With the recent Kimkins controversy, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about fad diets.  In my opinion, fad diets are nothing but a way to prey on desperate folks to take their hard-earned money.  Fad diets might work at first, but once the diet is stopped, the weight usually comes back pretty quickly.  Oftentimes, when weight is lost quickly, it’s not fat but water and muscle, and the weight that is gained back is usually fat.

So how do you spot a fad diet?  There’s really no one way to spot a fad, but there are a couple of things to watch out for when looking at diet plans:

  • Promises of a quick fix/fast weight loss instead of lifestyle change
  • Elimination of one of the five food groups
  • Requires severe calorie restriction
  • Statements and recommendations that don’t jive with scientific studies
  • Claims or testimonials that are too good to be true (for example:  “I lost 30 lbs. in 2 weeks!”)

I’m sure I’ve missed something that should be on the above list.   The best thing to keep in mind about healthy and long-term weight loss is that it’s all about changing one’s lifestyle, eating healthy and being active.  There are no “quick fixes” or “miracles” when it comes to permanent weight loss.