A fad diet is one that gives huge weight loss promises with no sensible plan. It lacks balance and a day to day maintenance plan. Some for instance may only recommend one type of food. Whatever diet plan you are on you want to assure will supply you with calcium, carbs, fats and necessary vitamins and minerals.

Even if you did lose weight initially through an extreme diet plan, by regaining weight after it ends there is a psychological discouragement which can be harmful and keep one in the yo-yo cycle of up and down weight gain and loss.

Be wary of any diet that focuses on just carbs or just proteins or a specific fruit or vegetable or all green foods etc. Doing a 3 day cleansing diet is fine as that's time limited but what is needed is a program that will work with your food tastes and predilections which you can embrace and live daily. Avoid a starvation type of diet as the mind and body will want to compensate by swinging the other way and then there'll be weight gain and disappointments.