BEWARE OF FAD DIETS

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Beware of Fad Diets

Dieting is fast becoming a national pastime. Many "fad" diets can undermine your health, cause physical discomfort and ultimately lead to disappointment when you regain weight soon after you lose it.

Fad diets usually overemphasize one particular food or type of food. No one type of food has all the nutrients necessary for good health.

The "Cabbage Soup" diet is an example. This so called fat-burning soup is eaten mostly with fruits and vegetables.

Fad diets rarely have any permanent effect. Sudden and radical changes in your eating patterns are difficult to sustain over time. In addition, these diets often send people into a cycle of quick weight loss, followed by a "rebound" weight gain once normal eating resumes, then finding more difficulty reducing when the next diet is attempted.

Remember, there are no "super foods". Like all fad diets, they do not deal with the underlying issues of being overweight nor do they teach better lifelong eating habits.

You should eat moderate amounts from all food groups, not large amounts of a few special foods. The following characteristics are clues to identifying a fad diet:

1) recommendations that promise a quick fix.

2) claims that sound too good to be true, using words like "guaranteed", "miraculous", "breakthrough", "easy".

3) implications that weight can be lost and maintained without exercise and other lifestyle changes.

4) list of "good" and "bad" foods.

5) recommendations based on studies published without review by other researchers.

Some dieters invest their hopes on pills, potions and gadgets that offer the false promise of a slimmer happier future. Don't let desperation cloud your judgement.

Discuss your feelings with your doctor and consider a consultation with a recognized expert. Successful weight loss depends on a personal commitment to changing your eating habits and increasing your levels of physical activity.

Take a sensible approach to weight management. Forget the fads and expensive miracle cures. Aim for a personal plan based on healthy choices that work for a lifetime.

If you need more help, make an appointment with a Registered Dietitian - your link to nutrition and health. Susan White RD, is a Clinical Dietitan working at Memorial Hospital's Occupational Health and Wellness Center. She is currently accepting new patients and may be reached by calling 268-2340.