Written by Catherine Saxelby
on Tuesday, 13 January 2009.
Tagged: dieting, diets, fads, guides, healthy cooking, healthy eating, overweight, weight loss
Many people turn to fad diets either in desperation or looking for a quick-fix to their weight loss problems. In this article I'll show you why the only "diet" you need is a healthy eating plan and why fad diets in general are counter-productive. Take a look!
"Lose 14kg in 30 days!" "Drop a dress size in a weekend!" "Block the absorption of fat or carbs!" "Lose weight with our miracle supplement or juice!" "New diet melts away flab!" I'm sure you've heard them all.
Quick and easy weight loss is so appealing that it's hard not to be sucked in with sensational claims like those above.
Fad diets come and go - every year sees the appearance of yet a "new and revolutionary" way of getting rid of unwanted flab quickly without effort. Cast your memory back to the Kickstart Soup diet, Dr Atkins Diet and the Blood Type Diet. Before them, can you recall the Israeli Army diet, the Beverly Hills Diet, the Hip and Thigh Diet?
Often they are old ideas re-cycled with a new name and a new image to catch the unsuspecting. Their promises of quick weight loss has enormous appeal for anyone with a weight problem. Here's why:
There are four key reasons why you should steer clear of fad diets:
Here's a summary of the five different types of weight loss strategies used by fad diets. Understand these and you'll understand how these diets work and how you can spot them next time you read about one:
Based on one food (like hard-boiled eggs) or one food group (like vegetables), these diets imply that they have a mysterious ability to burn-off fat, reduce your appetite or speed up your metabolism. Others offer you "unlimited" quantities of a food, knowing that you will quickly get tired of the same thing and curtail your total kilojoule intake.
They work on the principle of boredom and monotony. You end up eating very few kilojoules, so your body basically goes into starvation mode.
Examples
Kick Start Soup diet, The Cabbage Soup Diet, The Heart Foundation 3-Day Diet (disowned by the Heart Foundation), The Grapefruit Diet, The Mayo Clinic Diet (also known as the Egg Diet), The Beverley Hills Diet, the Bananas and Milk Diet.
Semi-fasts allow small amounts of light foods like juices, fruit, salads, herbal teas or brown rice. They promise you a feeling of euphoria and you will feel cleansed after it's finished. They're attractive as they produce rapid weight loss in only a few days, say if you go to a spa or health resort.
They are not without hazards e.g. dizziness, muscle cramps, nausea, bad breath, dehydration, constipation. Follow with caution.
Examples
Detox Diets
With the promise of spot reducing "problem areas", these diets are always popular and regularly re-surface every few years. The trouble is that weight is usually lost from all over your body, not just one spot. (And usually not the spot you want to lose it from.) Most are simply low-kilojoule diets combined with an exercise plan.
Examples
Rosemary Conley's Hip and Thigh Diet and the Cellulite Diet.
You replace one, two or three meals a day with a special shake on this type of diet. The good thing is this keeps you out of the kitchen and away from food so you're not tempted to nibble or over indulge. The downside is that the shakes can be expensive and may leave you short on vitamins or minerals that are plentiful in food (although many shakes are fortified these days). And because you're not chewing and taking time to eat, you may not feel as satisfied as you would be from whole foods.
Examples
Slim Fast, Tony Fergusons, Herbalife and Optifast
Diets that tell you to avoid all bread, potatoes, pasta and cereals come into fashion every few years. Such diets claim that these carbohydrate foods are the cause of obesity and that by simply eliminating them, you will eliminate your flab.
Living without carbohydrate means a diet of meat, cheese, fish, mayonnaise, butter and cream, which creates a high-fat, high-cholesterol regime - hardly good for the heart. You definitely shed a lot of weight on such diets. But the weight is largely water and will return once carbohydrates are (eventually) eaten.
Examples
Dr Atkins' Diet Revolution, The Scarsdale Medical Diet, Boston Police Diet and Dr Stillman's Quick Weight Loss Diet.
If you hear about a new diet (and there will be one coming to a magazine or website near you!), look over it and ask yourself the following six questions. Does the diet:
If the answer to any of these questions is YES, then this is not a balanced program and is unlikely to be based on a healthy eating plan that will lead to healthy weight loss and the acquisition of healthy eating habits that will help you maintain your weight loss. Forget it!
If you feel confused about what's best for you, make an appointment with an accredited practicing dietitian. To find one near you, contact Dietitians Australia on 1800 812 942 or go to www.dietitiansaustralia.org.au.
Want to learn more?
Check out my FREE downloadable fact sheets:
Product snapshot: Tomato pasta sauces
18 September 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby
What’s in your favourite tomato pasta sauce, and how much of it? Here are the most popular sauces reviewed for your reading pleasure.
