A busy life is oftentimes synonymous to eating unhealthy food. Such is the case of Hollywood actors where everything move fast pace. This has been the challenge to a renowned nutritionist guru and Hollywood personal trainer, Harley Pasternak. Celebrities challenged Pasternak to pull together a workout plan and training schedule to fit within the actor’s short breaks on set. The well known trainer should design an effective and healthy diet that could fit into their hectic lifestyle. The workout plan should be able to allow them to create healthy meals within few minutes by using only simple ingredients that could fit in a refrigerator. Recipes should also be prepared with the use of blender and oven for convenience.

An average person doesn’t live the life of a Hollywood star but still face the same kind of time constraints. By the time they get out of work, attend their family needs, allot quality time for their children leaves them such little time for workout and neglects their diet. Such dilemma is shared by people in two different worlds with one bottom line – unhealthy eating = gaining weight.

Why is it Called 5 Factor Diet Plan?

With all this in mind, Pasternak is able to design and come up with a book called 5 Factor Diet Plan. His diet plan involves 5 meals a day that can be served within 5 minutes with 5 core ingredients that includes low-fat quality protein, low- GI carbohydrate, fiber, healthy fat and sugar-free beverage. The sixth day is regarded as a free day wherein you are allowed to eat anything you want. Pasternak came up with the free day idea in order to make sure that you won’t fell like you’re in a diet prison. The concept behind this “cheat day” is that controlled cheating will help you reach your fitness goal. You are also recommended to spend 25 minutes of workout 5 days a week for 5 weeks. The 5 Factor Diet Plan consist 5 exercises with the combination of cardio and strength training and doesn’t need any expensive equipment.

The 5 Factor Diet Plan introduces us to the 5 Fat Loss Keys. One of which is to have faster body metabolism in order to burn more calories for lesser fat. It also promotes staying in a fat-burning zone through exercise to develop leaner muscles. Consuming right kind and potions of food to get the right amount of calories needed by your body is as important as choosing food with low glycemic index to suppress the feeling of hunger and appetite.

Foods with high glycemic index release larger amounts of insulin that is directly related to our appetite. The higher our insulin level the hungrier we are going to feel which leaves us the tendency to overeat. Allowing our body to rest and recover is also very important in order to reduce our stress hormone and promote muscle condition. These fat loss keys and 5 meals a day puts a new spin on what has been the traditional advice of every major nutrition experts for years. It refreshingly sound an easy and nutritious approach to weight loss, one that can help dieters reign in their appetites and at the same time shed off those extra pounds.

Losing weight and keeping a good shape doesn’t seem impossible even if you live a busy life. The 5 Factor Diet makes it possible for you to eat healthier, exercise and noticeably shape up in between work, obligations and social functions. This diet is specifically designed to fit a hectic schedule for those who are ready to lose weight even with limited time, space and food resources. It is a healthy plan that incorporates different food categories in appropriate proportions. The suggested meals include foods and nutritional habits of the ten healthiest countries in the world. These principles is based form the belief of Pasternak that we can learn a lot by adapting the dietary structure of countries that have a better track record in regard to obesity and health statistics.

The Disadvantages

Pasternak diet plan has also some drawbacks in regard with the global cuisine it provides. It is difficult to gain access to the snacks and meals the diet plan recommends. It’s surely healthy to eat smoked salmon or turkey breast with non-fat cream cheese but these foods are expensive and not readily available in a workplace cafeteria. The plan also pose inconvenience because of eating every after three to four hours or 5 times a day.

While some experts believe that staying on the recommended plan for five weeks produce positive results but some may not achieve the same results. Some dieters may need to find their own phase on how extensive their diet and exercise routine should be based on their body structure. Most experts also agree that the real value of the 5 Factor Diet Plan come from complying the plan’s unspoken rules which includes appetite control, smaller portions and fewer calories for a healthier body for life.

It is a fact that most of us are taking supplements to have a better health condition and a better life. These supplements may be taken to lose weight, increase stamina and strength, to build muscles or to enhance sexual performance. Regardless of its specific purpose, some of these may cause serious side effects because of the harmful ingredients included in these supplements.

