Fad diets may work initially, but in the long term, they are an ineffective way to lose weight. In most cases, only 5 percent of dieters manage to keep their lost weight off, reports the American Council on Exercise. The tried and true method of weight loss, followed by most of the 5,000 plus members of the National Weight Control Registry -- a group of successful dieters who have kept off an average of 66 lbs. for at least five years -- is calorie restriction coupled with regular exercise.
Features of Fad Diets
The definition of what is and what isn't a fad diet is subjective. Fad diets tend to be those that promise a quick fix. Fad diets may promise they are easy to follow and require no exercise. A fad diet may restrict entire food groups, or over-emphasize a "superfood." They may require the use of supplements, usually marketed by the diet company. Examples of fad diets are the acai berry diet, the cabbage soup diet and the HCG diet. A diet does not have to be nutritionally unsound to be a fad, but many fad diets are based on myth and theory, rather than fact.
Nutritional Concerns
Most fad diets, especially those that emphasize one food group or ban another, may leave you nutritionally deficient. The American Heart Association recommends you eat a moderate amount of a variety of foods daily from all the food groups: dairy, meat and beans, vegetables, fruits, grains and fats. No one food can offer all the nutrition you need.
Adherence
Fad diets are usually restrictive, which is what makes them work in the short term. You may be asked to eat a very low calorie diet -- which is the key to weight loss. However, the restrictiveness and rules associated with fad diets also makes them frustrating to follow for a long period. Furthermore, they may leave you feeling deprived and hungry -- leading to cheating and eventually abandoning the plan. Because fad diets market themselves as the easiest way to lose weight, and the key to success, you may develop the feeling that you can never lose weight. Any diet that forces you to give up your favorite foods forever is not going to work for the long term.
Yo-Yo Dieting
These diets usually do not give you tools to deal with daily challenges, such as eating out, social occasions or simple cravings. Because you do not learn long-term strategies for weight management, you are likely to regain any weight you do lose within one to five years. Constantly losing weight and regaining weight, may increase your risk of developing certain health conditions, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and gall bladder disease, according to the Weight-Control Information Network. When you lose weight quickly with a fad diet, chances are you are losing mostly muscle. When you regain weight, it is most likely in the form of fat. The net result of yo-yo dieting is a body with a higher body fat percentage, which negatively affects your health and your appearance.
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