Fad diets: Stick with them or stray from them?

By Erika Thomas, RD, Gundersen Tri-County Nutrition Therapy

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Ketogenic. Whole 30. South Beach. Paleo. You’ve heard the names before. They’re fad diets – popular for their promise of rapid weight loss. You may shed pounds on any one of them, but they will become difficult to follow long-term because they’re too restrictive, said Erika Thomas, a registered dietician at Gundersen Tri-County.

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.