Lose 15 pounds by the weekend? Get your dream body while eating whatever you want and without having to go to the gym? Shelves full of books and hours of infomercials will try to have you believe otherwise, but there is no magic formula that can get you the body you want.
Yes, losing weight can be a daunting task – which explains the appeal of programs that promise to make weight loss easy. But all too often, fad diets result not only in regaining lost pounds, but in putting on extra weight as well. That's because safe, effective and, most importantly, long-term weight loss requires two important things:
- permanent changes in the way you eat
- making exercise a habit, not just something you do on the rare occasion that the mood strikes
And these are two things that many quick fixes fail to incorporate.
Here are some tips for recognizing a fad diet or weight loss gimmick:
