Fad Diets

                                                                                         

Fad diets are diets that involve rapid weight loss, but are only to be followed for a short period of time. The term has also come to mean any diet that explodes into national or international fame, only to plummet into obscurity. The Hollywood diet, the Atkins diet, and Jenny Craig are just three examples.

Fad diets are sometimes known as food fad-ism. Any time one particular food suddenly becomes a superstar, that's a food fad. These all have two things in common:

- The food, or some ingredient within it, is thought to have amazing powers.
- Some foods must be avoided because they have equally amazing powers, but that do bad things.

The Atkins diet displays the characteristics of one of these fad diets. In Atkins carbohydrates must be avoided because of their negative characteristics. At the same time, carbohydrates are the miraculous element -- actually the lack of carbohydrates because it creates a metabolic state in which the body burns fat at an amazing pace. Although it is a long-term diet, it did have short phases during which carbohydrate cutting was taken to the extreme. However, many people are able to continue the Atkins diet for years.

The Atkins diet was also one of these fad diets in that huge popularity was fairly short-lived. For a number of years the Atkins diet was everywhere, and everyone seemed to be following it . Entertainment magazines were full of movie stars and music stars and sports stars who claimed amazing weight loss and fitness all due to the Atkins diet. When Dr. Atkins died to superstardom of his diet died with him.

Fad diets can be unhealthy. The Subway diet made popular in television commercials wasn't exempt. It was based on the legend of Jared, a young man who'd lost nearly 250 pounds in only a year by eating Subway sandwiches, baked chips, and diet soda. In reality Jared cut his caloric intake from over 10,000 calories a day to only 900. Such an extreme level of caloric intake cuts and rapid weight loss is unhealthy. Even so, the Subway diet when followed in moderation can work. Particularly because the diet included exercise -- Jared walked 6 miles a day while losing the weight.

Be careful when taking on some of these fad diets. A long-term eating strategy combined with moderate exercise is usually the better bet.

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