There are seemingly endless tips and tricks for losing weight.
But in the age of fad and fad diets, it can be hard to know what’s legitimate and will actually help you lose weight.
Joyce Patterson, a registered dietitian with Michigan Medicine, warns in her upcoming book Think Like a Dietitian that many Americans choose a diet based on “minimal or misleading information.”
In the book, Ms Patterson unpacks a number of the most popular diet trends and gives her verdict on which ones may have lasting benefits.
For example, ultra-low-carb keto can actually help you lose weight in as little as a week.
And intermittent fasting – popular with people who Mark Wahlberg and Chris Hemsworth – has been shown to shed extra pounds quickly as well as reduce the risk of heart attack.
But the key issue with all these diets is; Will they keep the weight off long term?
Joyce Patterson, a registered dietitian with Michigan Medicine, warns in her upcoming book Think Like a Dietitian that many Americans choose a diet based on ‘minimal or misleading information’
“We live in a world full of messages to limit, eliminate and fast, and misconceptions related to dietary trends are common, such as the need for macronutrients or supplements,” Patterson said.
Ms Patterson notes that many of the most popular diets floating around on social media are based on ‘minimal scientific evidence’ and focus on promoting vague terms such as ‘reset your metabolism’ or ‘cleanse’.
‘A lot of people are really interested in science. But few receive comprehensive and reliable nutrition education and are unable to distinguish between marketing gimmicks and good science,” she said.
‘They make food choices and purchase decisions based on minimal or misleading information.’
The keto diet involved a severe restriction of carbohydrates such as bread and pasta and instead restricted high-fat foods such as red meat and cheese. However, research is mixed on its effectiveness.
Ms Patterson also urged caution around intermittent fasting, saying its restrictive nature could encourage an “all-or-nothing” mentality
She continues to address individual diets, like Keto.
Several studies have shown rapid weight loss from the keto diet — which involves strictly limiting carbohydrates like bread and pasta and emphasizing fatty foods like red meat and cheese, she points out.
ONE small 2013 study found that 39 overweight adults who were put on a low-calorie keto diet lost an average of 13 percent of their starting weight.
They also had ‘significant’ reductions in fat mass, insulin levels and blood pressure.
Additionally, researchers at Stanford University found in 2022 that mice on keto had increased lifespans as the diet strengthened their stem cells.
However, Ms Patterson said there are not enough long-term studies to determine the long-term safety of the regimen.
The same sentiment applies to intermittent fasting, which has also become popular over the past few years, thanks in large part to actors and influencers.
Following an intermittent fasting regimen involves switching between days of fasting and days of normal eating.
On fasting days, dieters limit their eating to certain windows during the day, such as eating only for breakfast or dinner.
A study published earlier this month by researchers in the UK found that fasting can lead to weight loss and improved brain health if GPs do it for at least three consecutive days.
However, a 2022 study of more than 24,000 Americans over 40 found that those who ate just one meal a day were 30 percent more likely to die from any cause in 15 years than those who stuck to three meals a day .
Ms Patterson also warned against low-calorie diets, which are inherently restrictive.
She said they encourage an ‘all or nothing’ mentality, which can lead to obsessing over certain foods, making you crave them more.
Many dieters also give up when they hit a plateau.
Instead of opting for one of these fad diets, Ms. Patterson advises adopting an intuitive eating style. This means following hunger cues and not denying yourself treats every now and then.
Specifically, she recommends following what she calls the 80/20 rule.
This involves following general dietary recommendations such as prioritizing fruits, vegetables and whole grains 80 percent of the time, while eating whatever you’re in the mood for the other 20 percent.
“One of the most important lessons a dietitian can share is that perfection is not only unattainable, but unnecessary,” she said.
‘A healthy diet does not have to be all-or-nothing. The occasional treat is not harmful.’
“From low-fat to low-carb to fasting, the most popular diets are ironically the most restrictive,” Patterson said.
‘No wonder they tend to be the most unsustainable.’
‘A common practice is that people will adopt certain features of a diet rather than the actual dietary pattern that was studied.’
‘Without proper guidance, people can end up practicing unhealthy behaviors that put their health at risk.’