Many many years ago, I paid big bucks to be put on a restrictive 480 calories a day regimen. Had to go in everyday(huge hassle) and while I lost weight quickly, I still hit a plateau while in starvation mode. needless to say, this was not a success story. As I started reintroducing food back into my diet, there was no counseling as to how to keep from going "hog wild" on items I had been craving for a year. From this I learned many things. First and foremost, don't pay big bucks to lose weight, don't starve yourself ever again, and that I can come up with a better plan that works for me! And guess what? I did! - 6/17/2013   11:10:47 AM

I truly like Dr. Oz but have found that he switches ideas on the 'latest and greatest' way to lose weight. Tried eating seeds (nasty but I did it) and lost nothing. Friends have tried the 'green coffee bean' and haven't lost anything either so...not as trusting of his advice on this subject anymore. - 6/12/2013   1:36:21 PM

The "Mayo Clinic" diet - which I later learned has nothing to do with the Mayo Clinic. It was three days and consisted on a random variety of blandness, like a banana and a hard boiled egg one day; tuna another day, but no banana, a hot dog and i think back to the egg. I can't really remember and I did try it for a three day period, but i was miserable. - 6/10/2013   2:41:17 PM

To ArielW's comment that muscle weighs more than fat. Only if you are talking about the same VOLUME. The ONLY difference between one pound of fat and one pound of muscle is that the muscle is LESS VOLUME. So, technically, if you replace a pound of fat with a pound of muscle, you would be smaller but you would be the SAME weight.

As far as the frozen vegetables, I've eat them when they've dropped out of the bag when I'm opening it...pretty sure I won't be snacking on them anytime soon. :) - 6/9/2013   6:43:52 PM

I have to play my favorite game now: Devil's Advocate! (However, I'm not trying to start any feuds, arguments, or troll wars... just some opinions prior to my list of the WORST diet advice I've ever heard.)

1. From reading this post & the comments, I actually put frozen vegetables on my list to try noshing on them for my snack!!
2. Some people were saying Weight Watchers was no good, but I'm a dedicated WW advocate. It teaches life-long healthy eating for the real world. No food is taboo, you can eat whatever you want IF you eat it in moderation! Also, they use positive reinforcement techniques (which have been studied by psychologists & proven effective) to encourage users to exercise more: by exercising, you get more "points" that you can then eat! But, it's true, some WW advisers aren't the best -- they don't usually have qualifications or degrees in nutrition or dieting, mostly they're volunteers from the community.
3. Muscle DOES weigh more than fat. It's denser tissue, which increases its weight. That's not to say that 180lbs isn't 180lbs; it means if a person eats healthy & exercises every single day, he/she may find they stay the same weight or gain weight, not because he/she was unhealthy, but because he/she gained muscle mass. As muscle takes the place of fat, the weight of the tissue increases. From what I've heard (again, could be bad dieting advice!) many people gain when they start working out because the muscle is movin' in!

BAD DIETING ADVICE:
1. Nutri-system! Not only is it super expensive, but it's really restrictive! A close friend tried it & she could only eat 1 TEASPOON of fat (healthy fat, though, like peanut butter). The diet even restricted her vegetable intake & said "no fruit"! In the end, she was starving, but lost weight.... & gained a sodium level that was through the roof!
2. Tapeworms. 'Nuff said.
3. "Women should never lift weights because they'll look like men: all bulky with no breasts." Lifting light weights with more reps will give women toned bodies with more muscle mass that burns fat while you're sitting! (Well, not exactly, but muscles continue burning fat after you work out for about 30 minutes.) - 6/7/2013   1:39:45 AM

Colon cleanse! - 6/4/2013   7:13:39 AM

Weigh yourself every day. Worst advice since weight can fluctuate so drastically and then folks get discouraged and lose momentum. Once a week is just fine. - 5/31/2013   8:18:19 PM

