The Atkins diet plan is a flawed diet because of the restrictions involved
The Weight Watchers diet is a flawed diet because it involves a lot of money and time, as well as poor nutrition
A flawed diet is one that does not provide all the essential nutrients you need daily
1. Weight Watchers Diet
The Weight Watchers diet is a flawed diet for a number of reasons. This diet promotes the use of processed foods which are not as nutritious as many fresh foods and home cooked meals. This means expensive meals which are prepackaged. In addition, this diet plan involves attending classes and therapy meetings as well, which also cost money. Food which is processed has a less nutritional value, so the foods used are not as healthy as other foods would be. The cost of the diet continues to mount the longer you are on it, so it can add up to a substantial amount of money and time.
2. Atkins Diet Plan
The Atkins Diet Plan is a flawed diet because of the severe carbohydrate restriction it puts on you. At the start of the diet, your carb limit is one hundred grams or less, and this can have a big effect on your energy level. Carbohydrates are needed in smaller amounts to give you energy for movement, and if you do not have a sufficient amount than you will feel lethargic and not want to exercise or move around. The flaw in this diet is that it is too restrictive when it comes to the carbohydrates allowed, and this can cause negative effects.
3. Raw Foods Diet
The raw foods diet is a very flawed diet in many aspects. This diet only allows raw vegan foods such as fruits and vegetables. This diet only includes plants in the food chain, and this results in little or no protein in your diet. Protein is necessary for muscle building and maintenance, and if you do not have this nutrient your muscles will not be able to repair or work efficiently, and this can have a detrimental effect on your body and your health. Not eating meat and dairy products can deprive you of the essential nutrients needed to lose weight and stay healthy.
4. South Beach Diet
The South Beach diet is one of the flawed diet plans out there because it is too restrictive when food is concerned. This diet only allows you to eat low glycemic food and greatly restricts the sugar in your diet. This is not a nutritious and healthy diet. Sugar is not a bad thing in moderation, only when your diet consists of high concentrations or amounts. Choosing healthy foods which are nutritious instead is a much better way to lose weight and stay healthy and fit.
5. NutriSystem Diet
The NutriSystem diet is considered one of the flawed diet plans because you must eat certain foods which are highly processed, and this means foods which are not nutritious. The foods that you must eat come prepackaged, so you do not learn portion control, and the diet is very easy to fail on. Any diet that does not include nutritious meals and restricts the portions for you has serious flaws, which mean it will not help you in the long term. This diet can actually harm your health due to nutrient deficiency thanks to the processed foods.
6. Jenny Craig Diet
The Jenny Craig diet is also a flawed diet, for many of the same reasons that the Nutrisystem diet does not work. With Jenny Craig, you must purchase prepackaged foods from the diet plan. This restricts the types and variety of foods that you eat. It can also get quite expensive, because the prepackaged meals can be a little pricey. The meals are already processed and prepared, so they do not have the highest nutritional value. Any diet which greatly restricts what you eat is not a balanced and healthy diet which will get and keep you fit and healthy.
7. Grapefruit Diet
The grapefruit diet places a heavy emphasis on grapefruit, and this is part of what makes it a flawed diet. A healthy and nutritious diet will include a wide variety of foods and nutrients. The grapefruit diet only allows a few foods, and mainly grapefruit products. This restricts the nutrients you receive, and can keep your body from operating efficiently because of nutrient deficiencies. It is too restrictive and does not supply all the nutrients you need each day to stay healthy and lose weight.
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I have always had luck with the Weight Watchers diet but then I have also stayed away from the prepackaged foods. While they offer their own prepackaged meals in the frozen section, you really need to watch the sodium content.
I did the Weight Watchers diet for years and I always had to take diet supplements. Now I know why.
I have always followed the ADA diet and made my own food. As nice as some of these diets are, they just don’t cut it.
Nutrition is so vitally important to overall health that leaving out parts of a balanced diet seems ridiculous. Portion control and fresh, not from a box, ingredients is the way to go. It is better for your health and wallet.
“This diet only includes plants in the food chain”
hahaha right… ALL plants are in the “food chain”
and there are many plants that have all the essential nutrients that are included in dairy and meat. ever heard of nuts? legumes?
there are ways to eat healthy and still be vegan (or vegetarian) your arguments are completely flawed. i’m neither vegan nor vegetarian and i can see the completely uneducated reasoning behind your argument.
Right on, Tessa!
There are plenty of sources for protein in vegan and raw-food diets, such as Spinach (13 grams protein/100 cal), Broccoli (7g/100cal), Peas (6g), Almonds (4g).
Also, the flaw in the Atkins diet is not just restricted carbs, it’s excessive flesh.
I agree with Tessa. The massive misconception about “meat = protein, no meat = death” drives me insane. Check out vegan body builders (who don’t use steroids). Now, do they look like people who “don’t get enough protein”?
I have been on Weight Watchers for the last 9 months. i have lost 80 pounds so far. Yes Weight Watchers has pre-packaged food but even they say it should only be eaten in a bind. They promote healthy foods and things that will keep you fuller longer. You should really do more research before bashing a system that works.
Any diet that restricts any food group is definitely a no-no. There is absolutely no need to cut out any kind of food to lose weight. As simple as it sounds, its all in the amount and the preparation and as Pete (above) says its in eating foods that will keep you fuller longer. Pre-packaged meals are good for on-the-go people but they can get expensive quick. The real deal is not to go on a diet but slowly change your lifestyle habits and it doesn’t have to be dramatic or make you miserable!.
The truth is that most plant proteins are not complete proteins with the essential amino acids our bodies need. Eating ‘plant’ only will mostly cause a negative affect on the body due to the lack of complete proteins.
