With the New Year upon us, many people gravitate towards weight loss and exercise as common New Year's resolutions. Each year there seems to be a new set of fitness fads for people to try, each one promising to deliver faster, better results. Along with those fitness plans usually includes a section dedicated to their tailored diet plan as well. While some of these weight loss programs may give sound advice, there are a few telling signs that can help you figure out if these plans offer healthy lifestyle changes or extreme diets that only provide short term quick fixes. Look for these clues that your diet may be part of a “fad diet”:
- The diet promotes large amounts of weight loss (keeping in mind that 1-2# per week is considered a healthy weight goal)
- Entire food groups are eliminated
- There is a "cleanse" phase in which most of the food groups are eliminated for days at a time
- There are strict, rigid menus
- The diet promotes meal replacements instead of real food
- Lists “good” versus “bad” foods
- Recommendations made to help sell or promote a product
The best way to focus on weight loss is to work towards a lifestyle that includes exercise and a balanced diet, including all of the food groups, in modest portions. Remember, if a diet plan sounds too good to be true, it just may be.
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