The grapefruit diet. - 5/13/2013   11:10:31 AM

My ex husband told me "just don't eat anything." - 5/10/2013   8:37:09 PM

Just read a post on facebook the other day that said to loose weigh start smoking. It will help with the cravings. I've smoked for years and it does not help with the cravings for food, although many have said that when you try to quit smoking they gained a lot of weight. As a kid I remember the grapefruit diet. I got hungry a lot on that and I think the grapefruit was trying to eat it's own way through my stomach causing more hunger. Lots of stupid diets out there. - 5/10/2013   1:58:39 AM

Eat only protein, but no more than 1000 calories per day! - 5/8/2013   12:21:30 PM

I tried the Micro-diet in high school... you could only eat like 1000 calories a day, and the packets were soooo nasty. And I was still hungry. Duh. That didn't last long.

The most recent bad advice came from the PE coach at the elementary school where I teach...he was trying to get me to buy Skinny Fiber from him... boasted that in made you feel full, so he was down to eating one meal a day. he brought me a brochure that cited Wikipedia as a source. - 5/7/2013   12:19:30 PM

I was once on a program that allowed NO ONIONS after lunch time!!! - 5/6/2013   10:14:37 PM

Someone told me I should drink coke with my meal. Coke is fat free and even skim milk (which is what I had at the time) has some fat in it. - 5/6/2013   1:16:55 PM

I think any of the diets that promise weight loss in a 2 or 3 week program are suspect. As far as I can tell, it takes a commitment to lifestyle change to really be successful in weight loss, improved health, and positive body changes. - 5/6/2013   10:57:45 AM

Someone once told me that the reason I was overweight was a lack of willpower, and that all I needed in order to lose weight was more willpower. Nothing like shaming people into not doing what you suggest. - 5/6/2013   8:14:58 AM

People have told me that to lose weight I need to start treating food as an annoying necessity divorced from any emotional connection. Yeah, THAT'LL work! - 5/5/2013   11:36:55 PM

I started eating more whole foods - tons of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, etc. - and I lost weight and felt amazing. When I told my mom that I had so much energy from the high-quality, complex carbs, she said, "But carbs are bad." (My dad is an Atkins devotee and my mom parrots what he says.) Uhhhhh, sure, Mom. All carbs are bad and evil and out to get you. Spinach is bad and oats are bad and oranges are bad and apples are bad and... I can't even. - 5/5/2013   4:30:00 PM

A friend has been eating one meal a day since October. She has lost weight-at least 30 pounds maybe more based on what she looked like this morning when I saw her. She has been up and down in weight for years (she's 70 years old) I am concerned about what this is doing to her body, but she is so happy that she is losing weight there is nothing I can say to convince her to reconsider. - 5/5/2013   4:02:45 PM

Someone once told me that all my problems would be solved if only I'd go on a total raw, vegan diet. Yeah, I have crohn's disease and can't handle tons of fiber. It would solve all my problems but I'd be DEAD! - 5/4/2013   9:43:03 PM

I started a program. I needed to be accountable to someone, keep a food journal, all that jazz. The lady was just weird though. Unfortunately I signed a contract for 12 weeks, so was determined to see it through. She said that I should never count anything, including calories! Oh yea, and no fruit after 2pm. Couldn't quite figure that one out. When she told me I was a fool for not taking Juice Plus pills, I got a little offended and stopped going, screw the contract! I just couldn't see why taking pills was better than eating good old fresh fruits and veggies. - 5/4/2013   7:23:41 PM

I love frozen fruit too: strawberries, peaches, pineapples, and mangoes. Takes away my craving for a sweet treat! - 5/4/2013   6:22:27 PM

Personal trainer told me fruits are poisonous to the body if eaten after noon. LOL. Needless to day, haven't seen her again. - 5/4/2013   5:52:19 PM

