Have you lately come across a diet plan which guarantees miraculous results within a few days? Beware; you might be planning to take up a fad diet.

To spot a fad diet, the first thing which you need to look for is whether it focuses on cutting out a food group. For example, if it says you can’t eat any carbohydrates (which includes fruit!), then chances are it’s a fad diet. Following these strict rules can mean that you miss out on essential vitamins and minerals. Fad diet usually have very strict rules, which are not maintainable in the long term. Often fad diets lead you to believe they work because you will lose weight quickly, however, later on this fad diet may lead to serious health.

Another big issue with fad diets is the weight gain after it’s finished. You will often hear people complain that they’ve gained back the weight they lost as well as a few extra kilo’s! This can be due to a few reasons; being on a very strict diet can result in a binge on all the foods you’ve been missing, often meaning you end up eating many more calories; and secondly because you often lose muscle when on a strict diet, and this lowers your metabolism making it even harder to burn fat.

Fad diets may look lucrative and you’ll probably want to hook to it. Here are some things which most fad diets include to attract you:

• Promise huge weight loss within a few days of adoption
• Recommend tricks to counter hunger faced during the diet program.
• Recommend elimination of a food group
• Real food is substituted with meal replacement bars and shakes

Eating a proper balanced diet and exercising regularly is always the best way to remain fit and healthy. If you are confused about any fad diets, or want an individualize diet plan, an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) is the best starting point.

Helpful Resources:

• Dietitians Association of Australia
• Weight Loss and Fad Diets