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Detox Diets

By Mark Dilworth Blogger January 27, 2010 - 12:32am
 
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Detox diets are the “in thing” with those who want to be “rail thin.” Being “rail thin” is not healthy and it looks unhealthy. Some cover models and actresses that are “rail thin” should not be held up as examples of beauty and health for young women.

A healthy, nutritious diet (combined with regular exercise) is designed to improve your health and help you burn fat and lean and tone your body.

Those who habitually use detox diets are pretty much starving themselves. Chronic use of starvation diets slows metabolism, weakens the immune system and can lead to malnutrition, among other health problems.

Those on detox diets often use detox drinks combined with colon cleansing products to “clean themselves out.” At the same time, the person is not eating a healthy diet with enough calories. Too much of this practice leads to poor health.

Detox diets and "body organ cleansers" are not the key to your fat loss and weight loss. Regular exercise and healthy nutrition are your tickets to a permanent lean and toned body. Use the cleansers if you want to for cleaning you out, I guess. Just remember that healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables also play a role in keeping your body clean (and they are much less expensive)!

Ultimately, it comes down to what you want for your life. Do you want to live a quality life for a long time? Common sense would dictate that you develop habits that give you the best chance to live a long, healthy life. That takes you using long-term thinking and making long-term decisions. That would exclude habitual use of detox diets, quick weight loss programs or any weight loss program with short-term results. Healthy lifestyle habits are also mandatory if you want a quality life.

Here are some common sense tips:

1. Exercise regularly at least 5 days a week. Each exercise session only needs to be 20-30 minutes (3 days of circuit weight training and 2 days of interval cardio).

2. If you severely limit candy, donuts, cookies, sugary drinks, calorie-packed desserts and other sugary products, you will burn belly fat and lose weight.

 
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We value and respect the experiences of all of our HERWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

Mark Dilworth Blogger View Profile Send Message

Mark Dilworth, BA, PES is a fitness writer and trainer. Mark is the owner of My Fitness Hut, Her Fitness Hut and ...

http://yourfitnessuniversity.com

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Aleyabamdad

I think that you're being a little harsh about the detox diet. I agree that people should not use it too often because it can cause you to become sickly thin, but if done for short increments of time, it can be really great. I did the detox for a couple of months and felt cleaner, more energized and I slept better. When I decided that I had lost enough weight, I ate healthier and worked out more than I did before. I also read about someone else who did a quick one week detox and was happy with her results. If you want to see the article, you can go to http://www.powderroomgraffiti.com/feel-it/the-insides-story.html

February 4, 2010 - 12:57pm
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