How many times have you started a weight-loss journey and wished to shed as many pounds as possible in a short period of time? Or, how many times have you fallen for magazine covers and television ads that bragged about the latest diet trend you just have to try?

Fad Diets are Everywhere

To truth is that almost everywhere you look, someone, somewhere in the health and wellness industry wants you to take advantage of their latest diet trend. Sometimes these trends, or “fads,” seem like a really good idea. They offer promising results that seem simple enough. But as most of us know, there’s also plenty of information out there we just can’t trust.

So, what is a fad diet and how can you identify one? After all, they can be tricky to distinguish and even trickier to tune-out amidst the sea of other weight and health information. Simply put, fad diets are often trendy patterns or diet behaviors which promise quick and/or easy weight-loss using methods that aren’t backed by science. They share some common characteristics:

• Unrealistic promises are made
• Weight-loss claims aren’t supported by solid research
• Major food groups are restricted (think carbs, fruits, etc.)
• Less than three meals are eaten per day
• Short-term plans are set that may involve stages
• A celebrity or someone else without credentials is being promoted
• Something exotic or unusual is being consumed
• Certain products must be purchased from limited sources

What can be tricky about fad diets is that they’re often pretty successful at weight-loss — but only short-term. Almost all of the time, any weight lost is regained once more, and usually in greater amounts. As a result, we get caught up in what is frequently referred to as “yo-yo” dieting which only damages our physical and mental health. Weight management becomes an endless cycle.

Why Do We Like Them?

The truth is that humans like fad diets. Why? We often shoot for black and white thinking such as “eat this, not that” because it makes decision-making easier. Sometimes we like the challenge so that any accomplishments we make are even sweeter. From a cultural standpoint, we also like testing out trends — especially if our family, friends and coworkers are trying them. But most of all, we often have a real problem with patients. We want amazing results and we want them all.

Beyond all of this, it can be tricky to distinguish fad diets from other lifestyle nutrition patterns because they sometimes seem healthy. Many fad diets do what we’re taught to do by everyone else: avoid added sugar and processed foods while consuming plenty of fruits and veggies. But on the flip side, there is also usually some questionable component like the ones listed above.

Opting for a Healthy Lifestyle

Fad diets can seem tempting, but a healthy lifestyle with moderation in mind is where it’s at. You might be surprised at the successes you’ll achieve just by making small adjustments in your daily life. For instance, pay close attention to portion sizes and try minimizing your intake of high-calorie foods. Don’t forget to exercise consistently, manage stress and get plenty of sleep. Drink lots of water, don’t skip meals and eat as often as you can from foods you make at home. Restaurant dishes are often loaded with extra calories, sugars, fat, sodium and carbohydrates.

Finally, remember that the number on the scale is merely a representation of your gravitational force on this planet and many factors affect it. So long as you’re feeling better and noticing a change in your health, you are making astounding progress. Keep it up!