We are all used to seeing it: on the front of one celebrity magazine the headline will be “Health fears over super skinny celebs” and then on another it will say “Celebs pile on the pounds”. Every week body appearance and size is plastered all over the front pages, social media and the internet. We are bombarded with extreme fad diets, supposedly endorsed by celebrities.

But if these diets do actually work, then why isn’t everyone thin? Many of us will have tried a range of different diets – and most likely unsuccessfully! The reason fad diets do not work is that they offer quick weight loss, however this is typically followed by weight gain because the diets are so restricted or involve extreme workouts.

Many fad diets eliminate either essential food groups, which can deprive your body of essential nutrients, or severely restrict calorie intake which leads to feelings of deprivation, which usually results in our previous poor eating habits returning.

The important principle to understand is that the most effective way to lose weight and maintain weight loss is to follow a healthy eating plan that allows all foods in moderation and includes regular exercise. Essentially, what you are looking to achieve is to eliminate long periods of excessive fasting or long periods of over-eating.