Quick Fix or Long-Term Risk?

Watson Clinic Dietitian Weighs In on Social Media Diet Fads

- by REBEKAH PIERCE

All it takes is five minutes on TikTok or Instagram, and you'll see them: the hashtags, videos, and tutorials promising transformation, energy, and a brand new you, often endorsed by influencers with glowing skin and perfect abs.

They're tempting, to say the least, and promise a quick fix, whether from a cleanse to “reset” your gut, a diet to “melt” fat, or a juice cleanse to “remove toxins.”

But is there any credence to these claims or could they be doing more harm than good?

Nancy Ulm, a registered dietitian and a certified diabetes care and education specialist at Watson Clinic, is concerned.

She sees countless patients in her office who are drawn to these quick-fix diets for their simplicity. Unfortunately, she says, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

Some of the most common viral diets Ulm sees her patients attempting are the carnivore diet and other high-protein fads, along with intermittent fasting.

“I think they're popular because they promote quick fixes and can sometimes be a little bit simplified,” she says. “They kind of give step-by-step approaches to people who are feeling overwhelmed. It tells them exactly what they should and shouldn't be doing, and sometimes, it can seem easier.”

However, easy isn't always wise.