Fad_Dieting

Abstract American people are always after the quick fix to solutions and when it comes to the body this usually come in the form of diet pills. The alternative and healthy ways to accomplish healthy living include a healthy diet and exercise. One thing is for certain America is hooked on quick meals and they are usually un-healthy ones. A healthy diet incorporated with these quick meals can make for a better overall lifestyle. Exercise can help to compensate for these un-healthy meals. The right combination of the two mixed with a little education can help Americans live a healthier way of life. Fad Dieting and Healthy Eating Motivation is a key aspect to anything anybody tries to conquer in life. How that motivation is obtained completely lies on how the individual wants to attack it. Being in shape and eating right is a goal of all types of people. How it is achieved each year is completely different. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2011) states the national average for physical activity is approximately 75%. This sounds good in theory, but the national average for obesity from the CDC is about 35%. With all this given it is very easy to get caught up in the hype of fad dieting and the quick results from these diets, but they are not long term nor do they help overall healthy living lifestyle; they can actually be a health risk. Many people believe that eating bad can lead to a variety of different issues, if people would keep a balance between health food and the occasional treat, for that matter the daily treat they should be able to maintain a healthy lifestyle.“ We are basically adapted to our ancestral environment rather than our contemporary environment. In our ancestral environment, securing enough food for survival was a serious challenge. In the process of searching for food, there is exposure to risks, such as predation; and the expenditure of energy. It is necessary to expend energy to procure energy.” (Nicolas, Sarah, 2011) The key to this is first knowing what to put in the body; the typical answer from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) (2011) puts a big portion of daily intake on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat free milk products. Other smaller portions included in a diet are lean meats, poultry, and fish. These foods are definitely the way to go. The typical American does not follow this outline. Americans lead the world in obesity due to the fast food industry, and the saturation of trans-fats these companies put in their foods. Moderating these foods would drastically diminish the obesity epidemic America is facing. Exercising is a wonderful way to counteract the bad foods put in the body, and can actually allow people to indulge more frequently in these fast and easy meals. When the word exercise is put out in formal and informal conversations many people fringe; it does not have to be like that. Three days a week of exercise can drastically change the way the body looks but also the way it feels. People think they need to go to a fancy gym to exercise, but America has become lazy and relies too much on convenience it has been accustomed too. If we as Americans did not rely on that front row parking spot, and instead parked at the farthest stall that would be a good start. The late night infomercials promising quick results are a ploy for the consumer to get out and fatten the company’s pocket. The people in these infomercial, those with the before and after are typically photo-shopped, air brushed, and the advertisement is released for the public to see (Bell, 2008). Thirty minutes a day it does not have to be all at once, just spread throughout the day, keeping the heart rate above normal will help to sustain a healthy living lifestyle. Obsessing about exercising and finding time to do it can be a thing of the past, do not follow the ads trying to sell on quick results; even the ads trying to sell that “special pill,” the one that promise everything without having to do much. Supplements such as diet pills are on the rise in America, young people are starting them and the long lasting results from them are to soon to be determine. What can best be done to save ourselves, is to be educated on the facts. As stated by Mike Bell’s podcast (2008) all these companies have to do is state an ingredient a “Proprietary Ingredient” (this usually is rice powder) to fill these pills up and promise results. The best and healthiest results come from a consistent diet and exercise. Pumping the body with diet pills gets results, but is usually only temporary. This is because the body is only losing water weight as soon as the weight is off them, the water weight will come right back and the weight is back where it started. Some supplements are to take, and some are even recommended, depending on the situation on a case by case-circumstance. As diet pills are on the rise so is steroid use, especially in athletes. The typical thought of a person on steroids is someone who is freakishly huge. This, however, is not always the case; different steroids can be used to increase a number of different things within the body. Some doctors even use steroids to help people live a healthier lifestyle to keep or maintain a steady weight. All of this typically happens in extreme circumstances, but the rise in steroid use will continue to grow as long as America keeps urging for a quick fix. This is true when the daily diet does not have enough nutrients in it; there are supplements that can be substituted for them. All a consumer needs first and for most is to be educated on what he or she is will be putting in their bodies, do not get sucked in by quick results. Finding the balance between eating, supplements, and exercise is a hard thing to do. With the right regimen it is possible to throw in those cheat days on a consistent basis. Kennedy and Weis claim that the body needs cheat days not only once in a while but also on a daily basis. Cheat days help the mind more than the body, but the mind is here where everything starts (2010). People vary in motivation on what their specific health plan is, but they should not stress. If a doughnut sounds good eat it and continue on with the day. Exercising can be a release and can allow those extra foods that are probably not the best balance out. Giving the body its proper breaks is essential to living a healthy lifestyle it is not only a body thing, but also more a mind thing (Lopez, 2008). As consumers we caught up in the hype if, we would just step back and educate ourselves we would be healthier nation. Keeping up a healthy way of life is hard, especially with all the temptations we are faced with as a nation food wise. Temptation is a hard thing to get around but being in the right state of mind will help the body into the way of life our nation wants to be. Giving in and accepting is the typical conscience is, but educating and finding the right regimen that suits the lifestyle Americans want to live can be beneficial to long term health. Keep up with a program for at least 90 days and see what results are achieved; also keep in mind that it does not have to happen overnight healthy living has to be a long term goal not a short term solution. Do not feel bad but instead embrace food, just know the consequences and do what needs to be done with ever calorie you intake in the body that day. Take it day to day. Set goals to live healthier not to lose “X” amount of weight each day. Health is not measured in pound per say more on feelings. Reference Page Bell, M. (Speaker/Producer). (2008, November 10). Bigger Stronger [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from Life as an American website: http://www.zuguide.com/Bigger-Stronger-Faster.html Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html Choose My Plate. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.choosemyplate.gov/guidelines/index.html Kennedy, R., & Wies, D. B. (2010). Huge and Freaky. Mississauga, ON: Robert Kennedy Publishing. Lopez, M., & O’Connell, J. (2008). Mario Lopez's Knockout Fitness. Santa Monica, CA Nicolas, Sarah. (2011). Fit For Work [Multimedia]. Retrieved from Nicolas, Sarah, Vol. 64 Issue 11, p47-51, 5p, retrieved from: https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/cwe/citation_generator/course_06_02.asp Powers, S. K., Dodd, S. L., & Jackson, E. M. (2009). Total Fitness & Wellness (5th Ed.). Retrieved from: https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content.