Avoid These 5 Weight-Loss Diets

So, what did we do on those cold winter days with many of us stranded because of weather conditions or the lingering pandemic? Did this time call for stuffing more food into our mouths with hope that all the chaos —whatever that was in our lives—would go away? Or maybe a case of blues bordering on depression caused us to stop eating or to eat too much?      

Whether or not we read the latest nutrition or diet news, most of us would like to eat healthier, and many of us would love to lose five pounds or more. Sometimes we don’t know if special diets are good or bad. Compilations from experts, such as those selected by US News and World Report, give a rundown of the best and worst diets for our health. In the last blog, we looked at diets considered the healthiest. The news panel ranked 39 diets for losing weight as well as for other health conditions such as heart health, diabetes, and others.

Lowest Ranking Weight-Loss Diets3

Of diets assessed, those related to specific health issues may have scored low for Best Weight-Loss Diets because they were intended for other conditions and not for weight management.

• The Glycemic-Index (GI) diet identifies carbohydrates in foods according to their effect on blood glucose (sugar) levels. The lower the GI, the more slowly food is digested, absorbed, and metabolized. It tied with the better-known Paleo diet, touted for weight loss and healthy eating, at #32.
• The Fertility diet (#35), as the name indicates, was never intended for weight loss. However, the panel considered it expensive, inconvenient, and labor intense. It tied with the popular Whole30 diet.
• The AIP (Autoimmune Protocol Diet) is designed to reduce inflammation and help those with autoimmune disorders.
• The GAPS Diet (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) is an elimination diet which tied with AIP for the two lowest ranks.       

Most weight-loss diets, good or bad, will help us lose a few pounds. However, they may be unhealthy, or they are diets structured so that they’re difficult to continue indefinitely. From the 39 evaluations of the news panel, here are the top five losers in reverse order.

• The Fast diet (#30) mirrors a pattern of eating often referred to as the 5:2 diet: you eat normally for five days of the week and reduce calories to about one-fourth of normal intake on two nonconsecutive days of the week. The diet failed to provide guidance on healthy eating for non-fast days.
• The Paleo diet (#32 tied with GI) has a strong following. The premise is that if the caveman didn’t eat it, neither should we. The diet is considered too limited for a healthy eating plan. It restricts refined sugar, legumes, grains, and dairy and embraces meats, fish, poultry, fruits, and vegetables.
• The Dukan diet (#34) ranked among the lowest in several categories and last for Best Diets Overall. Proponents claim dieters lose 10 pounds the first week and 2 to 4 pounds the following week. Some question whether this is actually a weight-loss diet. The panel stated it does not work, and one went so far to call it idiotic. Rules are stringent, and the protocol is hard to follow.
• The Whole30 diet (#35), according to the developers, is not a diet, weight-loss plan, or quick fix. It supposedly changes your life. For 30 days dieters (or life changers) restrict sugar, dairy, grains, and alcohol. This diet isn’t recommended for the faint of heart and fails to meet government standards for carbohydrates.
• The Alkaline diet (#37) comes with lots of rules and little research. One expert panelist described it as ridiculous. The theory is, alkaline is good—acid is bad. The diet is measured by a 0 to 14 pH scale with 7.0 as neutral. The higher the number above 7.0, the more alkaline a substance. Likewise, the lower the number below 7.0, the more acidic. What we eat has little effect on blood’s normal pH of 7.35 to 7.45 (slightly alkaline). Those following this diet may have difficulty maintaining adequate protein and calcium intake, and the diet could eventually cause problems with blood pH levels.

I point out lower ranking weight-loss diets for us to realize that just because a diet is popular doesn’t make it a good choice. If you need help in losing weight, consult with a registered dietitian proficient in weight management. This is National Nutrition Month so whatever diet you choose, make sure it will be helpful and not harmful.

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Is the Paleo Diet Right for You?

The Paleo Diet, touted for weight loss, has a growing number of followers. What is this diet? Is it right for you? The Paleo Diet, also known as the Caveman Diet or Stone Age Diet, refers to foods available during the Paleolithic Age, when early ancestors weren’t farmers but hunters and gatherers. They depended on food caught or gathered from open fields and forests.

