Crazy Diets, And Why To Avoid Them

Nutritionist, Author Lisa Drayer Cautions Against Fad Diets In General And Several In Particular

(CBS) 

FAD 3: The Cabbage Soup Diet

Basis: The Cabbage Soup Diet is basically another fad diet that involves consuming a large amount of cabbage soup -- along with other low-calorie fruits and vegetables, as well as milk and meat -- for seven days.

What it does to the body: The diet isn't very practical: It's basically a list of specific food combinations that you can eat along with the soup.
It is very low in calories, and, as with other fad diets, most of the weight lost is not body fat, but water weight.

Research shows eating a broth-based soup before a meal can help you consume fewer calories during that meal. It's even more beneficial if your soup is high in fiber, as cabbage soup is. So, adding soup to otherwise healthy, balanced meals can help to jumpstart weight loss.

Cons: Only water weight dropped; can cause weakness, irritability.

FAD 4: The Weight Loss Cure

Despite being disproven by the Food and Drug Administration, this one remains very expensive, and immensely popular.

Basis: In essence, The Weight Loss Cure is based on the theory that injections of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) -- a hormone found in the urine of pregnant women -- enables dieters to comfortably consume only 500 calories a day. The diet claims you can lose at least 30 pounds in 30 days with no hunger, no exercise, and no surgery -- and is said to successfully correct food cravings and low-metabolism.

What it does to the body: Backers claim HCG mobilizes stored fat, suppresses appetite, and redistributes fat from the waist, hips, and thighs. However, there is no scientific evidence to support the claims. Also, consuming only 500 calories per day is basically a semi-starvation diet and can cause loss of muscle, including muscle from organs, including the heart.

There really is no truth here: This medical "breakthrough" has been debunked and discredited by the American Medical Association and the FDA.

Cons: Expensive; NO scientific evidence; hard to find

[lonestartnow]

Instead of even talking about "diets" we tell our clients to focus on making positive nutritional choices and begin to find ways to become more physically active. I''m co-founder of the LoneStart Wellness Initiative, and we focus on "positive eating." The road to better health is paved with the small decisions we make every day, and eating "real" food--but the right amount, watching portion sizes and staying away from or limiting packaged and fast foods will lead to weight loss. When it becomes a lifestyle change, that weight loss will be long-term and sustainable.