Induction Destruction: The Perils Of Diving
Into Strict
Diets Headfirst
By Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
www.burnthefat.com
Every so often you read a sad story in the newspaper about someone who
dove headfirst into a river or lake, without checking to see how deep the
water was beforehand. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a shallow 18 inches
and the consequence of this miscalculated plunge was a broken neck and a
wheelchair.
This reminds me of the way most people impatiently dive into strict, extreme,
or unbalanced crash diets, without thinking about the long term consequences,
invariably crippling any chance they had for keeping the fat off in the
long run.
One thing that almost all mainstream popular diets have in common is an “induction
phase” (or the equivalent). This is often done under the scientific-sounding
auspices of “making the metabolic switch” from “carb burner” to “fat
burner.”
Another common way that popular diets begin is with a “liquid fast” or “internal
cleansing” phase. This is often suggested as necessary for clearing
out all the gunk that has accumulated on your insides which (says them),
is the reason you feel like “blah” and can’t lose any
weight.
Larrian Gillespie, the About.com guide to low carb diets, made a keen observation
in a recent article. Writing about the Induction plan on programs such as
the Atkins diet, she noted:
"Frankly, the only thing I object to is the induction plan concept...for
ANY diet. It's a cheap trick approach to weight management, since we as
Americans are fixated on quick fixes or we toss a plan and go onto the next
marketing promise."
Not only do I agree – I would take it a step further. I believe that
this radical beginning phase actually increases the chances of failure in
the long term.
Gillespie continues with advice about what to do if you choose a low carb
approach such as Atkins…
"This (induction) approach will trigger a rebound weight gain. Don't overdo
the induction phase. Better yet, go directly to stage 2 of the plan and
begin there. There is nothing more irritating to a physician than having
a patient come in with health problems as a direct result of following some
crazy diet, like eating ONLY cabbage, or only grapefruit."
“Induction” is simply a politically correct way to say you
have to crash diet and starve yourself in the beginning. Look at the forums
and message boards: They’re filled with posts from people about to
start these programs, dreading the “initial” phase and wondering
if they’ll be able to hack it (and with people telling war stories
about how they “survived” it ...or tried it and failed).
“Induction” has nothing to do with science, health or permanent
fat loss. It has everything to do with marketing and instant gratification.
Dieters flock to the gurus that promise 12 to 15 pounds of weight loss in
the first two weeks, while sneering at the idea of losing a paltry 2 pounds
of fat per week. “Give me results now” is the mindset, with
no thought given to body composition, health or long-term consequences.
What sells more books: “Quickly Lose 8-10 pounds in the first week” or “lose
8-10 pounds of fat per month and never gain it back?” Unfortunately,
it is usually the former.
Over the past decade and a half I have almost always used the opposite
approach with my clients – and that is, never dive into diets – instead,
ease into a new way of life, one habit at a time, if necessary.
My clients are introduced to words such as habits, balance, lifestyle and
patience. I sit them down, look them in the eye and ask, “Do you want
to lose weight quickly and gain it back or do you want to lose fat slowly
and keep it off forever and never have to “diet” again?”
When confronted face to face, the answer is always the latter (but often
begrudgingly so). The patience pays off, and those who are wise enough to
listen enjoy the fruits of lifelong health, leanness and fitness, never
having to endure the repeated yo-yo losses and gains so many people suffer
for an entire lifetime.
Consider these concepts: Do NOT crash diet only to relapse to your old,
unhealthy ways. Do not even put yourself in “emergency” situations
where you feel pressured to lose weight quickly. Build a foundation and
master the fundamentals first, then nit pick, sweat the small stuff and
try “advanced” techniques later.
Once you’ve mastered the basics, then you can slowly make your plan
stricter – if necessary – based on your results. You can reduce
or eliminate cheat days, and tighten up your food choices.
Yes, carbs can be s-l-o-w-l-y reduced to find that optimal level for your
body type where fat loss really kicks in. Calorie levels can dropped, more
cardio added, rest between sets decreased, and training intensity increased.
On and on your regimen can be gradually “tightened up” and
compliance increased until the desired results are achieved. Then, it’s
a gradual, comfortable transition to maintenance phase, which is never far
away from the fat loss phase.
Contrast this sensible, healthy, lifestyle approach, (which most people
view not only as slow, but flat out “backwards”), with the crash
diet or “induction” approach:
The new dieter STARTS from day one with the strictest, most extreme version
of the diet. It’s often very unbalanced with entire food groups removed,
or it emphasizes only one food or food type. Sometimes, the restrictions
are so tight, you even have to limit the amount of vegetables you eat! Is
that CRAZY or WHAT????
The weight comes flying off… SUCCESS! Or so it appears…until
all the weight has returned 6-12 months later along with the rest
of the 95% of dieters who fail because they insisted on following
the herd and hopping on the latest quick fix bandwagon.
No two people are exactly alike and no single nutrition program
is right for everyone. For example, some people really do thrive
on reduced carbohydrate diets. But one thing that‘s true
for 100% of people 100% of the time is that starvation and crash
dieting are a one-way ticket to eventual weight regain and metabolic
destruction.
What should you do instead? Ease into it. Stick your toes in the
water first. Isolate bad habits and replace them with good ones – one
or two at a time – for life. Psychologists say it only takes
21 days to form a new good habit, and habits, not diets, are the
key to long-term fat loss success. Any nutrition program not built
squarely on a strong foundation of nutritional fundamentals and
good long-term habits is an accident waiting to happen.
About the Author:
Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder and author of the #1 best
selling e-book, "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle,” which teaches
you how to burn fat without drugs or supplements using the little-known
secrets of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn
how to get rid of stubborn fat and turbo-charge your metabolism
by visiting: www.burnthefat.com. To get Tom's free fitness
newsletter, visit: www.tomvenuto.com
