Why Crash Diets Fail

WORDS BY HANNA MOORE

Christmas and dark, wintery days call for copious amounts of mulled wine, tin after tin of chocolate biscuits and lots of

guiltless “Oh go on then, it’s Christmas!” moments. All of

which inevitably lead to a ‘New Year, New Me’ pledge, often coming at a price of all the great things in life.

We all share the guilt of enjoying themselves too much and putting on a few pounds

(not that it’s anything to feel all that guilty about - we’re all foodies really, right?).

Who else has Googled “what is the quickest way to lose a few pounds?” “Health” experts around the world have used this desperation to push these weird (and flat out absurd) pills and diets to achieve your goals in just a few weeks.

For decades, companies offering crash diet solutions have marketed to us a

wild array of ‘Get Slim Quick’ schemes. In the 1920’s, Hollywood actresses would follow a ‘lamb chop and pineapple diet’, which claimed that the acidic pineapple would ‘negate’ the fat in the lamb chops… and although some people did lose weight, it was mainly due to the large helping of calorie restrictions with a sprinkle of malnutrition on the side.

Today, we can see bizarre diets like The Lemonade Diet or The Master

Cleanse, which claims to help you lose ten pounds in a week. It consists of a cocktail of water, lemon juice, two to three teaspoons of maple syrup and a pinch of cayenne pepper. The cons, you may ask? All you can drink is lemonade, leaving you feeling extremely hungry and experiencing nausea, irritability and mood swings. This one is an old favourite among desperate dieters, with celebrities like Beyoncé said to be avid

users.

We don’t blame people for wanting to try them though. After eating lots of sugar and drinking more than you usually would, you are naturally going

to feel tired and heavier - plus, we’ve just had the longest January in the whole history of January’s. On top of this, you scroll through social media and see reels of (sometimes) edited men and women whose bodies simulate that of a

greek God or Goddess.

Of course these cleanses may help you shed some pounds initially, however nine times out of ten, as soon as you stop this unsustainable diet, you end up piling it all back on and then some.

There are hundreds of reason why crash diets are a fad, but here are just a few:

RUINS YOUR METABOLISM

Not getting enough calories and nutrients in your diet can halt your metabolism altogether. You need lots of protein and plenty of exercise to keep it working hard to keep your body healthy. So when these diets say to do the opposite, you need to steer clear.

WEAKENS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

Maintaining a healthy diet keeps the immune system balanced and ready to fight against infections and viruses.

Protein is a building block of immune

cells and you need a full wall constantly to protect yourself. I don’t think eating a grapefruit with every meal is going to help you function and build an army of protein soldiers, do you?

WATER WEIGHT LOSS

Scales on a crash diet often weigh your lack of water weight from dehydration (which you quickly gain back) or muscle weight - both being bad for you obviously! The reason for this false weight loss is that during the first week or two on a crash diet the body will first lose protein and water, since the wisdom of the body tells it to hold onto the fat as its last reserve. This loss

of protein and water is the reason most people feel lousy during the first week or two on a crash diet.

HAIR AND SKIN DAMAGE

Limiting your intake of the vital vitamins and nutrients that your body absorbs will have a negative impact on your physical appearance. The crash diets have so little nutrients and protein in them that you may experience reduced shine and strength in your hair and your skin could be left feeling dry,

SO WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES?

• Reduce your alcohol intake

• Reduce intake of sugary and processed foods

• Include more lean protein in your diet (Turkey is far leaner, and less water filled than Chicken)

• Avoid trans fats but do go for healthy fats (avocado, nuts, etc).

• Try to achieve 10,000 steps a day

• Find a form of exercise you likeMake small changes to your diet, move more, be consistent and watch it melt away. Slow and steady wins the race!

Weirdest Food Trends During Lockdowns

WORDS BY WILL KIRK

Food glorious food, what the hell are we making?

During the many lockdown’s and tier systems over the past12 months, it seemed as though the only way to stifle our boredom at

home, was to bake. So much

so, that there was a flour

shortage...yes, flour. Here we wanted to look into

some of the weirdest food

trends of that time, and see what all the fuss was about.

1. SOURDOUGH BREAD

With the ransacking of shelves for everything that is carby, some people decided to take a trip back in time...all the way to the middle ages! It would seem that sourdough went hand in hand with the

fellas and their new found

baking interests. Perhaps banana bread didn’t sound

masculine enough?

2. PANCAKE CEREAL

Okay, as much as this one seems very odd, I don’t doubt you would want to try it after seeing it. It’s as obvious as it sounds, little tiny pancakes, that are small enough to fill a bowl that simulated

being cereal. Perhaps the creator wanted to feel less

guilty about eating a stack of pancakes?

3. DALGONA COFFEE

A coffee trend that saw

drinks whip their coffee so hard that it began to float

to the top? As much as this trend looks lovely, I don’t think anybody will be taking the time to aggressively whip their morning coffee before work. We’ll leave this down

to a ‘try it once, break the mug it’s in because you’ve whisked too hard, and move on’ drink.

4. BANANA BREAD

Last, but not least, probably the world’s most popular bread. Thanks to lockdown, the huge trend for making banana bread was most

certainly the primary cause for the flour shortage. We finally made use of those blackened bananas that had

sat there, wondering if we’d ever eat healthy again. I

suppose we did, for a while, now like all the above food

trends, it has come to rest until another pandemic hits.

Pay It Forward

WORDS BY HANNA MOORE

Let’s make 2021 a little less Sh!*

Did you know, doing nice things for others boosts your serotonin, the neurotransmitter

responsible for feelings of satisfaction and well-being? Like exercise, altruism also releases endorphins, a phenomenon known as a “helper’s high.”

