LEE COUNTY, Florida – Nutrition Director and COO at Shark Bite Fitness, Katie Onufer, is committed to creating awareness that what you do outside of the gym is critical to your fitness journey.
“Diet can really be so good for you. Sometimes you don’t really realize how bad you are feeling until you change your diet and see how much better you can feel, ”said Onufer. “What you do at home and all day is really going to make all the difference.”
A recent article published by media ambassadors discussed four ways anyone can lose some weight quickly this summer. Onufer weighed in to review their food journeys.
“I think this article is dangerous and gives the impression that results can be achieved very quickly without damage,” said Onufer.
Of the four recommendations listed, the first requirement is to start a juice diet.
“Juice cleansing is a bad idea because at this point you are really limiting your calories,” Onufer said.
She said that while juice cleansing is a bad idea, it ends up doing more harm than good.
“You will feel lethargic and likely after the juice cleanse you will likely become addicted and put all the weight back on right away,” Onufer said.
The second weight loss claim from the article is to switch to a vegetarian diet.
“I wouldn’t say all the veggies, but I would say just add more, right?” Said Onufer.
While fruits and vegetables play an important role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, cutting out certain food groups and switching to a diet that consists entirely of vegetables is somewhat extreme, according to Onufer.
“Cutting out food groups, changing the calorie intake drastically … these are all things that can give you quick results but are likely to feel pretty awful,” she said.
The third claim follows a similar theme, but instead of getting rid of a food group, the article recommends eliminating one ingredient – sugar.
“When it comes to going without sugar, I wouldn’t say you should go without the cold turkey, especially if you are used to it,” said Onufer.
Instead of leaving out sugar entirely, Onufer suggested slowly reducing the time.
“Diet is a lifelong thing, isn’t it? So we want to find a process that really works for us in the long term. So it’s never a good idea to leave things out completely, ”she said.
With the first three recommendations that Onufer declined, this leads us to the fourth and final nutritional tip on the list – reducing portion sizes.
“We really need to get back to our roots, don’t we? We have to eat whole foods. Cut out processed foods and make really smart choices every day, ”said Onufer.
She agrees that reducing portion sizes is a huge part of everyone’s diet. However, she pointed out that the article missed a crucial component – anyone looking to lose weight will likely need to drink more water.
“To really start feeling better, getting healthier, maybe losing a little weight … start increasing your water intake,” Onufer said.
Plus, there’s no better time to start the day than with a large glass of water.
“Starting with a glass of water in the morning can make a huge difference,” she said.
When it comes to nutritional advice, Onufer warns that the internet doesn’t always provide the best information. Instead of searching online, she recommends contacting a nutritionist to discuss your eating habits and goals.
