With so much emphasis on the need to lose weight and stay fit, it’s no surprise that there’s a constant stream of new diets popping up every year. While some of these diets might have benefits for certain individuals, others can be harmful and may do more harm than good in the long run. In this blog, we’ll be discussing some of the most popular fad diets that have been shown to do more harm than good.
In the world of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, falling prey to other people's judgement is fairly easier. Body shaming is the most common crime that we all face. In order to look 'perfect' as per the society norms, most of us rely on the shortcuts known as fad diets. These fad diets may make you love the scales, but they play with your body's system causing some irreversible damages to your organs.
If you want to have a healthy body, stay away from these fad diets.
1. GM diet
GM diet is well-known amongst the gym trainers and dieticians, but no nutritionist will ever recommend you to follow it. It is a 7-days diet plan which encourages you to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. This diet can surely help you to lose 3-4 kgs in a week, but it is almost impossible to lose inches as you lose water and not the fat.
Side-Effects: It can lead to constipation, dizziness and extreme dehydration. It is also seen that you start gaining weight from the day you stop following this diet.
2. Maple syrup diet
Maple syrup diet gained popularity when Beyonce said that she followed it. It advocates drinking a liquid made with water, maple syrup, lemon juice and cayenne pepper. You will only be drinking this detox water for 10-14 days if you want to lose weight quickly. You cannot eat or drink anything else.
Side-Effects: It is one of the most extreme diets to follow. Your blood sugar levels will fluctuate between extreme highs and lows. Since you are bound to feel hungry all the time, you will become irritable. Your body will not get any kind of protein, fibre, vitamins or minerals.
3. Baby food diet
This another celebrity diet in which you replace your adult meals with 10-14 jars of baby food. You can easily control your calorie intake with this diet and shed some kilos in the short run, but you will have to pay a huge cost for it.
Side-Effects: This diet is expensive and certainly not for the adults. Your body will start repelling the food for adults after it gets accustomed to this diet.
4. Teatoxes
Teatoxes is the abbreviation for tea detoxification. It is the new kind of diet that promotes drinking special teas for weight loss. Their manufacturers claim that they help you to get clear skin and a toxic free body. All you need to do is to drink only these teas for as long as your programme runs.
Side-Effects: These teas only help in the water-weight loss. They increase the intake of caffeine which can be the cause of diarrhoea, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and severe gut damage.
5. Souping
Souping is the diet in which the followers are suggested to drink their nutrients. This diet can help you to lose weight but at a great cost. Since you won't be eating anything, your brain starts believing that this is your natural way of eating. Also, it is a very low-calorie and expensive diet which cannot be followed for the long term.
Side-Effects: Souping can damage your metabolism beyond repair. It also leads to food wastage. It also makes you feel bloated.
6. The 6:1 diet
The 6:1 diet wants you to believe that you can eat what you want for 6 days of a week, and then eat nothing at all on the 7th day. The idea is to make-up for all the bad eating by not eating anything for just one day.
Side-Effects: This is a famous diet but the sad truth is, it doesn't work. Sudden change in the diet can make your body behave unnaturally. It might be popular and seem easy, but it has only 2% chances of success.
7. Alkaline diets
Alkaline diets are also known as alkaline ash diet and alkaline acid diet. The main goal of this diet is to help your body in maintaining its PH level. For this, the follower is not allowed to eat meat, dairy, sweets, caffeine, alcohol, artificial and any other processed foods. This basically leaves you to some fruits and vegetables.
Side-Effects: This leaves you with very few food options. It keeps your body away from the much-needed carbs and proteins. It can lead to hair fall and skin problems. Moreover, our bodies are completely capable of maintaining its PH levels.
8. The cotton ball diet
The cotton ball diet became quite famous among the dieters, but anyone who follows it soon realises how dangerous it can get. In this, the followers are supposed to consume orange juice-soaked cotton balls before consuming anything. It suppresses the hunger and leads to weight loss.
Side-Effects: The first red flag is that consuming anything other than the actual food is very dangerous for the body. This diet damages the bowels to the point beyond repair. Cotton balls are basically synthetic fibres which have never been and will never be a part
9. The five bite diet
This diet is very simple. You can eat whatever you want to, but only five bites of it. The bite can be as giant as you want them to be. You need to skip breakfast so that you can enjoy five bites each of your lunch and dinner. Even if you take huge bites, you will be consuming 900-1000 calories a day.
Side-Effects: By checking your calorie intake, you can lose weight, but this diet is not good for your health. Your taste buds get to enjoy, but your body does not get enough proteins, carbs and other necessary nutrients. It will destroy your metabolism.
10. The sleeping beauty diet
This diet follows a very simple logic. It says that if you are asleep you won't be eating anything and since you won't be eating anything, you won't gain weight. Elvis Presley is rumoured to have followed this diet. The followers use sedatives to induce sleep. They go into the sleep mode for two to three days at a stretch.
Side-Effects: This diet can help you to wake up lighter, but it is bound to cause muscle deterioration. The worst part is, you might not wake up at all!
There is no shortcut for a healthy body. Starving is only going to get you into the hospital. Before starting any diet, you have to learn the real meaning of a healthy body which is not a particular size. Eat a well-balanced diet and indulge in some physical activities. Learn to accept your body and love who you are.
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