Health Fads: Proceed With Caution

Whether it's a new workout or a seems-too-good-to-be-true diet, there's always something tempting us, "as the best way to finally take off those extra pounds."

Carrie Moore had reached a peak 200 pounds five years ago when she reached her breaking point while taking Christmas pictures. 
 
"I kept looking at the picture and then telling her 'no, retake that.' I kept repositioning my arms trying to what I could to hide my stomach, hold my shoulders up taller everything to make myself feel thinner. I think we took about a hundred pictures that day and I finally lost it and was like, this is got to change," Carrie said.

So she started drinking Shakeology protein shakes and working out. She lost 40 pounds and 10 dress sizes.

"When I walk in I feel like I own the room now," she said.

We asked Dr. Rachel Franklin about her methods, and she says nutrition shakes can work. 

"If it's prepared from dehydrated fruits and vegetables it's pretty good, you rehydrate it," said Dr. Rachel Franklin, OU Physicians Family Medicine.

"It's not as good as having a fresh fruit or a fresh vegetable, but it's better than going to your local fast food restaurant and getting the sausage and carb bundle, right?"

However, she says be leery of diet supplements since they aren't regulated by the FDA. Keto is one of those making the rounds right now on social media. 

"When you see videos online that tell you about some mystery that they think they've unlocked about how the human body operates, think about what they are trying to sell you at the end," she said.

We also wanted to check out Orange Theory Fitness. These are new to the metro just since this summer, and you have to wear a heart rate monitor. 
 
During the hour long cardio and resistance training, your heart rate is displayed on a screen with the goal of 12 minutes in the red or orange level.

"They're burning calories, not only during the workout, but they go into that post after workout burn burning calories for the next 24 - 36 hours," said Nabeela, Orange Theory Fitness.

Orange Theory is also HIIT training - a new popular workout method where you do brief bursts of high intensity exercise followed by a recovery period. 
Dr. Franklin says whether it's Orange Theory or some other HIIT workout, it can help you get to that next level.

"Incorporating HIIT one or two days a week could help you break that plateau," she said.

She doesn't recommend HIIT training, however, if you are new to working out or have heart problems. 

And finally there's the fitness monitor.

"Seems like everybody has a Fitbit, the doctor has a Fitbit right?" said Dr. Rachel Franklin, OU Physicians Family Medicine.

Which Dr. Franklin says is great to remind us to keep moving.

"We know that prolonged sitting is associated with an increased risk of all kinds of diseases and even early death, so having something on that wrist that reminds you it's time to get up even for a moment can be helpful," she said.

However she says they aren't 100 percent accurate.  And we may sometimes under-estimate our calorie intake with those apps on our phone.
Over reliance could actually set us back on our fitness goals.

"I may actually be giving myself permission to have more calories then I should have for the day," Dr. Franklin said.