Avoid the latest diet fads and opt for a more sustainable one

You may be tempted to find a quick fix to lose weight. This approach will likely leave you in the same situation next year.

You will have a better chance of staying fit and healthy by avoiding fad and quick-fix diets.

Losing weight shouldn’t be a short-term solution.

Extra body fat can be a factor in the development of chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes or heart disease. Two-thirds of Australians carry too much body weight. Many people may have good intentions but are not making the right choices.

In order to achieve healthy weight loss, it is important to balance our energy levels by eating the right foods.

Quick-fix diets rely on calorie restriction to lose weight. The focus is on different strategies that will help you eat fewer calories without thinking about it.

Fad diets often share the same characteristics. For example, they may include eating fewer types of food, fasting, and substituting meals.

Read more: Five food mistakes to avoid if you’re trying to lose weight

But weight loss isn’t just about swapping one or two foods for a month or two; it’s about establishing patterns to teach our bodies new habits that can be maintained into the future.

Fad diets can have limitations in many ways. They can be hard to follow or cause people to gain weight rapidly after stopping. There is not enough research on their long-term health effects.

Juicing/detoxification

Detoxification or Juicing Diets last between two and 21 days. They require that a person fasts primarily on juice, sometimes in conjunction with mineral or vitamin supplements.

This diet is extremely low in calories, which causes rapid weight loss. This is a very restricted diet that can be difficult to maintain over time without risking nutrient deficiencies.

Detoxification may be a good marketing tool, but it is not something the body must go through. Our livers can detoxify with little assistance.

Intermittent fasting

A intermittent diet consists of a combination between fasting days, and normal eating days. Fasting strategies include complete (no food, drinks, or other substances are consumed during fasting days) and modified (20-25% of the calories consumed on fasting day).

The overall reduction in calories leads to weight loss. Fasting can be difficult to maintain because it causes intense hunger. This diet can also lead to binge eating during normal eating days.

Research shows that most don’t overeat, even when they are allowed to eat whatever they want during non-fasting times. 

Overall, for people who are able to stick with intermittent fasting, we don’t have enough evidence on the benefits and harms of the diet over time.

Fasting without energy restriction can result in the same outcomes and could be a more effective way to maintain weight.

The Paleo Diet

The Paleolithic diet (also known as the Stone Age Diet) was created to replicate the food consumed by our Stone Age Ancestors prior to the agricultural revolution.

The paleo diet does not include sugars or processed foods. This recommendation is in line with current evidence-based nutritional advice. The paleo diet excludes both dairy and grain foods.