Last time we started looking at overweight and obesity and its associated risk factors and causes. Today we are going to look at what to avoid when losing weight.

First, avoid weight loss programs that promise rapid weight loss over a short period of time. These “weight loss” programs are actually water loss programs. They usually involve taking some herb or medication that causes you to urinate more water (a diuretic) and when you lose water, you lose weight. This will do nothing to help you, and could harm you in the process.

Second, avoid diets that do not allow you to eat carbohydrates, but promote fats and proteins. These do work while you are on the diet, but they have been shown to cause heart disease and other serious complications.

Third, avoid starvation diets. When you starve yourself, the body’s use of energy changes and you end up burning muscle. When you start eating again, the metabolism changes in such a way that you first add on fat. So you ultimately end up adding fat and losing muscle, and that’s not good for your health.

Fourth, avoid diets that promote a certain pill or drink, etc. What you want is a new way to live, not a “medicine” that you have to buy and take for the rest of your life.

Finally, avoid artificial sweeteners. Research shows that these increase appetite, and that those who use them gain weight!

My best advice for you is to not go on a diet. That’s right. Don’t go on a diet, rather change your lifestyle. You don’t want a temporary change in how you do things (which is what a diet is). You want a new way of living so that you never have the same problems again. You need a new lifestyle.

On the next H.E.A.L.T.H. by the Book Nugget, we’ll look at the specifics of healthy weight loss.

God bless you abundantly as you learn to live God’s WELLNESS way.