New year, new you. You want to get fit and healthy this year. You’re willing to try anything to help you achieve quick results. But watch out. Large corporations know this, they will capitalise on your new found motivation and they are willing to put your health at risk to make sales. I am here to tell you the fitness fads to avoid this January.
Detox Teas
Drinking a cup of tea will NOT make you lose weight sustainably. These teas often contain diuretics, which make you pee all the time. Any weight you do lose will most likely just be water weight, which you will gain straight back. OR, the worst case scenario is that the tea contains laxatives, which make you shit out anything you eat. Delightful hey? No. And not healthy. Do not do it to yourself.
Juice Cleanses
Do these really help you lose weight the healthy way? Detox your body? Cleanse your intestines? Nope. Your body has its own detoxification system. It is called the liver. It works perfectly fine on its own. Juice cleanses lack valuable macro and micronutrients, can put you in dangerously large caloric deficits and only give short term results. They’re overpriced and a waste of time. Save your money and spend it on some real vegetables.
Meal Replacement Shakes and Foods
I am talking about companies which encourage you to replace meals with bowls of cereal or milkshakes. Guys. NO. No no no. They claim you’re getting all the nutrients you need but you’re not. Their products are highly processed, light on calories but low on nutrients. That is not healthy. The reason you will lose weight is because you’re in a caloric deficit. Just eat REAL FOOD. Use portion control. That way you will access a whole host of nutrients, look after your health AND lose weight.
Gluten Free
Unless you’re allergic or intolerant to gluten, you do not need to cut it out. Please don’t think going gluten free makes you healthy. Gluten free foods can still be pumped full of crap. Quite often companies will add extra poor quality ingredients to gluten free foods, to try and make them taste like the original. Ultimately, a gluten free brownie is still a brownie.
Fat Burners
Eating your regular diet and then taking a fat burner tablet is not going to make you shed 10 pounds in a week. If a tablet like that really existed, do you think anyone would be working out and eating well?! We would all be stuffing our faces with pizza and following it up with some miracle fat burner. Even if they do have research claims supporting their effectiveness, their results are negligible and wont lead to substantial results.
Ab Belts & Waist Trainers
In short, wearing a vibrating belt is not going to give you abs. Wearing a waist trainer is not going to give you a tiny waist. Just no.
Basically…
If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. In reality, in order for you achieve your goals you need to exercise on a regular basis and nourish your body with wholesome good quality food. No fads. No short term fixes. No bullshit. Just consistency, hard work and lasting results.
If you want to find out more about how to get fit and healthy in a sustainable, enjoyable and achievable way, check out my book Strong.
Zanna x
Photo: Designbyaikonik
