Different fad diets are popular these days. You are unsure what is what. You cannot decide whether a particular diet you want to follow has authentic claims or not.
Moreover, you are also concerned about any ill effects it might have on your body. Dietitian Angie Asche has some answers for you.
Fad diets and popularity
Several diet plans are available in the market and on the internet. And these also promise a lot of benefits for the body and mind. There are tall claims and you are unsure how true they are.
Many celebrities also endorse these fad diets and you believe that they might have also followed them. But this might not be always true.
Fad diet definition (Source: Temple Health)You wonder whether a particular diet plan that you want to follow might benefit you or not. It is difficult to know without having first-hand knowledge of it. And this might take months to know.
You put in a lot of effort, time, and money only to realize that the diet was not true to its promises. Or you are left with some side effects after following it.
To avoid falling into traps, dietitian Angie Asche provides some tips on identifying the right diet for you. She is an expert nutritionist at Centr, which is a nutrition and fitness app by Australian actor Chris Hemsworth.
Tips to identify good vs bad diets
Angie reveals that diets that have arbitrary or very strict rules are not good. She adds that if a diet involves you investing heavily in foods or kits, then it implies that it is best to abandon it.
You do not need to buy products from a particular company or brand. That would be profit for the company and your loss. Healthy eating means you procure locally and easily from the shops around. Herbs, powders, or pills should be avoided. Angie asserts:
“We’ve got to address the food first,”
Innumerable diet plans are on the market (Source: Viome)If the diet plan talks of size fit for all, it is not a good one. Angie explains:
“If you’re just walking in and given a meal plan, it’s not helpful,”
Ideally, diet plans should be tailor-made as per the goals and preferences. She adds:
“I’d want to learn about what you’re doing right now to see where we can make improvements, little by little,”
More on secrets to getting a healthy diet plan
If a diet plan talks about restricting partially certain food items, such as carbs, sweets, and comfort foods, it would be unhealthy and detrimental to your body.
One needs to balance and eat nutrient-dense foods. Eliminating foods increases cravings for them and makes it hard to stick to the diet.
Any strictness in a diet plan is not required and in fact, could harm the body. Flexibility is fine and helps in compliance and a healthy lifestyle. Angie elaborates:
“It can be great or it can be awful and obsessive. You don’t need to use it to track every single strawberry you put in your mouth,”
Fad diets (Source: Everyday Health)Do not feel guilty if you have eaten something extra or different. Enjoy the diet plan and let it not rule you.