With summer just around the corner, more people are starting different diets in hopes of getting a lean, beach body.

But for many, fad diets prove unsuccessful.

“There’s been one study of a comparison of all of the diets,” said Amanda Salacinski, professor of kinesiology and physical education, adding that the study is the only one that has followed subjects long-term.

“The study looked over 120 subjects using Weight Watchers, The Zone, The Atkins Diet and The Ornish Diet [very low fat], and there was no significant weight loss,” she said.

Some students, like freshman undeclared major Sasha Genereau, have learned secondhand that trying to keep up with fad diets is a waste of time and energy.

“I’ve watched my mom try all the different diets and, although she has lost some weight, it isn’t enough to make me want to try them as well,” Genereau said.

Part of the reason fad diets aren’t successful is the demanding guidelines.

“One of the things concluded with the study was that they were too hard to follow,” Salacinski said.

It is important for people to be able to pinpoint the different fad diets.

“A way to access fad diets is to see if the diet provides a reasonable amount of calories, fat, protein and carbohydrates, because you never want to exclude one food group completely,” Salacinski said. “You always want the diets to recommend or encourage gradual weight loss.”

Most professionals agree that the most successful way to lose weight is proper diet and exercise.

“Americans are spending so much money on all these weight-loss products, when the way to lose weight is to consume less calories than you expire,” Salacinski said. “The weather is going to be nice, so hopefully people can be outside doing more things like playing volleyball at the beach or swimming in the pool.”

One must also consider finding a realistic diet that can be followed long-term.

“The bottom line is that small changes in lifestyle make big differences in health and wellness,” said FCNS assistant professor Amy Ozier,

Ozier recommends that dieters understand lifestyle goals create success.

“Diets should be seen as what one eats for nourishment and enjoyment that is an every day occurrence, not something one goes on and off,” she said.

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