Diet Myths
Myth: Working fad diets for permanent weight loss.
Fact: Fad diets are not the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Fad diets promise quick weight loss or tell you often to cut certain foods out of your diet. You can lose weight initially on one of these diets. But diets that strictly limit calories or food choices are hard to follow. Most people quickly get tired of it and recover any lost weight.
Fad diets may be unhealthy because they can not provide all the nutrients your body needs. Also, losing weight in a very rapid rate (more than 3 pounds a week after the first couple weeks) may increase your risk for developing gallstones (clusters of solid material in the gallbladder that can be painful). Diets that provide less than 800 calories per day also could lead to heart rhythm abnormalities, which can be fatal.
Tip: Research suggests that losing ½ to 2 pounds a week by making healthy food choices, eating moderate portions, and building physical activity into your daily life is the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Adopting healthy eating and physical activity habits, you can also lower your risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.