If you have never attempted to lose weight or if you have been unsuccessful with your weight loss endeavors in the past, you might to tempted to try one of the hundreds of commercial diets that promise fast weight loss. Although your intentions are admirable, you need to be aware of how weight loss works and why most fast weight loss "fad" diets will disappoint you. Consult your physician before you make drastic changes to your dietary habits.
Fad Diet Information
While many people associate fad diets simply with trendy weight loss programs, Eastern Illinois University reports that a fad diet has a more specific definition. A fad diet is any weight loss program, popular or not, that promises a substantial amount of weight loss in a very short time. Fad diets greatly deviate from a balanced diet that encourages you to eat a variety of solid foods from several different food groups to fulfill your daily recommended allowances for calories and nutrients. Although every fad diet is certainly not the same, more often than not, these diets restrict foods and entire food groups. For example, many low- or no-carbohydrate diets greatly discourage the consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Popular Fad Diets
Many people discover certain fad diets because of the enormous advertisement campaigns run by marketers and proponents of the diet. Even if you have not tried these diets, you may have heard of them or know someone who tried one of them. Some of the most popular fad diets include the HCG diet, the South Beach diet, the Atkins diet, the Zone and Sugar Busters. Even Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem are considered fad diets by Eastern Illinois University. High-protein and low-carbohydrate dieting protocols are among the most popular. Even more restrictive, food-specific diets such as the grapefruit diet and the cabbage soup diet are popular for their simplicity. Liquid diets such as Slim-Fast have become popular because of their convenience.
Malnutrition
Although fad diets vary according to food selection and unproven scientific claims, one thing that most fad diets have in common is the potential serious side effect of malnutrition. Many of these diets restrict food choices and calories so drastically that it is nearly impossible to get the essential nutrients you need. Dietary fat, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants are all part of a balanced diet and vital to your health. For example, the HCG diet restricts your caloric intake to just 500 calories a day. Five hundred calories is about the equivalent to a single meal for many people. According to the University of Idaho, consuming just 500 calories a day is not enough to support proper, let alone optimal, brain function or physical movement. Many dieters will become extremely weak and fatigued on this diet.
Long-Term Disappointment
Many people are drawn to fad diets because of the promises of fast weight loss. If the diet severely restricts calories, you will lose weight at the start. Unfortunately, most of the weight loss that you will see will be muscle and water. Many dieters still get excited because they weigh less on the scale, even though their body composition has likely not improved. Oklahoma State University explains that once you resume your prior eating and dietary habits, you will regain all the weight you have lost. Many fad diets, such as the HCG diet, that restrict calories so greatly are impractical to remain on for extended periods of time. Additionally, restricting your caloric intake too much will slow your metabolism, making it harder to lose weight and easier to put on fat.
References
- Eastern Illinois University: Fad Diets
- MayoClinic.com: HCG diet: Is it safe and effective?
- Arizona State University College of Health and Innovation: The Newest Diet Fad is.... A Hormone?
- University of Idaho: Thinking About Slimming Down for the Holiday Season on HCG - Think Again
- Oklahoma State University: Debunking Diet Myths
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