Everyone is on the lookout for ways to improve their health and find shortcuts to weight loss. Unfortunately, this has resulted in a market that’s been flooded with flashy advertisements that fuel unrealistic expectations of the body.
If you believe there are healthier alternatives available to fast-track your weight loss, it’s important to understand how health products work. This article will break down the science behind some of these popular diets and provide a detailed account of why they don’t often lead to sustainable weight loss.Our decisions about health products and treatments are not really influenced by outside factors.
All You Need To Know About Health Products :
1. The Slimquick Diet
Slimquick is an over-the-counter weight loss supplement formulated by Herbalife, a network marketing company that manufactures dietary products. Although it’s one of the most popular weight loss supplements on the market with over 3 million customers, its main active ingredient, Hydroxycitric acid (HCA), was recently confiscated by the FDA for making unsubstantiated health claims.
How it works:
HCA is believed to be an appetite suppressant because it’s chemically similar to citric acid and may block a liver enzyme that produces fat. However, many experts criticize its reported effects because they’re largely inconclusive and exaggerated.
How effective is it?:
At best, it may cause short-term weight loss. However, most studies of Hydroxycut Platinum Hydroxycitric acid have found that the only noticeable effect is a temporary decrease in appetite.
2. The Medifast Diet
Medifast is an over-the-counter weight loss plan based on liquid and food replacement products formulated by Weight Watchers International, Inc. It’s designed to provide people with a balanced approach to eating, which can otherwise have dangerous consequences for health if people are not careful about what they eat.
How it works:
Medifast is the most popular meal replacement plan in the United States. It’s a liquid diet consisting of shakes, bars, and soups.
How effective is it?:
Studies show that Medifast is more successful for weight loss than leading prescription weight loss drugs. In one research project published in 2003, patients lost an average of 23 pounds after using Medifast for 12 weeks.
3. The Zone Diet
The Zone diet has been around for more than 30 years and has gained a significant following among exercise enthusiasts and dieters alike (especially celebrities such as Jessica Simpson). It was devised by Dr. Barry Sears, a biochemist and physiologist, who proposed that the Zone diet helps individuals lose excess fat without having to take part in strenuous workouts.
How it works:
The Zone diet is a low-carbohydrate, moderate protein and high fat diet. Dr. Sears also added that using a specific ratio made it easier for the body to transition into an anabolic state, otherwise known as the “building” phase of metabolism where your body burns fat for energy.
How effective is it?:
Studies have shown that people who go on the Zone diet lose significantly more weight than people who follow other diets (including other low carbohydrate diets). But there’s a catch: it’s only effective if combined with exercise.
4. The Atkins Diet
The Atkins diet is a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet that was first popularized in the 1970s. It’s gained fame in recent years due to its proposed weight loss effects and is now widely followed by people looking to shed excess fat and live a healthier lifestyle. However, it has also generated significant controversy because of its lack of scientific scrutiny.
How it works:
Unlike most weight loss plans, the Atkins diet restricts both carbohydrates and fats for the first two weeks of the program (known as Induction). This corresponds with the induction phase of the body’s metabolism where your body is encouraged to start burning its own fat stores rather than carbs.
How effective is it?:
Studies show that people who follow this diet lose more weight and fat than people who are on other low-carbohydrate diets. However, there’s no evidence that the Atkins diet can lead to long-term weight loss or improve overall health.
5. The South Beach Diet
The South Beach Diet was created by Drs. Arthur Agatston and Mehmet Oz in 2004 after they realized that there was a significant lack of research around low-carbohydrate diets. It’s been dubbed the “official diet of celebrities.”
How it works:
South Beach is a low-carbohydrate, moderate protein and high-fat diet that encompasses a variety of different foods. It’s an effective approach for weight loss because it improves insulin sensitivity and maintains protein in the bloodstream for around 30 days (a long time without consuming extra calories).
How effective is it?:
Although there aren’t any long-term studies to support this diet, there have been several controlled trials to test its effects on weight reduction over time. The results indicate that people taking part in the South Beach Diet lose more weight than those who don’t.
