Pros and Cons
Fad diets may seem to have their positives, but they also can have negatives. Depending on the result the individual is looking for, they may appear to be a quick fix. However, what are all the positives of these diets? What are the negatives?
You may ask, "But I'm only eating healthy foods with this diet, how can this be bad for me?" Some fad diets, like the cabbage or grapefruit only diet, encourage dieters to eat only one food; however, this food could generally be considered healthy. Diets such as these will cut back on calories immensely, and will cause the dieter to lose weight rapidly. This may be seen as a benefit to these types of diets. Here's the problem with the weight loss: The weight the dieter loses is mainly water weight. Further, weight lost as a result of fad diets is typically regained very quickly once the diet is stopped (Wolfram, 2017).
Fad diets may seem so attractive because they provide the dieter with a rigid meal plan that doesn't leave much to question. They say, "If you eat this, you'll lose the weight." This takes the thinking out of "eating healthy" and allows for easy weight loss. That's a positive, right?
Although these diets provide a (sometimes) easy to follow meal plan, they often miss out on many important vitamins and minerals and can make the dieter obsess over only being able to eat certain foods in certain quantities. This is not the kind of lifestyle that allows for eating socially with friends, and overtime can become very unenjoyable which is not conducive for long-term changes.
Fad diets have been around for many years, and somehow this trend stays around even though many of these diets are not scientifically sound. Mirkin and Shore (1981) from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine cite that these diets can be detrimental to one's health by causing illness and often disregard widely-known nutrition knowledge.
Overall, fad diets should be avoided. Sticking to a well-balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, protein, and healthy fats while also participating in regular physical activity is the best way to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The MyPlate food group guide is a great tool for how to eat healthy, as proven by evidence-based nutrition. If you are struggling with weight or want to make a change in your body composition, talk to a dietitian! There are resources in other posts in this blog that can be greatly beneficial to you.
Fad diets may seem so attractive because they provide the dieter with a rigid meal plan that doesn't leave much to question. They say, "If you eat this, you'll lose the weight." This takes the thinking out of "eating healthy" and allows for easy weight loss. That's a positive, right?
Although these diets provide a (sometimes) easy to follow meal plan, they often miss out on many important vitamins and minerals and can make the dieter obsess over only being able to eat certain foods in certain quantities. This is not the kind of lifestyle that allows for eating socially with friends, and overtime can become very unenjoyable which is not conducive for long-term changes.
Fad diets have been around for many years, and somehow this trend stays around even though many of these diets are not scientifically sound. Mirkin and Shore (1981) from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine cite that these diets can be detrimental to one's health by causing illness and often disregard widely-known nutrition knowledge.
Overall, fad diets should be avoided. Sticking to a well-balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, protein, and healthy fats while also participating in regular physical activity is the best way to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The MyPlate food group guide is a great tool for how to eat healthy, as proven by evidence-based nutrition. If you are struggling with weight or want to make a change in your body composition, talk to a dietitian! There are resources in other posts in this blog that can be greatly beneficial to you.
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| Source: United States Department of Agriculture, 2017 <https://www.choosemyplate.gov/MyPlate> |
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