Fight Fad Diets!

IronSmasher

The plan: Use social media to spread a public voice against fad diets that involve food group denial or drastic calorie restriction.

How it works: The way the media and social media works, unless a large group of people are talking about a subject, it will get lost in the noise. The Healthy Food Guide (a magazine) is using a site called Thunderclap, which gathers a large amount of peoples' permission to make a post on their account, all at the same time. The plan is to make it viral. It only posts if enough followers are made (apparently).

It's backed by the British Dietetic Association (I found out about it via their site) and looks legit.



Let's join this and make the public finally aware of these charlatans on MASS!

No more dealing with Dr Oz/Shakeo/Low carb on a post by post basis on MFP!

http://thndr.it/12mIMKv


http://healthyfoodguideuk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/fight-fads.html

ONE CLICK TO SUPPORT US If you agree with this statement: ‘I support Healthy Food Guide’s Fight the Fads mission to banish extreme diets and make every meal healthier’, and want to help us spread our message, then go to thunderclap.it on 25 June. You’ll find our campaign in the ‘Health’ category – just click the link to support us (we’re also posting the link on our HFG Facebook and Twitter pages). On 5 August, your pledge will appear on your own Facebook page or Twitter feed with our message. Job done!

SpecialSundae

What a great campaign and I've clicked to support already.

Anyone who knows me knows that I loathe fad diets, so it's nice to see an authoritative source starting a campaign.

zyxst

I appreciate the idea, but the HFG blog says to not eat certain white foods and I can't support that.

plantboy2

Great idea - I'll endorse it

55in13

This may be well intentioned or it may be trying to get a site's visit count to spike; I am not sure. Either way, this has less chance of success than a fad diet. I have mixed feelings on that subject, BTW. If you are obese or severely overweight, they almost certainly will not work for you. But for most of my adult life I kept a healthy weight most of the time but still had it rise 10-15 over the course of a year or two several times. I did a fad diet around New Years probably 10 times over the course of 15 years and each time it worked. When I got substantially overweight it was because I did not do it that time until I was too far from the target.

fleetzz

Since I went from 167 in January to 134 today (5 months) on a low carb diet, and it took me 3.5 YEARS to lose 35 lb on a traditional diet, and since you are calling low carb a fad diet, I can't support it.

SpecialSundae

This may be well intentioned or it may be trying to get a site's visit count to spike; I am not sure. Either way, this has less chance of success than a fad diet. I have mixed feelings on that subject, BTW. If you are obese or severely overweight, they almost certainly will not work for you. But for most of my adult life I kept a healthy weight most of the time but still had it rise 10-15 over the course of a year or two several times. I did a fad diet around New Years probably 10 times over the course of 15 years and each time it worked. When I got substantially overweight it was because I did not do it that time until I was too far from the target.

You can lose weight without doing a fad diet. Eating a bit less and moving more isn't a fad diet; eating next to nothing or from a limited selection of foods is fad dieting.

55in13

This may be well intentioned or it may be trying to get a site's visit count to spike; I am not sure. Either way, this has less chance of success than a fad diet. I have mixed feelings on that subject, BTW. If you are obese or severely overweight, they almost certainly will not work for you. But for most of my adult life I kept a healthy weight most of the time but still had it rise 10-15 over the course of a year or two several times. I did a fad diet around New Years probably 10 times over the course of 15 years and each time it worked. When I got substantially overweight it was because I did not do it that time until I was too far from the target.

You can lose weight without doing a fad diet. Eating a bit less and moving more isn't a fad diet; eating next to nothing or from a limited selection of foods is fad dieting.

Well my favorite back then was the cabbage soup diet, which is definitely a fad filled with days of next to nothing. It was easy for me as I really do love cabbage (and bananas - I always looked forward to the banana day :laugh: ). I had people tell me it was all water weight, which I never understood since I would typically lose 15 and keep it off at least a year, maybe two. It's just one way some people who stay at healthy weights operate. If the string is short enough, that sort of yoyoing does no harm.

IronSmasher

I appreciate the idea, but the HFG blog says to not eat certain white foods and I can't support that.

I think you mean the tip to encourage people to eat whole grain?

IronSmasher

This may be well intentioned or it may be trying to get a site's visit count to spike; I am not sure. Either way, this has less chance of success than a fad diet. I have mixed feelings on that subject, BTW. If you are obese or severely overweight, they almost certainly will not work for you. But for most of my adult life I kept a healthy weight most of the time but still had it rise 10-15 over the course of a year or two several times. I did a fad diet around New Years probably 10 times over the course of 15 years and each time it worked. When I got substantially overweight it was because I did not do it that time until I was too far from the target.

You can lose weight without doing a fad diet. Eating a bit less and moving more isn't a fad diet; eating next to nothing or from a limited selection of foods is fad dieting.

