Why Fad Diets Don’t Work

If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, you’ve likely come across a fad diet or two. While their promises are large, fad diets typically fail to provide the weight-loss results people are looking for. Even if they do lose weight, many people who participate in fad dieting often gain it back. This is because fad diets are short-term “solutions” to a complex problem.

What is a Fad Diet?

There is no shortage of fad diets, and it seems like new ones are reappearing or being revived every day. Common fad diets include:

• The Grapefruit Diet
• The Master Cleanse
• The Carnivore Diet
• The Ketogenic Diet
• The Atkins Diet

Fad diets are typically short-term or fixed-term diets that are promoted as the fastest and best way to lose weight. They make unrealistic promises that prey on the desire for an “easy” weight-loss solution, but they are often unsustainable long term.

While what they are cutting out and what they are keeping is different for each diet, fad diets usually cut aspects of a well-balanced diet. During the diet, your body will be deficient in key nutrients that it needs to function healthily. Because they only last for a fixed period, you’re also likely to gain back the weight once the diet “ends.”

The Dangers of Fad Diets

Because they often cut out a section of a well-balanced diet, fad diets are often severely imbalanced. This causes your body to build up an excess of some nutrients while lacking in others. While this does provide the possibility of losing a few pounds, it also means that your body will be at increased risk of injury and sickness. 

Furthermore, because of the nutrient deficiencies caused by fad diets, their weight loss is almost always short-term, with weight gain occurring as soon as the diet is ended. This can cause mental distress and can lead to yo-yo dieting or, in extreme cases, eating disorders.

True Weight Loss

The best path to lasting, sustainable weight loss is a change in habits and lifestyle. Exercise and a decrease in the amount of unhealthy food—or food in general—are necessary to attain true weight loss. However, diet and exercise alone do not work for everyone. In these cases, bariatric surgery may be necessary to help reach your weight-loss goals. 

If you are considering bariatric surgery, Wellstar Bariatrics can help. Our expert surgical team has years of experience helping people kickstart their weight-loss journeys and get on the path toward a healthier lifestyle. Visit our website for more information or to schedule your consultation.