Why Fad Diets Don't Work

There are many diet plans proposed and/or promoted by different people. There is the 5-Factor Diet, South Beach Diet, Bob Greene's, Best Life Diet, Atkins Diet, Cabbage Soup Diet, Detox Diet, Anne Collin's Diet, Carbohydrate Addict's Diet, and now the Size Zero Diet, DASH diet and Fat Smash Diet and...it goes on! We shall try to explain the popular fad diets and why they are considered to be potential health threats rather than positive life changing weight loss diets.

    Cabbage Soup Diet

    This diet caught the fancy of many because of its utter simplicity. Proponents of Cabbage soup diet claim that by consuming low-calorie cabbage soup for a period of seven days you can lose 10 lbs of weight. It is only a short term program for weight loss.

    In the opinion of nutritional experts it is not possible for body to lose 10 lbs of fat in a week; what you will lose by following this plan is body water, and it will be highly detrimental to your health. This diet is considered a fad diet.

    Learn About How Small Healthy Changes could Save your Life Here

    Atkins Diet

    Dr. Atkins diet is based on the premise that the main cause of obesity is eating refined carbohydrates, particularly sugar, flour, and high-fructose corn syrups; and secondly, that the fats from hydrogenated oils and not the saturated fats are a problem. Atkins diet plans are based on consuming very low amounts of carbohydrates.

    Medical opinion however has been vehemently critical of this approach condemning it as "the most dangerous to the public if followed for any length of time."

    A few reasons why you should never do low-carb diets are:

    1. Such diets may produce short-term weight loss through dehydration.
    2. Weight loss may also occur through caloric restriction resulting from the fact that the diets are relatively unpalatable.
    3. The high fat content may be harmful to the cardiovascular system in the long run.
    4. Any improvement in blood cholesterol levels and insulin management would be due to weight loss, not the change in composition.
    5. A very high-protein diet is especially risky for patients with diabetes because it can speed the progression of diabetic kidney disease.


    South Beach Diet

    South Beach diet plan was initially evolved by Dr. Agatston for his heart patients and its launch for weight loss was only as a spin-off.     Agatston's three-phase design could cause devastating health effects. When you lose weight quickly on Agatston's induction phase (an Atkins clone)  and then move on to phase 2 and 3 and gain back the lost weight, Agatson instructs his followers to jump back on the first phase again as needed to control their weight. When you lose and gain, lose and gain because you are changing the way you eat, it promotes the deposition of atherosclerosis (heart attack causing plaque) bringing you closer to a premature death each time. Permanent weight loss only occurs as a result of changes one makes permanently.

    Many people are aware that ketogenic diets (low carb) are dangerous if maintained long-term; but many are not aware that if it is done on and off as recommended in the South Beach plan, you yo-yo your weight at the expense of your heart. Too, bad, so many people fall for this dangerous fad.


    Fat Smash Diet

    The Fat Smash Diet of Dr. Smith is an approach to weight loss not as a 'quick fix' solution but as a lifestyle approach. It gained prominence because of the Celebrity Fit Club TV program on which people could see it being put in practice.  In his book by the same name, Celebrity Fit Club doctor Ian K. Smith lays out his approach to diet and exercise, which involves "rewiring" your brain and "smashing" bad habits.

    Four "phases" over the course of 90 days. You eat four to five small meals a day, exercise regularly and don't have to count calories, although some foods are "forbidden" during the earlier phases.
    • Phase One is a nine day "detox" with lots of water, low fat, a limited range of food eaten raw, grilled or steamed.
    • Phase Two is "foundation" and adds back in foods like avocados, coffee and lean meats.
    • Phase Three, "construction," sees slightly larger portions and the return of bread and pasta, plus dessert!
    • Phase Four aka "the temple" gives you back on beer, wine and pizza, but in theory you'll be able to manage them through portion and craving control learned over the past three phases, plus exercise.

    Wow sure does sound fun doesn't it!!  And yes sure, this can help people develop a healthier approach to food, and eating several times a day which does help with cravings, if you can watch your portions. They do get points for incorporating exercise into the program, which helps you see results faster, and makes you more likely to stick with it.

    But since overweight people are notoriously bad at portion control (that's how we got here folks, right?) and there isn't any calorie counting or measurement built into the program, we believe this system is fatally flawed for long-term success.