How to Follow Fad Diet The Right Way Share
Dec 25th, 2009 by Lawole Johnny
A diet that is written only to be followed for a short time is called categorized as one of the fad diets. The term has also come to mean any diet that explodes into national or international fame, only to plummet into obscurity. The Hollywood diet, the Atkins diet, and Jenny Craig are just three examples.
Another name for these fad diets are food faddism. Any time one particular food suddenly becomes a superstar, that’s a food fad. These generally have some common elements, including:
- The food, or some ingredient within it, is thought to have amazing powers. - Many other foods are completely eliminated from the diet, because they are thought to have negative properties.
One of these fad diets that has these elements is the Atkins diet. In this diet carbohydrates are the Keystone element that is negative and therefore to be avoided. Low carbohydrates are extremely desirous in Atkins, because then the body enters a super fat burning condition.
This diet had a number of short periods of extreme carbohydrate avoidance, followed by long periods of sustainable low carbohydrate eating. But Dr. Atkins did intend that people could eat this way for the rest of their lives.
As with many fad diets Atkins rose quickly and fell just as quickly. It lasted a few years during which it seemed everyone you talked to was on the diet . Entertainment magazines were full of movie stars and music stars and sports stars who claimed amazing weight loss and fitness all due to the Atkins diet. When Dr. Atkins died to superstardom of his diet died with him.
There are many risks associated with fad diets. The Subway diet made popular in television commercials wasn’t exempt. It was based on the legend of Jared, a young man who’d lost nearly 250 pounds in only a year by eating Subway sandwiches, baked chips, and diet soda.
Jared’s diet was severe — going down to 900 calories a day from over 10,000. Such an extreme level of caloric intake cuts and rapid weight loss is unhealthy. The diet did include many positive aspects such as exercise, like walking.
Be careful when taking on some of these fad diets. A long-term eating strategy combined with moderate exercise is usually the better bet.
