Popular Fad Diets, Ranked From Best to Worst
Volumetrics Diet
This diet is all about the numbers. It is guided by Barbara Rolls' book, The Original Volumetrics Diet, which teaches people to eat lower-density foods, which are the ones with fewer calories per gram. It means that those who follow this diet will eat fewer calories yet still feel full due to the density of the products consumed. Volumetrics contains four food groups, which are separated by density in Categories one to four. Category One contains the lowest-density foods, like watery fruits and vegetables and some soups. It goes up to the fourth category, which includes carb-heavy, fatty foods like oils and cookies. Those who follow the Volumetrics Diet should binge on the Category One and avoid Category Four, but focus on the ones in between as it is where items like grains, fruits, and vegetables are found. Foods high in water are encouraged since water adds density without the calories. One study of obese women on a low-energy-dense diet shows that they lost an average of 11 pounds over a year, so it proves that it is an effective diet for weight loss.