If you’ve gone to a bookstore after the holidays, you probably noticed the giant stack of diet books that magically appears near the entrance right at the start of the year. Whether you find these books guilt-inducing or inspiring, one thing’s for sure: most of them sound too good to be true. More often than not, they probably are.

 

Fad diets or popular weight loss diets aren’t new; in fact, they return every year with different names and perhaps a different celebrity endorser. Here are the six basic fad diets, why they won’t work, and why they can even be unhealthy. You may not find these exact titles at a bookstore near you, but hopefully this article can help you recognize the gimmicks no matter how they’ve been tarted up.

 

The Fat-Free Diet

 

Theory: As long as your meals contain no fat, you won’t get fat. So eat whatever you want as long as it has zero fat content.

 

Reality: Although it’s true that excess fat does add calories, sticking to foods that are purportedly “fat-free” will not necessarily help. Supermarket shelves are filled with products with the fat-free label, but they’re often processed foods loaded with empty calories that will offer very little vitamins, minerals, or fiber.

 

The Snack-Pack Diet

 

Theory: Cookies, chips, and other snacks sorted into 100-calorie packs will limit the damage when you get the munchies.

 

Reality: There are many 100-calorie snack pack foods in supermarkets which offer low-calorie snack alternatives, but few of them are very healthy choices. They’re also not fiber rich or filling, which means you’ll still get hungry and reach for another 100-calorie snack pack. Rather than buying a 100-calorie bag of Oreos, go for more nutritious snacks like a piece of fruit or a whole-wheat bread sandwich.

 

The Couch-Potato Diet

 

Theory: You can lose weight just by dieting, so who needs exercise?

 

Reality: Researchers show that dieters who increase their physical activity along with dietary adjustments are more likely to lose weight and stay that way. Besides that, exercising more has other health benefits like lowering the risk of heart disease. Even a quick 30-minute walk daily is enough to make a difference.

 

The Detox Diet

 

Theory: You’ll lose weight a lot faster when you flush out your inside by drinking a concoction made out of molasses, orange juice, or some other strange mix.

 

Reality: There’s no scientific evidence that cleaning your intestines of toxins will make you lose weight faster or more healthy. All you really need is a high-fiber diet.

 

The Bacon and Beef Diet

 

Theory: By eating only protein and no carbs, you don’t have to worry about weight gain.

 

Reality: Not all carbs are bad, and a diet of fatty meats is definitely not healthy. Remove processed carbohydrates from your diet and If you want to go protein, choose lean meats like chicken (broiled or grilled without the skin) or fish.

 

The Twinkie Diet

 

Theory: Calories are all that matter. As long as you eat nothing but Twinkies, you’ll lose weight as long as you stay under the daily limit

 

Reality: Calories do count, but so do their sources! If you eat nothing but junk food, you’ll be missing vital nutrients and vitamins, which will have long-term health consequences. So watch your calories and where they come from.

 

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