The Truth About 10 Trendy New Year's Diets

7) and 8) The Cleveland Clinic 3-Day Diet and The Mayo Clinic Diet

What It Is: Despite the names of these popular diets, both the Cleveland Clinic and the Mayo Clinic deny having any association whatsoever with them. This, however, does not seem to have impacted the popularity of either of these regimens, both of which are subjects of a high volume of Internet searches by those hoping to lose weight.

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The Cleveland Clinic 3-Day Diet features a strict menu which is heavy on black coffee and light on calories. Proponents say those who follow the diet can lose up to 10 pounds in three days. The Mayo Clinic Diet on the other hand features a great deal of grapefruit juice and few, if any, carbs.

Expert Verdict:

Ikeda: "If these diets worked, the Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic would proudly take credit for them. They would publish books about them and make money off the sales. The problem is, these institutions are too ethical and know the diets don't work, so they distance themselves for good reason."

Katz: "These look ridiculous; they simply provide a detailed meal plan that restricts calories. As soon as you stop following these detailed directions, it's all over."

Ayoob: "First, skip any 3-day diet. If it's not meant for more than three days, you're likely just maximizing water loss, not much else. Go off the diet, the water weight returns and you've lost three days that could have been spent working on sensible eating... Any diet that only lasts a few days or a few weeks is a diet to be avoided. Better to get on some sneakers and do a fast walk away."