Most of the fad diets incorporate a strategy that has some potential merit in fat loss, or perpetuate a belief that has existed for many years. These diets pick and select amongst the techniques and package them as the new wonder diet. Almost all fad diets require strict adherence to a plan, which means that people are not learning how to cope with their own environment. Very few use the main principle espoused in this book which is that for a fat loss plan to be successful, it has to be something that can be done comfortably for life.
Some of the characteristic strategies employed by fad diets, which may be useful in a more ‘balanced’ food intake program, but which are ineffective when used alone are:
Fat restriction: (e.g. Fruit and vegetable diets, high-carbohydrate diets, juice fasts and macrobiotic diets). This method has become one of the keys to fat loss, however, many fad diets using this principle still pose a risk to consumers as they adopt many other unsuitable practices as well, including nutrient inadequacy. Examples include ‘fruit only diets’ and the ‘macrobiotic diet’.
Moderate sugar intake: (e.g. Solid-meal replacement diets, ice-cream diets, juice fasts). This method includes sugar for its satiety value, but may also include high levels of fat, particularly in some meal replacements. If the emphasis is on carbohydrate-rich foods then the basis would be in the right direction. Examples include the ‘Drinking Man’s Diet’.
Food combinations: (e.g. Not eating protein and starch together). This method perpetuates myths that foods rot in the stomach because of effects of bad food combinations on gastric emptying rates and this then contributes to accelerated fat gain. This premise is incorrect on many grounds; first, the foods are generally mixtures of all macronutrients and second, the information on digestive physiology and fat storage is incorrect. Examples are the ‘Fit for Life diet’ and ‘Rotation Diet’.
Fasting and very low energy diets: These diets are based on the premise that they rid the body of ‘toxins’ that stop an individual losing fat and also that all the energy is supplied from the body’s tissues, guaranteeing weight loss. An understanding of physiology and of research in fat loss, shows that these are unsound methods that may actually work to increase the fat content of the body.
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