Every few months there seems to be a new fad diet. Although the diet may be different, such as eliminating a certain food group or combining foods you eat, the promises are the same. Fad diets promise significant weight loss, quickly. But do fad diets work and are they safe?
Types of Diets
One of the biggest fad diets, which I have tried myself is the no or very low carbohydrate diet. Foods, which are high in carbohydrates, such as pasta and rice, are eliminated. The idea is, when you limit carbohydrates, your body burns more stored fat. Another fad diet is the liquid diet. Liquid diets consists of drinking protein drinks, which contain the correct amount of vitamins and minerals the body needs, but with far fewer calories than eating meals.
Although I have not tried this one, the blood type diet is also another well known fad diet. The premise is, you eat or avoid certain foods based on your blood type. The proponents of the diet believe certain foods are good for people with certain blood types, but harmful to others with a different blood type
The Good
Fad diets can result in quick weight loss. For some people losing weight is very difficult. Often dieters will give up because the weight does not fall off. Losing weight quickly due to a fad diet, may help motivate dieters to continue down the weight path. Although, it is not a long-term solution, it may be the kick start a dieter needs.
The Bad
One reason fad diets may be harmful to your health is they can be very low in calories. In order to function properly, your body needs a certain number of calories. This amount varies according to gender, height, age and activity level. If you reduce your calories drastically, your body believes it is being starved and your metabolism slows down.
Fad diets can also be unhealthy because the dieter does not learn proper portion control or healthy ways to prepare food. Without learning the basics about nutrition, dieters may initially lose weight with a fad diet, but often gain the weight back. This yo-yo dieting can wreak havoc with a person’s metabolism and health.
Often fad diets involve giving up an entire food group, such as carbohydrates or fats. In reality some carbohydrate and fats are needed for the body to function properly. Giving up a certain food group can be unhealthy and difficult to maintain over time. It can also lead to a vitamin and mineral deficiency.
Although you may be tempted to try the latest fad diet, in the long run, it’s not the healthiest way to lose weight. It is also not the best way to maintain the weight loss. Losing weight and keeping it off, requires a lifetime commitment to learning proper nutrition, healthy eating and exercise. It’s not a fad, but it can work.