Fad diets, sometimes called crash diets, are diets that gain popularity quickly because of their rapid weight-loss results. Often, they lose popularity just as fast because of the severe eating restrictions associated with them. These diets are often unhealthy and usually very difficult to stick to over the long term.
Components
Most fad diets limit you to eating only one type of food or one specific food. This goes against healthy eating principles that include eating a balanced diet and enjoying what you eat, notes the American Heart Association. Unless you eat a healthy, balanced diet that includes protein, grains, fruits, vegetables, and milk, your body won't get all the nutrients you need for it to function properly.
Weight-Loss Rate
Fad diets often claim that you will lose weight at a rapid pace. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, a weight-loss rate of up to 2 lbs. per week is safe. By losing weight at a more rapid pace, which is often the case with fad diets, you are more than likely losing water weight or muscle weight instead of weight from fat. Additionally, regaining the weight you lost, once you stop the diet, is very possible.
Considerations
Fad diets often don't encourage any type of exercise. In order to lose weight in a healthy manner, you have to exercise on a regular basis. You must exercise on most days of the week at a moderate pace for at least 60 to 90 minutes. Failure to exercise on a regular basis can lead to health problems like heart disease.
Warnings
Unhealthy diets that encourage rapid weight loss can lead to serious health problems. Nutritional deficiencies, such as vitamin B12 deficiency, anemia and potassium deficiency, are possible, notes the health and fitness website, Epigee.org. Vital organ damage like kidney failure, depression and eating disorders are also possible. In some cases, following a fad diet can lead to a cycle of yo-yo dieting that affects your metabolism and causes your body to go into starvation mode to conserve calories and nutrients.
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