People will do just about anything to lose weight — except for eating whole foods, exercising regularly, and getting 7-9 hours of sleep, that is. As a result, countless diets have claimed to be the quickest and easiest ways to shed fat throughout the years.

There are the popular eating regimens, which include the Atkins diet, South Beach diet, paleo, carnivore, veganism, Vertical Diet, intermittent fasting, and keto. Countless athletes, celebrities, and Instagram influencers have endorsed these.

And then there are some … we’ll say “unique” approaches to fat loss. These methods range from pseudo-scientific — with some evidence to back up their credibility — to downright psychotic.

We decided to run down 10 of the craziest ideas and weigh the pros (if there are any) and cons. To do that, we tapped Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Malina Malkani, MS, RDN, CDN, creator of Solve Picky Eating and author of Simple & Safe Baby-Led Weaning, to get her professional take on all of them.

It should go without saying, but unless otherwise noted these diets should be avoided at all costs. And if you ask Malkani, that’s the case with most diets.

“There is no one-size-fits-all approach to weight loss, wellness or nutrition that works for every individual, and there are many factors that contribute to weight gain, including insulin and/or leptin resistance, certain medications and diseases, hormonal changes, environment, genetics, and food availability,” she says. “In general, it’s important to note that we have overwhelming evidence at this point that diets (and especially fad diets) don’t work in the long term.”

If you’re looking for an effective weight-loss program, you should consult a medical professional such as a nutritionist or dietitian to address your individual needs and goals.

Healthy fit female wearing work out clothing and eating a salad for her volumetrics diet

Top 10 Popular Diet Fads of This Year

Did you try one of these diets this year?

Read article