Fad Diets (Source: American Dietetic Association)

We’ve all seen them. Many of us have probably tried them at one time or another. What is it about Fad diets that make them so popular? One reason may be that the fad diets promotes a quick fix. We may be enticed by words like “Detoxify”, or “Ancient Recipe”. Do any of these characteristics sound familiar?

• The diet puts foods into “good” and “bad” categories.
• The diet promotes a certain supplement.
• The diet claims to cure a disease or ailment.
• The promoters use testimonials in place of scientific evidence.
• The promotors discredit medical authorities.
• The diet encourages you to eliminate certain food groups.
• Those of us who have tried fad diets know that, while they may produce weight loss results in the beginning, these diets are hard to stay on long term. I mean, who wants to eat cabbage soup for the rest of their life?

The truth is that a healthy, lifelong diet can include all types of foods, not just foods in a certain food group, and not just certain supplements. By cutting out certain, healthy foods from our diets, we may be depriving our bodies of important nutrients.

So, go ahead, eat those carbs. Just make sure that the majority of them are form whole grains. Eat your fruits and vegetables daily. Choose protein from lean sources such as chicken, fish, legumes, and lean red meats. By including all types of foods in your diet, you’ll find it will be easier to stick to throughout your life.

Source: American Dietetic Association