- New diet fads seem to appear online every week
- They promise quick results, but not all are safe or effective
- Nutritionist Mohita Mascarenhas lists some of the riskiest diet trends that women should avoid
New diet fads seem to appear online every week. They promise quick results, but not all are safe or effective. Nutritionist Mohita Mascarenhas lists some of the riskiest diet trends that women should avoid.
On International Women's Day, she shares tips for making sustainable dietary choices that support health without compromise.
"One thing that isn't talked about enough is how many popular fitness strategies were built around men, and don't always translate the same way for women. That's because women's bodies handle energy, stress, and hormones differently," she wrote on Instagram.
Diet Trends Women Should Avoid
- Intermittent fasting: Long fasting windows of 16-20 hours in women can easily lead to acidity, increased cortisol levels, blood sugar instability, menstrual irregularities, and increased hunger later in the day. "For women, 12-14 hours should be the limit. Men often cope better with longer fasting windows," Mohita shared.
- Extreme calorie restriction: Unlike men, who have more muscle mass and higher basal metabolic rates, women's bodies are more sensitive to energy restriction because of the need to protect fertility and hormonal balance. According to the nutritionist, a moderate deficit of approximately 20 percent of TDEE is ideal.
- Low-carb diets: Women sometimes experience thyroid slowdown, reduced progesterone, sleep disturbances, and mood changes on low-carb diets. Men tolerate low carbs better than women.
- Training fasted: Fasted workouts are often promoted in male fitness culture. For many women, this can raise cortisol, reduce workout performance, and increase muscle breakdown. A small pre-workout meal (protein + carbs) or something simple like a banana and almonds tends to work better for women.
- Protein requirement: Women are encouraged to eat fewer calories with little emphasis on protein. In reality, women need adequate protein for muscle maintenance, hormonal health, and skin and hair health. Many women dramatically improve body composition by increasing protein, not by reducing food overall.
If you've tried any of these approaches and feel like you're doing everything ‘right' but not seeing the results you expected, it's probably not you. Quite often, it's simply about approaching food and fitness in a way that works with your body instead of against it.