What can you expect if you go on a fad diet? Well, you'd think you would lose some of that stubborn excess fat, but that is seldom the case.
First off, let's be clear on what constitutes a "fad diet".
A fad is something that becomes very popular for a relatively short period of time.
It becomes a household term, something to comment on, perhaps to try.
Lava lamp or paisley hipsters anyone? A fad diet generally has a catchy name and some strict rules.
And of course some wildly exciting promises for almost instantaneous and permanent weight loss results.
The truth is often not up to the hype.
Here are some of the effects of fad diets.
Many fad diets require you to curtail your calorie intake to the point where your body cannot function effectively on the small amounts you are giving it to work with.
It goes into emergency starvation mode and your weight plateaus.
Such diets always advocate that there is no need to exercise to lose weight.
On a typical fad diet you won't have the energy to get off the lounge, let alone pull on your joggers, so exercise cannot even be considered.
Fad diets are by and large, not based on sound nutrition.
They are a crash diet method of shedding excess kilos fast.
Therefore you lose some fat, some muscle mass, some lean tissue and if you are really obsessed with fad diets, you will start to melt away organ tissue.
You are most likely to suffer intense food cravings, immune deficiency, lethargy and low moods.
Not healthy, not attractive, not sustainable.
There are some diets that have been labeled fads that actually do work well.
Look out for a diet that has no less than 1200 calories per day intake, a recommendation for regular brisk exercise and a good mix of mainly complex carbs, lean proteins and unsaturated fats.
Read widely, think logically and make informed decisions and you will not suffer the adverse effects of fad diets.