I have been on the Weightwatchers diet plan since January and I have lost 39 pounds. The only “processed” foods I have purchased from Weightwatchers is a few of their ice cream products. The “therapy” meetings you speak of I have not been invited as yet. I do go once a week to a 1/2 hour meeting to weigh in and chart my progress. My diet has improved so much since I began the program. I am eating so much more in fresh fruit and vegetables and so much less of the bad things I was eating before. Yes, the plan called for an initial $100 payment and I did sign up for an additional 10 weeks at a cost of $120. There are no foods that you cannot eat on their diet, but they do encourage you to make healthy choices, eat a balanced diet, and not be a pig.
Great article! Healthy eating should never be about what you ‘can’t’ eat; it’s about what you do eat. A balanced diet means that each food group should be represented in proportion; a good colourful diet with several sources of protein is the easiest way to go. Many of us seeking to get fitter focus on how much weight we need to lose. Weight is not the whole story, however, and can be dangerously misleading: weight loss does not automatically equal a reduction in body fat – it can be due to muscle wastage, amongst other things. Appropriate lean muscle mass is what will keep your body ticking along healthily, burning body fat and giving you energy. Muscle weighs more than fat, hence the need to avoid relying on weight loss as an indicator of health! It also takes up less space under our skin. So measure – don’t weigh!
dear trent
there is complete protein in every single plant and whole food. please do more research before perpetuating a very flawed myth. thanks.
I’m so glad people are finally starting to get the point that setting up a restrictive diet isn’t something that is going to work. You need to focus on getting the nutrients that you need and if you do that, the rest will fall into place. Plus, overeating is a huge problem. Just because you are eating healthy doesn’t mean you can stuff yourself. Eat when you are hungry, don’t when you’re not.
I’ve been offered the position of Food Bank here in San Diego and we carry nutrient dense, pharmaceutical grade, Kosher certified foods. We currently have what is known as the Shake and Pudding Diet. In one serving, we have 50% of the USRDA plus minerals, essential fatty acis, etc.
When we eat every two hours, I find that I’m fine. I’m losing inches and pounds. I’m losing interest in junk food, which is awesome. I have more energy. So many benefits to this product!
It doesn’t result in the up and down weightloss and gain because the body doesn’t eat the muscles but rather the fat. I can explain more if you’re interested.
Finally, the goal of this company is to Feed the Hungry, so they donate 10% of the profit to a homeless shelter or church food pantry.
Finally, I’m losing weight in a healthy way without starving my body or losing out on taste! yeah!
The best “diet” is found at http://www.Gluco Menu. It is disigned especially for diabetics, but endorsed by the Heart Associan as well. For a small fee, you get shopping lists, menus, hints and much more. The menus are designed to help you reach your weight loss goal, so you have to “weigh-in” (it is inmportant to be honest!) and state your goal. You get a thorough breakdown of all the important numbers…calories, protein, salt, carbs, etc. The menus are carefully balanced and if followed, you do not feel hungry. In fact, you are quite satisfied all day.
I’m glad that people are finally waking up to the “healthy diet” scams. I couldn’t believe it when the started getting so popular. I thought, ‘Have people even forgotten how to eat’? You need a little of everything, carbs, sugar, salt, protein, etc. Unless you have special needs like diabetics or something, you can’t cut out anything.
Dear Christine,
There is NOT “complete protein in every food” Not every food provides all the amino acids humans need in the ratio that they need them. For example, almonds are limited in lysine and a couple other amino acids. Proteins have a scientifically determined rating of their completeness. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_Digestibility_Corrected_Amino_Acid_Score.
Milk, eggs, fish, and meat contain complete proteins. Most plants do not. This doesn’t mean you have to eat animal products though. What it does mean is that you need to know how to combine plant products to get all your amino acids. A good book on vegetarianism (not an ideological screed) will tell you how to do that.
I disagree that a low-carb diet is a “fad” diet. The author of this review needs to read Good Calories, Bad Calories. It is inexcusable to be writing nutrition advice and be unaware of this book. Read the Amazon.com reviews here: http://www.amazon.com/Good-Calories-Bad-Gary-Taubes/dp/1400040787 and then consider ordering a copy. It’s a difficult read, but I guarantee it will cause you to rethink the conventional wisdom surrounding dietary matters. The person earlier who said you need sugar in your diet to make it “balanced” is sorely mistaken. Please realize there is a science to this field; there’s more to it than surveying the range of available foods (natural and completely man-made) and declaring that you need a “balance”.
Brian, the human body does need some sugar. Without it you would get hypoglycemia, especially if you’re diabetic or your body secretes too much insulin. The point is that ADDED sugar is unnecessary and bad for you. Fruits, vegetables, and starches — which break down into sugar — provide plenty of it. If we removed all those foods, it would be akin to the no-carb diet: our bodies would not receive the vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates it needs. (I know you’re probably aware of these things, Brian, but since you didn’t specify added/refined sugars, I wanted to clarify for other readers.)
And you’re absolutely right about amino acids; the claim that all plants have all the ones we need in exactly the right proportions is just ridiculous. Many, if not most, vegetarians actually suffer from nutrient deficiencies because they’re not aware of stuff like that. Please, people, if you’re going to eliminate animal products from your diet (or even if you’re not), do some research and be aware of what kind of foods you should be eating to make up for potential imbalances.
Aside from casein, what is another primary ingredient found in a product extracted from a cow? It is none other than whey protein which can also be obtained from plenty of processed items fresh from the farm. For example a cheese, from the time of manufacture, the liquid portion is divided from the curd.Try to visit http://www.squidoo.com/best-whey-proteins if anybody want more info.
I really disagree with the premise that meat and dairy are a necessay part of a healthy diet. Dairy is not meant for human consumtion. You can get all the protein you need without meat.