Ashley Honeycutt, RD, LDN is the Manager of Corporate and Community Services for Rex Wellness Centers. She blogs about nutrition, wellness & healthy living.
Seriously? That was the first word that came to mind when I heard about the Ketogenic Diet craze. Aka: Rapid weight loss through placement of a nasogastric feeding tube. As dietitians, we’re often asked to rate the latest and greatest fad diet. We usually try to present the pros and cons to our clients and help them make informed decisions about their weight loss plan. There have been some interesting diets over the years, but when I heard that people were having feeding tubes placed for the sole purpose of losing weight, it made me crazy.
As clinicians, we are taught that feeding tubes are used as medical nutrition therapy for those who cannot orally consume food. They are meant to keep patients nourished by providing calories through a balanced liquid mix of protein, fats and carbohydrates. They have always been reserved for those folks battling medical conditions such as GI disease or cancer…or the elderly who cannot chew or swallow…not for someone trying to lose weight to fit into a wedding dress or swimsuit.
Swimsuit season happens every year. It’s not a surprise. Why not just make healthier choices throughout the year? Eat a little less every day. Move a little more every day. Surprise! You might fit into the swimsuit next summer. Something as simple as cutting 100 calories a day could lead to 10 pounds of weight loss a year.
Rapid weight loss diets such as the Ketogenic Diet don’t address psychological or emotional reasons behind overeating. Both are KEY to keeping weight off. When these things aren’t addressed, you’re almost guaranteed to gain the weight back – plus some. Want to lose weight for good? Stop these crazy diets and make peace with food. If you don’t know where to start, a registered dietitian can help you get there…and I promise, we won’t starve you in the process.