Diet Fads that do NOT work ( i know, do any? )

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  • Arydria
    Arydria Posts: 179 Member
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    Anything Dr Oz pushes...

    ^ this
  • Samby_v1
    Samby_v1 Posts: 202 Member
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    My favourite quote on the matter (heavily paraphrased) from Little Britain's Marjorie Dawes of Fat Fighters (read Weight Watchers), which sums it all up for me:

    "I forgot to bring the diet books this week, so just eat sensibly and exercise."
  • cshouston81
    cshouston81 Posts: 26
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    and if anyone actually is going to trust a government run agency and believe what is said....well that is your choice.

    Wow, you are a total kook. Plus, in case you didn't notice, the NiH published papers were studies from independent medical organizations and practitioners. Grow up.
  • rocknlotsofrolls
    rocknlotsofrolls Posts: 418 Member
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    Virgin coconut oil.

    However, putting it on my skin has done wonder for my eczema! Yay!

    It also is great for dry hair

    I second that notion! Makes my hair softer, too.
  • dym123
    dym123 Posts: 1,670 Member
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    I've tried the cabbage soup, south beach, hollywood detox, master cleanse, raspberry ketones, 3-day miami diet, etc, etc, etc. Sure I've lost weight, but in every case I gained the weight back, except for raspberry ketones, I was already in my weight loss journey when I tried them, didn't notice a significant difference, so I just stopped taking them. I have a friend who's pretty much tried them all too, Jenny Craig @ $300/month (geezus!), Weight Watchers, etc., but as soon as something comes up where she is unable to continue following their plan, she gains the weight back.

    BTW love coconut oil...on my hair, skin and in my cooking (though not from the same jar)
  • rocknlotsofrolls
    rocknlotsofrolls Posts: 418 Member
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    My daughter and I were talking last night about just eating whatever we want, but watching our calorie limit.
    She summed it all up pretty good when she said this:

    "life would'nt be worth living if you couldn't eat what you want"

    So any diets that restrict any type of food has eventually failed for me. Atkins, cabbage soup, etc.
  • MarKayDee
    MarKayDee Posts: 196
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    Juice fasting. Although I did finally find a brand of orange juice I like, and some pretty delicious ready to go juices available where I work.
  • lucylousmummy
    lucylousmummy Posts: 348 Member
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    everyone recognizes the fads and many of us have struggled for years. my question is how many of you have tried these gimmicks yourself before you became educated?

    i've tried all the ones i previously listed and loads i can't remember over a 20 year period, to sum it up i was fat, wanted a miracle cure because i didn't actually want to put the hard work in and didn't want to change my eating habits, it was pure laziness on my part, i'm educated now but still a constant battle to stop myself slipping
  • hmrey76
    hmrey76 Posts: 945 Member
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    HCG!!!

    after 2 days of taking the drops, I had to go to the ER because I had HUGE (like the size of my hand) hives on my hips. My legs and fingers swelled up so bad I couldn't bend them!!
  • SillyC2
    SillyC2 Posts: 275 Member
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    My mom is also a big fan of the cabbage soup diet and always trying to get me to go on it with her.

    Have you read this review of Alli? It's hysterical.
    http://thewvsr.com/alli.htm

    With Alli...... if I had frequent and uncontrollable bowel movements, and my doctor said, "Hey, I have a pill for this but you're going to gain 80 lbs".... I'd still take the pill.
  • sjaplo
    sjaplo Posts: 974 Member
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    Dont waste your money educate yourself on nutrition and how you will eat for life. You going to buy shakes the rest of your life????

    Exactly, instead of spending a ton of money on processed foods and drinks, better off learning to cook (I can't get over how many people can't even handle the basics of cooking) and balance your diet . Ultimately cheaper and healthier, and should result in long term weight reduction

    Agree completely - high schools should teach a course called life skills - how to cook, how to eat sensibly, how to shop sensibly, how to manage your money, how to be in a relationship, how to be a parent and on and on...........that would actually prepare people for life.
  • MelRC117
    MelRC117 Posts: 911 Member
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    Any diet that only lasts a limited time and does not lead to a lifestyle change basically will only work temporarily as you'll likely gain the weight back.


