10 most googled diets of 2016

Every year, consumers search for that magical diet that will help them lose weight. While I dream that, one day, loads of people will ask, “How can I eat healthy without restricting?” that’s far from the most popular search. Here’s what consumers searched for most in 2016:

1. GOLO Diet

The GOLO Diet, created by Dr. Keith Ablow and a team of doctors, claims to optimize your insulin levels while reducing fat storages in your body. The three-tiered program, which includes a daily supplement called Release, customized meal planning and a guide, costs $39.95 per month. Release supposedly kicks starts your metabolism, reduces hunger and cravings, and regulates insulin levels. Sound too good to be true? Well, it probably is. There is absolutely no conclusive scientific evidence to support any of these claims. I am weary of any diet that strictly promotes buying its products in order to be successful — and so should you.

2. Taco Diet

The Taco Diet isn’t really a diet. It’s a cookbook by some very creative authors (they call themselves “vegan taco scientists”) who knew that if they included the word “cleanse” in the title, it would sell. Boy, were they right. Their book, “The Taco Cleanse,” includes 30 days of vegan taco recipes. Their hope is that by enjoying the recipes, you will “cleanse” your body of processed foods. But, in the true sense of the word, a taco is actually “processed.”

[See: ‘Healthy’ Foods You Shouldn’t Be Eating.]

3. Military Diet Substitute

The gist of this diet is three days on and four days off. During the “on” days, you consume less than 1,000 calories, and during the “off” days, you can take in around 1,500. In other words, on the “on” days you starve yourself and on the “off” days you diet. Anyone will lose weight with this crazy plan because, on it, you basically eat nothing. What I find very funny is that the website states: “One of the greatest advantages of the Military Diet is definitely its simple, straight-forward and easy-to-follow diet plan.” But then why are so many people searching for substitutes for the plan? It also states: “This diet may not be every person’s first choice simply because it’s quite restrictive in terms of the food types it offers.” Bingo.

4. Atkins 40

I really do give Dr. Atkins a lot of credit: Even though he is no longer alive, it seems that one version or another of his diet keeps on living. The latest to gain popularity, mainly thanks to celebrities such as Alyssa Milano and Kim Kardashian, is Atkins 40. On this diet plan, you are allowed 40 grams of net carbohydrates — or the carbohydrate content of a food minus the grams of fiber and sugar alcohols — a day. You can also eat three 4- to 6-ounce servings of protein and two to four servings of fat each day. The diet does seem doable; however, in my opinion, restricting carbs is always a red flag. Any long-term successful diet can’t be about eliminating the foods we love, but rather about learning to eat them in a healthier way.

[See: The 10 Best Diets for Fast Weight Loss.]

5. Ketogenic Diet

I first heard about the ketogenic diet when I was a nutrition student volunteering at a hospital in New York City. It was used as a dietary protocol to help young children who had epilepsy. The diet is very high in fat, supplies adequate protein and very is low in carbohydrates. Many of today’s strong supporters claim it will reprogram your metabolism, lower your body fat and make you feel and perform better. But here’s the thing: The scientific community still connects a very high-fat diet with an increased risk of heart disease. And, putting your body into a ketogenic state, which is caused by cutting way back on carbs, is not something you should take lightly. I could also do without side effects such as increased urination, bad breath, fatigue, vomiting and confusion.

6. Dissociated Diet

The entire premise of this diet is based on the belief that if you consume only one type of food per day, you will not gain weight. Followers have three options: Make each meal from different food groups (the suggested option until you reach your weight goal or the two-month mark), dedicate each day to eating foods from a single food group or follow a plan I can’t tell you about it because it just confuses me. The diet also provides a long list of tips including: Eat your last meal by 7 p.m., don’t drink fluids during meals and never drink caffeine or alcohol. Basically, I think this diet is just dissociated with reality.

7. The Wild Diet

The Wild Diet isn’t as wild as you might think. Some of it actually makes sense. Its entire premise is to eat more like our grandparents — if they ate plenty of whole and naturally-edible foods in the quantities they naturally existed in the world. It recommends eating as many veggies as you’d like, enjoying pasture-raised meats or wild seafood, and taking in fats like grass-fed butter, hard cheese, nuts and avocado. Caffeine and alcohol are on the approved list. OK, I can get on board with that. But here’s where the diet loses me: “By prioritizing foods found in the wild, you return your body to its optimal fat-burning state,” author Abel James writes. I can’t find any science to back this comment up. The diet also is also anti-gluten, which, unless you have a gluten intolerance or celiac disease, is totally unnecessary.

8. Pizza Diet

Back in 2009, Matt McClellan, a 40-year-old father and long-time cyclist who just happens to own two pizza restaurants, decided to go on a month-long, pizza-only diet and lost almost 30 pounds. Over the last six years, he’s perfected this diet to include six slices of thin crust pizza topped with veggies, healthy fats and lean protein. He avoids pepperoni, sausage and extra cheese. It all adds up to 2,400 calories a day. I agree pizza can be the ideal vehicle for nutritious toppings like Matt’s, but I just can’t agree with any diet that emphasizes one type of food. Plus, many people will not see any success on 2,400 calories a day.

9. Dukan Diet

This isn’t the first time I’ve written about the Dukan Diet, and it probably won’t be my last. The diet consists of four stages, each with their own rules: attack, cruise, consolidation and stabilization. Personally, I am never a big fan of a diet with so many stages, since it can get awfully confusing. I also find that many people stay in a stage longer than they should. There are definitely some pros: eating plenty of veggies (even though he does limit the types) and lean protein, drinking lots of water and exercising daily. But for the longest time, the diet consists of mostly protein; in other words, just another restrictive diet with the risk of putting your body into ketosis.

[See: 7 Diet Mistakes Sabotaging Your Weight Loss.]

10. Mono Diet

This plan is similar to the disassociated diet, but it goes one step further. Advocates believe that eating a single type of food is the answer to weight loss. The most “famous” of mono diet devotees is Freelee, “the Banana Girl” from Australia, who regularly blends 10 to 15 bananas into one breakfast smoothie and then repeats it for lunch and dinner. How she is not totally constipated I have no idea. (Maybe it’s because she does admit to including a minuscule amount of nutrients from additional sources like coconut water, potatoes or other fruits and veggies. Lucky her.) This diet is a surefire way to lead your body into malnutrition. We need to eat a variety of foods because different nutrients are essential to the functioning of our bodies. Maybe next year, Googlers will be asking about that.