7 Fad Diet Facts That Will Scare You

fad diet facts

Imagine this scenario.

You want to lose weight, but sooner rather than later. You find yourself Googling quick fixes. Before you know it, you’re buying an illegal tapeworm from another country.

You can’t imagine yourself ingesting a tapeworm. . . or could you? And if you think that sounds bad, imagine the process of getting it out.

Let’s go with not.

Fad diets are just that: fads. They’re not sustainable or nutritious. And not only are they impractical, they’re unsafe.

Rapid weight loss leads to nasty side effects. A healthy diet will lead you to a handful of almonds, not starvation.

Want to see why you should skip the trendy food regime and go for the healthier lifestyle change? Then check out these fad diet facts that will convince you to give up the cleanse and grab an avocado.

1. They Have Many Adverse Side Effects

Fad diets do more harm than good. Rapid weight loss can do any of the following:

  • Cause fatigue and lethargic behavior
  • Cause anger
  • Leave you hungry
  • Change your hormones
  • Cause constipation or diarrhea
  • Imbalance your menstrual cycle
  • Promote hair loss, headaches, erratic heartbeat
  • Cause digestive issues

Your weight loss journey isn’t supposed to result in an unhappy or unhealthy state of being. Fad diets are for that.

2. They Deprive the Body of Necessary Nutrients

Many fad diets involve the process of elimination.

We’re not talking about eliminating the unhealthy things like processed sugar, either. But eliminating things that are necessary for a human to have a thriving lifestyle. Things like carbs, healthy fats, protein. Foods high in fiber, vitamins, minerals.

3. They’re Not Practical

If you’re running late for work. Forgot to pack a lunch. Have a crazy commute ahead of you.

Then how are you going to keep up your juice cleanse? Or stick to your liquids diet? Or have your cabbage soup?

Sometimes life is unpredictable. It dictates you to grab whatever is easy, on-the-go, available. A healthy eater recognizes the importance of grabbing almonds, a banana, a smoothie.

But a fad diet isn’t practical out in the real world. Good luck ignoring your junk food cravings!

4. They’re Not Meant to Last

This is another factor related to practicality. Because fad diets are short-term, quick fixes, there’s no way to introduce them as a lifestyle. Fads and trends fade – they don’t become ways of living.

5. They’re Not Endorsed by Professionals

Fad diets get endorsement through individuals or small groups of people. Testimony isn’t backed by doctors or health professionals. A fad diet gets promoted by single individuals, celebrities, or personal testimonials.

The bottom line? Celebrities are not nutritionists. Kate Winslet even fell for the face-reading diet! This diet determines what you can and can’t eat by analyzing the skin and eyes.

6. They May Cost a Hefty Sum

You don’t need to buy books, supplements, and videos to figure out what promotes weight loss. You don’t need to spend money on anything other than sustainable, healthy food. That’s the only trick!

Let’s get back to basics. The Internet is rife with information. If you’re spending money on pills, books, and more, you’re doing your body – and your wallet – an injustice.

7. They’re Just Gross

Even more evidence to a fad diet’s impracticality? Sometimes, they’re plain-‘ol gross.

Need an example? You mean, other than the tapeworm diet? Don’t worry: there’s no shortage of nasty when it comes to these things.

In the 1920s, the Lucky Strike cigarette brand promoted their product as a way of dieting. They understood that cigarettes are an appetite suppressant. They also realized that people (especially women) could light up a cig and suppress their urge to eat.

The cigarette company even came up with a wonderful slogan. “To keep a slender figure no one can deny. . . Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet.”

Hey – at least they told you to cut sweets.

A crazy, and dangerous, diet had people eating cotton balls once in 2013.

Suck down a few cotton balls before your meal and you’ll eat less. And if you’re feeling super hungry, dip your cotton balls in juice or a smoothie. You’ll get all the amazing flavors of a meal, and all you have to eat is a fluffy, chemical-ridden, stomach-flattening cotton ball.

That diet doesn’t even have the luxury of sounding too good to be true. It sounds like something we want to stay far away from.

Identify a Fad Diet

Here are important signs of a dangerous diet you should steer clear of:

  • Results based on individual studies or small group studies – if at all
  • It promises rapid weight loss
  • It sounds too good to be true
  • It involves intense reductions in eating and drinking
  • It eliminates major food groups

Us Americans are a skeptical bunch. But that’s a good thing. When researching your next diet, keep the skeptical frames on!

These Fad Diet Facts Are Scary and True

And they’re not taking into consideration important factors.

Before you try a fad diet, who is there checking your blood and nutrition levels? Who is asking about your family history? Who is making sure that this diet isn’t dangerous for your body type?

The answer is no one. No health professional would recommend a quick fix. Just as weight takes time to put on, it takes time to get rid of, too.

But it’s doable. And it’s more doable with regular exercise and healthy eating than anything else.

These fad diet facts aren’t the only thing you should consider while on this weight loss journey. Check out our diet and nutrition blog for more motivating information!