Do crash diets work, are they safe and what are the most popular ones? From grapefruit and The Master Cleanse to cabbage soup
Before you sign up to a fad diet of your own... this is what you should know
FANCY shedding a few of those unwanted Christmas pounds? Spotted a snap of Sandra from accounts on Instagram apparently having shed eight stone in four days by just eating one thing?
Well before you launch both feet into the air to land firmly on that bandwagon and go for your own crash diet, here's what you need to know...
Do crash diets work?
The answer to this really depends on your goals.
If they are short term, then yes potentially a crash diet may help you to loose a few pounds for an event or a holiday.
But often people who drop dramatically weight struggle to keep it off as they transition back from "crash diet mode" to real life.
By far the best thing for real, sustainable weight loss is moderation and consistency. Sounds boring we know.
If you are seriously out of shape or haven't exercised for a long time go and have a chat with your GP. Again, long and boring we know, but you get one body so do it right.
Otherwise the dieter's best kept secret is this: eat a little less and exercise a little more.
I know another boring piece of advice, but it is true. If you switch up your lifestyle now, by this time next year you will be delighted with the results.
It may feel ages away but if you'd started last year, we wouldn't be having this chat now.
It'll come around quicker than you think and you'll be grateful that you did something today to help yourself in the future *insert inspirational Instagram quote on powder pink background here*.
Are crash diets dangerous?
This depends on the one that you go for, but yes, they can be dangerous.
As specified before - consulting a doctor is important. As with clothes, this isn't a one size fits all situation.
Your body is designed to eat a range of different food in healthy portions. Not to completely cut out one group or just relentlessly eat one thing.
If your body doesn't object then you'll surely die of boredom anyway.
That said you may be in a healthy enough position to try out a fad diet, again a doctor will be able to advise.
What are the most popular diets?
Cabbage Soup
For a week, people adhering to the cabbage soup diet eat as much homemade cabbage soup as they like.
In addition, they are allowed a small selection of other foods that change every day - like fruit or a baked potato.
Some critics have suggested that the dramatic weight loss caused by this diet is actually water loss rather than fat and some people have claimed they gained weight again very quickly afterwards.
Grapefruit
This crash diet lasts 10-12 days and claims that it can help you shift 10-12 pounds.
Over the course of those days, people eat grapefruit with every meal.
Most versions also recommend: cutting back on carbs and sugar, avoiding celery and white onion and eating higher protein food.
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Juice Fast
A juice fast is basically only consuming liquid for a set amount of time. That means: water, herbal tea, juice and broth.
Most people do a juice fast from one to five days.
Some people have suggested that despite not eating solid food, the juice fast is no good for loosing weight.
Some of the juices can have the same calorie count as a meal but won't fill you up in the same way because of the liquid form.
The Master Cleanse
The Master Cleanse is also called The Lemonade Diet and it's a modified juice fast.
It claims to offer the a healthy number of calories and nutrients while also giving the digestive system a rest from breaking down all the fibre in your body.
Some versions of the diet recommend drinking a special lemon juice six to twelve times a day, taking a daily laxative and doing a "salt water flush" when you wake up. Delightful.