Dear Fad Diet: F@$k You

If you've been following me for a while, you know I like goals. Man, I preach "make goals!" just as often as the church choir sings "Hallelujah!"What I don't like: fad diets with unrealistic goals. Every where I look there is some new program telling you "You can lose half your body weight in just 21 days if you just buy our cleanse."And what the heck is up with these new "fitness" corsets promising you a stronger core and an hourglass shape?! What's wrong with the old fashioned way of eating healthy, exercising, and losing weight at the realistic pace of 1-2lbs per week?

Before you get upset with me, just know that I'm not telling you those programs are "bad." If you're eating healthy, controlling your portion sizes, and getting active then that program is acting as a positive guideline. But ask yourself: is this a long-term, realistic approach? How many "fixes" or "cleanses" will you have to do in your life just to maintain your weight? What happens when you plateau? Do you just cut more calories, until your daily intake consists of a rice cake and two celery sticks? If that's your goal, then power to you; but to someone who likes to eat -ahem, me!- well that blows!

"But, Stephanie, why are you bashing these programs? Don't you promote healthy living?" Yes, I do. I, also, promote exercising and eating well. These programs target men and women who are searching for a place to start their fitness journeys, and promise rapid weight loss with minimal effort. You drink two to three meal replacements a day, and "shed" the pounds at an attractive rate. Yeah, that sounds pretty good. Almost, too good. Guess what: it is. You lose the weight because you have drastically cut your daily caloric intake, replacing your regular meals with a 100-200 calorie drink. Of course you lost the weight! But what happens when you are done with the shakes, the prepared meals, or the honey-lemon-pepper cleanse? You gain back the weight, and the scale goes back up. Sometimes, the scale reaches a number higher than when you started. So, you go back on the cleanse, or you try something else that promises rapid weight loss. Welcome to the terrible cycle of "Yo-yo Dieting."

I recently had a visit with my mom, and couldn't help but notice how slim and fit she was looking. I commended her on getting her weight down, telling her how happy I was for her making some healthier choices. She responded with "Thank you, but it has been so slow. It took me 4 months to drop 20lbs" Yeah. It should. 1-2 pounds a week is a sustainable and realistic goal for losing weight. Unfortunately, because of our society's obsession for instant gratification, that sounds dreadfully slow, even painful. Thanks to mass media, we worship photoshopped celebrities and accept without question their ability to slim down just six weeks postpartum. "Look how slim she looks!" "No stretch marks!" "Tummy tuck after C-section". Yeah, I bet I would look like that too with a full make-up team, personal chef, six trainers, great lighting and wardrobe, and a photoshop genious editing the picture. "But, she swears she did it with this cleanse". No, I guarantee you all that she lost from that cleanse is the water she was holding on to. She, most likely, exercised and ate well all through her pregnancy, gained the minimum 25 lbs, delivered, and went back to eating well. That diet/cleanse was most likely her last ditch effort to make her abs pop for the photoshoot by eliminating bloat.

I have had my own weight issues. I've been a yo-yo dieter for more years than I care to admit. I have tried cleanses that I just couldn't stick to. I did countless hours of cardio with no avail. Nothing worked for me, long term. What does? Being active and eating healthy 90% of the time. I like it. I like how my body feels when I am feeding it real foods like vegetables, meat, and the occasional cookie. I like taking my family for a run in our neighbourhood and having chin-up contests with my husband (I am the undefeated victor, so far.) I like burning calories by doing corn-mazes, or teaching Boo how to roll down the hill. And after? Well let's get a big bowl of froyo! It's called balance, and it has worked for me, consistently, for over 3 years. Don't like weights? Try an exercise class! Get a hobby! Get up and just get moving! It doesn't have to be some highly priced, heavily marketed quick-fix to work! Fitness comes in all shapes and sizes. No corset or shake is going to change your body structure, but if you eventually climb a set of stairs that you couldn't climb before; well, that's progress. I have said this before: your fitness is more than a number. Dont focus just on the scale as a measure. Don't rely on quick fixes. If you put in the work, you will see great changes. Just take the advice we give our kids and have some damn patience.

Thank you. I'll step off my soap-box now.