I had a doctor who looked at me and immediately offered to write me a prescription for phen-fen. I looked at him, and asked why he didn't suggest I try cutting calories and exercise then told him I would lose weight when I was ready and switched doctors. I still get advice from well meaning people to cut carbs in order to lose weight. I merely remind them that I have lost a great deal of weight whole eating a balanced diet and perhaps they should consider eating carbs to improve their own weight loss efforts. - 5/4/2013   5:50:05 PM

The 5 day egg diet. For 5 out of 7 days you had to eat hard boiled eggs whenever you were hungry and drink water with them. fruit and veg were allowed with the eggs but nothing else. I would of tried it if I lived alone but the family wouldnt be happy if i had 'egg gas' constantly!
- 5/4/2013   5:48:43 PM

LOL I actually love frozen peas. Now that they're a diet food - bonus! My worst diet plan ever - Junk food, Monster & Water. When you're hungry, you drink water. If that doesn't fill your craving, after about 15 minutes you can have 10-15 chips or cheetos or whatever. Just eat it slowly and don't have a full serving, only enough to take away hunger pains. When you run out of energy (because on this diet, you will!) sip on about 4 ounces of Monster. - 5/4/2013   5:45:07 PM

When I was an exchange student in Spain, many years ago, my host-sister said drinking water with meals made you fat. - 5/4/2013   5:43:04 PM

"If you want to lose weight just eat sandwiches!" (only one.) -My Dad. - 5/4/2013   5:37:07 PM

My mom started giving me frozen peas when I was a kid as a snack. You'd be surprised... it actually WORKS. However, I don't use them as a "diet aid" per se... I just use them as a cold, non-ice-cream snack food while watching TV.

Besides, according to the back of a pack of frozen peas I have, it says it's 70 calories for a 2/3 cup serving, 4 grams fiber, 5 grams protein... seems legit to me. - 5/4/2013   5:36:44 PM

My dad claims ice cream helps promote weight loss and you can eat all you want. - 5/4/2013   5:35:11 PM

I didn't get this advice but my FH told me about someone who came into his restaurant (he's a manager at Arby's). This guy came in and asked for a cup of water, but only half full. The way he figures, since 70% of our body is made up of water, if we drink less water, we'll lose a part of that percentage and therefore lose weight.

Scary what some people think! - 5/4/2013   5:34:22 PM

I saw a TV show that investigated fad diets and such. They found a 'cookie diet' That seemed odd. - 5/4/2013   1:41:37 PM

When I was a tiny girl, my parents made me eat everything on my plate. My role model was supposed to be my older brother, who grew to be 6'6" and I am 5'9". It's amazing how long some of those messages stay with us as I have only recently been cutting restaurant portions in half and measuring my foods for the amounts I really should eat. I know my parents meant well, but they should have let me decide amounts for myself. I did that for my kids and they are not fat. - 5/4/2013   1:34:21 PM

Eating low fat carbs. Ate all the pasta and bread I could because it was low fat and I remember people on TV saying that you could. Ballooned from and overweight 145 to over 200 lbs. Bad advice indeed. - 5/4/2013   12:32:47 PM

There's been so many bad idea diets hoax's I don't know which was the worst...the "chew gum" and drink water diet, or Ayds candies, or low/no carb. There's just to many to choose from! - 5/4/2013   12:09:07 PM

I was told to eat cabbage soup for all my meals, never eat over 700 cal/day and never eat or drink anything after 7:00. Supposedly that was given to a friend by her doctor. - 5/3/2013   6:24:02 PM

A famous TV doctor once said it does not take will power to lose weight...
He also said-- to lose weight, stay out of the kitchen! yeah right!-- lol - 5/3/2013   5:32:19 PM

I had to comment on the "bad" advice given as an example. When I was in preschool, my mom fed me frozen peas and corn as snacks, and I loved it! My mom once got a call from a friend's mother shocked that her own 3-year old was requesting frozen peas after visiting our house. So maybe the advice wasn't so bad! :) - 5/3/2013   5:11:04 PM

