There are many popular fad diets around these days. In fact, they are so popular that I can safely say that if you have ever been in search of a weight loss program, you have very likely come across most of these fad diet plans. In some cases I can even go one step further and say that these fads are so popular right now, some people might not even be aware that it's possible to lose weight without using them. In this article I will explain exactly what makes certain diet plans fad diets, and how weight loss is indeed possible without them.

(I'm a big fan of standup comedy, and although I'm not a Jeff Foxworthy fan, his "then you might be a redneck" routine happens to be the perfect format for explaining fad diets. So, here goes...)

- If your weight loss program has a name, then it might be a fad diet. Seriously, if someone asks you what you are doing to lose weight, and you can answer them with a 1-3 word response (for example, "Atkins" or "South Beach" or "Weight Watchers") then you are the proud owner of a fad diet. When weight loss diets have a name, it usually means there is some sort of marketing behind them. And, when there is marketing behind them, it usually means they are fad diets.

- If your weight loss program requires you to do something that you don't actually NEED to do in order to lose weight, then it might be a fad diet. You see, weight loss only happens when certain very specific things occur. Knowing this, if whatever you're doing to lose weight involves doing something other than these things, you can pretty much consider your diet plan a fad. Sometimes it's eating low carb, sometimes low fat, sometimes it's eating only cabbage soup (seriously, there is a diet called "The Cabbage Soup Diet") and sometimes it's some other very similar, yet very unnecessary thing. When a weight loss program is based on doing something that is unnecessary to losing weight, you can safely add it to the list of fad diets.

- If you decided on your weight loss program based on the testimonials you read, then you might be on a fad diet. A testimonial is basically when someone says really good things about something for the purpose of getting other people to get/use/buy it. For example, when a person goes on a certain diet plan and actually loses weight, they might says something like, "I was overweight all my life. I tried everything! Pills, diets, exercise, supplements... none of it worked! I just couldn't lose weight! But then I happened to see a commercial for ::insert Fad Diet here:: and in just 5 weeks I lost 5,000 pounds!!!" If a diet plan has testimonials... it's a fad diet.

- If your weight loss program costs money... it's a fad diet. If you had to buy a book, a manual or a guide... if you had to order specialty food, supplements or products of any kind... if you had to pay for support meetings, online membership or ANYTHING online or offline, then you just spent your hard earned money on one of the many fad diets. Besides obvious things like a gym membership or a treadmill or good food, weight loss is free. It always has been, it currently is, and it always will be. You do not have to spend money to lose weight. No matter what anyone tries to tell (or sell) you, you DO NOT have to spend money to lose weight... unless of course you like fad diets.

So, now that you know what fad diets are, you should be wondering if they actually work. The answer to this question is... yes. Most of the popular fad diets around these days will indeed allow you to lose weight if followed correctly. That is a fact. But honestly... after reading what you just read, do you really want to try a fad diet? Do you really want to base your weight loss program on doing something unnecessary to losing weight? And then to do want to have to continue doing this unnecessary diet task for good in order to keep the weight off? And... do you really want your diet plan to cost money?

Yeah, I didn't think so.

So, what's left? Without all of the popular fad diets, what other way can a person lose weight? Well, as I've explained a million times throughout this web site, weight loss only happens when you are in a calorie deficit. What that means is, there is a certain number of calories that your body needs each day in order to maintain your current weight. For example, we'll say it's 3000 calories a day. So then, if you were to start eating 2500 calories a day instead, you will lose weight. That's it... it's that simple. No fads needed.

You will of course want the calories you do consume to come from the right food sources, and you'll also want to workout correctly, but that is the very heart of what is required from an effective weight loss program. It doesn't have a name. It doesn't make you do something unnecessary. It has no testimonials. And, oh yeah... it's free. There are fad diets, and then there is simply what works. Which you choose is up to you.

For more detailed information on this type of "non-fad" diet plan, read these: diet plans and weight loss

Questions, comments or feedback? Feel free to e-mail me at:
IntenseWorkout@gmail.com

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