Are Diets Good For You?

7. Are you willing to drink two shakes a day forever?

Now that you know that quick fixes provide temporary results, the obvious question is are you willing to keep up with the suggested plan (fill in whatever fad you are into here) is offering. I don’t know about you, but two shakes a day, everyday, doesn’t only sound boring, but is completely unrealistic. I mean what do you do when you get invited to dinner, say “No thanks, I’m gonna drink this faux cookies and cream shake.” Can you say rude and socially awkward. I mean, with so many healthy options available that don’t come in powder form, why would you drink your calories every single day? The mere act is silly, but worse, the ingredients are shady…keep reading.

8. Do you think your body doesn’t know what’s up?

Okay, so I can hear you repeating what your Shakeology dealer told you, “I am not hungry after my shakes,” or “They taste so much like real shakes that I don’t crave sweets anymore.” Fine. But let me ask you this? Do you think your body doesn’t know what’s up? The body is incredibly smart, so although you aren’t eating pecan pie anymore, those fake shakes aren’t fooling your body boo. The ingredients are straight up hazardous – first, there’s too much soy (which is the main ingredient in these shady shakes) can affect ovulation (amongst other things). Then GMOs, more like OMG are you seriously consuming ingredients that affect your brain beauties? Studies show that products that contain GMOs can lead to a wide range of neurological disorders. Next, feel like downing lead anyone? Well if you are down with the Shakeology Greenberry product then get ready for 12.7 micrograms of lead per serving. And the list goes on girls. The point is, you may be tricking yourself into thinking, “I can consume sweet treats in powder form and lose weight,” but your body, metabolism and health are all fully aware of the trash you’re feeding them.

9. Does starving sound like fun to you?

Cause that’s exactly what you can expect with these unrealistic programs. How do I know? Well let’s do the math. Body by Vi’s shakes clock in at 90 calories (a bit more if you go with the “add milk” option, so two of those. Then you have your snacks and dinner at less than 300 calories each. And pow, you are consuming 1,000 calories or less per day. The numbers don’t lie and while “you will lose weight” – duh that’s the side effect of those who are starving – besides your pissed off metabolism (see next point) your ability to identify satiation (basically are you full or not) is now all screwed up too. P.S. I won’t discuss the “average calories for women” because like I said earlier this stuff is personal. Depending how active you are, how much muscle you have (read how fast your metabolism is) your age etc. the number of calories you need daily varies. However what I do know is 1,000 calories is too low for any good and grown human.

10. Are you willing to piss your metabolism off?

A pissed off metabolism is worse than your worst enemies beauties. Every time you play games with your body by participating in any form of extreme dieting, your metabolism suffers. Your body is going to do what it needs to do to survive, so if you tell it “I only eat 1,000 calories,” then your body will reply with, “Fine, I will just store these calories thank you very much. You can forget about me being the fat burning machine I am capable of being.” In short, when your body doesn’t burn calories efficiently, this is called a slow metabolism. As we age, our metabolism naturally slows down so why in the world would you accelerate this process by drinking two shakes a day, skipping meals and popping appetite suppressants or “cheat pills” as Herbalifers call Thermo-Bond. P.S. If your program is so healthy why would one need to cheat pills?

11. Do you want to lose weight in 90 days or live 90 years?

Being drawn to things that come easy is very “American” of us, however when it comes to weight loss I hope you now see that losing weight in 90 days is not only unsustainable, but dangerous. Changing your lifestyle is key beauties, and doing so takes time. It’s time to starting thinking longterm ladies, because simply put, anything that comes easy wont last and anything that lasts wont come easy.

12. Do you want to change or be transformed?

Unless picking up bad habits or becoming socially awkward was on your vision board this year, then do yourself a solid and focus on being transformed and not just changed. Change is temporary, being transformed is for life. Start seeing yourself as an active participant in your own health. You only get one body beauties, treat it with kindness…not shady supplements.

Robbie Ann Darby (RAD Experience) is a professional FitGirl, Group Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer in NYC. Follow her sweaty life on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for more fun health and fitness tips!