People Magazine Encouraging Outrageous Diet Tricks and Eating Disorders?

Happy New Year Everyone! As the new year begins, so do the resolutions and people who go on diets. It's kind of surprising to me that people still go on diets as a resolution but whatevs. First we need to stop calling it a resolution, most people forget after two weeks and I mean seriously when was the last time you remembered someone say, "oh no I can't, my new years resolution" in the middle of the summer or fall!? Second, it should be thought of as a lifestyle change, making baby steps towards a greater goal.

While doing my daily search for celebrity and diet gossip (can my resolution be to never go to Perez Hilton again?), I stumbled upon a lieu of comments on People.com. I seriously was questioning if I was on Diet.com though.

"Weight loss isn’t easy, and it’s no piece of fat-free cake for the stars, either. Even they rely on some pretty crazy methods to drop unwanted pounds. When she needs to lose weight, Cameron Diaz cuts out all white food (like pasta and bread) because it can have high amounts of sugar, her trainer Teddy Bass told InStyle. And Lily Allen attended hypnotherapy sessions … at a reported $600 an hour! … to help curb her eating. We’ve heard of lemonade diets, soup diets … even cookie diets!"

So basically, People.com asked it's readers to post their "Most Outrageous Diet Tricks." The problem with this is that the people who read People.com are not your typical dieters you find on Diet.com. These are crazy ladies who love to read tabloids and gush over celebrity bodies hoping to one day lose those last 5 lbs and look like Jessica Alba in a bikini despite their 10 year age difference. Maybe that was harsh, but they are average women, giving outragous dieting tricks (i.e. UNHEALTHY). It didn't take long for the first crazy post from Glenda:

- I used to be a night snacker so i stopped snacking after dinner
- drink 3 liters of water a day (add the sugar free powder mixes like Chrystal Light or Propel which makes it taste MUCH better and adds almost no calories!)
- running and doing atleast 500 crunches and 100 pushups a day
- eat 1000 calories or less per day (but LOTS of fruits and veggies with lean protein and whole grains)

…. it is a little drastic, but hey - it helped me drop 20 pounds!

Shortly after, you can guess what came next... from none other than probably the only male reading this article:

This is the most irresponsible page I have ever seen - you are encouraging women to share details about how to use starvation and other extreme measures to lose substantial amounts of weight quickly. In this age where eating disorders are so prevalent amongst young girls, I cannot believe that you are encouraging this. What about advocating health, nutrition and regular activity? Spreading the word about skipping meals, drastically reducing calories and major caffeine overdoses is simply not on. ‘People’ - I’m very disappointed…

Here are a few other comments that I feel are worth re-posting:

I think it’s really sad and shocking that people are resorting to such extremes to lose weight. The average woman needs at LEAST 1200 calories to simply function properly throughout the day! To go less than 1000 calories is very dangerous because your putting your body into starvation mode. At first you will lose weight but as soon as you eat more calories you will gain it all back. It’s impossible to maintain a less than 1000 calorie eating regime!
As long as you eat healthfully and exercise regularily you should be able to lose and maintain a healthy weight!

-Alessandra

You don’t have to do “outrageous” things to drop weight, and do it quickly. By sticking to a balanced diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits and veggies you can feel full while cutting back calories and not starving yourself!! Personally, I stick to about 1500 calories when i’m trying to drop weight…and I make sure to walk for at least 30 minutes 6 days a week. I also include simple toning excersises like crunches, pushups and lunges to tighten up while dropping the pounds.

But My little “miracle tricks” that are key for me - is starting my day with a glass of metamucil (keeps you fuller longer), and adding fish oil & Pyruvate supplements. They have been proven to help you lose up to 7% more body fat with your diet & excersise. When using these methods, and drinking 2 ltrs of water a day, I can drop about 3 pounds a week - HEALTHILY!!!

-Heather

I have to agree with a few other posters…this section of People is ridiculous….eating a pickle after meals, water & exlax…..this is going to become a board to share your eating disorder tricks….

Eat healthy & work out. THATS ALL YOU NEED!

People, you need to either remove thissection or remove some of the obviously unhealthy responses.

- Lauren

i disagree with the people who say these comments should be taken down - the post is, in fact, titled “your most outrageous diet tricks” which seems to indicate that it is ok to share the absurd lengths we have gone to in order to try and lose weight. what is scarier than anything, in my opinion, is the call for censorship that some people are making here. that’s so much more dangerous than exlax and water - which, in fact, is nothing new and not particularly scandalous anyway. if someone wants to diet in an extreme and/or dangerous way, they don’t need to come to a forum on people. com to figure out how to do it. stop trying to parent this forum - if it offends you, go find something else to read.
ok, i’m going to go drink grapefruit juice and take exlax now..

Click here to read the other ridiculous and humorous message board at People.com.

See... everyone has an opinion when it comes to diet and exercise and not just Diet.com members! It seems this is one sticky topic that will always raise a few people's blood pressure. Please do not post your outrageous tips. Thanks :)