Maybe you're familiar with the cabbage diet or the grapefruit diet. Perhaps you have tried the low-fat or low-carb route. Whether you realize it or not, these are all fad diets, passing crazes that grow old, become new, then grow old again. Differentiating between a fad and healthy diet can be difficult, especially when you're desperate to lose weight. However, it is in your best interest to learn how.
Tempting Promises
One thing all fad diets have in common is the promise of rapid or major weight loss in a short period of time. These promises usually sound too good to be true -- and typically are. A healthy weight loss is 1 to 2 lbs. per week. Although you might not lose 30 lbs. in one month at this pace, you can rest assured that your chances of keeping the weight off long-term are higher than losing excess pounds too quickly. As Cleveland Clinic points out, fad diets do not teach behavior modification; this causes you to gain back the weight you lost as quickly as you lost it.
Following Diet for Set Periods of Time
A prime example of this is the grapefruit diet. You follow this diet for 12 days, but once the 12 days have passed, you must wait at least two days before beginning the diet again. This is due to the severe caloric restriction and loss of nutrients you experience while following the diet. You can recognize most, if not all, fad diets by this criterion. If a diet recommends stopping after a set period of time, it is because health complications might arise as a result.
Limiting Food Groups
A classic indication of fad diets is limiting intake to one type of food, or eliminating an entire food group. Low-carb diets are known for this. You need a balanced diet that contains foods from each food group to receive the necessary nutrients, vitamins and minerals your body requires to remain healthy and function efficiently. Aside from the health risks of this type of diet, your chances of success are slim. It is difficult to adhere to a severely restrictive plan.
Discouraging Exercise
Exercise and a healthy diet go hand in hand when trying to lose weight. Many fad diets discourage, or warn against, exercising while following their plan, usually because of the severe caloric restrictions of the diet. To lose weight and keep it off, you must couple a healthy eating plan with a regular exercise routine.
Lack of Scientific Evidence
To entice you, fad diets promote their plan with testimonials from previous users rather than scientific evidence, explains HealthCastle.com. What they don't tell you is how many users gained the weight back or suffered health complications as a result of their diet. If you cannot find any solid medical evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of the diet, it is a passing fad. The tried and true method -- cutting calories; eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein; daily exercise -- has plenty of scientific evidence standing behind it.
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