Now more than ever, the world needs us to make more

selfless, positive choices and actions. It needs us to help others, make people smile and bring some joy into 2021.

These are some ideas that we

loved which are either free

or super cheap to do. 1. Send a positive text message to five different people right now. 2. Donate old towels or blankets to an animal shelter.

3. Surprise a neighbour with freshly baked cookies or treats.

4. Let someone go in front of you at the checkout if they only have a few items. 5. Have a LinkedIn account? Write a recommendation, or endorsement for co-worker or connection.

6. Encounter someone in customer service who is especially kind? Take an extra five minutes to tell their manager. 7. Smile at five strangers (don't forget to smile with your eyes though. Mask problems, eh?). 8. Practice self-kindness and spend 30 minutes doing something you love today. 9. Give away stuff for free on Craig’s List. 10. Buy a plant. Put it in a terracotta pot.

Write positive words that describe a friend on the pot. Give it to that friend!

11. Write a positive comment on your favourite blog, website, or a friend’s social media account.

12. When you’re throwing something away on the street, pick up any litter around you and put that in the trash too. 13. Write your partner a list of things you love about them.

14. Purchase extra dog or cat food and bring it to an animal shelter. 15. Find opportunities to give compliments.

It costs nothing, takes no time, and could make someone’s entire day. Don’t just think it. Say it. 16. Send a ‘Thank you’ card or note to the officers at your local police, fire station or hospital. 17. Run an errand for a family member who is vunerable or isolating. 18. Leave a box of goodies in your mailbox for your mail carrier. 19. Email or write to a former teacher who made a difference in your life.

Hearty Soups to Warm the Soul

WORDS BY HANNA MOORE

Soup is one of the most underrated meals of all time. Not many things can top a homemade concoction of leftovers and flavourful ingredients that leave you hydrated and full, with a new tasty surprise every time! Feeling steamy? Check out some of our favourites!

Winter Minestrone with Pesto Croûtes

Prep: 15 mins / Cook: 40mins INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp olive oil • 1 onion , chopped • 100g unsmoked lardons or chopped streaky bacon

• 2 large carrots , chopped • 2 sticks celery , chopped • 1 medium potato , chopped • 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped or crushed • 400g can chopped tomatoes

• 1l vegetable stock (from granules or a cube) • 2 tsp chopped sage leaves, or 1 tsp dried • few cabbage leaves, shredded

• 400g can haricot bean • handful chopped parsley

FOR THE PESTO CROÛTES

• slices of crusty bread • 3 tbsp olive oil • 1 tbsp pesto

STEP 1

Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the onion and lardons or bacon and fry for about 5 mins until the onion is starting to brown. Tip in the carrots, celery, potato and garlic, stir well and cook for a few minutes.

STEP 2

Add the tomatoes, stock and sage, and bring to the boil, stirring. Reduce heat to simmer and cook partly covered for 30 mins, stirring in the cabbage after 15 mins. Drain and rinse the beans and add to the pan with the parsley. Season and serve with pesto croûtes or crusty bread.

STEP 3

For the pesto croûtes: Cut 3-4 slices of crusty bread into chunks, about 2cm thick. Tip into an ovenproof pan. Mix the olive oil and pesto, then add to the bread, tossing it with your hands until the croûtes are evenly coated. Bake in a moderate oven for about 10 mins until crisp.

Roasted Red Pepper, Sweet Potato & Paprika

Prep: 10 mins / Cook: 30mins INGREDIENTS

• 1 sweet potato, roughly chopped into dice with the skin still on

• 1 red pepper, de-seeded and cut into chunks

• 1 red onion, peeled and cut into chunks

• 3 garlic cloves, peeled • 1 tsp smoked paprika • 2 tbsp olive oil • 200ml coconut milk

• 200ml chicken stock

• ½ tbsp sriracha • 1 tsp maple syrup

STEP 1

Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/ gas 5. Put the sweet potato, pepper, onion and garlic on a baking tray. Sprinkle with the paprika and seasoning, then drizzle with the oil. Toss together. Roast for 30 mins or until beginning to brown.

STEP 2

Tip the roasted vegetables into a blender (or use a stick blender) with the coconut milk, stock, sriracha and maple syrup. Whizz until smooth.

STEP 3

Pour back into the pan and heat until piping hot. Check for seasoning, and pour into a flask. Serve with soda bread or toasted sourdough.

WWW.BBCGOODFOOD.COM/RECIPES/ROASTED-REDPEPPER-SWEET-POTATO-SMOKED-PAPRIKA-SOUP

Leak, Butter Bean & Crispy Chorizo

Prep: 10 mins / Cook: 30mins INGREDIENTS

• 30g unsalted butter • olive oil , for frying • 2 large leeks , sliced • 1 large garlic clove , crushed

• 2 x 400g cans butter beans , drained and rinsed

• 800ml hot chicken or vegetable stock • 4 tbsp crème fraîche , plus extra to serve • 225g chorizo , finely cubed

• 4 rosemary sprigs , leaves picked and finely chopped

STEP 1

Heat the butter and a glug of olive oil in a casserole over a medium heat. Add the leeks and fry for 15 mins until softened and beginning to turn golden brown. Stir through the garlic and cook for a further 1 min.

STEP 2

Tip the butter beans into the pan, pour over the hot stock and simmer, uncovered, for 10 mins. Blitz to a smooth consistency with a handheld blender, then stir in the crème fraîche and season to taste. Keep warm over a low heat.

STEP 3

Meanwhile, fry the chorizo in a small glug of olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat for 5 mins or until oily and crispy. Stir in the rosemary, cooking for a further minute. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the rosemary and chorizo mixture, as well as any oil left in the pan. Serve with some crusty bread.