When it comes to diets, especially the latest fad diets, there is a set of questions that I ask to evaluate them. Safety is my first concern, because if it isn’t safe, I don’t care if it works. There is a difference between a diet that “works” and a diet that is “good for you.” Besides, most diets that “work” but aren’t really “good for you” don’t actually work in the long run.
1. Is it safe?
2. Is it effective?
a. Is the science, if any, high quality research?
b. Does the mechanism make sense?
c. What are the long term results?
3. What is the cost?
a. Financial
b. Emotional
c. Time
4. Does it fit with your lifestyle?
Here are some examples that evaluate 2 fad diets and will help you to use critical thinking when looking at the latest fad diets.
Ice-Cube Diet
The Ice Cube Diet is a fad diet that claims you can lose weight if you eat as you normally would, but before your largest meal suck on an ice cube. Sounds cool, but does it really work?
1. Is it safe? Probably. Only in rare, weird circumstances could I see this being harmful.
2. Is it effective?
a. There is no science behind it.
b. It makes absolutely no sense.
c. Long term results will only be seen if somehow it teaches you healthy eating habits.
3. What is the cost?
a. The price of 1 ice cube per day
b. Your friends and family might think you are weird if you insist on sucking on ice cubes.
c. Just the few extra minutes before your biggest meal to melt the ice cube in your mouth.
4. This could easily be a part of your lifestyle if you have access to ice and/or a freezer
HCG Diet
HCG is human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone produced during pregnancy. It is approved for use by the FDA to treat fertility issues, not for weight loss or obesity treatment. Proponents claim HCG from injections or pills can help you lose weight, burn fat, and redistribute fat in combination with a 500-800 calorie diet.
1. Is it safe? While it appears to be safe, there are some side effects of HCG including headache, fatigue, irritability, and male breast enlargement. The severe calorie restriction makes it hard to meet nutritional needs, and rapid weight loss can lead to gallstones. In addition, because supplements are minimally regulated, HCG products may not be what they claim. This is especially true if they were purchased on the internet.
2. Is it effective?
a. No high-quality research has been able to prove that the HCG hormone itself helps weight loss, or reduces feelings of hunger. The very low calorie diet can produce weight loss, but typically just for the short term. Most people regain the lost weight and often more after stopping the HCG diet.
b. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if a diet makes sense, especially when a “doctor” explains some complicated scientific mechanism. Often they take truth and twist it just enough to make it fit their claims. In this case, consult any research that has been done on it.
c. In some people, HCG can be effective, but it is usually limited to the short term. To permanently lose weight you have to develop healthy eating and exercise habits, which is not the strength of most fad diets.
3. What is the cost?
a. This is variable, so you have to do research in your locale. Keep in mind that while the real stuff used under medical supervision will be more expensive, but there are scammers that will sell the fake stuff at a high price to make you think it is real.
b. Most of the clients I have that have failed the HCG diet mention strained relationships with family and friends because they are so fatigued and irritable from not eating enough. What impact might that have on your situation?
c. Do you need to drive to a clinic to get injections? How much time will it take to plan, shop for, and prepare your meals? Do you have the time required?
4. Even if a diet “works” for other people, if it doesn’t fit your lifestyle you stand little chance of complying with the diet and getting positive results.
If everything passes the evaluation, I might suggest this diet to an obese person as an alternative to gastric bypass. However, even with gastric bypass, if you don’t develop healthy eating and exercise habits, it will be difficult to maintain a healthy weight long term.
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