As the title suggests, this is not possible at all. Well, not in the long run anyway. We here at Siddysays have tried 3 fad diets to see if they work at all.
THE GM DIET
What it entails: The diet entails a strict meal plan. The basic premise is to eat a different group of foods every day. You start with fruits and vegetables and end with meat and grains. The diet promises a weight loss of up to 6 kg.
This diet is a great way to transition to a clean eating plan. However, it is only recommended to follow this plan for a week. What I tend to do is follow the diet plan for one week, then take a break for one week. The third week I go back on the plan. For the week in the middle, I take a calorie-controlled diet. In all fairness, this diet has always helped me kick start weightloss but following it for longer has always made me stagnate. I end up losing up to 2-3 kg at the end of the week, but to keep it off, I control my calorie intake from that point forward.
THE MILK & BANANA DIET
What it entails: This diet has a very simple meal plan which must only be followed for 3 days. The two ingredients are full fat milk and bananas. At each meal time, one must consume 1 glass of milk with one banana. It is recommended that full fat milk be consumed. It promises a weightloss of 4 kg by the fourth day, beyond which the diet should not be followed. Instead a switch to a healthier diet plan must be made.
I have tried this diet a total of once. Consuming milk three times a day played havoc on my stomach that almost felt like I may have IBS. I didn’t see any weightloss with this diet. A proper intake of water and 8 hours of sleep are recommended with this diet.
THE LEMONADE DIET
What it entails:Despite popular belief, the Lemonade Diet is not a diet but a cleanse. This cleanse is expected to be followed for a total of 10 days and promises 10 kg of weightloss. It requires a salt flush to be undertaken every morning, which essentially flushes your system of all waste and allegedly toxins. The lemonade is made of lemon juice, maple syrup, water and a dash of cayenne pepper. You can only drink lemonade and water for ten days straight.
I tried this diet and I failed miserably, I was only able to do this successfully for five days. If you’re working, you will have to wake up super early for the salt flush otherwise you will be running to the loo every five minutes and that can be a bit much to manage if at work. I lost about 3.5 kg but quickly gained this weight back. It is essentially a cleanse for those who have the will power to do it. I haven’t met anyone who has successfully completed it and lost weight. I would not recommend it, you can do a far better cleanse by not starving yourself and consuming just fruit and vegetable and cutting out all other products.
With fad diets and cleanses, it is very important to follow it exactly, otherwise its just a waste of time and a huge demotivator. Personally, I do use fad diets to add some discipline and to kick start weight loss but don’t follow them beyond a week. After that it has to be a lifestyle change. The best possible thing to do is to get disciplined with a diet plan that suits you and reward yourself with a cheat day and of course, exercise, even if its 30 minutes on a treadmill!
Disclaimer: The information contained in the article is general information and tested after much discussion and consultation. Therefore, please do not try any one of these diets without consulting your nutritionist to avoid any potential health concerns.
