Fad Diet for losing weight
What is fad diet?
Fad diet is a diet that is a craze or in fashion and is usually followed by great enthusiasm by a vast majority of people (Zahensky 7). Fads are usually sustained by social acceptance rather than inherent qualities. Since time in memorial, people have formulated a number of fad diets which have been postulated as stellar solutions for some of the common lifestyle illnesses or conditions such as obesity and diabetes.
The incidence and prevalence of obesity is rapidly increasing among the people belonging to young age groups. Fad diet, which is a restrictive diet with specific types of foods, has been used as an efficient tool in weight loss. Dr. Atkins explains some of the following facts about fad diets that have been used in reducing one’s weight.
Diet characteristics and myths
A vast majority of the country’s population are currently suffering from obesity and its associated health implication. Eating too much carbohydrate has been postulated to be the prime factor of obesity. Fad diet is low in carbohydrate content and thus helps one to avoid excessive eating. Feeding on fad diet effectively works in reducing weight loss through the stages of induction, ongoing weight loss, pre-maintenance and lifetime maintenance (Astrup et al, 2). Some of the different types of food included in Atkin’s fad diet include; poultry, vegetables, meat, butter, eggs, beans, fruits and vegetables. However, Dr. Atkin advices people to avoid foods such as bread, grains and starchy vegetables which are high in carbohydrate content.
Limitations of taking Atkin’s fad diet
Fad diet foods are not nutritionally balanced. This is because one is restricted to foods that are rich in carbohydrates. Besides this, fad diet gives room for one to feed on foods that are rich in fat and cholesterol. Excessive eating of such foods has negative health implications that are likely to lead to serious heart diseases(Yager- Berkowitz 23). Some of the fruits that purpose to increase one’s immunity are restricted by the fad diet. This limits one in gaining enough vitamins that are eminently essential in boosting one’s health (Zahensky74).
Where to get more information
For more information, feel free to visit The Better Health website through the following link; https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/weight-loss-and-fad-diets.
REFERENCE
Astrup, Arne, Thomas Meinert Larsen, and Angela Harper. “Atkins and other low-carbohydrate diets: hoax or an effective tool for weight loss?.” The Lancet 364.9437 (2004): 897-899.
Yager-Berkowitz, Susan. The Hundred Year Diet: America’s Voracious Appetite for Losing Weight. New York: Rodale, 2010. Print.
Zahensky, Barbara A. Diet Fads. New York: Rosen Pub, 2007. Print.