New dieting trends are, quite often, backed by celebrities like Jessica Alba, Nicki Minaj, Chris Martin and Gwynneth Paltrow and these ‘fad diets’ are then more likely to be tried by many of us – particularly after the festive season period of over indulging.
But do any of these really work? The British Dietetic Association, which is made up of food and nutrition experts, has taken a look at some of the most well-known and given its verdict, reports the BBC.
The BDA looked at five diets – ranging from ‘clean eating’ and diet pills to ‘tea toxes’ and green juices – and found fault with each of them. The 6.1 diet was also reviewed and found to be dangerous because of the fasting element.
With many people having issues about weight management, the National Council for Hypnotherapy offers a tried-and-trusted solution which has a higher success rate than many diets – clinical hypnotherapy.
“Managing weight loss is one of the most effective results of hypnotherapy,” says the NCH. “Rather than just reducing calories that you are likely to put on again in the longer term, hypnosis gets you in touch with the reasons why you unconsciously eat.
“If you are the type of person that struggles to stop after a small piece of chocolate and feels compelled to finish the packet then a hypnotherapist can help you understand why and help you create new healthy self-management techniques.
“As well as stopping compulsive eating, hypnosis can increase your motivation for exercise. It can also help you reduce portion sizes so you lose weight healthily, steadily and for the long term. Losing weight with hypnosis is essentially about teaching you to feel good about yourself, whatever size you are. It focuses on making healthy changes to your diet and lifestyle that will remain with you for the rest of your life.”
The NCH, however, warns against hypnotherapists who offer weight loss is just one session. Hypnosis for weight loss is about changing lifelong negative habits around food and body image and the best results are often when committing to a programme of treatment, the NCH says.
Referring to the five diets in the BBC report, the BDA said the ‘clean eating’ diet for instance, has its followers – like Jessica Alba – avoiding all processed foods, which means cutting out refined sugar, making everything from scratch and eating foods in their ‘natural state’ with some versions excluding gluten, grains and dairy.
Referring to the ‘tea-tox’ diet, the BDA comments that teas often contain extra caffeine, diuretic ingredients or laxatives such as senna and are ‘not safe to take for longer than a week without medical supervision’.
Replacing foods or higher calorie drinks with these teas might lead to extra weight loss, but also risks side-effects such as diarrhoea, dehydration and even gut damage, the BDA said.
And the 6.1 diet, reportedly followed by Coldplay singer Chris Martin, involves eating the usual diet for six days – and then not eating at all on the seventh. This, the BDA says, can affect people who fast without managing it properly – they will often struggle to concentrate, feel very tired and experience low mood. It can be dangerous too, depending on your age, health and lifestyle.
The BDA also advises that diet pills should not be taken by someone unless they have spoken to a doctor, pharmacist or dietician as pills can cause side-effects such as diarrhoea – and if bought from unregulated websites, there is no way of knowing what is in them.
Finally, ‘green juices’ are made up of various fruits, veg and powders with benefits said to range from detoxing to rejuvenation and weight loss. But the BDA says these juices are unnecessary as the body is able to detox itself.
With that in mind, a few sessions with a hypnotherapist seems a safer bet. Why not contact an NCH-registered therapist near you by clicking here? It can be life-changing.