You’re standing in line at the grocery store checkout counter, waiting to pay for your potato chips, extra creamy ice cream and frozen chicken wings. Then you see it. A tabloid headline screams, “Lose 15 pounds in a week!”

Admit it. Doesn’t your heart skip a beat when you contemplate the possibility of dropping a few pounds without a lot of pain and bother? You know the claims put forward by the fad diet plans are too good to be true. But still, if only…

Most of us have been caught up in a grapefruit or cabbage or no-carb diet at one time or another. And those of us who have tried a fad diet know the truth: they are not effective over the long term. And fad diets sometimes cost a lot of money. Even worse, some of these diets, if taken to extremes, can be harmful to your health because they deprive you of essential nutrients.

This article tells you:

• why fad diets are so tempting
• why they are not a good way to lose weight
• what to consider if you’re still tempted to try a fad diet

Why Fad Diets Tempt Us
It’s not surprising that fad diets are so prevalent. These diets appear to offer a manageable solution for the many Canadians who are overweight or obese.

[new]
According to the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey, almost two-thirds of Canadian adults have an unhealthy body weight. These people are at risk of developing serious chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, certain types of cancer, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

There is also evidence that being overweight or obese can have a negative impact on quality of life in other ways. Research has shown that people who are overweight or obese are more likely to suffer from reduced self-esteem and mobility. These people also face more challenges related to employment and mental health.

To add to the complexity of the problem, many of us are time- and sleep-deprived and may be facing stressful situations in our lives. So, who has the time or the motivation to cook breakfast and exercise?

Fad Diets Are Not the Answer
Still, we have to face reality. Nutrition and health experts will tell you there is only one way to effectively manage your weight: it’s the traditional route of reducing calories and being more active. This may be difficult, but there is really no alternative.

Data from the U.S. National Weight Control Registry indicate that the following approaches can help to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight:

• eating breakfast
• weighing in regularly to monitor weight loss
• exercising
• reducing TV time
• lowering fat and calorie intake

Karolina Sekulic, a registered dietitian, says her experience in working with people who are overweight confirms these findings.

“People like to try fad diets,” she says, “so it doesn’t work to say, ‘Don’t do that.’ However, any diet plan that is really regimented and restricted is not sustainable. The weight will stay off as long as the diet is maintained but comes back when you return to normal eating. Also, the more quickly you lose, the more quickly it comes back—a lot of the weight you lose in these cases is water. The end result is that the person is disappointed and dejected.”

The bottom line for Sekulic: “Diets fail; lifestyles work.”

[new]
She asks her clients, “What is really important to you? Is it having more energy to play with your kids? Is it being able to wear your clothes that no longer fit?” She encourages her clients to identify the goals that will motivate them to eat less and exercise regularly. She then asks, “What do you think can be sustainable?”

Lesley Wilson, an Edmonton mom who works at C-FER Technologies, lost more than 100 pounds by embracing healthy eating and active living. “I was always overweight, and I tried many fad diets,” she says. “They can work for awhile, but it’s a question of maintaining the weight loss.”

For Wilson, the big breakthrough was realizing that, as she says, “Fitness is part of it.” She has been a fan of the Running Room since 1999 and now gives lectures there.
“I started by walking because I couldn’t run,” she says. “I went out at night so the neighbours wouldn’t see me and laugh and so I wouldn’t feel guilty about neglecting my family.”

Wilson has now participated in 16 marathons. But there is no need for others to follow suit, she notes. “Just look for some form of fitness activity that interests you.”

Buyer Beware
A 2004 survey by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission found that nearly 40 per cent of ads for weight loss products or plans made at least one representation that was almost certainly false, and 55 per cent made at least one representation that was very likely to be false. Often, ads even promise weight loss results beyond what is physiologically possible.

So if you’re still contemplating a diet product or plan, consider these points:

• Safe weight loss is no more than two pounds or one kilogram a week. Are you being promised more rapid loss than this?
• Can you honestly believe the personal stories or testimonials you read in the ads for the product or plan?
• Is there any sound scientific evidence backing up the product or plan?
• Is the plan going to involve buying a lot of products, specialty foods or supplements?
• Does the recommended diet depart from Canada’s Food Guide by providing lists of “good” and “bad” foods and cutting out whole groups of foods such as grain products?
• Does the plan promise that you can lose weight without exercising or without changing your eating habits?

[new]
Sekulic says that most diet plans are OK as long as you don’t stay on them for a long time. She notes that losing more than two pounds a week creates a risk of losing muscle rather than fat.

Other risks include electrolyte changes, irregular heartbeat and gallbladder disease. There are also minor risks such as having a hard time concentrating, feeling dizzy or experiencing low blood sugar. These effects could affect your performance at work and your relationships with people.

“Always tell your doctor when you’re embarking on a change in your diet,” Sekulic cautions, “even if you’re just adding vitamins or supplements.”

As Lesley Wilson has learned, balancing lower-calorie, healthy eating with an active lifestyle is the key to long-term weight management.

“My family still has treats,” she says, “but we have learned portion control. Canada’s Food Guide is the essence of our diet. In the past, nutrition wasn’t at the forefront in our house. It was easier to go to McDonald’s, as we felt there was no time to cook.”

That’s all changed now. Wilson is even taking what she has learned to work. She started a health and wellness committee that has taken steps such as reviewing the offerings in the office vending machines and encouraging office party organizers to offer a fruit platter as well as cake.

[end page]
Learn More

Healthy Weight/Weight Management FAQs
These FAQs from Eatright Ontario answer some of the questions you might have about losing weight.

Weight Control Strategies that Work
Helpful weight control strategies (also from Eatright Ontario).

Strategies for a Healthy Weight
This fact sheet from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia offers quick tips for managing your weight.