The scariest part of all these comments I am reading is that, in many of the instances, their DOCTOR told them this. That is why I had a period in my life(after 2 doctors made surgical errors on me within 1 year), I went a decade without going to the doctor. It is amazing how many tests you can get done without a doctor--health screenings at work, or through other organizations, etc. (including blood sugar, lipid tests, mammograms, etc.) So, I monitored my own health, and only went back to a doctor when I finally had a situation where I knew I had to have a doctor for treatment. Fortunately, I believe I have now found a "decent" doctor. - 5/3/2013   1:53:47 PM

My internist that I've gone to for years told me that wheat was poisoning our health and causing everybody to gain weight. She totally fell for that recent book on the wheat belly (?). While I totally agree that some people have issues/allergies to wheat, I think for many, it is just fine (whole wheat, of course). - 5/3/2013   11:21:21 AM

Worst advice I ever heard? Stop eating carbs! LOL! Carbs are brain-food...the body needs them! - 5/3/2013   10:51:02 AM

The worst advice I've heard was just last week from my personal trainer. He told me to not eat anything until 11am (I start work at 9) because it would give me more energy.
What it actually gave me was a sick feeling in my stomach, shaky hands and an incredible urge to punch someone.
I've gone back to eating my breakfast at 7:30am. - 5/3/2013   9:15:20 AM

Drink hot water to lose weight and melt fat from your body... bad advice can from an individual blog on Spark People. :( - 5/3/2013   6:00:23 AM

These comments are great, I had forgotten about stuff like the Ayds candy, used to be advertised in women's mags all the time. Remember "Hollywood Bread", with pictures of movie stars on the wrapper? Turns out, the fiber in that bread came from wood, lol. Remember Metrecal, that powdered drink, tasted foul, and then they had little spice cookies, if I smell that spice now, it makes me nauseous. Lately, I've heard about the "spit out the food" plan, and drink oil. The blood type plan has no basis in fact, but the author made tons of dough, as so many others have, Billion dollar business, and has been for years and years......and always will be so, I think, judging by what I still read on these health sites. - 5/2/2013   10:19:10 PM

Have to weigh in on the frozen peas debate: I used to serve them that way at dinner to my 5 children, in crystal martini glasses. I let them use their fingers and nibble away, and everyone ate their veggies every night lol. Yes, I lost a few stems to the overly-enthusiastic, but the benefits outweighed the costs ;) No, no-one was ever cut or suffered injury, and did they ever think they were KEWL. They would brag to their friends about it, who would ask to be included at dinner to eat VEGETABLES rotfl. - 5/2/2013   7:24:27 PM

Frozen peas are the BEST. Right up there with frozen grapes! I worked at a garden center & the outside freezer compartment of the fridge was stuffed with frozen grapes. The best advice I ever heard? Don't knock it 'till you've tried it. Poppin' peas is never bad advice! - 5/2/2013   4:51:46 PM

How about when they tell you to use fiber drink such as Metamucil routinely for weight loss! Geez! Who wants to go like that all the time! Try celery! - 5/2/2013   4:23:40 PM

Xenadrine. 'nuff said.

And once, a doctor of mine suggested I try the Atkins diet for a week or two to "jump start" my efforts... psht.

I'm still a firm believer that "slow and steady wins the race".... :) - 5/2/2013   4:11:32 PM

My ex husband and his Protein Power diet. He would tell me how much healthier he was than I while eating a pound of bacon for dinner while the kids and I ate chicken and veggies.

That was one. The other was when someone found out I have diabetes, they told me I could never have sugar again, because that's what gave it (diabetes) to me. Seriously??? - 5/2/2013   2:56:14 PM

While it's not diet advice per se, there is nothing better for a teething toddler than giving them frozen veggies. I learned this tip from my local La Leche League leaders. It solved two birds with one stone. My daughter got relief from painful gums and she was getting decent nutrition at the same time, rather than gnawing on frozen plastic made from god knows what. - 5/2/2013   2:09:09 PM