Fad Diets: If It Sounds Too Good to Be True… It Probably Is

If you’ve been around long enough, you’ve seen this movie before.

Grapefruit diets. Cabbage soup cleanses. “Miracle” teas, lollipops, powders, and celebrity-endorsed shortcuts that promise fast weight loss with zero effort. The packaging changes, but the pitch stays the same: Lose weight quickly, fix everything, don’t ask questions.

And almost every time, the ending is the same too — disappointment, frustration, and sometimes real harm.

Why Fad Diets Are Especially Risky After 50

As we age, our bodies become less tolerant of extremes. Crash dieting doesn’t just make life miserable — it can actively work against healthy aging.

Common risks include:

• Loss of muscle mass, which directly affects strength, balance, and independence

• Low energy and poor recovery, making workouts and daily activities harder

• Nutrient deficiencies that impact bone health, immunity, and cognition

• A slower metabolism, often caused by under-eating or cutting out entire food groups

  
  

In other words, fad diets push you in the opposite direction of what most people want as they age: strength, energy, resilience, and confidence.

How to Spot a Fad Diet

If a plan checks one or more of these boxes, proceed with caution:

• Promises fast results with little or no effort

• Eliminates common foods without a medical reason

• Relies on testimonials instead of research

• Claims to be new, secret, or revolutionary

• Makes you feel guilty or ashamed for eating normally

  
  

Sustainable health never comes with a countdown clock.

What Actually Works (And Always Has)

Healthy eating is a lot like exercise. It’s not about perfection — it’s about consistency.

That means:

• Eating real food, most of the time

• Getting enough protein to support muscle

• Including fiber-rich foods for digestion and heart health

• Building habits you can realistically maintain

  
  

Most importantly, it means developing a healthy relationship with food, not one built on fear, rules, or punishment.

There’s no magic diet. No shortcut. And definitely no cabbage requirement.

If you want guidance that supports strength, longevity, and real life, we’re here to help.