Fad diets are diets designed to be followed for only a short period of time. Fad diets are also diets that quickly become wildly popular, last for a short time, then become a footnote in popular culture. The Hollywood diet, the Atkins diet, and Jenny Craig are just three examples.

Fad diets are sometimes known as food fad-ism. This refers to any form of food that becomes popular for a short period of time. These all have two things in common:

- Some elements of the food are said to have miraculous properties.
- Other foods are removed from the diet because they have negative properties that should be avoided.

The Atkins diet displays the characteristics of one of these fad diets. In Atkins carbohydrates must be avoided because of their negative characteristics. At the same time, carbohydrates are the miraculous element — actually the lack of carbohydrates because it creates a metabolic state in which the body burns fat at an amazing pace. This diet had a number of short periods of extreme carbohydrate avoidance, followed by long periods of sustainable low carbohydrate eating. But Dr. Atkins did intend that people could eat this way for the rest of their lives.

The Atkins diet was also one of these fad diets in that huge popularity was fairly short-lived. It lasted a few years during which it seemed everyone you talked to was on the diet . People from Hollywood actors to politicians were all on the Atkins diet. When Dr. Atkins died to superstardom of his diet died with him.

Many fad diets can be quite dangerous. Even a seemingly healthy diet like the Subway diet could be dangerous. It was based on the legend of Jared, a young man who’d lost nearly 250 pounds in only a year by eating Subway sandwiches, baked chips, and diet soda. In reality Jared cut his caloric intake from over 10,000 calories a day to only 900. That could have killed him. Even so in moderation the Subway diet can work, particularly when combined with exercise — Jared walked 6 miles a day.

Beware of fad diets. You’re better off learning how to eat well on an everyday basis and maintaining a program of rigorous exercise.

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