Dieting Dilemmas

The world of dieting can be a dangerous place. Suchita Parekh helps you make the right decision by comparing the benefits of popular nutritional diets

When the French commoners were starving from want of bread, Marie Antoinette was attributed to having said, “Then let them have cake.” If in fact the people had actually had the opportunity to gorge on cake, maybe the French Revolution would have subsided. And maybe, rather than a revolution, the French would have experienced obesity instead, an issue which is equally grave for diet gurus worldwide. If Dr Atkins had lived in the 18th century, he might have begun his low-carb diet revolution right then.
“Structured diets, like Atkins, give fab results at first,” shares Fayeza Hafizee, a self-confessed yo-yo dieter. “You lose weight dramatically because you’re depriving your body. But it always piles back on. Diets don’t work unless it involves a lifestyle change. I am proof of that,” she laughs. Milind Desai, another struggling dieter, echoes these sentiments. “I did feel lighter and my trousers were looser,” he smiles ruefully, “but sadly, I haven’t been able to maintain the weight loss.”
“I had tried a meal-replacement diet that involved drinking a powder shake in place of a meal,” adds former dieter Ayesha Kuruvilla. “All it did was make me miss my hot meals…and as it turned out, I began to like the taste of the shake so much, I ODed on it! That didn’t really help the diet much!” she guffaws.
There is a wide spectrum of fad diets today, such as the Blood Type diet created by Dr Peter D’Adamo, which claims that certain blood types digest certain foods better. So if your blood type is O, you should be more carnivorous, type A should lean towards vegetarianism, while Bs and ABs can be more adventurous. There are a plethora of structured diets that tell you what to eat, how much to eat and when to eat. There are those that aim at fasting and flushing, with the help of fruit or liquid detoxes. There are also specific diets designed to combat certain diseases such as diabetes or liver issues.
Harsh detox diets like the Master Cleanser – only drinking a mixture of water with lemon juice, maple syrup and paprika – work for the short-term purposes of celebs like Beyonce, who thus shed the weight for her role in ‘Dreamgirls’, but they aren’t the most practical. In fact, the Atkins diet was revamped due to side-effects of heart diseases and high-cholesterol. Even though this ‘new and improved’ diet opens the door a bit wider to the Carb Fairy, and has followers like Jennifer Anniston, the cloud of controversy still abides.
A majority of diets claim successful weight loss. These, believes Samir Pasad of Vegan Bites, are all missing the point of a healthy lifestyle. “Veganism,” he offers, “is not a diet plan. It’s a lifestyle. It involves a plant-based diet, so no animal products can be used.” So the tide is gradually turning, with the emphasis moving from rapid weight loss to healthier eating.
“I think a healthy lifestyle translates to a nourished mind and body. And that automatically leads to maintained weight,” says vegan Maya Chaudhry, who has internalised veganism. “I live vegan,” she adds, explaining the reason she has stopped wearing animal products like leather. “I do it because I believe in the movement.”
So, if you’re in search of a diet, shun the weight issue and look at the nutritional value instead. Here’s an overview of the hits and misses of some diets. Bon appetit!

Volume 2 Issue 3