Crash weight loss plans and fad diets are an unwise alternative to permanent healthy eating habits, according to the American Heart Association.

What is a fad diet? It's a well marketed diet with some hair brained scheme to lose weight in an impossible manner, often by eating nothing but one food like a cabbage.

One food or one type of food is generally overemphasized with fad quick weight loss diets. They violate the first principle of good nutrition which is to eat a balanced diet including a variety of foods. Because no one food has all the nutrients needed for good health, these diets can result in a lot of health problems. The Cabbage Soup Diet is an example. This so-called fat-burning soup is eaten mostly with fruits and vegetables. People supposedly lost 10-17 pounds in only a week, eating mostly cabbage soup. Even if the weight loss claim were true, all the damage due to a lack of a host of important nutrients would far outweigh (pun intended) the benefits of losing the weight. Pixies, elves and fairies, or even cabbages, can't create magical weight loss. Moderation in eating all the major food groups is the best bet.

These crazy diets also ignore a second important principle of good nutrition which is that eating should be enjoyable.. It's impossible to stay on these diets for a long time because they're so bland. Imagine eating cabbage soup, nothing but cabbage soup, for even a few days much less for a whole week. By Wednesday you'd dread meal time, and by Friday you'd never again want to look at a cabbage much less eat the soup. If you make it to Sunday you might die of a heart attack before you ever again tasted real food.

Boredom isn't the only reason fad diets aren't good ones. Most don't talk about exercise, such as aerobics for 30 minutes a day every day. While doing nothing can lead to heart problems, exercise is a major element of maintaining proper weight. When a diet includes no need for a workout, run the other way.

Quick weight loss sounds great. It is possible. But if a program sounds too good to be true, it is.