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AIBU?

to absolutely detest faddy diets & quick fixes?

171 replies

PetPeeveBonanza · 16/03/2010 12:17

I am sure I am going to get flamed for this, but I can hide safely behind my namechange

It is my absolute biggest pet peeve, people who go on faddy diets that are bad for their health, and another is people who say they 'cant' give up chocolate/cake/takeaways.

As somebody with a variety of severe allergies/food intolerances, and health problems resulting from this - it bugs me no end when people put their health at risk volunatarily doing diets like atkins and the cambridge diet.

It goes against all medical advice, and is just a stupid lazy thing to do. Voluntarily putting yourself into ketosis? Do you people have no respect for your bodies? I reached ketosis through illness and was hospitalised and had to be put on a drip as it got so bad. It makes me sick that people are glad when they reach this, as if they are achieving something.

Maybe it is a quick fix, but it won't work in the long run, and you are putting your health at risk...for what? You need carbs, just be sensible. How hard is it just to eat a sensible balanced diet? Toast for breakfast is not going to stop you losing weight, nor is a jacket potato with a healthy filling...if you are serious about losing weight do it the right way and don't deprive your body of anything it needs! Yes, it may take longer, but at least you won't look washed out, thinning hair and low on energy.

There is so much choice out there for a healthy balanced diet, that you will be able to stick to! And I wish every day that I had that much choice of food to eat. And if you really really want to lose weight and be healthy, it is possible, just stop eating crap! Remember that food is meant to be there for nutrition, to keep your body working in the right way. Take care of your body, don't abuse it!

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gorionine · 16/03/2010 12:21
Biscuit
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PetPeeveBonanza · 16/03/2010 12:22

How ironic, a biscuit!

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ShowOfHands · 16/03/2010 12:25

Well yes, the essence of your argument I agree with completely. I detest dieting and quick fixes and think the answer is simple, eat healthily and exercise.

But really the answer isn't simple at all. There are many reasons why a person eats the way they do that come from that person's particular circumstances and psychological make-up, there are also pressures and advertising and stereotyping outside of that person that inform the way they eat. Even beyond the obvious culture of celebrity, the placement of food products in shops etc, you have the false economy of 'low fat', 'reduced fat' etc products for example that actually aren't very good for you at all, deprive you of what your body needs and are full of products you don't need on top of that.

I have said this on here before but Tesco recently had a children's healthy food poster competition and all of the entries had pictures of lettuce and apples with 'good' above them and crisps, chips, cake etc as 'bad'. Well what a simple, false and damaging dichotomy to start at such a young age. And of course you wander round the same supermarkets and see the pinwheel of red, orange and green, telling you if a food is good or bad. And egg for example, or pasta or milk with their big red warning signs because of fat or carbs or whatever. This simple and reductive pseudo-education pisses me right off.

But implying that it's easy and straightforward for the majority pisses me off too. We're breeding a generation of children who don't understand nutrition at all it seems and it's perpetuating a problem.

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gorionine · 16/03/2010 12:29

I thought you could do with a bit of carbs

I think if people come to you saying they are going on the next low carb diet, you can tell them IYHO they are not doing themselves a favour, other than that I do not really see why it does concern you so much unless someone is actually insisting on you to go on such a diet.

It is much easier to tell people what they should eat than it is for them to actually eat it IYSWIM, eating too much or not being able to give up chocolate and biscuits does not necessarily mean than someone is a greedy pig but that they mighy "need" these sweet foods to keep their moral boosted when everything else is not going well.

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gorionine · 16/03/2010 12:30

good post SOH!

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PetPeeveBonanza · 16/03/2010 12:30

Ok, ShowofHands sorry if it came across like that, I was a bit cross...I know it is difficult for people, but what i was trying to get across is that if you have enough willpower it can be done in a way that is safe and balanced.

I agree with everything you said, especially what you have said about supermarkets. Everything is ok in moderation, and like you say it is dangerous to label things such as pasta and eggs as bad foods. A piece of cake now and again is fine, as are a few oven chips with a salad and healthy omelette. It seems that the world is obsessed with celebs they see in magazines, and the supposed diets they are on. People forget they also have personal trainers to kick them up the arse, have their meals prepared and sent to them, and make up artists/stylists who can do wonders!

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OrmRenewed · 16/03/2010 12:32

But then of course a low-fat diet is soooo very good for you

Try being overweight and you'd understand why some people grasp at anything.

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Seagullsrule · 16/03/2010 12:34

I agree with you and can see particularly with your problems that you would feel that way. Most people take eating and food for granted (which is part of the obesity problem I would think).
However speaking from the perspective of someone who has in the past "dieted" I would also just add that people can become 'desperate' to lose weight (especially given the amount of publicity about obesity and how obese people are basically lazy scumbags) which can make "quick fixes" appealing. Most womens magazines advocate them in different ways too which makes dieting seem normal. The thing about eating is that you cant just 'give up' like you can/could with smoking.
I agree with ShowofHands too - lots of issues going on other than the most visible ones.

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Kaloki · 16/03/2010 12:34

Totally agree. Fad diets drive me mad. They are just so pointless, all that happens is that people use them till they lose weight and/or get bored, then stop them and put the weight back on. It defeats the purpose!

