How to Spot a "Diet Fad" - KGWN –Cheyenne, WY– Scottsbluff, NE News,Weather, Sports

How to Spot a "Diet Fad"

Every week there's a new "miracle" diet and every year you can't help but wonder: Is THIS the weight loss diet that will finally work, once and for all?  There are weight loss programs that work, but there many more "fads" out there that will temporarily drop your weight (or perhaps make you sick), only to have the pounds return in a few weeks.  Fad diets are tempting, but like eating a rich dessert when you already have a full stomach:  resist, resist, resist!  In the long run, you will be healthier, thinner and less frustrated.

Fad diets can be deceiving. They are usually described in detail by a book that has been written by an expert with a PhD, or a doctor who is an MD.  There may be a list of scientific references that seem to back up the claims (that no one ever checks carefully to make sure they are true).  And, tons of people (including all of your friends and family) seem to be following the diet and having great results. 

Does this sound familiar?   There are some obvious clues that a diet is a "fad" rather than a recommended approach for permanent weight-loss.

This interview with Julie Jones helps you pick out a few key components to help spot a diet "fad".

*How to spot the false claims: does it say you can eat everything? You don't have to exercise? Does the diet have you eliminate a certain food or food group?

*Tips to sustain overall health & wellness, for good!

*Ways to translate the findings, and where to get to the truth

*When you need to discuss dieting with your doctor.

*Simple lifestyle changes that can help shrink your waistline.

Julie Miller Jones is a sought-after nutrition and dieting expert who has been featured on Food Network, Martha Stewart radio, and in print publications such as Good Housekeeping, Better Homes & Gardens, and Vogue.  She is passionately interested in food and is a James Beard Society Judge of restaurants and cookbooks.

Julie is a board Certified Nutrition Specialist and Licensed Nutritionist, is the author of Food Safety and edited a book Dietary Fibre: Food and Feed and Bio-Active Ingredients. She regularly writes and speaks about dietary fiber, gluten intolerance, glycemic index, food safety, and dieting and body image. She is actively involved in trying to educate against frauds and myths in nutrition and food safety.