Well my favorite back then was the cabbage soup diet, which is definitely a fad filled with days of next to nothing. It was easy for me as I really do love cabbage (and bananas - I always looked forward to the banana day :laugh: ). I had people tell me it was all water weight, which I never understood since I would typically lose 15 and keep it off at least a year, maybe two. It's just one way some people who stay at healthy weights operate. If the string is short enough, that sort of yoyoing does no harm.

Yes I expect the magazine is expecting more public recognition, name a company that takes part in a good cause anonymously?

I don't think they're targeting short string yo-yoing, I think they're targeting poor, pseudo-scientific advice and the selling products at the expense of the public's health and understanding of health.

Maybe I'm just an optimist.

55in13

Yes I expect the magazine is expecting more public recognition, name a company that takes part in a good cause anonymously?

I don't think they're targeting short string yo-yoing, I think they're targeting poor, pseudo-scientific advice and the selling products at the expense of the public's health and understanding of health.

Maybe I'm just an optimist.

Good one - if they did it anonymously, I obviously can't name them. :bigsmile:

As far as selling products goes, I am in agreement, but it is awfully hard to know where to draw the line between protein powder and other nutrient based supplements and the miracle fat melt stuff. Those two extremes are easy; it's where to draw the line in between that's hard.

IronSmasher

Yes I expect the magazine is expecting more public recognition, name a company that takes part in a good cause anonymously?

I don't think they're targeting short string yo-yoing, I think they're targeting poor, pseudo-scientific advice and the selling products at the expense of the public's health and understanding of health.

Maybe I'm just an optimist.

Good one - if they did it anonymously, I obviously can't name them. :bigsmile:

As far as selling products goes, I am in agreement, but it is awfully hard to know where to draw the line between protein powder and other nutrient based supplements and the miracle fat melt stuff. Those two extremes are easy; it's where to draw the line in between that's hard.

I know. I was considering a sarcastic approval, with the addition of betting John Bishop managed to sell a few more dvds after his Sports Relief Challenge!
http://metro.co.uk/2012/03/02/john-bishop-completes-week-from-hell-triathlon-for-sport-relief-338950/

I know it's hard.
It's a mess.
The diets, the supplements, the exercise plans.

EU law is trying to make standards of food supplement legislation, but that's been going on forever. Trading standards don't seem to be doing anything...
I see public awareness and education as the only solution.

55in13

I see public awareness and education as the only solution.

Returning to your earlier point, I heartily concur that you are extremely optimistic!

yarwell

Is there one for exercise fads ?

vinnyo27

great idea i clicked too

SezxyStef

Since I went from 167 in January to 134 today (5 months) on a low carb diet, and it took me 3.5 YEARS to lose 35 lb on a traditional diet, and since you are calling low carb a fad diet, I can't support it.

Agreed...besides who defines what the "fad" diets are????

anything that leads to a healthier lifestyle in general is alright in my books.

endoftheside

Nice cheap marketing campaign for their business. It will be interesting to see who falls for it.

NonnyMary

Well, I clicked on the website, and for the most part i can agree. however, I do not think white rice is evil and I also eat in front of the tv since i dont have room for a kitchen table. I dont need to restrict my eating in front of the tv... because there always is an evilly delicious bunch of restaurants right around the corner from me which unfortunately did me in over this last few days sheesh.. but i dont see her make a ban on that one.

SpecialSundae

Nice cheap marketing campaign for their business. It will be interesting to see who falls for it.

Falls for it? That suggests that this is preying on gullibility rather than acting as public information.

Not all marketing is against the public interest. Would you describe the 50% more women who went to see their doctor after this marketing campaign as "falling for it"?



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-21937746

IronSmasher

Since I went from 167 in January to 134 today (5 months) on a low carb diet, and it took me 3.5 YEARS to lose 35 lb on a traditional diet, and since you are calling low carb a fad diet, I can't support it.

Agreed...besides who defines what the "fad" diets are????

anything that leads to a healthier lifestyle in general is alright in my books.

It was me that called low carb a fad diet. We're not talking about individuals receiving expert diet prescription here, we're talking about quick fixes being sold to the masses.

I guess it's up to public opinion or the individual using the term that defines what a fad diet is.
In my definition, it's a quick fix solution that cannot be maintained, and has a cult following as opposed to any scientific merit.
A fad diet, to me, does not lead to a healthier lifestyle.

gillz89

Since I went from 167 in January to 134 today (5 months) on a low carb diet, and it took me 3.5 YEARS to lose 35 lb on a traditional diet, and since you are calling low carb a fad diet, I can't support it.

Agreed...besides who defines what the "fad" diets are????

anything that leads to a healthier lifestyle in general is alright in my books.

Agreed I also can't support...low carb is the only thing that has worked for me and I don't see it as a fad...it's a lifestyle change.