Are these the kinds of stories that we as health professionals are trying to write to enlighten the public or gain fame and notoriety? I read this story several days ago about some doctor who claims if you limit your flavors and pick a flavor of the day you will lose weight and has the case studies to prove it. C’mon!! First we have the Atkins diet, then the cabbage diet, and now this. I mean if you really want to prey on the many people who are so desperate to lose weight then do a case study on the above title. I’m sure you will sell some copies for that book as well.

Now, if someone didn’t read the story very carefully they're going to say, “Hmmm, I’ll start with a bowl of cherries, that’s healthy. Then move on to cherry ice cream, then some cherry pie, and let’s wash it down with some cherry coke.” Laugh, but trust me those people are out there. They are the same people that think a French fry is a vegetable.

I shouldn’t be too hard on this guy because most of the time the health professionals that have these wacky new fads at least go for something that is usually considered a sin. The Atkins diet lets you eat bacon and hamburgers, just set that bun down okay. This diet still suggests that you eat fruits and vegetables, except eat one particular fruit for the whole day. Yummy, I think I’ll eat apples today. I’ll have Fuji apples for breakfast, red ones at lunch, and those green ones for dinner. Is that really going to attract a whole bunch of people to buy this book?

Here’s my point. It is almost getting to the point where eventually there will be a book called, “The Sit Down With Remote in Hand Weight Loss Diet.” This is what people want and as a personal trainer, I’m getting sick of reading these articles. What was that recent book called, “The French Diet???”

Look do you really want to lose weight?? Then, I’m going to tell you the bad news; you are going to have to work at it. Yes you are going to have to watch what you eat, and exercise. If you notice all these articles on these new diet trends, even this last one on the flavors, they all have a one or two line blurb saying, “oh by the way you might want to exercise as well.” I’m tired of seeing my clients try the latest new diet that has them lose weight only to gain it back and then some.

America wake up and smell the coffee. There is not going to be some magic pill that will make you lose weight. If there were, someone would be making money off it. Right now the only people who are making money are all the authors of these so-called diets that are lining their pockets with your hard earned cash, while you follow diets that don’t work. Or if they do, it only works for a small percentage.

Suck it up people. Take charge and control of your destiny. Accept the fact that you will have to exercise for the rest of your life. You will have to watch what you eat, even though you can splurge once in awhile. If you have to lose weight, yes it might take some time, but it will come off (it didn’t come on in a day did it?). If you accept these facts and implement them right now, I guarantee you will have a very fulfilling life that will be so much better than wondering how many peaches you have to eat today.