I’ve rated nine of the most popular tomato pasta sauces in terms of their nutrition, ingredient lists and jar size. You’ll find many of these in your local supermarket. The sauces are ranked:
When you’re next out shopping, run your eyes down the per 100 g column and look for products containing less than 400 mg sodium AND less than 5 g fat (which equals 5% fat). Most of the brands are below these levels. I like Barilla, Sacla, Leggo’s, La Gina and Mutti – but that’s just me!
Product review: Low-sugar alcoholic ginger beer
1 March 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby
Want something to drink before dinner? Something that’s LOWER in alcohol than wine? To match his beer? Then look no further than Bundaberg’s low-sugar alcoholic ginger beer.
You can drink Bundaberg low-sugar ginger beer straight from the can, or pour it into a long glass over ice with a slice of lime.
Product snapshot: Berkelo’s Khorasan Macaroni
14 September 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby
I’m loving this macaroni from Berkelo. I was sent a sample for Whole Grain Week 2022 by the Grains Legume Nutrition Council. I cooked it up and found that it was just divine! Read on for more …
Product review: Super high-oleic safflower oil
11 May 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby
“What does super high-oleic mean?” I hear you ask. Also, “I haven’t heard of safflower for ages. What’s the deal?” Read on and all will be explained.
Product review: Healthy Life Food Tracker
6 April 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby
When I was first asked to write this review, I thought, Not another tracker.
After all, there have been several in recent years, such as My Fitness Pal and Everyday Diet Diary. But this one is different. It works by using your Everyday Rewards card AND your shop at Woolworths.
20 October 2021 by, Catherine Saxelby
With home delivery on the rise, this post is reviewing none other than that stalwart Lite n’ Easy. We all know their meals are good for weight loss (which we all need after COVID-19!), but did you know they’re also good for general health and wellbeing ? Eating well to nourish yourself – putting your mental health and wellbeing at the forefront – is gaining momentum. Lite n’ Easy meals also ensures you satisfy your need for vitamins, minerals, fibre and phyto-compounds, such as sterols and carotenoids.
This post has been sponsored by Lite n' Easy.
Product review: Birds Eye Plant Based range
15 September 2021 by, Catherine Saxelby
When you think of Birds Eye, their frozen peas and fish fingers probably come to mind. But I bet you’d never think of plant-based products!
This post has been sponsored by Birds Eye.
Intermittent fasting vs daily calorie restriction
3 May 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby
As you probably know already, intermittent fasting (IF) has gained favour as an alternative regimen to daily caloric restriction (DCR). Fasting is shown to extend the lifespan of rats, and has been associated with metabolic benefits in humans, yet the results so far have been inconsistent. So, which regimen is best for healthy weight loss?
15 March 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby
What sort of a diet should you follow to lose that excess weight? These days, it’s pretty confusing with high-protein Keto advocates clashing with plant-protein followers … as well as intermittent fasters, juice-only dieters, no-carb dieters and no-animal (aka plant-based) dieters. Plus all the ads for anti-hunger supplements, meal-replacement shakes and home-delivered meals, more of which somehow appear every day. So, what sort of diet should YOU follow to lose that excess?
Protein shakes for weight loss
9 November 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby
These days, protein shakes aren’t bought by just body builders – they’re so popular that you can readily buy a 400 g tub at your local supermarket or service station. And with tempting claims such as ‘Facilitates muscle toning’, ‘Contains transformation-making protein’ and ‘Tastes incredible, mixes easily’, why wouldn’t you grab one? But protein shakes aren’t the magic answer to all your weight-loss woes. Let’s take a look at what you get for your money.
Guest post by dietitian Zoe Wilson APD
20 January 2021 by, Catherine Saxelby
Many of us have cravings from time to time and for different reasons. One thing is certain, they can sabotage all your best efforts at a healthy diet and/or weight loss. The good news? You CAN beat them. I’ll tell you how.
How to lose weight WITHOUT going on a diet
14 October 2020 by, Catherine Saxelby
The word 'diet' is a turn-off for most people. It sounds hard, unpleasant and unpalatable. Losing weight doesn’t have to be hard AND it doesn’t have mean sticking to a 'diet'. You can forget Paleo, Keto, Vegan and Raw, Gluten-free and Intermittent Fasting. To lose weight, you don’t have to follow any specific diet. What you need is simple, healthy, nutritious food and a few tips and tricks.
What IS a healthy balanced diet for weight loss?