The craze for dietary supplements is evidenced by the total number of consumers and the amount of money they spent for these products. According to the Nutrition Business Journal, more than half of the adult Americans have taken a form of supplement. Most of them even avoid taking prescription medications. In 2009 alone, it was estimated that $26.7 billion was spent on dietary supplements. There is no doubt that it also attracted more companies to produce and sell dietary supplements to the public.

And the problem is, some companies are not concerned on the welfare of its consumers. There are dietary supplement ingredients that are not safe for human consumption but still being included and marketed as an effective muscle enhancer or weight loss pill. Since the FDA has little control on supplements manufacturers, every product sold in the market have not been tested for its safety and effectiveness. Consumers only rely to the claims by the manufacturers which are usually overrated and biased. According to Consumer Report only 1/3 of the more than 54,000 supplements are proven safe.

In a TV interview, Consumer Reports editor Nancy Metcalf and NBC Doctor, Nancy Snyderman revealed that there at least 12 dangerous ingredients that the consumers may not be aware of. These can be very dangerous to the health of the users which according to them can cause serious health problems like heart diseases, liver and kidney problems. Most of these ingredients have little studies to back up its purported benefits and some of them have already been identified by the FDA as a possible health risk. “The real concern is that they have never been known to be beneficial but they may be harmful,” said Snyderman.

Out of 1,100 ingredients usually included in dietary supplements, the group identified 12 ingredients that are considered to be potentially harmful and linked to serious side effects based on clinical studies and case reports. They also found out that these supplement ingredients are included in products which are widely available in health stores and on online stores.

The 12 dangerous ingredients according to the Consumer Reports are aconite, bitter orange, chaparral, colloidal silver, coltsfoot, comfrey, country mallow, germanium, greater celandine, kava, lobelia, and yohimbe. Most of these were already identified by the FDA as potentially harmful ingredient many years ago but they were not able to remove products containing these substances from the market. In fact, most health stores are willing to cooperate with the FDA if there will be prohibitions or restrictions imposed for these substances.

In the weight loss industry, the FDA was able to at least ban one dangerous ingredient, the ephedrine alkaloids. Ephedra was used as a weight loss product but it resulted to many adverse side effects and complications including death. Two years ago, the agency issued warnings on several herbal weight loss pills. However, as long as the regulatory agency can’t enforce tight regulation on the dietary supplement industry, dangerous ingredients will always be a problem. For example, an overweight or obese person who wants to try quick solutions to their health problems would turn to dietary supplements rather than consulting a doctor for a weight loss prescription drug such as phentermine.

Extremely obese patients are usually advised to choose bariatric surgery to lose weight instead of traditional treatments such as diet plans, weight loss pills and exercise. Though undergoing surgery might be successful for some patients, there are still reported cases where the method fails and resulted to many complications. This method of losing weight should be explained thoroughly to the patient. They should understand the procedures to be done to help them cope up easily after the operation. The patient must be aware of the changes made in the stomach and intestines, and the effects of the treatment.

Here are some side effects that patients should take into consideration before committing themselves to bariatric surgery;

Nausea and vomiting usually occurs in the first 2-3 months after the operation, as patients are getting used to their new diet and eating habits. Ignoring the signs that you are already full or eating less after bariatric surgery puts you at higher risk for vomiting and other complications. Such condition can be avoided by paying attention to the body sign of fullness, and eliminating dry and tough foods from the diet.

Dehydration after surgery occurs because of insufficient water intake of the patient. This is a very common side effect that can lead to more serious problem that may require hospitalization. Dehydration can also result to nausea and vomiting in which, persistent vomiting may also cause electrolyte imbalance and vitamin deficiency. It may furthermore cause gall balder and kidney malfunctions. Symptoms of dehydration include fatigue, dizziness, dark colored urine, low back pain and a white coating on the tongue. That’s why, patients are recommended to drink at least 64 ounces of fluid on a daily basis. In a condition that the patient is to nauseous to drink, sucking on ice chips can be regarded as a substitute.

