side effects of popular diets?

The two most popular diets are:

- Calorie restricted diet
- Atkins diet

Neither diet is effective over a period of one year or more (Gina Kolata "Rethinking Thin"). The human body is architected to prevent starvation and was not designed to handle the amount of fat, oil, sugars, and additives in the standard American diet today. When you eat too few calories, your body automatically reduces metabolizm and stores fat. Calorie restricted diets go against the hard wiring of the human brain.

Atkins is down right dangerous according to Dr. Neal Barnard and Dr. Dean Ornish (among many experts in human nutrition). The risk of heart disease, obesity, stroke, some cancers, and diabetes can be expected to increase in this diet. The diet is high in cholesterol and fat and will cause cardiovascular disease

The one diet that seems to work universally when a person follows it for life is a pure vegetarian diet. According to the experts listed before and Dr Calwell Esselstyn, Jr. this is an ideal diet. I lost 50 pounds by changing my eating habits in this way. Vegetarians must be careful to get enough vitamin B12, vitamin D, and Omega-3 fatty acids. These can be added with supplements.