There are hundreds of different diets out there. The internet has made it easier for people to find all kinds of diets—healthy or not—in just minutes. Unfortunately, fad diets become incredibly popular, but they often aren’t healthy. In fact, some fad diets are actually quite dangerous. Plunkett Fitness is here to tell you the truth about 8 of the strangest fad diets around.
1. The Cotton Ball Diet
For some reason, the Cotton Ball Diet took off when people learned that they could just dip five cotton balls in orange juice and swallow them to curb hunger. Unfortunately, cotton balls aren’t easy to digest, and they can cause choking or even an obstruction in the intestines.
2. The Blood Type Diet
The Blood Type Diet states that your nutritional needs are based on your blood type. It was developed by a naturopathic physician named Dr. Peter D’Adamo. He stated that people on the same diet see different results because they have different blood types. Supposedly, in only two weeks, people start to lose weight, have more energy, and have fewer headaches. Better digestive health, reduced asthma symptoms, and fewer bouts of heartburn are also supposed benefits of the Blood Type Diet.
In this diet, Type O’s need animal protein and intense exercise, but should avoid dairy and grains. Type A’s should eat a vegetarian diet full of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables. The robust digestive systems of Type B’s can tolerate a variety of foods, but they should participate in cycling, hiking, tennis, and swimming. AB Types should combine the A and B Type diets.
3. The hCG Diet
Pregnant women naturally produce a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin, also known as hCG. If you aren’t a pregnant woman, however, you won’t produce the hormone behind this fad diet. To take part in this diet, you need to be injected with hCG. These shots are legal when administered by a healthcare professional, however, dieters often also use hCG drops, pellets, and spray, all of which have been made illegal in the United States.
Additionally, this diet limits you to just 500 calories each day for eight weeks and comes with a list of side effects. Side effects include fatigue, depression, and irritability. In men and boys, breast tissue can also swell. The limited calories that are consumed during the hCG Diet can lead to blood clots, irregular heartbeat, and gallstones.
4. The Baby Food Diet
Does eating 14 jars of baby food every day sound good to you? If so, it’s really too bad that you missed out on the Baby Food Diet. This diet requires you to eat 14 jars of baby food each day, followed by a regular meal. The baby food lacks fiber, which can lead to digestive issues. Since baby food is a puree, it is also likely that you will eat the baby food too quickly and overeat. Plus, not all baby foods are low calorie, so you may be ingesting just as many calories as you would with a regular, healthy diet.
5. The Tapeworm Diet
The name kind of gives this diet away. This diet requires participants to swallow a capsule filled with tapeworm eggs. The parasites will hatch and grow, and then they will absorb some of the food and nutrients you consume. These parasites can cause all kinds of symptoms, and they can even damage organs and stay in your body for up to 30 years.
6. The Cigarette Diet
Today, we know all the dangers surrounding cigarettes, but in the 1920s, cigarettes were used to help people not overeat. The idea is to smoke a cigarette instead of eating when you start to feel hungry. Cigarettes were used to stave off hunger, but now we know that they increase a smoker’s risk for lung cancer. This diet did often lead to weight loss, because nicotine is a stimulant and cigarettes don’t contain calories, but the dangers outweigh the benefits of this diet.
7. The Slimming Soap Diet
The Slimming Soap Diet was popular in the 1930s. Those who couldn’t find a good way to drop the pounds with exercise started to rely on special soap products, such as “Fat-O-No” and “Fatoff.” All you can do to was rub this soap all over yourself and rinse it off to start losing weight. Unfortunately, these soaps are nothing more than hand soaps. Instead, all these soaps do is leave your skin feeling soft and smooth.
8. The Sleeping Beauty Diet
For the Sleeping Beauty Diet, you will need a doctor who is willing to sedate you for several hours. While you rest up, your body is deprived of food, so you can’t gain weight, right? Well, it is never a good idea to starve your body of food and exercise, which is essentially all the Sleeping Beauty Diet does.
For real results, consult with one of Plunkett Fitness’ Overland Park personal trainers who also specialize in nutrition guidance. With a solid diet and exercise plan, you will start to shed pounds in a safe and healthy way. To get started, call Plunkett Fitness today at 913-390-3360.
