Exercising care when looking at fad diets

From eating cookies, cabbage soup and baby food to drinking lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne concoctions, dieters have tried their fair share of wacky weight-loss plans. One of the newest fad diets making headlines is the Dukan Diet — a pseudo-version of the Atkins diet that’s popular in France. It’s a highly restrictive plan of protein-rich, low-fat meals, lots of oat bran and tons of water. Exercise requirements are light. The British Dietetic Association labeled it one of the year’s worst fad diets.