Anyone ever try a fad diet before?

rhogr000

If so, what did you try and what was your experience? Were you able to keep it up long-term?

AshleyPaleo

Most every one of them, and they all ended up not working so I would starve myself, that always worked! .........not!

samanthajade124

I did the HGC diet and drops before. Lost 30lbs in 5 weeks, then gained it all back. you can NOT live on 500 calories a day.

rhogr000

I did the HGC diet and drops before. Lost 30lbs in 5 weeks, then gained it all back. you can NOT live on 500 calories a day.

I had a buddy who did HCG as well...his experience was pretty much the same.

cwolfman13

I've done a few...they all worked to drop the weight, but not to keep it off. Reason they tend not to work long term is that they are something your start and then stop at some point...i.e. they're not a diet (noun), they're a diet (verb).

You also don't generally learn about how many calories your body actually needs...calories in/out...portion control...what a serving of something is and looks like, proper nutrition and macro/micro-nutrient content of food, etc. Everything is just sort of handed to you with a fad diet and you're left blowing in the wind when it's all over.

Your diet and fitness profile should be sustainable for life if you want lifetime results, with the only difference between now and maintenance being the number of calories you're consuming...i.e. a deficit now, maintenance later. Equally important, your fitness "lifestyle" should also be something sustainable and should have it's own, independent goals...independent of just calorie burn. You'll be much more likely to stick to a fitness regimen when you have independent fitness goals outside of calorie burn.

phumzilesiboza7

I did the 13day diet for matebolism change, lost 8kgs in 2 weeks, a yr later...its all back with an extra 3kgs!

bugaha1

I also started with the HGC last August and lost 30lb but since than I've lost another 26 the MFP way.

levicrouch

Tried Atkins for about 2 weeks. Couldn't get past the induction period. I should have known better, i really don't like meat that much.

Hellbent_Heidi

I did this thing called "Bio Diet" once many years ago....it was this juice fast thing, and probably only totaled 500 calories or so a day.. The fruit one wasn't too bad, but there was vegetable juice that, to this day, when I think about it hard enough, I can still conjur the taste and want to gag :sick:

I also tried Metabolife at one point too....and Atkins...

Obviously, none of those 'quick fix' things work (this should be no suprise to anyone here)

Crochetluvr

I cant count how many diets I tried in my lifetime. I lost on all of them.....and gained it all back and THEN some. I have since been educated.

tuckerrj

Air Force Diet, Cabbage Soup Diet, Weight Loss Clinic, Slim Fast, Atkins Diet, South Beach Diet, yep all of 'em. With EVERY ONE of them I gained the weight back because they weren't sustainable after the weight loss phase (for me). That's why MFP and eating foods I can live with for the rest of my life, in sustainable amounts is working for me.

SnicciFit

I've done a few...they all worked to drop the weight, but not to keep it off. Reason they tend not to work long term is that they are something your start and then stop at some point...i.e. they're not a diet (noun), they're a diet (verb).

You also don't generally learn about how many calories your body actually needs...calories in/out...portion control...what a serving of something is and looks like, proper nutrition and macro/micro-nutrient content of food, etc. Everything is just sort of handed to you with a fad diet and you're left blowing in the wind when it's all over.

Your diet and fitness profile should be sustainable for life if you want lifetime results, with the only difference between now and maintenance being the number of calories you're consuming...i.e. a deficit now, maintenance later. Equally important, your fitness "lifestyle" should also be something sustainable and should have it's own, independent goals...independent of just calorie burn. You'll be much more likely to stick to a fitness regimen when you have independent fitness goals outside of calorie burn.

To add to this, your diet and fitness profile can and should be flexible. What works for you when you are losing the first 25lbs may need to adjusted to get those last 25lbs off. This includes more than just your calorie intake. You may need to change your macros or meal timing up as well as you go along. This is more of diet (noun) mentality, IMO.

rhogr000

You'll be much more likely to stick to a fitness regimen when you have independent fitness goals outside of calorie burn.

