What type of diet are you on?
Take this quiz to find out which fad diets you're most likely to get hooked on, based on your eating and lifestyle habits.
3
Survey reveals that almost half of Brits struggle to incorporate healthy eating into their lives full time. Credit: Franziska and Tom Werner
3
Nearly a quarter of those surveyed rely on meal prep to help them lose weight.
3
Medicspot's quiz will determine what type of dieter you are and recommend techniques to help you stick to your long-term weight loss plan. Credit: medicspot
It comes after a survey revealed that 35% of Brits believe they are “yo-yo dieters”, losing weight only to quickly regain it.
Of the 2,000 adults surveyed, a whopping 31% were actively trying to lose weight, but 24% believed crash diets “never work” because they would quickly go back to old eating habits.
And 47 percent struggle to incorporate healthy eating habits consistently.
However, 37% of yo-yo dieters admit it is negatively affecting their health, and 47% struggle to incorporate healthy eating into their regular lives.
Meanwhile, four in 10 say they are not confident they could maintain a healthy weight if they didn't go back to those methods.
“Finding a diet that works for you and sticking to it isn't always easy,” said a spokesperson for MedicSpot, the weight loss service which commissioned the quiz and survey.
“Yo-yo dieting is often the result of many different diet attempts, and this pattern can have several negative effects on both physical and mental health.
“Common causes of this dieting approach include restrictive eating, unrealistic weight loss goals, a lack of sustainable lifestyle changes, and psychological factors.”
The survey also found that 21% of adults take one to three months to maintain their goal weight, but 24% have not yet reached this goal.
Meanwhile, 42% of people find it difficult to stick to a diet in the long term, with cravings for unhealthy foods being the main reason (68%).
I tried SlimFast for 2 weeks.
Lack of motivation is an issue for 55% of people, and 44% suffer from stress or emotional eating.
However, 56% feel dissatisfied and 55% feel guilty about their eating habits.
The survey also revealed that 34% are dissatisfied with their current eating habits and diet management, yet six in 10 claim that losing weight is important.
To maintain their diet, 24% of people often plan their meals and the same percentage rely on meal prep.
However, only 18% have consulted a medical professional about dieting or weight loss, and of those, 68% found the experience helpful.
Among those who have tried to lose weight, improving overall health is the main motivation, with aesthetics, mental health and societal pressures also cited as major contributing factors.
The OnePoll.com survey also found that 22 percent said they have an unhealthy emotional relationship with food.
A MedicSpot weight loss spokesman added: “Yo-yo dieting can have a detrimental effect on both physical and mental health.”
“But there are ways to avoid the vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting and promote long-term health and well-being.
“This includes adopting a sustainable, balanced approach to weight management, setting realistic goals, incorporating regular physical activity, practicing mindful eating and seeking support.”
How to Lose Weight Safely
Weight loss should not be a drastic measure but a long-term commitment to living a healthier life.
Some NHS tips that you can slowly adopt include:
Be active for 150 minutes a week. You can break this down into shorter sessions. Aim to eat 5 meals a day. 80g of fresh, canned or frozen fruit or vegetables counts as one meal. Aim to lose 1-2 lbs, or 0.5-1 kg, per week. Read food labels – products with more green codes than amber or red are often healthier choices. Replace sugary drinks with water. If you don't like the taste, add a slice of lemon or lime for flavor. Reduce sugary and fatty foods. Swap sugary cereals for whole grain cereals as a start. Share your weight loss plan with someone you trust. There will be someone to encourage you on those days when you're not feeling well.
Please read about:
