Fad Diet

I've been hearing a lot about this new Morning Banana Diet that is taking Japan by storm, so I decided to do a little investigating on whether or not it's worth all the hype.

Basically, the rules behind the Morning Banana Diet (MBD) are relatively simple. Eat at least one banana for breakfast and anything you like for lunch and dinner, as long as you don't eat after 8 p.m. An afternoon snack is OK (even if it's unhealthy), but no desserts after meals and you're encouraged to drink only room temperature water. You'll need to go to bed by midnight and keep a food journal. Exercise is not necessary, and you shouldn't force yourself to do it if it stresses you out (WTF?).

If you remember the general rules of for spotting an unhealthy diet, you probably also remember that all diets should promote healthy eating and exercise. Clearly, the MBD does not, and therefore does not get a thumbs-up in my book — not to mention the fact that it's really not something you could do for the rest of your life (I don't care how much you love bananas). Yes, bananas are good for you, but so is exercise, as well as a lot of other fruits and veggies that you could incorporate into your breakfast.

When you read about a new diet and it seems too good to be true, chances are it is — a silver bullet does not yet exist, and we'll know if and when it does. Until then, the real key to keeping yourself healthy is to maintain healthy eating and keep moving.

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I've received many questions about Slim Shots lately so I thought I'd address the topic. Slim Shots are little vanilla-flavored oil filled (each dose contains oat and palm oil) shots to be taken at breakfast that claim to trigger the body’s natural appetite control mechanism, which is supposed to satisfy shot slingers for longer periods of time. Being satisfied longer ideally means that you would then eat less during the day and lose weight. The shots come in little dairy creamer-looking packages, and you take one or two shots a day, along with a healthy diet and regular exercise program — of course.

Slim Shots, while not my cup of tea, do not seem horrible to me (it's no Pink Patch, that's for sure). The site does not promise outrageous results and there are even some clinical studies to back the product up. It's not approved by the FDA and the other downside is that the shots are not cheap. A one month's supply is $40. While I'm still not 100 percent on how the product works (the explanation is a little vague), I do know that you could basically get the same benefits from foods with other good fats likes avocados and nuts. Me, I'd rather top my salad with avocado than slurp down a shot of oil on the side.

Have you ever tried Slim Shots? Share your experience below.

We've all tried a crazy diet at one point or another. My most ridiculous diet moment was when I decided to do the Cabbage Soup Diet in prep for a pal's wedding. I lasted up until banana and skim milk day, day four, where I could only consume bananas, skim milk and cabbage soup during the day. This was the last straw. I know I'm not the only fool who went on a ridiculous diet in search of the magic bullet. So speak up and share the most ridiculous diet (self created, mainstream, or otherwise) you've ever tried in the comments section below.

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With the large amount of diets out there it is hard to decipher what's legitimate and what's not. I've come up with five things to look out for when evaluating your current diet. Your diet is more than likely less than stellar if it:

1. Does not promote variety.
2. Does not promote healthy eating and exercise.
3. Does not allow you to eat solid foods.
4. Requires a membership of some sort, which requires more money.
5. Promises rapid or unbelievable results.
6. *Bonus: Requires that you buy special pills/supplements.

Have any more tips to add to the list? Then add them in the comments section below.

Anyone watching Good Morning America the other day may have seen the piece they did on The Cardio Free Diet ($13.80). Anyone who knows anything about exercise was probably just as stunned as I was.

The basic principal of the Cardio Free Diet is that cardio is a waste of time and it ruins your diet by making you hungry all of the time, so you shouldn't do it and should focus on weight training instead. I can see where Jim Karas, the author, was going with this book but it truly does not make sense in terms of real life application. Sure, lean muscle burns more calories at rest, but the overall benefits of cardio are plainly stated and researched across the world -- Cutting cardio out would be cutting you (and possibly your life) short. Don't even get me started on his recommended daily caloric intake of only 1200 calories. With or without cardio, I personally would be starving on only 1200 calories per day.

As always, I am having a hard time understanding why we all just can't grasp the fact that it is best all around to do cardio and resistance training along with eating right. Books like this may sound good and I am sure they appeal to those who truly hate cardio, but in my opinion, it's a love-hate relationship you need to learn.

Still interested, then buy the book from Amazon.com.

I understand that time is ticking and we are always looking for results that are quick and rapid. I understand where that comes from, but where does it stop?

