs may not find ultra clean eating to be sustainable in the long run. A gradual incorporation of healthier eating habits into their diet is more likely to lead to success.
Crash dieting might help you lose a few pounds, but the weight will likely come back without the development of a more moderate approach to dieting. Fortunately, your doctor can help you come up with a strategy for success based on your body, hormones, medical conditions and general lifestyle. Avoid the advice of social media diet “experts” or “influencers” with little to no experience in the medical field and no knowledge of your body’s unique needs.
