It was the Venice Beach lifestyle that inspired Venice A Fulton (real name Paul Khanna) to write Six Weeks to OMG, not TOWIE as some claim. But whatever the reason, he had to put his sports science degree to full use when compiling his diet plan because, as he has said: "To get skinny, to get healthy, and to get happy, we need to become experts in many different areas."
Fulton believes that you can shed between 10 and 20lbs in six weeks by taking cold baths, avoiding broccoli (we don't mind that one) and even blowing balloons to strengthen the tummy. With the word 'skinny' in the title it's no shock that Fulton has received some serious heat, being accused of, among other things, encouraging unhealthy competition and teenage eating disorders.
The diet aims to change the way we've been programmed, claiming that breakfast really isn't the most important meal of the day and those three cups of coffee you need to make it through a gloomy Tuesday at your desk are actually good for you.
But does it work? We ran Venice's top tips by personal trainer Gavin Walsh and nutritionist Claire Harper to find out how (and if) the OMG diet actually works.
Skip breakfast OMG says: Because your body has no fuel when you wake up, it begins to burn stored energy in the form of fat.
Harper says: "Although still controversial, there is some good new research to support this view. It's a great way to challenge our metabolisms to use stored energy for fuel and great for those losing weight or trying to kick start their metabolism. Please make sure you stay active though, this doesn't work if you flop from bed to desk!"
Skip the fruit salad OMG says: Fruit is full of healthy nutrients, but they're also packed with fructose, which is known to block a chemical called leptin, which tells us when we're full. The OMG diet recommends no more than one piece of fruit a day.
Harper says: "This is slightly misleading because fructose is just one of the sugars we eat that raises our insulin levels - it is raised insulin that inhibits leptin sensitivity, as well as increasing inflammation. Cutting down on all sugars, including refined carbohydrates, will keep you skinny and healthy. I agree with one or two pieces of fruit a day, but make up all the health benefits with fresh vegetables, especially green leafy ones."
Take a cold bath OMG says: Lying in a room temperature bath makes you shiver, increasing your metabolism and burning fat. Venice recommends you do this for at least 15 minutes every day.
Walsh says: "This sounds like a crazy idea, but the science does back up the claim. During low-intensity shivering our bodies do use more fat for fuel and our metabolism is increased. Fifteen minutes in the tub isn't going to deliver any miracles though and it may be far easier to simply not eat the 50 or so calories that you might burn by shivering your backside off."
Drink lots of coffee OMG says: Caffeine (plain black coffee is best, Venice says) makes fat cells spill their fat into the bloodstream.
Walsh says: "Constant use of caffeine will dehydrate your body, stress your liver, cause sugar cravings and with long-term use cause an elevation in cortisol, which makes it harder to lose stomach fat. So any short-term benefit will be lost!"
Harper says: "One side of this theory is great, caffeine does release energy stores, however there are a few downsides: Caffeine is a stimulant, causing the release of stress hormones (as well as glucose) - not a good idea if you're a stressed individual. The dramatic effect of a lot of caffeine on our blood sugar levels is likely to make us reach for the nearest chocolate bar for a quick energy fix, this does not make you skinny!"
Four smartphones equals one portion OMG says: Place two smartphones side-by-side and two on top of them and what have you got? The right amount of carbs you should be eating with each meal.
Harper says: "There are plenty of carbohydrates in vegetables, so reducing grains and starchy foods right down is a very positive step. The exception would be for athletes who use up their energy stores very quickly and need extra carbohydrate, or people doing active work all day."
Exercise early OMG says: Work out for half an hour in the morning before you eat anything, forcing your body to burn stored fat. Don't eat for three hours after exercise.
Walsh says: "First of all, if you haven't exercised for an eternity then exercising for 30 minutes on an empty stomach is a bad idea. However, if you are no stranger to exercise then exercising on an empty stomach shouldn't be too much of an issue as long as the exercise doesn't last longer than 45 minutes. Regardless of this, exercising on an empty stomach does not cause you to burn more fat. Our body stores a vast amount of carbohydrate in our muscles as glycogen. This glycogen is still sitting in the muscles regardless of exercise before breakfast or after breakfast.
"Further advice from Fulton to not eat three hours after exercise seems to take on a form of intermittent fasting. By fasting through the night until midday you are able to increase fat usage and improve hormonal balance, but this method is not for everyone and he would be wise to point this out."
Don't snack OMG says: Avoid eating six small meals a day, as three is enough to satisfy your body's needs.
Walsh says: "Eating five-six times with the idea of raising your metabolism has been thrown around for years. This stems from the thermic effect of food, which is when our metabolism increases as a result of eating. The problem is that this increase is tiny and most people who follow the 5-6 meals a day approach, unknowingly eat too much! So, it is indeed better to eat less often and stick to your three meals a day if your goal is to lose weight."
The verdict So is Six Weeks to OMG just a fad or a diet worth taking on?
Gavin Walsh says: "While Fulton does provide a few good tips, not all of his recommendations are effective or safe, especially for those who are new to exercise or have issues surrounding food. There are many points that he covers, that are in desperate need of explaining more and with scientific evidence. If you're looking for long-term weight loss without the gimmicks this is not the place to start."
Claire Harper warns: "Let's face it, it is a fad diet, they all are. I'd love to see more emphasis on long-term health and nourishing our bodies with wholesome food that gives us masses of energy, makes our skin clear and protects us from disease rather than just getting skinnier than our friends."
No comments:
Post a Comment