Fad diets have bled billions of dollars out of the bank accounts of millions of Americans. If they all promise the same basic results, then why are there so many different diets out there? A former acquaintance in the health industry told me a few years ago that most of these fad diets are more about making money than they are about weight loss and improving health and that’s why there are so many different ones. He told me that if I could develop my own diet that helped people lose weight and improved at least one aspect of their health that I could most likely be a millionaire in just a couple of years.

Looking at many of the diets out there, most say they will help you lose weight but from there, they differ. Some say they help reduce and control blood sugar, some blood pressure, some cholesterol, heart disease, cancer and other ailments and conditions.

We also probably know someone who has had success on their diet program and then try to push or convince everyone else they know to go on the same diet program. They believe that it’s the best diet in the world and will work for everyone.

Guess what – there is NO diet program that works the same for everyone!

Why? Because everyone is different. Some have similar conditions, but their bodies react differently to the same thing. If you look up many different health conditions, you will find that NOT everyone has all of the same symptoms. They may share some symptoms with most others with the same condition, but that’s as far as it goes.

Saying all that, here are dietary tips you may or may not want to try and they are gleamed from a hand full of some of the current fad diets.

• Whole30 diet – the basics of this diet is that you eat whole foods – veggies lean proteins, natural fats, some fruits and plenty of spices and herbs. One study showed that eating a grilled cheese sandwich made with whole-grain bread and cheddar cheese had the same calories as one made with white bread and American cheese, but those that ate the first sandwich experience a 50% increase in post-meal calorie burning. Therefore, you may want to look at more whole-grain foods.
• Paleo diet – from the paleo diet, makes the point of making sure you eat enough natural fiber every day. This is found in non-starchy vegetables and low-carb fruit.
• Ketogenic diet – emphasizes very low carbs (non-starchy vegetables) and lots of protein. It’s been proven that vegetarians and vegans often suffer from a lack of protein and end up having to take supplements to  provide the necessary proteins the body needs to function properly.
• Weight Watchers (now known simply as WW) – it has added some form of meditation to the diet, which is based on eating in moderation. Rather than 3 big meals a deal, better to have 3 moderate meals with a few healthy snacks in between.
• Mediterranean diet – emphasizes increasing the intake of healthy natural fats like that found in olive oil, nuts and avocados.
• Intuitive eating (the anti-diet) – keys on reducing the amount of mental energy and stress of trying to adhere to other diets. Many people end up quitting their diets due to the mental stress and failure to meet all goals. Bottom line is to not get stressed over keeping your diet and meeting every goal.
• Intermittent fasting – eliminates a lot of snacking, especially after the evening meal. After eating dinner, don’t eat again until breakfast. This goes against many other diets that recommend a small healthy snack about 2 hours after dinner. You be the judge.

Again, these are only some of the highlights of each diet and some do contradict each other, but then, like I said earlier, everyone is different and what works for one doesn’t necessarily work for everyone else. You know your body better than anyone else, except maybe your doctor. If you feel compelled to go on some kind of diet, it’s recommended that you talk with your doctor or a nutritionist, do some research and don’t just cling to one specific fad diet, but combine the aspects of each that work best for you or best meets your specific health needs.