What is an example of an "independent fitness goal?" Something like: "today I biked 1 mile, tomorrow I'm going to go for 1.5?"

petstorekitty

I did the cabbage soup diet when I was like, 19. It was stupid. And I still can't eat that soup mix to this day. :P

I've done the fruit cleanse. It's actually kind of cool as a cleanse, not as a diet, if you like fruit (which I don't anymore).

My favorite fad diet is the one where I eat a little less and exercise a little more.

Defren

I did three days of the Atkins fat fast diet, I finished yesterday. While I lost 7 pounds in those three days, weight loss that quickly was not my aim. I needed to break a plateau and I have done that. Would I recommend it? Only if you really are stuck on a plateau and are prepared to feel really bad days 2-3. I know I will regain some of the weight, but it is usual to have a net loss. I was also deeply into ketosis, which is a very good place to be if like me you eat primal/paleo.

I have done Atkins, but I don't consider that a fad, it worked for me, I changed to primal as it's a way of eating I can sustain for life.

petstorekitty

Air Force Diet, Cabbage Soup Diet, Weight Loss Clinic, Slim Fast, Atkins Diet, South Beach Diet, yep all of 'em. With EVERY ONE of them I gained the weight back because they weren't sustainable after the weight loss phase (for me). That's why MFP and eating foods I can live with for the rest of my life, in sustainable amounts is working for me.

Ooo I forgot about South Beach! My Ex years back did this and I joined him. It was also stupid. he had me eating ham and eggs everying morning *vom*
Is it needless to say I just gained weight while with that guy? LOL!

I also used Slim Fast drinks when I was 18-19. At the time they were making non-dairy ones.
They were Ok since I was on the go all he time and I got a discount on them, but as a diet... not so much.

I also remember using Dexatrim at that time!
Holy cats....
I'd go to work and be like *ZZOOOOMMMM !! DO ALL THE WORK!!!!!*

I could not sustain the pills. Once I stopped them I was so tired. But I eventually figured out that if I just ate smaller meals and drank tons of water I'd be good.

I gained weight back when I starting dating a guy with terrible habits (see previous post of mine Lolz)

tmt2003

You'll be much more likely to stick to a fitness regimen when you have independent fitness goals outside of calorie burn.

What is an example of an "independent fitness goal?" Something like: "today I biked 1 mile, tomorrow I'm going to go for 1.5?"

Yes. and I agree. I started running last year and I loved the challenge - I never ran at all so when I started the C25K, it was very motivating to reach the mini goals (able to run 2 minutes straight, then 3 minutes, etc.) Now I still run, but I am having trouble being motivated. I can run a 5K, I have no desire to run further, lol. And now I exercise simply because I "have to" if you have an independent goal, it is easier to be motivated and feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of your workout that keeps you going even if the scale isn't budging.

Trying to find a new goal for myself outside of running.

Teresa

ssboyd2119

I tried south beach and the dr.phil diet a while back, and my mom has done nutrisystem. I would not suggest doing a fad diet at all. As soon as you go back to eating normally you WILL gain everything back..

RandomMiranda

Not a fad diet, just stupidity, but in highschool I ate fat free pringles and junior mints for lunch for a few months. I lost weight, then went on vacation and gained it all back.
My mom tried every fad ever and watching her made me never want to do any of them.

dbmata

If so, what did you try and what was your experience? Were you able to keep it up long-term?

Yup, did primal.

It was ok, just not sustainable as a lifestyle, some grains have a lot of value. I was also turned off by the community surrounding it, lots of fake science and bacon worship, which was super odd to me.

I did feel good, but got tired quickly when working out, so I've added prudent use of grains and don't really get as tired ever, and I'm nicer to be around.

jakidb

I tried the MILITARY DIET and it worked gr8t; however, after going "off" the military diet, I gained the weight back

TeaBea

Too many to count ..... and yes they were all highly successful (which is why I'm here) ..... NOT!

