Bad Advice on the Diet

Every day we have customers call us telling us about something they read about the diet that turns out to be bad advice. So, we feel that it is our duty as diet purists, to spread as much good advice as we can across the internet, but it’s an uphill battle.

Not sure what we’re talking about? Here are a few examples of common, bad practices promoted by some companies:

• Adding an extra shake or bar to the base plan "to be at more of a safe caloric level" — Either you believe the philosophy behind the diet which states that the diet drops cause the body to release between 1500 and 4000 calories per day into the body resulting in rapid fat loss, or you don't.
• Eating foods not allowed on the plan – Some individuals and practitioners alike say that a person can eat foods that are simply not allowed on the diet either because the foods are generally healthy or because they can't understand how eating turkey, green beans, peaches, etc. could possibly have a negative effect on the Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD).
• Having drinks not allowed on the plan – Some people don’t think that drinking diet soda, Crystal Light and other artificially sweetened drinks that happen to contain lots of chemicals, could possibly have a negative effect on the Very Low-Calorie Diet (VLCD).
• Using your regular lotion or moisturizers rather than diet-approved products during the VLCD Phase of the diet.
• Using HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) — must be tested and watched closely for slowing or completely stopping weight loss
• 800 calorie diet plans or 60 to 90-day plans (rather than the official 500-calorie, 23 to 40-day plan)

These diet companies might not have your best interests in mind. These practices may slow weight loss, so you’ll have to do even more rounds and buy more products in order to reach your goal weight — not cool! Your own health and safety are important.

Here are a few questions to ask to help separate the good from the bad:

1. Is the company’s phone number and address easy to find on their website?
2. Do they seem to promote the original meal plan and rules for personal care products?
3. If they have a phone number, does anyone answer when you call?
4. Do they provide support and seem to understand the philosophy?

Have you ever gotten bad advice about the diet? Please share with us below.