JACKSONVILLE, Fla. –
Reminders of swim suit season are everywhere. Those reminders can lead to acts of desperation for some women as they struggle to get unwanted pounds off just in time for a trip to the beach.
"Gimmick diets" have long been appealing to those hoping to lose weight quickly.
Suzanne Forsberg, Outpatient Dietitian, says she's seen her fair share of these types of diets over the years.
“Those kind of diets have been around for ever. When I was young, it was the bananas and skim milk diet. Then, the cabbage soup diet. The rum and coke diet.”
Forsberg says, many times these gimmick diets do produce results.
“Many diets do work because they lower the calories and it really is all about calories in and calories out.”
But she says they don't offer a long term solution and can actually do more harm than good.
“That's what I see, women getting themselves in trouble so many times, more than men. They get on so many diets and they cut themselves so low in calories and their body actually slows down its metabolism."
Forsberg warns--diets that seem to be "too good to be true" usually are.
“The HCG is one of the craziest right now. It's very scary to mess with your hormones, number one. Number two, it's 500 calories, the meal plan you're on--500 calories. It just slows your body down."
"Magic pills" promising to melt pounds away aren't garnering high praise either.
“I would not go there,” said Forsberg. “They're just gonna speed up your heart rate and slow down your metabolism.”
Forsberg says fast-fixes to weight loss don't work long-term and are simply unhealthy.
“There are no shortcuts. It takes time to lose weight. You can't lose 30 pounds in one month to get into a bathing suit.”
So, what about diets that do work? If you don't have time to cook and are always on the go, "shake and smoothie" diets can be a good choice.
“They can be a good meal replacement. Especially for people on busy schedules. A really good protein, carbohydrate, fat mixture of a shake in the morning, sometimes for lunch and a sensible dinner...that has proven to work.”
Forsberg says the bottom line is to change the way you eat, taking in fewer calories and getting your fruits and vegetables...and not “just” for swimsuit season.
“We've got to change our life style. We have to get you excited about food and excited about a new way of living and eating because you can't just lose weight to get in a bathing suit and go back to the way you were eating.”
