Fad diets

CEBU, Philippines - The standards of beauty in this age are narrow waistlines and thin builds.  To keep up, people turn to diets… some to the extent of starving themselves for a quick fix.

Diets have since become an industry. Especially in the advent of social media, these have brought on big businesses preying on desperate clients wanting leaner bodies in just a matter of days. Unfortunately, diets are just passing fads with many people. And often, it's all the reduction in body size that people want - without regard for proper nutrition.

Fad diets are diet programs that promise weight loss without proper scientific proof. A fad diet requires a person to cut off an entire food group, depriving essential nutrients that the body needs. The dieter may lose weight in the process, but he or she won't keep off excess pounds for long. Worse, the short-lived benefit is probably earned at the expense of one's health.  

In an article published last January in Todays' Dietitian, Toby Amidor, a nutrition expert, enumerates this year's popular fad diets:

The Military Diet

This type of diet promises a weight loss of up to 10 pounds without strenuous exercises within three days. It is centered on cutting off calorie intake, combined with chemically compatible foods.  The diet plan is said to work on emergency situations like an upcoming wedding or an unexpected trip to the beach.

According to Amidor, this health plan is not scientifically sound and its recommended food selection leads to inadequate nutrient consumption. 

The HMR Diet

Developed by Lawrence Stifler, a behavioral psychologist, the Health Management Resources (HMR) diet claims of three times the weight loss promised by other diet plans. The HMR diet assures clients of never feeling deprived by replacing meals with fruit and vegetable shakes provided by the company. With a daily 10- to 20-minute walking exercise, clients are assured of successful, long-term weight loss.

Although a low-calorie plan will surely keep the pounds away, the diet does not tell consumers to limit portions and cook healthfully.

Green Smoothie Cleanse

Written in 2014, J.J. Smith's "The 10-Day Smoothie Cleanse" has been quite a hit. This diet plan asserts the importance of detoxification before dieting. The routine promotes three smoothies made from raw vegetables and fruits, snacks or having detox tea each day for ten days.

While detoxification is important, the cleansing diet plan tends to border on very low levels of calorie. It can result in insufficient supply of essential nutrients which causes fatigue, dizziness and nausea.

Fad dieting may be tempting especially to those who want to lose weight fast without having to exert much effort. But it is important to remember that a healthy diet should be based on good nutrition.  

And yet, a healthy lifestyle does not stand on nutritious food alone. A balanced diet and proper exercise couple with self-discipline is the right formula to attain a vibrant energy and enduring good form. (FREEMAN)