The festive food and booze binge has once again ignited a dodgy weight loss trend that experts warn may cause more harm, than good.
The British Dietetic Association (BDA) announced that there are many varied "fad" diets offering miracle weight loss, but warns consumers that shedding kilos while on one of them is simply due to eating fewer kilojoules.
Rachel Cooke, registered dietitian and BDA spokeswoman notes that “it may not sound like the most exciting way to lose weight but healthy eating, activity and long-term behaviour change not only works, but helps you maintain weight lost too".
But we ought to know this by now, right?
Advice falls on deaf ears?
Seems the spate of bona fide diet advice, like ours over here, impart little understanding or somehow manage to slip through the cracks.
Name and shame
The BDA has introduced a list of the Worst Fad Diets to Avoid this New Year where they include regimes such as the maple syrup, blood group, warrior, peanut butter and banana diets, as well as the popular cabbage/fat-burning soup diets.
It also noted that the infamous cabbage soup diet is based on "pseudo science" and that adhering to eating plans like these over an extended period of time could result in numerous nutritional deficiencies.
"Firstly, no food can burn fat; only physical activity can do that," the BDA insisted.
They also blasted the myth of the detox diet - often popular with celebrities - saying that the human body is a complex organism that is more than capable of eliminating toxins itself.
They just don’t work…
The professional body also took aim at two famous diet plans, slating them for their severe nutritional regime which contravened “evidence-based healthy eating messages" and went against Britain's Food Standard Agency recommendations.
The BDA criticised the rigid version of the Atkins diet which encouraged a diet void of carbs, as well as the celeb-famous Zone Diet for promoting an eating plan that was "probably more complicated than making small changes to intake that will result in long-term healthy weight loss."
So, what do you think? Does the BDA have grounds for their criticism?
And, turning our attention locally, do popular slimming aids such as Simply Slim and the like actually work, or are we, the consumers merely falling prey to their claims?
For some authentic weight loss advice, speak to our expert, Maya Naumann! We promise, she won't lead you astray...
Want to add your 2c? Enlighten our readers with your thoughts and opinion in the box below.