I wanted to share a popular post we put on our Instagram around detox diets! Here’s a graphic and a short text summary to highlight the truth and myths around detox dieting…
Detox diets are widely promoted as a healthy way to lose weight and cleanse your body. Although the January health rush has come to a close this message is still pertinent year-round as people seek a quick fix or a magic bullet to get rid of any excess fluff.
Marketers promoting detox diets and commercial cleanses are all too familiar with the attractiveness of instant results and look to take full advantage.
A detox diet is essentially a marketing strategy designed to treat a non-existent medical condition.
The reality is that health and weight management is a long-term endeavor. There is no quick fix and a weekend of ‘cleansing’ certainly won’t negate from poor dietary habits in the long-run.
Detox diets, juice cleanses and the likes typically encourage customers to consume little to no calories for a given period. As body tissue mass change is determined by energy balance, if one adheres to the suggested guidelines, weight loss will ensue.
The problem, however, is there are no education or behavior/lifestyle modifications to support the process. Quite frankly, consumers are often left disempowered and disheartened once weight regains inevitably follows soon after.
Why? Detox diets lead people to believe they have been ‘cleansed/flushed/purged’ and can return to consuming an unbalanced, highly refined diet only to ‘detox’ again in 6 months. This on-going ‘all or nothing’ cycle naturally fails, often leaving individuals with higher body fat levels than when they initially started.
Take-home message – your all-natural detoxification system tends to do a pretty good job without unnecessary ‘toxin elimination’ assistance! If you do struggle to reach your goals, hire a coach who can help and guide you throughout the process. Don’t be suckered in by clever (yet misleading) marketing!
There you have it, I hope it helped clear up any confusion. If you want to learn more expert tips and fitness/nutrition information, make sure you are following us on Instagram @nutritionsolutions
Author: Rudy Mawer, MS – International Sports Scientist & Nutritionist
