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Although the big push for fad diets has died down a little
bit, it is still estimated that at least two-thirds of Americans
are on some type of diet at any given time. Although research
shows the importance of eating from all the major food groups,
people are still confused about what type of diet to follow,
keeping the window open for more quacky solutions to pop up.
In an effort to help readers determine what makes a diet healthy
and when it’s time to steer clear, I am going to discuss what
makes a diet a ‘fad’ diet and why these diets are something
best to stay away from. Along the way, we will discover what
each food group has to offer that can be beneficial to our
health.
Our bodies are uniquely designed to take advantage of the
proteins, carbohydrates and fats that we eat. In order for
the liver to do the best job it can for us, we actually need
all of these nutrients, known as macronutrients. Even a ‘detoxifying’
diet should also include all of these macronutrients!
During the past 20 years there has been a dramatic increase
in obesity in the United States. Currently, more than 64%
of US adults are either overweight or obese, according to
results from the 1999-2000 National Health and Nutrition Examination
Survey (NHANES). So, look at the facts: Two thirds of all
Americans are on some ‘diet’, yet we are getting fatter and
fatter. Would that perhaps mean that the fad diets don’t work?
Let’s talk about it.
Identifying a fad diet
A ‘fad diet’ is defined as something temporary. Therefore,
it’s no surprise that these diets are not successful. Let’s
begin by looking at how to identify a fad diet.
#1 – Promises a fast weight loss.
This is great, in the short term, but how many readers have
or know someone who has followed  one
of these diets, only to regain the weight back, plus more
for added bonus? When people lose weight very quickly, they
lose a lot of lean muscle tissue, and the weight that comes
back will most likely be more fat and less muscle, making
it easier and easier to regain weight each time they drop
the last fad diet. A healthy diet to follow will be one that
will encourage slow, progressive weight loss over a longer
period of time. It will have enough calories to support vigorous
exercise, so that you lose fat and not muscle. Diets that
are too low for the body’s basic needs will result in the
body breaking down it’s protein stores (muscle) for the fuel
it needs. Sort of defeats the whole purpose of the diet!
#2 – Eliminates foods or food groups.
The very first thing that alerts us that a diet is a ‘fad’
is when a particular food, or entire food group, is considered
off-limits. This is a good time to talk about the low carb
diets.
What is it that has made carbohydrates a bad nutrient? When
you look at other countries, where the intake of carbohydrates
is as high as 80%, and see that many of these countries are
not suffering even close to the obesity rates we are in America,
you have to wonder why they are not having the same problem.
So, can it really be the carbs? Probably not. But, maybe it’s
the type of carbs. Many people who decide to go on one of
the popular low carbohydrate diets start to eliminate a lot
of food from their diets, including all the snack foods they
were eating, particularly at night. Gone are the chips, the
cookies, the crackers, the ice cream. Gone are up to 300 to
1,000 calories per day! Anyone would lose weight if they cut
out those many calories from their daily diet.
Another problem with eliminating entire food groups, especially
on low carb diets, is that they are recommending eliminating
or limiting the intake of nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables.
With all the substantial research showing how beneficial these
foods are to preventing various diseases, such as cancer and
heart disease, it’s amazing that anyone involved in healthcare
would recommend such a diet. Something to also notice, however,
is that none of these fad diet books are written by anyone
with a degree in nutrition. Even the medical community is
confused, which explains why physicians will fall for some
of the hype fad diet authors write.
But let’s talk a little more about fruits, vegetables and
starches: A diet high in animal protein and animal fat has
been linked to various disease and inflammation states. A
diet very high in protein puts a great load on our kidneys
and can contribute to constipation, gout and bone loss due
to calcium depletion from the high protein load.
Combine that with decreased fiber from lack of whole grains
and fiber-rich fruit and vegetables, and many people just
don’t feel well; they feel fatigued, sluggish and their immune
system is depressed.
#3 – Starts with a shock or follows a strict plan.
When the diet says you have to start with an extremely restricted
diet, or you can only eat certain foods on particular days,
you know it’s a fad diet. They justify this by saying you
have to clean out the body, or only certain foods will help
with the weight loss process. Any change in how you currently
eat will result in changes on the scale. Very few people can
remain on these diets very long, so once they are ‘off’ the
diet, the weight returns. The dieter learned nothing other
than the misinformation the author provided them with. This
can actually have far-reaching consequences, as then the dieter
is more confused than ever and doesn’t know what to believe!
Once a person learns what the qualities of a healthy diet
consist of, they find that their optimum calorie level is
for their own needs, and they are able to achieve their goals,
combining their eating plan with exercise. Not only do they
start to enjoy life again, but enjoy food AND see weight loss!
