7 Dieting Trends That You Should Avoid (3 of 3)

7. Intermittent Fasting

Of all the terrible diet strategies out there, this might just be the worst. It involves going days without food or only eating during certain hours of the day (e.g., waiting until noon before you eat). Misguided advocates make wild claims like it prevents aging, helps fight off disease, or is beneficial to our brains. But in truth, there is no evidence for any of this. The only guarantees are that you’ll constantly be hungry, which in turn can lead to depression, moodiness, lack of concentration, slower metabolism, and low levels of blood sugar. It’s hard to imagine getting anything done at work if you’re starving and don’t have a clear mind!

The bottom line: in order to lose weight, you should never trust a fad diet. Instead, you should aim to reduce the amount of highly processed carbs found in white rice and white pasta and replace them with quality carbs found in beans and whole grains. Drinking more water, loading your plate with vegetables, eating fresh apples and grapes rather than dried fruits, eating lean meats, and using healthy cooking oils such as extra virgin olive oil or canola oil (along with moderate exercise) will help you lose weight and keep it off.

What is the worst diet tip you’ve ever heard? Share it with us!