weird diets?!

[janeyo]

My childminder (well not mine but the toddlie's) was telling about a diet she has started following again after losing 2 stones on it a few years ago.
She claims this was advised by a doctor!

You drink 4 pints of semi-skimmed milk a day.
Plus as many diet drinks as you like.
You take a multi-vitamin.
You drink one bovril or oxo drink a day to get your salt intake.

And that's it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was quite shocked at that one, and believe me I have tried many a weirdy diet myself in the past!

Anyone have any weirdy diets to share?
And did they work?!

[piskieinboots]

good grief - that has got to take No: 1 slot for crappola in the nutrition stakes (steaks, yum) ....barking, totally barking

There is no doubting one would lose weight on that - but where the hell is the re-training of ones mind-set to find out where one goes wrong with over-eating/eating wrong things in the first place! A guaranteed yo-yo is ever I saw one

My weight issue (approx 15-20lbs too many) is mainly down to man-sized food and alcohol.

[SlugLobber]

You drink 4 pints of semi-skimmed milk a day.
Plus as many diet drinks as you like.
You take a multi-vitamin.
You drink one bovril or oxo drink a day to get your salt intake.

And that's it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's not a diet, that's torture!

I can only offer advice from the mouth of Garfield:

Diet is 'DIE' with a 'T' on the end. No coincidence.

A diet would be self-denial. I'm far too nice a guy to deny myself anything.

----
On a serious note, I do really need to lose a bit of flab, but I'm doing it via the gym and eating better - I just don't do DIEts. It doesn't help when OH thrusts a choccie bar in my face, on a Sunday evening!

[janeyo]

I am glad I am not alone in thinking this diet is ludicrous!

[Rhona]

That sounds awful! I really don't like milk much so totally yuck! I've done some mad diets - I was very slim when serious about ballet dancing, and when I stopped, I think I hovered on the edge of an eating disorder for years to keep that 'too thin' glow ... my worstest was the 'two cup a soups and a energy sweet a day' diet. Yikes!

I have a very healthy approach to food now, but do feel as though I glimpsed a bit of the darkness with all that stuff... it's paramount to me to make sure our children grow up with a healthy and happy relationship with good food!

[bluemoon]

I remember my uncle doing the 'cheese and an apple' diet, many years ago (mid-70s, I think) I imagine he remembers it well too as he's still suffering from the resultant stomach ulcer.

[kirsty b]

Thats just plain scary. How could a doc recommend this, its a recipe for malnutrition surely

(I weigh more than I shoud and am the owner of a few wobby bits, but I'm working on reducing my intake reasonably and being more active. I want to lose about a pound a week for the next 6 months, that should see me right.)

[Alice]

Gee whiz - I can't imagine any doctor recommending that as a diet I think they'd have their fitness to practise questioned !
And Piskie's absolutely right. There's nothing there to help anybody to change their relationship with food.
I'm really lucky. I can eat as much as I want of all the things I like and stay slim - but that's because what I like is lean meat, lots of vegetables and salads. I never have to resist temptation because I just don't like biscuits, cakes, processed foods . Yuk !
Hope all you folk who are hoping to loose a few pounds manage it without going on any crazy diet .

[tootles]

Perhaps the most obvious point to be taken from this diet is that she lost 2 stones and now needs to lose it all over again. Weight loss like that (however impressive) is just not sustainable.
I used to know a girl wo went to a slimming group, foods were given scores and they were allowed a certain number of points each day. She worked out that she could follow the diet and have 2 crunchie bars each day if she didn't eat any potatoes or pasta????????????????
The only way to lose weight is to do it sensibly.

[MaureenHall]

That's absolutely ridiculous! Even if she's getting the right balance of protein, carbs and fats (which I doubt!) what about fibre? Our insides need to work properly too

[Hilary B]

For those who REALLY NEED to lose weight in a hurry there is the Cabbage Soup Diet. It was invented for people who are too overweight for surgery and MUST shed the surplus fast. Up to 15lbs in a week, maximum duration of 2 weeks (about 20lbs in 2 weeks, you never lose as muh the second week). As a 'kick start' to sensible eating, it is possible (ONE week only) but far from ideal. It is, however, MUCH better than the one at the top of the page!!

I have used Atkins, it works short term, but impossible to stick with it for long. Also not very healthy, especially the 'starting' phase.

[Two_Sheds]

4 pints of semi-skimmed milk a day.
Plus as many diet drinks as you like.
You take a multi-vitamin.
You drink one bovril or oxo drink a day to get your salt intake.

Actually, that's not far off the diet I was on in hospital for 2 weeks (fed through a tube in my nose, not pleasant).
It is high-protein, fills you up ... it is arguably healthier than Cabbage Soup

* ducks the flak from HilaryB

[Hilary B]

Actually, that's not far off the diet I was on in hospital for 2 weeks (fed through a tube in my nose, not pleasant).
It is high-protein, fills you up ... it is arguably healthier than Cabbage Soup

* ducks the flak from HilaryB

The cabbage soup diet has fibre, protein and a modest amount of carbohydrate. (there is more to it than just the soup). The skimmed milk one is perhaps handy if you can't eat in the normal sense, but can't be good for the 'innards'.

[Tori]

Ok I'm going skiing in 2 weeks and my ski pants don't fit. Whats the cabbage soup diet?!?!!!

[pjh75]

I heard of one a few years ago that involved alternating between tinned hot dogs, cottage cheese and not much else... I think what happens is that doctors do prescribe what we would consider a very poor diet, but they are only intended to be relatively short-term and for a specific medical reason. What then happens is they get into the public domain, get changed as they get passed on and before you know it the general public are trying to live on a pint of milk and half a grape in order to lose weight.