Staying fit and healthy is the number one goal for most people. Next in line is to lose weight. However, many take these newfound goals to the extreme and will literally try anything to achieve them. What’s even more daunting is the fact that businesses are very well aware of this and hit the ground running with new (and sometimes scary) ways to lose weight...and lose it fast! Some work for a while of course, but after all the pills and special drinks have dried up, will your new and improved look last? Will you even feel the same?
5 Ineffective Fad Diets
Take a look at some of the most ineffective fad diets I’ve found that you shouldn’t even think twice to consider:
The Tapeworm Diet… Huh?
This diet is by far the most dangerous and ineffective way to lose weight that we’ve heard of yet. The idea is to ingest a parasite found in beef carcasses, known as tapeworm. In rare cases, the tapeworm can easily affect the everyday person by unknowingly eating the undercooked meat of infected animals.
This discovery was linked to weight loss, as the tapeworm attaches to the inner walls of your intestines and feeds off the food you consume. However, what they don’t stress enough is the fact that tapeworms can live and grow inside your body up to 55ft long and can survive up to 25 years if not properly treated. Just say no.
You May Also Like
The Subway Diet
Jared made it look like a miracle eating Subway sandwiches. It helped him lose 245 pounds in 11 months! Sure, substituting large, unhealthy meals with a wholesome sandwich will certainly help most lose weight. However, the execution of the Subway diet is what makes this one a no-go.
This may come as a surprise to some, but not every sandwich at Subway is a dietary winner. With all the new combinations of heavily sauced meats, triple cheese Italian bread, and flavorful chips up front, who can actually decipher what is a part of the Subway diet anyway?
For this diet to succeed, you’d have to eat very specific items from Subway’s menu and keep up a strict regimen of exercise. At the end of it all, it wouldn’t be much of a difference between making your own sandwich at home and going for a brisk stroll to the local bodega.
RELATED: Lose 21 Pounds In 28 Days With This Diet
The Slim Fast Diet
Not going to lie about this one, I’ve tried it! Sure, that milk chocolate one tastes like a milkshake dream from Sonic but does it work? Yes, and no… The Slim Fast diet plan is literally for people who don’t plan on keeping the weight off.
You May Also Like
The gimmick is that you will probably see weight loss, but Slim Fast’s shakes and bars are not mentally or physically satisfying enough for the diet to be sustained. I went through dizzy spells, hunger pains, dehydration (because who knew you had to drink lots of water too!), and excessive bathroom breaks on this diet. Proceed with caution.
The Five-Bite Diet
Dr. Alwin Lewis coined the simple principle that if you eat less you'll lose weight as the Five-Bite Diet. Although it takes the guesswork out of calorie counting, it is still bizarre that you can eat anything you want in each meal setting if you only eat five bites. Yes, this is a real diet that people take seriously.
RELATED: 6 Reasons Why Your Diet Isn’t Working
The Beyonce/Lemonade Diet aka The Master Cleanse
Okay okay, you got me. I’ve tried this one too! Let’s just say it was prom season and I was determined to be the center of attention for my grand entrance onto the dance floor.
Also known as the lemon water detox diet, this concoction can’t even really be called a diet because you’re consuming just this elixir alone.
With the master cleanse, you’ll live on the lemon water with cayenne pepper and maple syrup. Incredibly temporary, any weight loss resulting from this detox will come back within days.
Have you tried any crazy fad diets? The task of fulfilling our weight loss goals can be such a stressful time. We may do anything to feel we have accomplished at least one thing on our list no matter how long it lasts. I say go for longevity.
Eat natural things that will give you natural results. Quick fixes fade away even quicker. A balanced whole-food lifestyle and exercise plan will always be the answer. Just try always to remember to start from the inside out and you’ll start to see results within no time.
SOURCES:
MetaPathogen.com, Human Tapeworms, Nov. 01, 2014
Diet.com, Subway Diet (Jan, 7, 2018)
RNCentral.com, Diet Overkill: 25 of the Most Ridiculous (and Ineffective) Popular Diets, Oct. 12, 2009
Tia Muhammad, BS, is an award-winning freelance content & media creative, copywriter, blogger, digital designer, and marketing consultant. She owns the boutique content and digital media company, jackieGLDN|studio.
