There are literally hundreds of diets to choose from and many of them guarantee rapid weight loss. While some diets work to produce lasting weight loss and control, many of the diets that promise immediate rapid weight loss may disappoint you and may be harmful to your health. These diets are considered fad diets, you should consult your health care provider before drastically changing your eating habits.
General Information
Eastern Illinois University explains that a fad diet is a weight-loss program that promises to produce a very significant amount of weight loss in a very short period of time. Fad diets are also sometimes referred to as popular trendy diets. More often than not, fad diets preach an eating protocol that differs from the traditional balanced diet. Sometimes fad diets are backed with some clinical research, but usually there is absolutely no credible research that verifies its effectiveness or safety.
Popular Fad Diets
There are a host of fad diets and not all of them are completely unhealthful or ineffective. One of the more popular types of fad diet to promote weight loss is the high-protein and low- or no-carbohydrate eating protocol. The Atkins Diet, Sugar Busters, Protein Power, the Zone and the South Beach Diet all follow a high-protein, low-carbohydrates eating plan. Liquid fad diets such as the Slim Fast diet, Lemonade Diet and Cambridge Diet have become popular because of their convenience factor as well. Other popular fad diets, according to Eastern Illinois University include the Cabbage Soup diet, Subway diet, Peanut Butter diet, HCG Diet, Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem.
Health Concerns
It is hard to generalize the health dangers of fad diets since there are so many, but one health concern that can be raised is the potential for malnutrition. Fad diets often restrict many foods, thereby restricting essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients that your body needs. For example, the HCG Diet restricts your caloric intake to only 500 calories a day, making it impossible to get all the nutrients that your body requires. The high-protein and low-carbohydrate diet protocols are often very low in dietary fiber and can cause extreme fatigue since your body's preferred energy source is carbohydrates. Food-specific diets such as the Grapefruit diet in which you only eat a single food are dramatically unbalanced and do not promote healthful eating habits.
Rapid Weight Loss
One thing common to many fad diets is the promise of rapid weight loss. This is what make many of these diets so popular. For example, the HCG Diet promises extreme weight loss of 1 to 3 lbs. a day. Healthful weight loss is between 1 to 2 lbs. a week. Any weight loss beyond 1 to 2 lbs. a week is likely to just be water and muscle. Despite what some fad diets claim, no foods actually burn fat. Weight loss is simply a product of eating less calories. When you eat too few calories, your metabolism slows down, making it more difficult to lose weight. When you return to your prior eating habits, you will regain the weight. MayoClinic.com states that the key to permanent weight loss is developing healthy eating and exercise habits and not following fad diets.
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