Photo courtesy of Harvard Health
People are always looking for cool, crazy ways to lose weight that provides quick results and requires the least amount of effort. This need to achieve the perfect body has fueled the quick fix diet franchise to generating diet pans that include some interesting meals.
From the lemonade diet, where you only drink lemonade and cayenne pepper, to the military diet, which consists of hard-boiled eggs, vanilla ice cream and hot dogs.
Each claims to help you shed pounds with ease. But the latest crazy diet sensation may have you shedding more than just pounds.
The Ketogenic diet, known as the Keto diet, is protein and fat based. It typically includes plenty of meats, eggs, cheeses, fish, nuts, butter, oils, seeds and fibrous vegetables. Essentially anything your heart desires except for sugar. Now that might sound all great and dandy, but like all things, there’s a catch.
In a study conducted by the Harvard Medical School, Dr. Marcelo Campos reported that the long-term effects of the Keto diet are still unknown and that the probability of an individual continuing the diet long term is unlikely. He went on to say that “it is also important to remember that “yo-yo diets’ that lead to rapid weight loss fluctuation are associated with increased mortality.”
So, are the pounds worth shedding years off your life? Jasmine Logan a senior pre-occupational therapy major at Florida A&M University says yes. “I’ve been heavyset my entire life and have faced many health issues. We’re all are going to die someday so I might as well look great before I do.”
Danielle Williams, a senior social work major at FAMU, believes otherwise. “I don’t believe in diet crazes. I just think if you eat right and exercise you’ll see a difference in your body.”
Campos encourages people to look at the bigger picture and discourages individuals from “engaging in the next popular diet that would last only a few weeks to months.” Instead, he said, try and embrace sustainable long-term change.
Finding a balanced, unprocessed diet is important. So, insuring that whatever lifestyle you try to live is rich in “colorful fruits and vegetables, lean meats, fish, whole grains, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and lots of water,” is a recipe to having the best long, healthy, and most importantly, full life.