Fad diets too good to be true (Western Gazette)

Fad diets too good to be true

Story by: Zehra Camilleri Jafer & our NutritionRx Registered Dietitians

Fad diets and cleanses, also known as detoxes, have been growing in popularity for years and with New Year’s resolutions in full swing, they are reaching their peak.

Fad diets are meal plans that promise dramatic weight loss. Cleanses, sometimes confused as diets, are another health regime promising to boost energy as well as rid your body of unwanted toxins.

Diets and detoxes are notorious for promising the ability to shed a few pounds right before vacations, and magazines, ads and celebrities make them look so simple, fun and easy. With Reading Week quickly approaching, some students may be buying into the hype. But as the old phrase goes: “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.” …

Andrea Docherty, Registered Dietitian and Sports Nutritionist at NutritionRx, explains the negative effect fad diets can have on people.

“Fad diets are often very restrictive and make bold weight loss claims that are not proven by scientific evidence. Because they are so restrictive, they are not sustainable, making it difficult for people to stay on them long term,” Docherty says. “So once someone goes back to their usual way of eating, they can be more likely to gain even more weight than they lost, setting up someone on a pattern of yo-yo dieting.”

Read the full story here: http://www.westerngazette.ca/life/fad-diets-too-good-to-be-true/article_97b8af9e-c389-11e5-ac9c-43ac3081f123.html