What is a Fad Diet? In short, it is a weight loss diet that has had a temporary boon of popularity. They usually promise amazing weight loss in a short period of time. Unfortunately this often means starvation, resulting in long-term decline of your metabolism and loss of muscle mass. Often you gain more weight back than you lost in the first place.
You may have tried a fad diet in the past such as, the cabbage soup diet, south beach diet, baby food diet, Atkins and so on. The problem with Fad diets are, you can’t stick to them for the long term, nor should you. When you unnecessarily cut out full food groups and eat an unbalanced diet, your body will fight to hang onto and store any fat that it can. This isn’t the outcome you want, you want to lose weight and keep it off. There are certain foods that will make you gain weight, you should limit your intake or cut them out completely. You should consult a dietitian or health professional before altering your diet.
When you lose weight fast with a fad diet, you are often losing ‘water weight’ causing dehydration. When large amounts of calories are cut, you lose all the energy that food provides your body. You are not getting all the essential vitamins and minerals that a balanced diet provides. Finally, there are digestion worries to deal with as well. Some fad diets cause your bowels to work overtime (diarrhea), or slow down altogether (constipation). None of the side effects of fad diets are worth the short- term weight loss.
There is no need to go on a fad diet because there’s no big hidden secret to losing weight. We have known the answer all along, if you exercise daily and consume only your daily calorie requirement, you will lose weight and look great. Get real and don’t fall for the latest fad diet, the best way to lose weight is – eat a balanced healthy diet and exercise. It’s that simple.
There is a lot of great information pertaining to healthy lifestyle and diet. Use the resources at your fingertips, do some research and find a plan you can stick with that provides you with enough food energy and nutrients you need to sustain your weight loss goals forever.
