Best last-minute beach body diets

VERDICT
As a nutritionist/hypnotherapist specialising in weight loss, I see a lot of clients who have ‘failed’ on conventional diets. It used to be Atkins, then the Dukan and currently it’s the 5:2.

The dramatic anti-ageing and disease-fighting health claims made for intermittent fasting-style diets ( 5:2, Fast etc.) need taking with a pinch of salt. It is the weight loss that results, rather than the starving that appears to deliver the health benefits. The fasting is simply a means to an end.

While the 5:2 can work well for some people, I have a concern. The 5:2 refutes the claim that starvation slows down your metabolism by pointing out research that says severe food restriction speeds up metabolic rate. This is true, but it does so because of the release of adrenaline. This stimulatory hormone can give a slight ‘high’ which is said to be one reason why anorexics may become ‘addicted’ to starving themselves. My fear is that encouraging others to fast for more than a very short period could push some into eating disorders.

I think the new Mount Athos Diet is interesting. However, I have seen many women in particular who eat this sort of food – lots of grains and veggies – and are still overweight. This is because they are basically living on sugar, so I would question how much weight some people  will lose on this.

My favourite is probably The Sugar Detox. This is a harsher version of the diet I put some of my clients on. It delivers good weight loss, stabilises blood sugar and mood and nourishes the adrenals.

The big problem with all of these published diets, though, is they don’t address the emotional, spiritual and hormonal reasons for over-eating. The woman in a rubbish relationship who reaches for a chocolate frappucino after a row with her boyfriend is not going to do that well if it’s a ‘fast’ day on the 5:2. The girl with PCOS is unlikely to improve her hormonal profile, fertility or lose weight on the Athos Diet.

What science is teaching us is that losing weight is much more than calories in, energy out. It’s about what is happening in our minds and bodies as a whole. It also teaches us that we are all individuals and what works for one doesn’t work for another. So, I would suggest trying any or all of these diets. Find what works for you, add in a big dollop of exercise and be consistent. Good luck!