Fad diets: Stick with them or stray from them?

Will I lose weight if I follow a fad diet?

Probably, but it’s likely because you are eating fewer calories. For many of us, diets provide the structure needed to change our eating patterns.

Are fad diets safe for me?

They can harm your health if you don’t follow up with a health professional, like your regular doctor or a dietitian at Gundersen. Take the Ketogenic diet, for example. Without follow-up, you can experience electrolyte and nutritional deficiencies such as calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, B vitamins, and iron; constipation, increased risk for dehydration, gout, kidney stones, or osteoporosis; and unknown cardiac complications from a diet high in saturated fats.

What should I do if I am interested in improving my health by losing weight?

Make an appointment with your primary physician and ask for a referral to a registered dietitian. Together, you two will find a diet/lifestyle modification plan that works.