Weight loss fads come and go with the wind. Right or wrong, while many celebrities stay rail-thin, and gorgeous designer threads continue to be made with the size 8 in mind, many women the world over are going to do what they can to stay trim. And the latest craze? The baby food diet, which is as simple as its name would suggest. But is it any good?
What is it?
Created by American celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson, the Baby Food Diet promises to curb cravings, allow easy snacking for the super-busy, and help those who embrace it to lose weight fast by literally eating jars of bland, mushy, baby food.
How does it work?
There are several versions. The basic plan involves swapping 14 meals a week for 14 small jars of baby food. Ella’s Organic? Hipp? Heinz? The choice is yours, so long as it’s the requisite mashed carrots, potatoes and apple, for example. If you’re not up for the starvation this would inevitably entail, you can swap just one meal a day for a jar, or substitute high-calorie snacks for a jar. Either way, your calorie intake will be lower, you’ll apparently still have good energy levels and you should start to lose weight straight away.
So does it work?
Obviously, if your calorie intake is lower than normal you will shed a few pounds, but how much depends on certain factors. You must pick the right baby food for starters, which can range in calorie count from 15 to 100. Pick the wrong one or overeat on baby food and you won’t be changing your life any time soon. One advantage is that most baby food is loaded with nutrients, it’s low in fat, sugar and salt, and it is usually free of preservatives. You will still be giving your body what it needs, so long as your “adult” meals consist of lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, and are low in carbohydrate, salt and sugar. What baby foods do lack is iron, vitamin C and fibre, so these need sourcing from elsewhere. And, as ever, exercise must go hand in hand with healthy eating for maximum results.
Who has been doing it?
Tracy Anderson has kudos and many loyal followers, so many celebrities were trying it almost immediately. Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow and Lady Gaga were creating headlines Stateside with their willingness to pop open a jar at lunch, while on our own shores Cheryl Cole was giving it a go.
Will it last?
Probably not. Like all fad diets, this will undoubtedly be replaced with another new idea in no time. Meanwhile, if you stick to it properly you will lose some weight, but your taste buds definitely won’t be thanking you for it. Anyone tried baby fish pie recently?
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