People are always on the lookout for the newest diet that says it can help them lose weight quickly and without much effort. But it's important to be careful, because while there are some good ways to lose weight, there are also many scams. These scams can waste your time and money, and might even make your metabolism slower. So, how do you figure out if a weight-loss plan is really effective or just a passing trend? Here are four important things you should pay attention to.

So be wary of any diet that promises more than that. Losing weight faster might mean you’re not eating enough calories, which will decrease your metabolism , leave you feeling exhausted and affect your hormone health. In addition, these quick weight-loss methods usually end badly. The majority of people that lose weight at a fast rate end up gaining the weight back and sometimes double.

If you want to learn how eat your favorite foods while still getting great results, my 1:1 Coaching program can teach you everything you need to know. The goal is to be in a calorie deficit and you can accomplish this while still eating your favorite foods. So steer clear of any diet that severely restricts your intake of essential nutrients.

Unfortunately, companies such as Herbalife, Optavia, Weight Watchers, and Jenny Craig just to mention a few, fall into this category of fad diets. These fad diets only allow you to lose some weight because they put you on an extreme calorie deficit which downregulates your metabolism, harms your hormones, and will cause you to regain the lost weight.

With so many diets looking for your attention, it can be hard to know which ones are worth your time and money—and which are nothing more than empty promises. By keeping an eye out for these four key red flags, you can avoid falling victim to a fad diet and instead focus on finding a real solution so that you can sustainably reach your goals.