Although fad diet authors want you to believe their ‘miracle’
(and buy their products), there really is no get-thin-quick
solution that is permanent.
But what does constitute a healthy diet? A healthy diet is
one that is adequate in calories to support healthy weight,
low in animal fats and saturated fats, animal protein should
be very lean and adequate enough to support a diet high in
fruits and vegetables and whole grain starches. Any healthy
diet can include foods that are just for enjoyment, however.
All foods really do fit, in moderation. A general rule is
an 80/20 rule: Eighty percent of the time the diet should
be healthy and then 20% of the time it can include foods you
would not eat on a regular basis if you were trying to eat
for health and weight loss.
#4 – Contradicts what experts say.
Authors of low carb diets say that the carbohydrates are what
have made American’s fat. But they can’t explain why other
countries whose diets are very high in carbohydrates don’t
have the same problems with obesity. You know it’s a fad diet
when the author says they have the ‘inside’ or ‘hidden’ truth
about our health or diets. You also know it’s a questionable
publication when they say there is a hidden agenda among health
professionals or the government.
But why is America getting fatter and fatter? America is a
country of grab-and-go: The faster, the better. Families seldom
sit down to meals, together. There are fewer physical fitness
programs in school and many of the school food choices are
fast foods. People and entire families eat 2-3 of their daily
meals from a drive-through or a restaurant, most of which
provide very few of the foods high in nutrients and low in
calories. Restaurants add extra fats to their dishes to enhance
the taste, so a meal you could make at home without added
fats could have up to 60% of it’s calories coming from fat
to make it taste better! Plus, the serving sizes are much
larger than they were 20 years ago, so most of the time the
size of the meals could actually feed us for 2 to 3 meals,
instead of one! However, many people still feel they must
clean their plate rather than let the food ‘go to waste’.
They really should say, “go to waist”!!
As you read this, think back to the last week. How often did
you sit down at home and eat a home-cooked meal? Do you eat
breakfast, lunch and dinner each day? How often do you exercise
vigorously? In Europe, the meals are much smaller and people
walk a great deal more than in America. In some neighborhoods,
it’s actually impossible to walk to work, even if you live
very close! Our road systems are no longer built for riding
bikes or walking to work. You take your life into your hands,
either from passing traffic or crime.
#5 – Relies on testimonials rather than scientific research
The fact that Jane lost pounds in a week because she just
ate cabbage soup does not mean it’s safe, effective, or that
it will work for you! What if you don’t LIKE cabbage?
An example of testimonials, combined with the research to
back it up, is the National Weight Control Registry. In order
to join the Registry, a person has to have lost pounds and
have kept it off for a year. Currently consisting of over
4500 individuals, the Registry was founded in 1993 as a longitudinal
prospective study. Currently, there have been six studies
resulting out of the Registry. For more information on the
Registry, along with how most of the Registry members have
in common, here is the website: http://www.nwcr.ws/.
#6 – Has a gimmick.
The problem with diet plans that have some type of gimmick,
is people can’t stay on them and  they
don’t learn how to eat for the long-term. It’s no secret that
all the books must have something to ‘catch’ the reader. However,
hidden among all the hype are books that really DO offer safe
and effective solutions to weight loss. A book written by
a registered dietitian (RD) is a guarantee that the material
is accurate and safe. An RD is someone whose education, training
and experience all revolve around the science and practice
of nutrition; these truly ARE nutrition experts.
Consider this: If you had heart disease, you would see a cardiologist
who specializes in heart health. If your teeth needed work,
you would see a dentist. However, many people will buy ‘diet’
books from people who are not educated in nutrition! People
will buy a diet book from a person who found what worked for
them, or a movie star or a physician. In many of these books,
because the author does not understand nutrition, many facts
are distorted or misrepresented. It may not always be on purpose,
but the point is these books are written by someone who really
does not know nutrition and the science behind it, so either
they distort the facts, or they make them fit the gimmick
they are trying to sell.
So, the next time a friend mentions this great new diet they’re
on, or you see a new book that offers ‘miracle’ weight loss
or something that ‘health professionals don’t really want
you to know’, take a step back and ask yourself these questions:
1-Does it promise fast weight loss?
2-Does it eliminate any major foods or food groups?
3-Is there a strict plan that must be followed for success?
4-Does it contradict what nutrition experts and science has
to say?
5-Does it rely primarily on testimonials and ‘before and after’
pictures too good to be true?
6-Is there a gimmick?
If you answered yes to all or most of these questions, after
you have stepped back, walk away and find a better plan. Isn’t
today time to get real and make your weight loss plan permanent
and realistic?
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