Modern fad diets such as The Atkins Diet, The South Beach Diet, The Sugar Busters Diet, and others might be popular these days, but they are often ineffective. Any initial weight loss can often be chalked up to water weight, and efforts quickly taper off to an often disheartening rate. What’s more, unhealthy diets can actually hinder your progress towards your weight loss goals. The next time that you’re thinking about embarking on a new diet plan, here are some things to keep in mind to watch out for.

Promises of Shedding One to Two Pounds Per Week

It’s important to have realistic goals when dieting. Weight loss can be a slow process, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing as it enables you to come up with a plan to stick to. Losing weight slowly allows your skin to better adjust to changes in size, helping to prevent unsightly stretch marks. Diets that promise to help you lose weight abnormally quickly are not only unlikely to work, but may end up doing more harm than good.

Cutting Out Entire Food Groups

While it’s good to limit your intake of foods such as carbohydrates and sugars, it’s never a good idea to cut a food group out completely. Fad diets such as the Atkins Diet restrict your carb intake, preventing followers from eating certain healthy foods such as starchy fruits and vegetables. People who try to cut out too many food groups often end up starved for fiber and essential nutrients. Any diet that categorizes food as “good” or “bad” is usually one to be avoided.

Advertising Weight Loss Without Exercise

Changing your diet can work wonders for your figure, but it's not the only factor in play. When losing weight, it's important to exercise as well as diet to keep muscles looking sleek and toned. Any diet that promises to help you obtain the ideal shape without putting in any hours at the gym is likely to be a sham. Good dieticians will let you know that you have to stay active to see optimal weight loss effects from any changes to your diet.

If you’re trying to lose weight in time for the summer, it’s essential that you avoid falling into the trap of fad diets. Though they make lofty promises, most plans are unable to deliver and can leave you feeling worse than before. The best solution to weight loss is sticking to a healthy, balanced diet that includes plenty of lean meats and fresh produce.