Crash Diets: Risks, Rewards, and What to Know

Crash diets are very popular. The Centers for Disease Control predicts that two-thirds of all American adults, at any given time, are on a diet to lose or prevent weight gain.

Significance

• Typically, a crash diet rewards a dieter with rapid weight loss within a short time. While crash diets result in quick weight loss, the downside includes restrictions in calories and nutrition for a short period.

Time Frame

• While a typical weight loss diet is normally followed over an extended period of time, you should follow a crash diet for only a few days.

Types of Crash Diets

• Some of the top crash diets are the Cabbage Soup Diet, the Atkins Diet, the Three Day Diet, the Grapefruit Diet, the Metabolism Diet, the Scaresdale Diet, SlimFast, the 7 Day Diet, the Chicken Soup Diet and the Lemonade Diet.

Features of the Crash Diets

• All the crash diets involve an extreme amount of discipline with a promise of quick weight loss (7 to 10 lbs.) within a few days.

Fun Fact

• Singer and actress Beyonce Knowles used the Lemonade Diet to lose 20 pounds for her role in the Oscar Award-winning film, "Dreamgirls."

Warning

• It is always important to visit a doctor before starting any diet or exercise program.