Do you have goals coming upon bathing suit season? How will you go about reaching those weight loss goals? Perhaps search the Internet for the latest diet, or maybe cut out all carbs or desserts, or how about tracking your daily intake and staying below the recommended caloric allowance on your tracking app. What is the best way to lose weight quick enough to stick to it, but to also be able to stick to it long enough to actually reap the benefits of changing your habits? Is it the latest diet?

Chances are that latest diet is a fad diet, something that promises quick results at often extreme costs and many times is not able to be followed for an extended period of time due to harsh or even unhealthy restrictions. Fad diets are found everywhere; they’re glorified all over social media, discussed in everyday conversations and promoted by self-proclaimed nutrition and health experts. Fad diets vary from low to no carbohydrate diets, cleanses, very low calorie diets and avoiding foods or food groups, they also frequently include dietary supplements or herbs. Over $2.4 billion is spent annually on weight loss products and diets, yet nearly 34 percent of the U.S. population is considered obese, and that number is climbing. Maybe those weight loss methods don’t work.

Why are fad diets so tempting?
-Thirty-four percent of Americans are considered obese. Obesity comes with higher risk of a variety of chronic diseases that affect one’s quality of life, lifespan and risk of developing additional diseases (3).
-For some people, lifelong habits lead to obesity. It’s not easy or quick to change those habits. But, our society craves fast results. Products with claims including better energy, rapid weight loss, etc. entice people who may feel like they have no other way to reach their (or their doctor’s or their family members’) health goals.
-Some people may not have the proper tools or know how on how to make changes that will last a lifetime.
-Some people may not want to change their lifestyle, so a diet that promises weight loss in a few short weeks or months seems more reasonable.
-Media portrayal of what we “should” look like has lead many to be insecure in their skin.
-Gripping advertising, big and exciting claims, as well as spokespeople who embody what prospective clients want to look like all pull consumers in who may fit into the aforementioned categories.

As noted above, one of the paramount factors of a fad diet is that they are not sustainable and therefore often lead to regaining weight, on the other hand, strictly following a restrictive diet long term can also cause health problems, even malnutrition.

How to spot a fad diet:
1. It sounds too good to be true (i.e.: it sounds very easy to follow), it is likely not effective.
2. Terms such as “magic” are used. Nothing about the methods of weight loss is magical. You can’t get big results from sitting on your couch and eating potato chips all the time.
3. Herbs or drugs are touted, especially when they’re the practitioner’s brand.
4. It claims rapid weight loss (rapid weight loss is often achieved by making drastic eating and/or exercise changes, which are typically not as sustainable).
5. Rigid menus (like the previous red flag).
6. Quantities of foods are recommended, or foods/food groups are restricted (eating more fruits and vegetables are typically good, but if it touts a particular vegetable or restricts grains for example-probably not good).
7. A certain amount of weight loss is promised within a particular time frame.
8. Finally, it bases effectiveness solely on quotes from other dieters.

Many people are aware of basic nutritional principles, if a particular diet includes recommendations that are far from those principles, be wary of it’s effectiveness, safety and/or ability to be maintained for an extended period of time. I mean we’re rooting for lifestyle changes, not short term dieting after all (4, 5, 6).

What credible websites and blogs will include:
1. Clearly identifiable purpose.
2. Identities of who runs the site.
3. Names writers or editors AND lists credentials (for dietary advice, the gold standard in the U.S. is a registered dietitian notated as: R.D., RDN).
4. Facts and cited sources are included, not just opinions (if someone says that xyz is what happens to your body when you do xyz, or research shows that xyz…If they don’t cite it, it may very well not be real).
5. It contains links to other credible sites (hospitals, universities, national disease organizations).
6. Provides guidelines on how to use new information (4, 5, 6).

If a diet requires you to completely cut out foods that you enjoy, and that you are not allergic to or that make you sick, it likely won’t stick. Consider reducing your intake of a food you enjoy but may be higher in fat and calories than you’d like. Talk to your doctor or registered dietitian to determine if a diet is a good fit for you and if it has been proven to be safe and effective.