Transient hair thinning is to be expected after surgery according to New York Universal Medical Center. This could typically transpire between 2 to 10 months after surgery. Hair loss can be minimized by taking multivitamins and supplements with zinc and biotin as well as maintaining adequate protein intake. Nonetheless, worries should be taken aside because this phase will be temporary and lost hair shall gradually grow back to normal.

Excess Skin would most likely be the end-result of dropping weight too fast. These are usually found in thighs, breast and upper arms. Although this is a good sign that you are rapidly losing the extra pounds, it will also be a physical problem to the patient. Researches have shown that, patients don’t feel physically satisfied after weight loss surgery because of this excess tissue. It can also cause skin reactions, functional limitations and cosmetic discomfort. For this reasons, patients opted to undergo cosmetic surgery to tighten this loose skin.

Food Intolerance is a probable setback after bariatric surgery. Foods that are dry, sticky, gummy, or stringy present the biggest problems. This may range from meats, roast beef, chicken. to fresh bread, peanut butter, fibrous fruits and vegetables, milk, pasta, rice and so on. This is a whole lot of food that a bariatric surgery patient will be deprived off for couple of months after the operation and will be required to eat in moderation for the rest of their lives. Avoiding too much starch and carbohydrate is also a must. Alcohol intake should also be in moderation because patient will most likely feel the effects of alcohol more quickly. Not being able to follow your physicians’ food guidelines may trigger vomiting, blockage of the stomach pouch outlet, gas and abdominal cramping.

Upper endoscopy problem may occur because of the permanent change in the anatomy of the GI tract. Laboratory test like EGD, ERCP or even laparoscopic surgery may be required in the future in order access the disconnected stomach and duodenum to detect possible ailments like ulcers, cancer, bleeding and bile duct problems.

Birth defect is one of the detrimental side effects for obese women who opted to undergo bariatric surgery then later on got pregnant. Normally obese woman experience trouble with fertility and regular menstrual cycle. Upon undergoing bariatric surgery and start losing weight, their fertility condition may also be enhanced. Thus, women with child bearing age must avoid becoming pregnant at the span of 12-18 months after the operation. The rapid weight loss and insufficient nutrients can harm a developing fetus which may cause birth defects. Nevertheless, it is also possible to have a healthy pregnancy after weight loss has been stabilized.

Cold Intolerance. This condition is the effect of the change in metabolism and loss of insulating body fat. Patients may easily feel cold as they begin losing weight.

A change in bowel habits like constipation or smaller and fewer bowel movements may be experienced by patients after operation. Such condition can be alleviated by taking more fluids, eating more fruits and vegetables, regular exercise and by taking fiber supplements and laxatives.

Dumping Syndrome is a condition that can occur due to the rapid emptying or dumping of stomach contents into the small intestines. Too much sugar intake and too much consumption of greasy foods can trigger this kind of side effect.

Pouch distention and staple-line disruption may also occur, with the same consequences of compromised weight loss in gastroplasties. Double stapling or division of the pouch from the rest of the stomach have reduced the chances of disruption, although this increases the risk of postoperative leakage and bleeding.

Other considerations such as cost should also be taken into account, because the costs of surgery differ widely according to the complexity of the operation. The full cost of the operation is unlikely to become clear until after you have been examined by the surgeon and your individual needs and requirements determined. There are insurance companies that approve benefits for the surgery if certain conditions are met, which may depend on different coverage policies. Other companies, however, have exclusion clauses for the treatment of obesity. Be sure to consider all the options before committing yourself. In an instance that you decide to pay for the operation with your own funds, keep in mind that additional expenses may be necessary to treat complications after the surgery.

Now that you know the risks and possible complications after a bariatric surgery for weight loss, it is still better to at least consider other options which are also considered effective in losing the excess weight. You can try prescription medications such as appetite suppressant pills before submitting yourself to surgical procedures.