Fad Diet Rundown - Part 1

Dieting is huge bucks - in 2005 alone, Americans spent over $50 billion on fad diets, supplements, diet pills, and teas.

With more that 70 million dieters active at any given time, there’s a vast marketing machine dedicated to sucking in all that money. In addition, over 20,000 dieticians are officially registered and the consumer has more weight loss options than ever before.

Paradoxically, obesity rates continue to climb.

Here’s some of the biggest diet fads of the year and what they claim. These diets are successful for some people, but not for all. If you are considering using one, read on.

Before choosing – or not – to use one of these programs, evaluate the pros and cons carefully. Important things to consider:

Here they are:

BIGGEST LOSER DIET

This is more about being part of a TV program – one of dubious quality at best - but for today’s big TV watchers – many of them obese - this is where the action is. They even have their own MySpace Club! Golly! Ever wonder why the contestants can lose so much weight?

Dr. Michael Dansinger, a consultant on "The Biggest Loser 2" and a physician at Tufts New England Medical Center, explained that: “people in the show are in a fantasy, unrealistic environment where everything is optimized for weight loss.” He notes that everything from working with a trainer to having absolutely nothing else to do makes it possible for contestants to completely reconfigure their diet and exercise routine.

The programs are more than a bit harsh and unrealistic – it’s all about losing weight – not fat – in the shortest period of time. One look at the emotional wrecks and drama queens should send you running, but if it doesn’t, consider this: You need a long term solution that concentrates on burning fat, not a record breaking weight loss plan.

Rating:
Hype -
Realistic -
Personalized - (each “contestant” get his or her own plan)
Safe - (disclaimers – many and comprehensive)
Long term fat loss - (doubtful)
Cost - (annual fee)
Overall Value - (better off getting a life and watching less TV)

MEDIFAST

Claims you can lose 20 pounds per month. Oh yeah, and eat all you want, too – as long as it’s the food they ship you in nice, neat little boxes. Cardboard, anyone?

$275 for four weeks – includes 143 meals. No bargain, that’s for sure - but just think of all the tasty food you won’t have to buy.

They do include exercise, but it’s pretty well played down on their program description page:

Incorporating regular exercise into your weight loss (and weight maintenance) program significantly increases your chances of achieving long-term results. If you do not exercise currently, we recommend you wait three weeks after starting the 5 & 1 Plan before you begin an exercise program. If you do exercise currently, we recommend you cut your current plan in half during your first three weeks on the 5 & 1 Plan, then gradually build it back up.

So, go ahead and buy the program and then get the bad news that you will need to get up and off that couch and exercise – good marketing strategy on their part.

They do have a nice web site will all kinds of planners and weight loss charts.

Rating:
Hype -
Realistic - (if you can survive eating all those cardboard boxes, that is)
Personalized - (Men or Women or Diabetic)
Safe - (long as you’re not allergic to horrible tasting food)
Long term fat loss - (as long as you stick to their plan)
Cost - (requires purchase of many yummy meals)
Overall Value - (it does take the guess work out of what’s on the menu)

NUTRISYSTEM

Here’s another all-you-need-is-our-special-food plan. Exercise? What’s that? It’s amazing how people really think they will just buy expensive diet food that is not that much lower in calories that regular food – in fact, it is regular food – and lose weight.

The whole key to these programs is portion control – so you get small packages of the same food you could buy in any store – but you get to pay more. Fun!

And, sadly, they don’t even mention exercise or “fat loss”.

Rating:
Hype -
Realistic - (until you realize you’ve eaten a month’s worth in two weeks)
Personalized - (Men or Women or Diabetic or Geriatric)
Safe - (it’s just food)
Long term fat loss - (as long as you stick to their plan)
Cost - (requires purchase of many yummy meals)
Overall Value - (it does take the guess work out of what’s on the menu)

SOUTH BEACH

Thumbs up to the South Beach site creator for getting your email address right off the bat!

Another diet plan and not even a mention of exercise – sigh. The plan itself is not too bad. A low carb kick start followed with intelligent eating plans - you pick what you want to eat, thank god.

Rating:
Hype -
Realistic - (need to exercise, too)
Personalized - (one size fits all)
Safe - (it’s just food)
Long term fat loss - (as long as you stick to the diet and EXERCISE)
Cost - (cheap – just sign up on the web site)
Overall Value - (good value in the food department – nothing on the fitness side)

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