9 Pounds Every 11 Days? Don't let yourself be fooled

Weight Loss Articles : 9 Pounds Every 11 Days? Don't let yourself be fooled by Lisa Nelson, RD, LN

Losing weight is not easy, so when you see a headline like the one above you want to believe it can be done. Unfortunately, I am here to tell you it is not that simple.

This article was triggered by the following question:

"hi... when you have time, will you check out fatloss4idiots and see if you think it's for real? I saw this link advertised off to the side, was curious and looked at it... you have to pay to see the diet but they explain how it's supposed to work and was wondering if it sounds legit to you...."

If one person has this question, I am sure many of you do, too. I am going to give you the tools you need to spot what's known as a "fad diet" on your own.

Fad Diet Defined

A fad diet is an eating plan that quickly surges in popularity and tends to just as quickly fizzle out.

Most fad diets are unbalanced meal plans that lead to weight gain when you go off the diet.

Fad diets tend to be cyclical. For example, the Atkins diet was created in the 1970's and made a recent comeback.

Fad Diet Identified

Ask yourself the following 11 questions when evaluating a diet program.

- Does it promise a quick fix?
- Do the claims sound too good to be true?
- Is a list of "good" and "bad" foods given?
- Are recommendations made to help sell a product?
- Does it list dire warnings of dangers from a single product or regimen?
- Are the recommendations based on a single study?
- Do you have to eliminate one or more of the five food groups to gain promised results?
- Are simple conclusions drawn from a complex study?
- Are there dramatic statements refuted by reputable scientific organizations?
- Are the recommendations based on studies not reviewed by other researchers?
- Do the claims ignore differences among individuals or groups?

If the answer is "yes" to any of these questions, then you are probably dealing with a fad diet.

When you review fatloss4idiots, you will see quick fix promises, claims that sound too good to be true, and very little information related to the science behind why the plan works.

Fad Diet Examples

There are hundreds of fad diets on the market. Here are some common examples:

Atkins Cabbage Soup Diet 3 Day Diet South Beach Diet Grapefruit Diet Macrobiotic Diet Low Carb Diet Zone Diet

Successful Plans

A good plan will teach you to make healthy food choices (everything in moderation), along with an activity component. Weight loss and physical activity go hand in hand.

Stop thinking - "diet". A "diet" implies short term changes. If you want to be successful with weight loss you need to find a plan you can stick with long term. Start focusing on next year instead of next month. Successful weight loss requires change and change is never easy. You need to start with small, permanent steps to achieve long-term weight loss.

Bottom line:

If it sounds too good to be true - it is!

(c) 2008 eNutritionServices, All Rights Reserved.

About the Author
Are you tired of yo-yo dieting? Say goodbye to dieting once and for all. Check out the "Balance Program". Over 9 weeks, registered dietitian Lisa Nelson will guide you to a balance between nutrition and exercise for lasting weight loss results!

Source: Weight loss, south beach diet information at goarticles.com