AVOID THE FAD DIET TEMPTATION

Fad diets might seem like a quick and easy way to lose weight. After all, we read about celebrities who seem to lose weight fast with the latest diet secret. But in reality, these diets are not sustainable long term and can lead to serious health complications. Outlined here are a handful of diets I recommend avoiding for the sake of your health.

hCG Diet

The hCG diet is particularly concerning because it has gained a great deal of popularity in recent months. Followers of the diet inject, ingest, or use creams to absorb hCG, a hormone derived from the placenta. People do lose weight on this diet, but it is most likely a result of the incredibly restrictive 500-calorie-a-day diet plan. A diet this low in calories cannot possibly provide the nutrition and energy needed for basic bodily functions. In addition, hCG products are extracted from the urine of pregnant women who are not tested for infectious diseases such as HIV or hepatitis. That means anyone following an hCG weight loss program could be at risk of being exposed to these and other illnesses borne by bodily fluids.

Soup Diet

The promise of fast weight loss just by eating soup could possibly end up doing more harm than good. A sound diet plan usually requires you to eat foods that provide nutrients to your body for peak performance. This non-provider-prescribed and monitored low-calorie diet triggers starvation mode and subsequent slower metabolism, muscle loss, fat gain, out-of-control cravings, and rebound weight gain as soon as one tries to eat normally once again.

The Master Cleanse

Made popular by celebrities including Beyonce, who famously lost 20 pounds on the fast, the Master Cleanse requires followers to subsist on a mix of lemon juice, cayenne pepper, maple syrup, and water for up to 10 days. The Master Cleanse and similar detox diets don’t begin to offer the nutrition your body needs, which will trigger a starvation response. This encourages your body to drop water weight and muscle mass but preserve fat stores.

So the next time you read that your favorite celebrity achieved her bikini body through the latest diet, think about what they are really losing. Remember, losing weight is a very individual experience, and there is no quick, one-size-fits-all solution. Your weight loss plan should always include complete, balanced nutrition as well as the development of solid, healthy behaviors that fit within your lifestyle and last you a lifetime.