1. Grapefruit diet
2. Dolly Parton Diet
3. Rotation Diet
4. Sweet tooth diet
5. Slim Fast
6. Low carb diet ...... oops .... it's now a fashion (not a fad):

jwesterm

Currently on the Keto diet but it's not really a fad since it was designed in the 70's. The diet is simple, minimize carb intake to start ketosis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketosis

Not trying to gimmick anyone but this is an excerpt from another post I made;

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Carbohydrates in the diet cause an insulin (a "storage" hormone) output in the pancreas. It is used to store glycogen, amino acids into muscles, while causing excess calories to be stored as fat. So common sense asks me, "How can one try to break down fat, when your body is in a storage-type mode?" Difficult to do, indeed. That is why it makes perfect sense for step one to be cutting carbs.
The next thing that happens in your body is the rise in catecholamines (a "fat mobilizing" hormone), cortisol (a "breakdown" hormone), and growth hormone. Now your body realizes there’s no more carbs to burn for energy, so it must find another energy source: fat.
This usually happens during a metabolic condition called "ketosis." This is when your liver is out of glycogen and starts to produce ketones (by-products of fatty acids). You can check your status of whether or not you are in ketosis with urinalysis strips you can pick up at any local drug store called "Ketostix." Just urinate and see if it turns color. If so, you have ketones in the urine.
When the body is fed fat and protein, it will use dietary fat along with bodyfat for energy with protein going towards repair.
As a side note, there is another reason why this diet makes the most sense to use while keeping muscle. When one follows a high carbohydrate, low-fat, reduced-calorie diet, there’s a point when some bodyfat is burned, but when the body is still in a carbohydrate burning metabolism while trying to lose "weight," it will strip down precious body protein to convert to glucose for energy.

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I researched this diet a lot to be convinced as I am not big on nutrition since growing up my body has always had a high metabolism rate. But I am convinced and have been tracking weight lost and while not in huge moderation it is working well. I have read a lot of body builders will do Keto to keep definition without losing muscle mass.

Diets work, people just give up or cannot keep a positive vibe about them.

oowyrakcaj

I do Slimfast most days, but I only have it for breakfast if I'm in a bit of a rush, otherwise I'll have a smoothie instead. I won't have it for lunch though - I'll have some actual food. It seems to work for me.

toshi89

The closest I did was weight watchers, but you can eat what you want, so I don't know if that counts. My mother has tried most of them. But diets don't work, b/c you're going to just go back to your old ways. It's a good jump-start, but you have to make a life choice to clean up your diet for the rest of your life. Yea, you can binge every often, We're only human, but those fad diets don't really, truly work for the long haul.

alexveksler

HGC - lost 35LB
Continued with Atkins (modified) only lean meats and salads. Lost additional 30LB
Now, on the plant-based diet with 10% of animal protein. Lost additional 30LBs

Jasmine_James

I have tried quite a few over the years:

1. Slim Fast (hated those "chocolate" drinks!"
2. Abs Diet (this is healthy eating and I had good success with it)
3. Juice Fast (vegetable and fruit juicing for 3 days -- did lose some weight, but it's a pretty miserable experience)
4. Dukan Diet (did lose weight but then it came back on with a vengeance)

csnyder0007

The only "fad" diet I ever tried was Atkins. I was an Over the Road trucker at the time. I had a microwave and a hot plate in the sleeper and my tractor always smelled like bacon and eggs.

No, it didn't work and I was never comfortable with sending m bod into a constant state of Ketosis.

MFP is b far the most useful tool in maintaining a healthy lifestyle that I have found.

MightyDomo

Can you call anorexia a fad diet considering many people did it and suggested it when I was younger?

I did that, I was rail thin and then when I would start eating again I would gain like nobodies business. I had an extremely unhealthy relationship with food because of that 'habit' or 'diet' and not only am I paying for it now with long term consequences I also paid for it back then by always yo-yoing and never finding happiness with my body.

Never do a diet that you cannot maintain for the rest of your life, you'd be kidding yourself if you think it would be the best choice to do so.

djeffreys10

No, and I won't. I tried "eating healthier" and lost 4 lbs in the first four months that I was lifting. Then I started tracking everything and hitting my macros, lost 13 lbs and >4" off my waist in the next 3 months. In my opinion, fads don't work in the long run. Only changing your life works in the long run.

atb0821

I did the Scarsdale diet which is basically just a VLCD. I lost about 30-40 pounds on it, then switched to more realistic plans like south beach, then switched to just eating healthy and working out.