5 Weight Loss Diet Plans You SHOULDN'T DO in 2016

New Year, new diet. Sure, people are quick to research on the newest diets (fad) diets around to get rid of the holiday weight and possibly extra pounds one has been carrying over the last few years, but health experts recommend practicing caution when it comes to pursuing certain diets.

Alexandra Caspero, a nutritionist based in Sacramento, California told Health via Huffington Post, "Most fad diets go something like this: Take a few foods, give them 'magic' power, and set a plan to convince people that eating this way and only this way will promote weight loss."

You shouldn't do this diet plans

1. Lemonade Diet. Lemons are good for you because they're filled with vitamins C, A, and E, folate, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, among other vitamins and minerals. However, limiting food intake to only lemon juice splashed with maple syrup and cayenne pepper doesn't exactly constitute a healthy, well-balanced diet. Christopher N. Ochner, Ph.D., director of research development and administration at the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center said, "You are essentially just drinking diuretics. You'll shed mostly water weight." Additionally, this diet may bring side effects like fatigue, dizziness, and dehydration.

2. Five-Bite Diet. Developed by obesity doctor Alwin Lewis, MD, the rule of this diet is to eat anything your heart desires, as long as it is limited to five bites only. Moreover, TIME reports that you're supposed to skip breakfast, which is believed to be the most important meal of the day, and consume only five bites for lunch and five or more for dinner. According to Caspero, "I’m OK with the idea of eating whatever you want in smaller portions, but you need to round out the rest of your eating with nutrient-dense foods to give your body the fuel it needs. On this diet, even if you take giant bites of heavily caloric food, you’re still barely consuming 900 to 1,000 calories a day."

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30-Day Shape Slim Down Challenge

We want you to feel better than ever this year, and our Shape Slim Down workout-and-eating plan can help you get there. Follow along with our challenge calendar that includes seven of the biggest fat-burning moves out there, and watch as trainer and Instagram fitness sensation Anna Victoria demonstrates how to perfect these powerful moves.

Who better to push you to reach your full strong-and-sexy potential then the creator of The Fit Body Guides? You’ll repeat each exercise weekly, adding reps as you go along. Combine these mega moves with our healthy eating tips that challenge you to make small changes throughout the month, and you’ll be svelte and slim right on schedule for Valentine’s Day.

Slim Down your Diet

You can't have one without the other—to see serious success this month, complete the fitness challenges simultaneously with our tips to get your diet it tip-top shape.

Day 1: Lose the Blame
Losing weight isn’t about blame or shame. So cast those feelings aside right away. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself—that only makes it harder.

Read more on: Shape - 30 Day Shape Slim Down Challenge

American Obesity Rates are on the Rise, Gallup Poll Finds

Americans have become even fatter than before, with nearly 28 percent saying they are clinically obese, a new survey finds.

More than two-thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese, but the new Gallup-Healthways poll shows a record number are tilting the scales from merely overweight into the medically dangerous obese category.

"Mississippi had the highest incidence of obesity in the nation for the second year in a row, at 35.2 percent," Gallup said in a statement. "Hawaii had the lowest incidence of obesity in 2014, making it the only state where fewer than one in five residents are obese."

Someone who is 5-foot-5 and weighs 149 pounds has a body mass index of 24, considered a healthy weight. Add a pound and the same person has a BMI of 25 and is considered overweight. At 180 pounds this person has a BMI of 30 and is considered obese.

People who are obese have higher rates of heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, arthritis and Alzheimer's disease.

But Gallup and Healthways say there are more subtle drawbacks as well.

Even when factoring in education, religion, age and income, obese adults are 29 percent more likely to say they lack purpose in life and nearly 34 percent more likely to suffer financially than non-obese adults, the groups found.

For their survey, Gallup, which specializes in polling, and Healthways, a consultancy firm, surveyed 176,702 adults in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

"The national obesity rate in 2014 was the highest that Gallup and Healthways have measured since starting to track this measure in 2008," Gallup said in a statement.

"In a handful of states, more than a third of the population is obese," it added. "Obesity-related health problems could drive up healthcare costs and potentially have larger economic implications for states that suffer most."

Americans say they are trying to lose weight, but are not eating healthy enough or exercising anywhere close to keep them from piling on the pounds, Gallup has found in past surveys.

"The strong relationship between obesity and overall well-being suggests that interventions geared toward encouraging exercise and healthy eating, while important, may not be enough to reverse the upward trend in obesity," the groups said.

"For instance, if residents don't have a strong sense of purpose, struggle financially or lack supportive relationships, it will be much more difficult for them to buy healthy food, exercise regularly and achieve their weight loss goals," Gallup and Healthways said.

The five slimmest states, with the percentage of population that is obese:

• Hawaii: 19 percent
• Colorado: 20.3 percent
• Montana: 23.5 percent
• California: 23.9 percent
• Massachusetts: 24 percent

The most obese states:

• Mississippi: 35.2 percent
• West Virginia: 34.3 percent
• Louisiana: 33.2 percent
• Arkansas: 33 percent
• Oklahoma: 32.6 percent

Source: NBCnews - American Obesity Rates are on the Rise

5 Tips for Sticking to the Weight Loss New Year’s Resolution

A November Gallup poll revealed that only half of those wanting to lose weight are actually trying. With weight loss typically on the top of many New Year's resolutions, the Calorie Control Council offered five tips to help consumers beat the odds and stick to it into January and beyond.

How to stick to your weight loss new year's resolution

Make the resolution realistic.  Losing ten pounds in two weeks is probably not going to happen.  Most people don't gain weight overnight -- the same follows for losing the weight. While a more realistic goal of losing one to two pounds a week may not sound substantial, it is more attainable.

Keep it simple, specific, and achievable.  Instead of saying "This year I vow to lose 30 pounds" say "By May, I want to lose five pounds."  Setting and reaching smaller intermittent, more attainable goals encourages reaching for the larger goal. Most importantly, choose a healthy weight. 

Cut calories by making simple substitutions.  Tune down the calories in favorite foods by using the lower calorie versions at restaurants or by substituting low calorie sweeteners at home.  Cutting 150 calories a day alone over the course of a year could result in a five to ten pound weight loss.  

Lose the "quick fix" mentality and go for a lifestyle change.  Swearing off carbs and desserts may be doable for a month or so, but it's probably not something most people can stick with over the long term.  Short-term strategies can result in weight loss, but chances are good that if it is not a lifestyle change, the weight will eventually creep back. "Making changes that you can live with long term is the key to not only weight loss but also weight maintenance," said the Beth Hubrich, RD and Exec. Dir. of the Council.

Be more active, all the time and everywhere.  Hitting the gym and working with a personal trainer are great, but there are other ways to "sneak in" physical activity and burn calories.  Park farther away from the store, walk children to a play date instead of driving and take the stairs instead of the elevator.

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