Fad Diets Versus Dietary Guidelines (continued)
Reprinted with permission of the American Institute for Cancer Research.

Why Fad Diets Don't Work

The notion of the "quick fix" is central to all fad diets. So, too, is the mistaken belief that a change in our bodies can only result from a radical change in how we eat. After all, we look to these diet plans not for help making gradual, long-term adjustments to our overall lifestyle, but to "melt fat in just two weeks!"

That's an important distinction. The word diet originally comes from the Greek diaita, which means "manner of living." Scientists and nutritionists agree that any long-term program of weight loss and maintenance must be more than a matter of rationing carbohydrates and calculating calories. It must extend to the entire "manner of living."

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