According to Paleo enthusiasts, the diet includes lean meats, shellfish, eggs, fruits and vegetables, and healthy oils (olive and coconut). Restricted foods include dairy, refined sugar, potatoes, salt, refined vegetable oils (such as canola), grains, and all processed foods.

A recent study of older women on this diet caught my attention. The study included thirty-five post-menopausal women who followed the diet for two years and lost significant weight. A researcher not involved in the study pointed out that those conducting the study veered from a true Paleo Diet to one that mimicked much of the Mediterranean Diet, an acceptable plan for healthy eating. A study of only thirty-five subjects concerned me.

What can we believe? In January 2016, the U. S. News & World Report listed scores of the most common diets based on a scale from 0 to 5. The Paleo diet had a 2.0 overall score. On weight loss, it scored 1.9. The score for healthy eating was 2.1, and the magazine ranked “ease to follow” at 1.7.

The magazine rated thirty-eight diets, divided into nine categories. How did the Paleo Diet fare? For Best Overall Diet, it ranked number thirty-six, tied for next to last place with the Dukan Diet, and came in last for Best Weight-loss Diet. Not only that, to follow this diet requires more home preparation, thus more kitchen time ― a sparse commodity for busy families. It also tends to cost more.

Supporters of this diet claim it leads to a healthier, fitter, disease-free life. In actuality, it fails to provide a number of needed nutrients. Exclusion of dairy makes it difficult to get recommended levels of calcium and vitamin D. Limited grains and pulses (legumes) restrict needed fiber in the diet.

Before we embark on any diet plan, it’s wise to learn the pros and cons. When tempted to follow popular diets whose claims sound too good to be true, think again. They probably are.

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Diets to Avoid

A panel of health experts evaluated and ranked 35 diets for U. S. News & World Report. While the DASH Diet scored at the top of diets reviewed, the TLC Diet (Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes) created by the National Institute of Health, took the number two spotlight. Tied for third place were the Mayo Clinic Diet, Mediterranean Diet, and Weight Watchers Diet. Any of these make excellent choices to follow in reaching your healthy eating goals.

But which diets scored the lowest? Coming in at number 30 was the Fast Food Diet. Experts thought this choice could lead to poor food selections. The Atkins Diet—the popular low-carb diet—and the Raw Food Diet tied for number 32. Reviewers considered the latter as nearly impossible to follow. Tying for number 34 were the Dukan Diet and the Paleo Diet, both ranking low in every category,

So what makes these diets poor choices? The Dukan Diet, created in 2000 by Pierre Dukan, touts weight loss of ten pounds in one week without regaining in the following months. The diet allows unsweetened caffeinated beverages and artificial sweeteners but restricts some nutritionally sound foods and may be difficult to follow. Four phases make up this diet.

• The “attack” phase, lasting from one to ten days, allows eating unlimited lean protein plus requiring one and one-half tablespoon of oat bran with at least six cups of water daily.
• The “cruise” phase, lasting several months, adds unlimited non-starchy vegetables every other day plus two tablespoons oat bran daily.
• The “consolidated” phase, based on five days for every pound lost, permits non-starchy vegetables every day plus two servings of starchy vegetables. Also added are one piece of fruit, two slices of whole grain bread, and one serving of hard cheese. The diet adds one to two celebration days to eat anything desired.
• The “stabilization” phase permits whatever you like for six days each week. On the other day, you follow the “attack” phase, changing to three tablespoons of oat bran every day plus 20 minutes of daily walking.

The premise for the Paleo Diet is that we eat too many processed foods, and if we ate more like our ancestors, we would be healthier. The diet encourages abundance of meat from grass-fed animals, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, and vegetables. It includes olive, walnut, flaxseed, avocado, and coconut oils. Forbidden foods consist of all grains, legumes, potatoes, dairy products, processed foods, refined sugars, and salt.

Even though we can agree that modern diets should limit excessive salt, sugar, or processed foods, this diet is based on false assumptions. Experts consider the diet too restrictive.

While experts evaluated only 35 diets, many more exist. Diets much worse than those at the bottom of this list abound. Be wary. If you decide to follow a specific diet plan, make sure it is nutritionally sound and easy to follow.

 

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