The thing about it all that frustrates me the most is that when it comes to your body, quick and rapid are not terms that we should be looking for -- Especially when it comes to weight loss and exercise. Fad diets, much like cosmetic surgery, diet pills and steroids all promise fast results and America is definitely buying (literally and figuratively) into it.

A look at the top ten searches containing the term "diet" for the first week of 2007 were South Beach Diet, Atkins Diet, Diet Pills, Diet, Diet Plans, Cabbage Soup Diet, Free Diet Plans, You on a Diet, Special K Diet and Lemonade Diet. Proving that America is (and has been) obsessed with the magic bullet. The thing is, there is no magic bullet when it comes to your health. Yeah you can do the Cabbage Soup Diet and you'll probably even lose a few pounds, but it's just not healthy. I am not shocked that "healthy diet" did not show up anywhere on the list, but it is a pretty sad realization.

Eat right and exercise. Seriously, it works. Don't starve yourself. Don't eat only one food for two weeks. These things don't work and honestly, they just make the whole game of losing weight an endless and miserable battle.

I don't know maybe you love Special K that much, but for those of us that don't -- Change your lifestyle. Figure out a way that you can incorporate eating healthy and getting more active into your life because once you do, you'll be a lot more successful and healthy.

A writer with the Associated Press thinks our fair country is due for a new fad diet since carbs were demonized oh so long ago. Will it be a revival of the grapefruit diet returning from the 80s along with leg warmers and pegged jeans? I'm thinking something involving green tea and miso soup sounds more 2007. What do you think?

Well the Calorie Control Council has made some very optimistic predictions for dieting trends for the year 2007. They are:

1) Restaurants will serve more low-calorie and reduced-fat foods.

2) Consumers will create personalized eating plans, instead of eliminating entire food groups (read carbs).

3) Exercise will become part of the “everyday.”

4) Functional light foods will gain popularity.(I'm still trying to figure this one out - I think apples, bananas and oranges are functional since they travel well in a purse, diaper or gym bag.)

5) Healthy living will become a family matter as childhood obesity becomes more of a publicized issue.

None of these predictions scream FAD to me. They seem a bit more like sound advice we should all consider turning into personal trends this year.

Visit the Calorie Control website for more information on dieting and health.

The lengths that people will go to, just to lose weight, never cease to amaze me, but this method may take the cake.

Recently I have been hearing a lot about the Remnant Fellowship Church in Franklin, Tennessee. This church preaches about God and weight loss in the Weigh Down Diet program. Amazingly enough, Weigh Down is the most successful Christian weight loss program in the country, which has many people flocking to Gwen Shamblin (pictured), the leader of Remnant, like fixated moths to a bright light.

The basics of the Remnant Fellowship are this: overeating is a sin. Her book The Weigh Down Diet, which has sold over a million copies worldwide stresses the benefits of eating tiny bites and objects to exercising to offset your caloric intake. The scare tactics and shame methods keep followers in line by telling them overeating will result in hell.

The best part. Remnant does not allow theological debate, and free will is basically out the door. Shamblin directs those with questions to her 800 number.

My take on this whole thing: The best way to lose weight from the Weigh Down Diet is by running (very, very fast) in the opposite direction of the Remnant Fellowship. This diet is cult-like and unhealthy, not only for the body but for the mind as well. I am all for a support group when trying to get fit, but not a support group that tells you it's either weight loss or hell. Shamblin is making millions while her followers are contemplating suicide, that's just not right.

Brent Buckman, attorney and former contestant on The Apprentice swears by his new diet: The Bagel Diet. Sounds rather ridiculous doesn't it? Well that is because it is. In a nutshell, this is the diet:

• BREAKFAST: One Bagel toasted with light/low fat margarine and a glass of water.
• LUNCH: One Bagel toasted with light/low fat margarine and a glass of water.
• SNACK: One Bagel toasted with light/low fat margarine and a glass of water.
• DINNER: One Bagel with 8 ounces of meat (lean hamburger meat, chicken, steak (none of them fried) or 97%, 98% or 99% fat free sliced deli chicken breast or sliced deli turkey breast).
• TREATS: One meal or dessert once a week, which has lots of calories (such as, chicken fingers and cheese fries or pizza or cake or an ice cream sundae, etc).
• EXERCISE: No exercise necessary.
• Drink lots of water throughout the day.

This diet is not only boring, but lacks any kind of nutrition value -- Has this guy ever heard of a vegetable or fruit? Not to mention that it lacks incorporating any kind of physical activity. While it may have worked as a weight loss tool for Brent, I would not recommend this diet, not even to my worst enemy.