16 September 2020 by, Catherine Saxelby
Healthy weight loss happens when you lose weight slowly and steadily (around 1 kg or 2 pounds weight loss a week). Your goal is to lose weight while still getting your essential nutrients but from smaller portions. You certainly don’t want to be tired with no energy! That’s why you need regular healthy meals and snacks on hand to ensure your vitamins, minerals, omega-3s and fibre needs can be easily met. There is a new range of healthy weight loss meals available and it’s one that I’d like to recommend. With these ready meals, you’ll say goodbye to meal planning, shopping, meal preparation and cooking.
This post is sponsored by Chefgood
Kitchen make-over for the New Year
8 January 2020 by, Catherine Saxelby
“This year, I'm going to lose weight!”, or “This year I’m opting for a healthier lifestyle!” Is your 2020 New Year's resolution something like one of these? If so, how is it going to happen?
Q. What's the difference between Diet Coke and Coke Zero?
12 September 2013 by, Catherine Saxelby
A. At first glance, Diet Coke and Coke Zero appear to be identical. Both contain no kilojoules (Calories) and no sugar. Both are artificially sweetened with (the same amount) of aspartame and acesulfame K and therefore have the same ‘sweetness’.
How to convert sodium to salt (and salt to sodium)
6 August 2010 by, Catherine Saxelby
As a nutritionist, my aim is to help busy women eat healthily. One of the ways to do this is to follow the general nutrition advice to reduce the salt in your diet. So, how can you do this when what you’ll see on a food label and on any recommended daily intakes is sodium?
7 types of sugar - which is healthier?
11 December 2013 by, Catherine Saxelby
Last week on the radio, the announcer asked me if there was a 'good' sugar – one that would satisfy her sweet tooth but that was 'healthier' than regular white sugar. She figured if there were 'good' carbs and 'bad' carbs there must be some sugars that would get the nod of approval from nutritionists.
Eat to beat gastro and diarrhoea
12 October 2012 by, Catherine Saxelby
A clear fluid diet is the best form of treatment for gastro and tummy upsets. It is the "lightest" type of diet, designed to place as little strain as possible on the digestive tract. It is NOT nutritionally adequate and should be followed only for a strictly limited time e.g. two or three days but no more than a week.
Nutella. The full (correct) list of ingredients
12 April 2011 by, Catherine Saxelby
Have you ever tried to find the exact list of ingredients for Nutella online? The identical one that appears on its label - in descending order from the first (largest ingredient by weight) to the last ingredient, as required by law? Well, you won’t find it! Here’s the hoop-la I went through to discover exactly what the ingredients in Nutella are and why Nutella is not good for your kids.
Sugar - why quitting sugar guarantees you'll lose weight
6 May 2013 by, Catherine Saxelby
Sugar. It's been labelled "deadly", "addictive", "toxic", "sweet poison" and blamed for the rise in global obesity in recent years." Get rid of the white toxin from your diet and you'll free up your body to drop those excess kilos" (or so say anti-sugar campaigners Sarah Wilson, David Gillespie and Robert Lustig). Here are the three real reasons why I believe quitting sugar helps you lose weight.
What does 8,700 kilojoules look like?
14 August 2012 by, Catherine Saxelby
8,700 is a magic number in nutrition. It’s the number of kilojoules (kJ) that is the “average” intake for adults in Australia, if the surveys are correct.
It’s widely used as a benchmark figure and as the basis of food labels such as the Percent Daily Intake values.
Recently kilojoules have appeared on fast food menu boards and they use 8,700 as the yardstick to assess their foods against. Here's my take on it.
24 May 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby
This is a kind of pavlova topped with fruit, but the base is made from ricotta, rather than egg whites and sugar.
22 March 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby
This is an Asian-influenced salad that’s perfect to serve as a side salad at a BBQ or with a fillet of fish.
14 December 2022 by, Guest Post
This banana loaf is half bread and half cake. Hence I've called it "cread" which is halfway! It’s dense and delicious without being super-sweet or oily. It can be enjoyed fresh, toasted or sliced and frozen into portions to enjoy later.
23 November 2022 by, Guest Post
This quick and easy dessert is ready in minutes. And there are NO leftovers to tempt you later!
19 October 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby
A quick and easily-made sandwich, it’s great for an easy lunch.
Spring Vegetable Pesto Pasta Salad
7 September 2022 by, Guest post
This super salad-in-one gives you pasta plus vegetables all together. It has a spring feel to it.
Squash-ed spaghetti bolognaise
3 August 2022 by, Guest post
This is an excellent make-and-freeze recipe, so weeknight meals become more manageable. I know of no better way of ‘hiding’ veggies than in a Bol sauce – somehow mince with a few veggies like pumpkin or zucchini is a match-made-in-heaven.
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