5 Things You Need to Know About the Junk Food Diet

1. Eat Your Faves

The Junk Food Diet appeals to many dieters because you get to eat foods that are typically forbidden on a regular diet plan. You can eat sweets, candy, soda and more while following a Junk Food Diet. The way you lose weight is that you replace the high calorie versions with the low calorie or non-fat types. Junk Food dieters enjoy diet sodas, 100-calorie pack chips and non-fat cookies. Since you're eating low calorie snacks instead of fatty versions, you will drop some weight on the diet.

2. It's Not Natural

If you're following a Junk Food Diet, you're likely eating foods that are processed and contain many artificial ingredients. Diet sodas, low-fat cookies and chips contain ingredients such as artificial sweeteners and olestra. Research is still being conducted on these products and scientists are not yet sure of the long-term effects of these products when consumed on a regular basis. Also, some people who consume junk food with olestra have complained of gastrointestinal distress, including gas, abdominal cramping and diarrhea.

3. Watch Out for the Sodium

Although Junk Food Diets have many non-fat and low-fat food items on the menu, you still need to check the ingredients before adding them to your diet. Many junk foods contain a lot of sodium, which can cause medical problems, like high blood pressure. Baked potato chips and frozen diet entrees are notorious for containing a lot of salt as a way to flavor the product.

4. It's All About Portion Control

Many of the foods on a Junk Food Diet are processed and contain artificial additives and sweeteners. However, one good aspect of a Junk Food Diet is that it teaches portion control. Instead of eating a box of cookies, you reach for a bag of the 100 calorie version. You get to enjoy the sweet taste of the snack without ruining your diet by consuming a large amount of calories.

5. Get a Doc Approved Alternative to the Junk Food Diet

Your doctor is not likely to recommend a Junk Food Diet as a way to lose weight. Most of the non-fat cookies, chips, sodas and frozen food entrees don't provide much nutritional value. Although you can supplement certain meals with lower fat versions, you should also incorporate fresh foods into your diets, like fruits, veggies, whole grains and lean meats.