Fad Diet Types

• The diet is heavily advertised on television and in magazines, possibly with a celebrity spokesperson.
• The premise of the diet seems to contradict other information you’ve heard about how to lose weight.
• It promises quick or unlikely results, such as a weight loss of five to 10 pounds per week.
• Instead of offering scientific proof the diet works, you’re given a dramatic selection of “before and after” weight loss photos.
• You can only eat a limited amount of foods or the entire diet is based on one food as a “catalyst” for quick weight loss.
• The diet encourages you to use pills as a weight loss aid or pressures you to purchase expensive prepackaged meals.
• The diet dismisses the importance of exercise in weight loss or says you can avoid exercise completely by following a particular meal plan.

Common Fad Diet Types

There are many different fad diet types, each offering a unique theory about the key to successful weight loss. Common types of fad diets include:

• Controlled carb: These diets claim that drastically reducing the amount of carbohydrates in your diet is the key to weight loss. Examples of this type of fad diet include Sugar Busters, The Zone, and The Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet.
• High carb/low fat: These diets are basically the opposite of the controlled carb plan, claiming you’ll lose weight by decreasing fat intake and increasing carbohydrates. Examples of this type of diet include The Good Carbohydrate Revolution or The Pritikin Principle.
• Magic foods: These diets claim that eating large quantities of one particular food is the key to weight loss. Examples of this type of fad diet include The Cabbage Soup Diet or The Grapefruit Diet.
• Liquid diet: These diets use special weight loss shakes as a meal substitute. The most popular example of this type of diet is the Slim Fast Weight Loss Plan.

The Pitfalls of Fad Diets

Although following a fad diet may seem like a great way to lose weight, all fad diet types have significant pitfalls. For example:

• Fad diets are too limiting to be a long term solution to weight loss. When you resume your regular eating habits, you’ll likely regain those excess pounds.
• Fad diets that are very low in calories may make you feel tired, dizzy, and irritable—especially if you’re not getting enough protein and carbohydrates.
• Some people believe that experimenting with fad diets puts a person at risk of developing an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia.

Since most fad diets are not nutritionally balanced, this approach to weight loss can be very dangerous for young children. In fact, there have been several cases where parents have been charged with neglect for forcing their children to following extreme diets. If you are concerned about your child’s weight, make an appointment to speak with your pediatrician.

A Long Term Weight Loss Solution

If you’re serious about losing weight, you’ll need to make developing healthy habits a top priority. For example:

• Swap soft drinks for water to help you feel fuller between meals.
• Each fresh fruit for dessert instead of sweets.
• Make fast food meals a special treat instead of an everyday occurrence.
• Walk or bike to work instead of driving.
• Join a gym or make plans to exercise with a friend on a regular basis.

According to the American Heart Association, a sensible plan for weight loss should include balanced amounts of whole grains, lean meat, fruit, vegetables, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products. You do not need to eliminate any food completely, although you are encouraged to watch your intake of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol.