It seems that in our world of immediate gratification, everyone is looking for the fastest way to achieve something — especially weight loss.
Bloomberg Business reports that, “Americans spend $40 billion a year on weight-loss programs and products. They answer Jenny Craig’s enticement to ‘lose 20 pounds for just $20’ (‘plus the cost of food’) or Trimspa’s offer of a seven-day supply of chocolate Hoodia weight-loss supplements for $24.95.”
There are pills, protein powders and workout videos everywhere promoting rapid weight loss. From gluten-free diets to new apps that track calories, Americans are looking everywhere to help them lose weight, especially in foods they can actually eat.
After a one-hour workout session, people may have a tendency to reach for a protein bar or go grab a salad so they don’t blow all of the calories they just burned. This habit, according to a study conducted by the Journal of Marketing Research, may lead to increased weight gain.
It’s not that these foods are bad for us, in fact, it’s the exact opposite. These foods are deemed “fit foods,” or healthy foods, and because of that labeling, people tend to eat more of them. Since they’re a healthier option as opposed to, say, a burrito bowl from Chipotle, people aren’t afraid to chomp down as much health food as possible.
Not only are people eating more of these “fitness foods,” but they’re also not working as hard during times of exercise. An article from Science Daily explained the study further,
“For those who were specifically trying to watch their weight, the effect of labeling was significant, causing them to eat far more of the snack marked ‘Fitness.’ Snackers eating the ‘Fitness’ brand also chose to expend less energy during the exercise phase.”
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
There really is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Even though some foods, mainly fruits and vegetables, are deemed as healthy and have a lower amount of calories and processed fats compared to something like a McDouble and Small Fry, they’re still calories and too much of them can do the opposite of what they’re supposed to be doing. And just because you eat healthy to help weight loss, it doesn’t mean you get to put in less time at the gym.
The best way to lose weight isn’t a magic pill, diet or fast. It’s good, old-fashioned healthy eating with normal portions and a decent amount of physical activity. Whether it be heading out on a walk during your lunch break or actually using that gym membership you bought a couple of months ago on that day you were feeling especially motivated, get out and work out.
That’s all folks. That is all it takes to lose weight. Happy healthy living!
Photo: Flickr user Sandor Weisz
