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Are Fad Diets Just Fads?
– Reported, September 24 2014
More than one third of adults in America are obese so its no surprise that right now more than one million people in the United States are on a diet. In fact, helping people lose the pounds is big business for the weight-loss industry, 20 billion dollars big! So if you fall for a fad diet, youre not alone. But do any of them do the trick?
Dieter Nate Young told Ivanhoe, Ive lost 49 pounds in the past ten months or so.
Dieter Matt Epstein told Ivanhoe, I lost like 25 pounds and I kept it off for about a year but then it just sorta crept right back up.
That seems to be the problem with fad diets. They just dont stick.
Nadine Pazder, Registered Dietitian at Morton Plant Hospital, told Ivanhoe, It seems like many of them are just recycling what was done before.
But Pazder has noticed some new twists like the gluten free diet. She says that this is meant for people who are diagnosed with celiac disease. Its not a way to lose weight.
Many of the gluten free products that are available tend to be higher in calories than their gluten containing counterparts, Pazder told Ivanhoe.
Another trend is flexatarianism, which is a meal plan that includes vegetables, fruit, grains and chicken or fish. There is also the modified fast.
In the long run I dont know where theyre accomplishing anything because they are slowing their metabolism down during the week, Pazder said to Ivanhoe.
According to the National Institutes of health, losing more than 3 pounds a week after the first few weeks could increase chances of developing gallstones. Also 800 calories a day, for a long time, could lead to heart problems.
Dieter Pat Fernandez says shes tried it all. Now she says she doesnt jiggle when she wiggles because she doesnt use real sugar.
Fernandez told Ivanhoe, In 3 months I lost 10 pounds. Its the first thing that really worked.
Nate Young lost his 49 pounds thanks to prepackaged meals.
Is there a way to win the weight war? Pazder thinks the Mediterranean diet shows the best results. This consists of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, seeds, nuts, olive and canola oil, and an occasional glass of red wine.
This seems to be a pattern that is going to have staying power, Pazder told Ivanhoe.
So even though some fads may be fictional, there are ways to cater to the weight loss game.
According to the National Institutes of Health Research, reducing calories and increasing physical activity, you can safely shed up to two pounds a week. The NIH says most fad diets promote patterns of poor nutrition however.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Nadine Pazder
Registered Dietitian
Morton Plant Hospital
[email protected]