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PetPeeveBonanza · 16/03/2010 12:34

Orm I don't think I suggested for one minute that low-fat was good...in fact I'm pretty sure that was the whole point of my post. Everything balanced and healthy, everything in moderation, cutting out anything completely is a bad idea.

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itsmeitsmeolord · 16/03/2010 12:36

I think there is a difference between low-carb and no-carb.
Also, i think that the point of cutting down carbs has been lost in all the faddiness bolocks.

ie, if I eat toast for breakfast, sandwich for lunch and then potatoes/rice/pasta with my dinner then I put on weight.

If I have cereal for breakfast, salad for lunch and small amount of carbs in my main meal then I either maintain or lose weight depending on exercise/sugar consumption etc.

So, instead of saying cut down carbs to lose weight, the message should be balance your diet and exercise regularly to lose/maintain weight.
I really don't like the message that a lot of fad type diets give which is that you can follow them and lose weight without exercise.
Of course you will lose weight if you live off cabbage soup for two weeks, you'll put it back on and more besides if you don't change your diet and exercise habits for good though.

umm, so YANBU about the basic message.

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PetPeeveBonanza · 16/03/2010 12:36

Thankyou Kaloki that's exactly what I was trying to say.

Seagulls yes thankyou you also managed to make the point i wanted in a much more articulate way. It is the taking food for granted and it being abused.

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PetPeeveBonanza · 16/03/2010 12:38

Oh and Orm, how about you try having numerous health conditions and serious food allergies? I'd swap that for being overweight anyday, at least you have some control over that. Being overweight is not an illness.

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OrmRenewed · 16/03/2010 12:38

Yes but you picked on low-carb diets about which there is a lot of misinformation. However generally agree with you. I just have a bit of a bee in my bonnet about the obsession with dietary fat amongst those wanting to lose weight. I remember working with a teenage temp who was on a fat-free diet to lose weight - basically nothing but fruit and veg and a little 'diet' bread for a treat. By the end of the day she was completely unable to function. But would she listen to my gentle suggestion that it was not healthy and counterproductive? No. Inspite of the fact that I was twice her age and half her size

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PetPeeveBonanza · 16/03/2010 12:40

Yes exactly, itsmeohlord, it is all about moderation. Low carb is obviously a good idea as long as it is not a dangerous amount, you should not over eat anything, but the same goes for cutting out complete food groups.

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pagwatch · 16/03/2010 12:40

I would agree with you were it not way more complicated than that.

I don't get name changing in case you get flamed. If you believe these things you should be prepared to stand behind what you say IMHO
I have never namechanged and would only do so to protect someone elses privacy - like my childrens

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Kaloki · 16/03/2010 12:41

The only thing I will say, is that it isn't always that easy. It should be, but it isn't.

I know that desperation to lose weight, and have to fight the urge to just not eat at all in order to do so.

But I don't really get putting all that effort into a fad diet, when you could put that energy into a balanced diet instead.

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OrmRenewed · 16/03/2010 12:42

I'm sure it is. But the fact that you have no choice in the matter makes it more straight-forward. If the only thing stopping me putting a cream cake in my gob is the fact that tomorrow I might weight an extra few ounces, I need a hell of a lot of willpower. I know I won't feel ill or be need hospitalisation. And willpower is the problem.

We live in a world full of sugary fatty processed foods and have evolved to eat more than we need in case of a rainy day. It's always going to be a problem that we need to fight against. Some are better than others.

But no, given the choice I'd rather be fat than ill. But don't assume it's as simple as you stated in your OP.

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PetPeeveBonanza · 16/03/2010 12:42

Pag it is just because in the past when i have gotten into heated debates, it has been used against me for a long time on other threads. Some posters seem to have trouble letting things go.

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Kaloki · 16/03/2010 12:44

petpeeve Just ignore 'em. If I changed my name every time I knew people were going to disagree with me I'd lose track If they want to bring it up in an unrelated argument, that's their problem not mine.

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Oblomov · 16/03/2010 12:50

Agree. Moderation is the key. No food is bad. A bit of chocolate, assuming you are not allergic or anything, is good for everyone.
Faddy diets really piss me off. Isn't it Jennifer Aniston that only does atkins. like really strictly. no carbs. at all. And isn't it Gwyneth paltrow, who does the most strict diet and eats hardly anything.
And both of them promote it as healthy. criminal. Really pisses me off.

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Oblomov · 16/03/2010 12:52

oh and its not easy. i have no willpower. never dieted. but am going to start watching, cutting back on the crisps and chocolate, just to lose a few lbs, soon.

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itsmeitsmeolord · 16/03/2010 12:56

Gwynneth Paltrow is a vegan or somesuch is she not? I don't think she looks unhealthy, its people like Nadine from GA who is currently telling people she is fit and healthy that should piss you off.

Jennifer Aniston does eat carbs, she can afford a personal trainer and hours a day to do pilates etc as well though.
She does do atkins but not no carb.

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ImSoNotTelling · 16/03/2010 12:59

How do you know what jennifer aniston and gwyneth paltrow eat?

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pagwatch · 16/03/2010 12:59

Thats unlucky petpeeve.

I have numerous and humungus rucks with people and only once have ever had anyone make reference to it afterwards.
It is unfortunate indeed if it happens enough that you can't state your views without name changing to do so.

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