Food Replacement
One of the easiest ways to identify dangerous fad diets is to see if they replace normal food intake with pills, powders or supplements. The body cannot thrive on the nutritional value offered by these products. Although they may lead to fast fat reduction temporarily, they do not contain the necessary recommended levels of vitamins and minerals for good health.
Extreme Calorie Reduction
Of course, reducing the amount of calories that are eaten will result in weight loss, but unfortunately many programs reduce the calories below the recommended levels. The low calories will not only reduce performance, they may lead to health complications. Losing weight by jeopardizing your health is not an even trade nor should be considered. The body needs a minimum level of nutrition each day and a sensible weight loss takes this into consideration.
Narrow Selection of Food
Many programs have a very narrow focus and will require the participant to eat only from a narrow selection of foods. These programs are really dangerous as they deplete the nutrient reserves of the body. Unfortunately the individual doesn’t know their reserve nutrients have been depleted to dangerously low levels until its too late. The grapefruit diet is another classic example of narrowly focused program. There is no way that a grapefruit can provide the body with adequate amounts of nutrients each day. Even if you ate 10 of them they just don’t have the nutritional value needed.
Totally Unsustainable Program
One of the telltale signs of a good weight loss program is its sustainability. If you cannot survive in the long term on the diet then it is a risky diet. A program like the liquid protein diet is a classic example. Not only can it not provide long term nutrition it can’t even supply short term nutritional needs. Engaging in an unsustainable diet will really work against the person in the long run. Many that have participated in these kinds of programs report short term weight loss but as soon as it is discontinued the weight reduction stops. Not only that, they usually gain all the weight back and many times a few pounds more.
Proceed with Caution
Weight loss is truly serious business and it can have serious health consequences if it is not approached sensibly. Listening to the hype of the diet gurus is the first mistake one can make when considering the best way to drop a few extra pounds. There are plenty of ways to lose weight that are healthy, sensible and sustainable while providing the necessary components for good nutrition. Proceed with caution when deciding to undertake any new diet and check it out fully before committing to it.