Quick-fix New Year’s resolutions that health experts hate to hear
You have a fat chance of shedding the pounds permanently with any of the ‘in’ crash diets
NEW Year’s resolutions: They can be motivating and inspiring (“I want to feel healthy and strong in 2016”). Or they can be completely out of reach, demoralising and even dangerous (“I am going to run a marathon in a month, and I’m starting my training now!”).
We asked some fitness and nutrition experts to identify some common risky resolutions and offer healthy alternatives for the coming year.
Lose 5kg in 10 days
“The jump-start or quick-fix approach is not sustainable,” says Rebecca Scritchfield, a registered dietitian and American College of Sports Medicine-certified health fitness specialist. “It usually is just a sign of panic or desperation.”
Instead, play the long game. Nutrition and exercise should not feel like punishment, she says. Start from a place of selfcare and compassion: Think balanced nutrition, adequate sleep (seven to nine hours) and exercise. “Don't set a weightloss goal,” Scritchfield says. “Focus on your habits.”
If it helps you observe and reflect, start journaling, she says. Pay attention to your energy levels during the day, list one thing you’re grateful for, note when things make you feel whole and satisfied.
Jump on latest fad diet
Intermittent fasting (diets that cycle between fasting days and regular eating days), Whole30 (whole-foods-based eating that excludes many food groups, including grain, legumes and all sugars, including honey) and juicing are all the rage. But Scritchfield is not a fan.
Intermittent
Whole30:
Juicing:
fasting:
“When it comes to intermittent fasting, you’re basically ignoring the body’s needs once a week or more,” Scritchfield says, referring to the days when you might be allowed only 500 calories.
“It’s extremely restrictive. It's a diet in disguise,” Scritchfield says. “All the fresh vegetables are great, but if you were eating junk food and switch over to Whole30, it’s just going from one extreme to another.” Not to mention that super-restrictive diets are difficult to maintain (say, past those 30 days).
“You’re not getting any fibre with fruit smoothies, but you are getting a lot of sugar,” Scritchfield says, adding that juicing is not sustainable. “Eventually you’ll go from cleanse to cocktail.”
Instead, Scritchfield says, include all food groups in your diet plan. Emphasise vegetables and fruits (half your plate) but let grains (a quarter of the plate) and protein (a quarter of the plate) play a part, too. Keep an eye on portions but don’t count calories.
It may sound nebulous, but the way you eat should not consume you, she says. That means no blame or shame when you slip up, and no avoiding dinner with friends because a restaurant menu is off limits.
Run an endurance race in a month
Kerri Kramer, a physical therapist and owner of Fast Track Sports Medicine and Performance Center in Merrifield, Virginia, has seen her share of injuries due to unrealistic goals. “Someone who hasn’t run 1km and plans to do a marathon in a month is going to get injured,” Kramer says.
Run (or bike or lift) every day
Kramer says you can work out everyday without getting injured. But you have to mix the workouts. Don’t work the same muscle groups repeatedly without giving them a chance to heal and recover.
If you are a runner, she says, give yourself a couple of days where you are doing low-impact drills instead of the constant pounding.
Lift twice your body weight
Brandon McCary, a personal trainer who is certified through the US National Strength and Conditioning Association, is excited to see an increased interest in weightlifting. But, he cautions, don’t attempt to lift twice your body weight because you saw somebody do it on YouTube.
McCary says, and there is no safe short cut. For someone who is just starting out but wants to be able to do deadlifts, overhead squats and pull-ups, it may take as much as three months to prepare.
Whether you’re talking about weightlifting or any other goal, incremental change is sustainable change. Hopefully these promises to be healthier and get in better shape will continue beyond the first day, week or first month. So, here’s to a fit and healthy 2016! – The Washington Post