Crash weight loss plans and fad diets are an unwise alternative to permanent healthy eating habits, according to the American Heart Association.
What is a fad diet? It’s a well marketed diet with some miracle scheme to lose weight in an impossible manner, often by eating nothing but one food like a cabbage.
One food or one type of food is generally overemphasized with fad quick weight loss diets. They don’t include a variety of foods or good balance, a violation of the first principle of good nutrition, eat a balanced diet that includes a variety of foods. Because no one food has all the nutrients required for good health, these diets can result in a lot of health problems. The Cabbage Soup Diet is a good example. This so-called fat-burning soup is eaten mostly with fruits and vegetables. The diet supposedly helps heart patients lose 10–17 pounds in seven days before surgery. Even if the weight loss claim were true, all the damage due to a lack of a host of important nutrients would far outweigh (pun intended) the benefits of losing the weight. There are no magic beans, or magic cabbages, or miracle foods when it comes to weight loss and good nutrition. Moderation and consuming all the major food groups is the best bet.
The second principle of good nutrition is that eating should be enjoyable. You think eating only cabbage soup every day is enjoyable?. These diets are so monotonous and bland that it’s almost impossible to stay on them for long periods. Consider a week on the Cabbage Soup Diet. By Wednesday you’d dread meal time, and by Friday you’d never again want to look at a cabbage much less eat the soup. They’d cart you off in a straight jacket by week’s end.
There are many other ways fad diets aren’t good diets. Many don’t mention physical activity, for example, walking 30 minutes most or all days of the week. While a lifestyle of little physical activity can lead to heart problems, exercise is a major element of maintaining proper weight. When a diet mentions no need for a workout, run the other way.
Quick weight loss sounds great. It is realistic. But if a program sounds too good to be true, it is.
Chris Wehrle is the author of the Quick Weight Loss blog at
