According to a nutritionist, some eating habits seem healthy but may be useless for weight loss.
Common strategies like cutting out junk food, drinking green juice, and protein shakes can backfire.
Attempts to accelerate weight loss through fasting, exercise, or dieting can do more harm than good.
According to a nutritionist, some seemingly healthy habits can get in the way of your weight-loss efforts and may not be as good for you as you think.
According to Jacqueline London, Registered Dietitian and author of Clothes Away (and Other Diet Myths Debunked): Stress, popular eating strategies that promise quick weight-loss results can leave you feeling frustrated and deprived. and feel good about your body.
“The science of weight loss offers no guarantees. As a nutritionist, our whole practice is figuring out what works for the person," he said.
He said you should be skeptical of common eating habits that appear healthy but can be detrimental to weight loss and well-being, including fasting, juicing, dieting and over-restriction. According to London, while some people can successfully lose weight after making drastic changes, for long-term health, focusing on consistency and making small, lasting changes to your current habits is best.
A "starter" or diet challenge is rarely a good idea.
According to London, one of the most common mistakes people make when trying to lose weight is to embark on a complete lifestyle makeover.
"It's about letting go of healthy habits and prioritizing weight loss at all costs," he said.
It can be labeled as a "start" or "start" to lose weight, or presented as a challenge that must be completed over a set number of days, like the 75 Hard trend.
According to London, anything that promises quick results through extreme routine is likely to end in disappointment.
The reality is that losing weight takes time; Even if you struggle to overcome difficulties, you probably won't see lasting results unless you look for small, permanent changes to your routine.
“It's about finding solutions in your current lifestyle that meet your needs, but any limitation or total overhaul almost always backfires. Consistency is key,” said London.
Skipping meals to “save” calories can have unpleasant consequences.
According to London, skipping meals to save calories is a common food trap that can lead you to eat more than you normally would.
“A lot of us grew up with this ingrained limiting mentality that leaves it for later. It always backfires and we end up in a cycle of restriction and overeating," he said.
Similarly, a recent popular diet trend called intermittent fasting involves eating for a set amount of time throughout the day. While proponents say fasting can speed weight loss and improve health, research is mixed. Some studies have shown that it can be successful in weight loss, while other evidence suggests that it is no better than similar diets and can have side effects such as muscle loss.
London said starving yourself during the day to save calories can be risky, as you could end up eating more at your next meal.
"I don't recommend fasting to anyone, especially those who want to lose weight," he said. "Eating regularly every four hours helps us manage our hunger and satiety signals throughout the day and gives us the energy we need."
Giving up junk food altogether may not be effective in the long run.
Another well-intentioned but misguided diet strategy, says London, is trying to completely eliminate so-called "junk" foods like candy, snack foods, and processed foods.
"Cuting something will only make you crave it more," he said.
Eating too many processed foods can lead to health problems and weight gain. Therefore, reducing foods high in calories, sugar, and fat can help.
However, if you continue to consume them in small portions, you can maintain your diet over time.
“A treat is very important to maintain any diet. Allow yourself to enjoy every moment," London said.
There is also no reason to fret over a "Chitmila" or a day of indulgence. According to London, progress towards a weight loss goal depends on consistency.
"No meal or snack can make you rest or break without changing the number on the scale or ruining your diet," she said.
Opting for diet versions of your favorite foods can do more harm than good.
According to London, if you're craving something sweet while on a diet, your best bet is to focus on modern processed diet foods like keto cuisine, sugar-free candy, or something low-fat that's unlikely to satisfy you.
“You want to differentiate between the foods you love to eat and the claims made about foods. Often it's about removing what made the food great in the first place," he said.
As a result, you might end up eating a less satisfying snack and deriving less satisfaction from it than if you only indulge in what you really want, she said.
Choosing whole foods, even if they're higher in calories, can make weight loss easier than processed alternatives, nutrition writer Mark Schatzker previously told Insider.
Too much focus on less food can lead to food cravings.
While conventional diet wisdom suggests you need to eat less to lose weight, London said a restrictive approach can make you hungry and crabby and less likely to hold on.
Instead, simply changing your mindset by substituting different foods can help you not feel deprived, he said. Instead of cutting back, add healthy ingredients to your meals and snacks, especially ones like leafy green vegetables, which add bulk to your meal with fewer calories.
"Think big: more produce, more fruit," London said. "The more you think about incorporation, the more filling your meal will be."
Whole foods in your diet can help increase the amount of nutrients and fiber you eat, making you more likely to feel full and stick to your diet, data shows.
If you overdo it with protein supplements, you can turn your diet upside down.
Protein, an important macronutrient, is a popular food ingredient because it can help curb hunger, but London says you can have too much of a good thing, too.
It's true that eating more whole-food protein sources like lean meats, seafood, and legumes can help you feel fuller after a meal and help you plan healthy meals.
"A simple mindset change, including more protein and fiber at every meal, can be beneficial," London said.
However, high protein diets are usually based on shakes, powders or snacks. Processed protein sources can be problematic as supplements are not well regulated and you may not know what you are getting. According to London, some protein foods contain large amounts of added sugars, which provide extra calories, or may contain sugar alcohols, which can cause digestive problems.
You can also overeat protein and consume extra calories for no added benefit.
"If you eat more protein than you need, your body will excrete it," London said.
Protein foods can also be advertised as muscle building aids, but there is evidence that strength training is also necessary to build muscle.
"The illusion is that just eating a protein bar or a protein cookie and then blowing your breath will give you lean muscle mass, but it doesn't work," nutritionist Angie Asche told Insider.
A juice or smoothie diet can result in more calories and fewer nutrients.
Juicing is a popular weight-loss fad among celebrities, but it can make you hungrier while slowing down weight loss, London said.
Juicing fruits and vegetables eliminates fiber, a type of indigestible carbohydrate that has been linked to benefits such as feeling full after a meal, improving gut health, lowering blood sugar and reducing the risk of chronic disease.
"Juicing removes satiating substances and breaks them down into glucose [sugar]," London said. "And if you don't chew, you end up using up more calories than you would otherwise."
Many liquid diets also market themselves as detoxifiers, or "cleansers" that help flush out toxins, but London said that's not true.
"It might sound very tempting as if you're doing something really good for yourself, but if you have a functioning liver and kidneys, you're already doing it," he said.
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