January: the month of misery. Everyone's cutting out tasty foods and heading to the gym instead. That's all very well, but whatever you do, please don't attempt one of the top five craziest diets of 2012, as chosen by the British Dietetic Association (BDA).
#1: The Six Weeks to OMG Diet
The BDA verdict: “OMG indeed! Six weeks of hell and isolation more like it. Seriously, who has the time, let alone the energy, to follow this diet? The ‘rules’ and competitive dieting element encourage extreme behaviour. Support from friends and family is an important part of weight loss as is taking a long term approach. And what about the other 46 weeks of the year?”
#2: Alcorexia/Drunkorexia
The BDA verdict: “Don’t have a few too many! Following a VLC diet alone is madness, as you will most certainly not be getting the calories, vitamins and nutrients your body needs to survive and function. To avoid food in order to ‘bank’ your calories so you can go and use them on alcohol is absolutely stupid and could easily result in alcohol poisoning and even death.”
#3: ‘Party Girl’ IV Drop Diet
The BDA verdict: "You must be a bit of a drip to do this. There is very little evidence that this even works in well people. It also carries possible side effects to such as dizziness, infection, inflammation of veins and, ultimately, anaphylactic shock!"
#4 The KEN (Ketogenic Enteral Nutrition) Diet
The BDA verdict: "You KEN not be serious! It is shocking that dieters are electing to have naso-gastric (NG) tubes inserted in order to lose weight, when they are usually reserved for sick or chronically ill people. Not only that, but one of the side effects is having to take laxatives because this diet provides absolutely no fibre. Nice touch!"
#5: Dukan Diet
The BDA verdict: “There is little solid science behind this. The diet works on restricting foods, calories and portion control. Cutting out food groups is not advisable. This diet is so confusing, time consuming, very rigid and, in our opinion, so very hard to sustain. Even ex Dr (as of 2012) Dukan himself warns of the associated problems like lack of energy, constipation and bad breath.”
Speaking about all five diets, consultant dietician and spokesperson for the BDA Sian Porter said: “There is no wonder diet you can follow without some associated nutritional or health risk, and most are offering a short-term fix to a long term problem. It may be obvious, but if you want to lose weight you need to make healthier choices, eat a nutritionally balanced and varied diet with appropriately sized portions, and be physically active.”
Have you ever dared try one of the above diets, or any other fad diet for that matter? What’s your healthy eating ethos? Talk to us in the comments box below.
For more information and tips about healthy weight loss, please visit www.bdaweightwise.com
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