    "Lifestyle changes" have the same abysmal rates of long term success and maintenance as temporary fad diets and radical dieting.

    Regardless of how it's lost, the overwhelming majority of people either fail to reach their goal, or fail to maintain that goal.
    So are you saying that people should then just roll the dice and hope that they aren't one of the majority? Or is that lifestyle change is really beyond one's control?

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    I kind of love you for saying that last part. Often people start with a lifestyle change and then get to where they want to be and switch to "I reached my goal, I'm done" mode and go back to eating pretty much how they did before they made their lifestyle change. Combine that with how fat cells vs. muscle cells work and they gain back a bunch of weight. Yikes! Yes, lifestyle change means FOREVER! Of course you can make careful adjustments to it but bottom line is you are never done.


    People still confuse 'diet' with 'lifestyle change' that's the problem. If you want weight loss and maintenance to be permanent you have to get out of the mindset that weight loss something you do for a little while and stop. A lifestyle change is something that should be sustainable for life. That's where I'm up to, trying to change my behaviour and wanting a 'quick fix'. It's hard to do when you have lived your life being set in your ways.

    I've tried...

    Jenny Craig, weight watchers, various shakes, the Dukan diet and carb free fads. None of which teach you how to eat sensibly, portion size etc. As a result I lose weight and put it back on again!
    Those don't teach you about portion control or eating sensibly? Do you not understand the point system is based on calories for weight watchers? Hmmmm....
  • willdb76
    willdb76 Posts: 41
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    Any diet that only lasts a limited time and does not lead to a lifestyle change basically will only work temporarily as you'll likely gain the weight back.

    But you *can* do a crash diet and back it up with a lifestyle change, and keep off the weight that you lost. Think of the diet as a 'factory reset' of your eating habits.
  • MoriahJ11
    MoriahJ11 Posts: 2 Member
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    I don't know of any of the "healthy shake" systems that truly work!

    Herbalife made me actually gain weight!

    I've been around people who used the Body by Vi systems and they didn't get the results they wanted and I also noticed a complete change in their hormones!!!
  • Dogwalkingirl
    Dogwalkingirl Posts: 320 Member
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    I have also done the cabbage soup diet and even though I will never do it for 7 days again I love the soup and make it about once a month. I can eat 3 large cups of it for like 180 cals and its full of things I love so I have it for lunch here and there (also works better then all these "cleanse" things if you know what I mean)
  • krawhitham
    krawhitham Posts: 831 Member
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    I've never tried it, but years back there was a campaign by a cereal company that you'd lose weight if you substitute your breakfast and lunch with just a bowl of their cereal. Its like yeah, duh you will, and you won't reach your macros either and then be starving for dinner!

    Just my opinion..
  • PeaceLoveTrees
    PeaceLoveTrees Posts: 42 Member
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    Green Tea Extract

    Green Coffee Bean Extract (I do believe this actually decreased my appetite)

    Bliss Go Pack (did literally nothing but waste my money)

    I've also tried the Special K diet, but all that is a bunch of processed junk! live and learn!
  • Spewze72
    Spewze72 Posts: 82 Member
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    In the last 8-9 yrs:

    Carbohydrate Addicts diet
    Slimfast
    Atkins
    Slimming World
    Weight watchers (works very well actually)

    Coconut oil is also known to be quite good for keratosis pilaris (chicken skin on your arms). Sadly mine seems to become more pronounced when I lose weight.
  • PrairieSlims
    PrairieSlims Posts: 42 Member
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    Its better to do it sensibly (2 pounds a week) along with exercise and lifestyle changes of eliminating processed food, low fat, this and that and go as natural as you can. ALSO, no night time snacking after 6 pm. Gradual changes. Eat most things and in moderation.
  • sportyredhead01
    sportyredhead01 Posts: 482 Member
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    Cellulite smoothing cream....:noway:

    I could have bought weights and done flippin' squats instead.

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