Why panic diets don't work - and what to do instead

The first thing I’m going to say is if you see any ‘diet’ which claims to help you ‘lose fat fast’, then run a mile. Trust me, anything which is fast will mean restrictive, which also means temporary.

Quick fixes aren’t quick. If you do a quick fix for January (powders, shakes, juices, fasting, whatever), you will eat a very low amount of calories. Hold on, I hear you say, less is more, right? It isn’t.

You’ll be hungry all the time, so you’ll think it’s working (it isn’t). You climb on the scales, and your weight is plummeting like a stone. That’s brilliant, right? It isn’t.

Why panic diets don't work

The problem is, those pounds dropping off are likely to be pounds of muscle and water. But, hey, you don’t care because all you want is the number to go down. You want that half a stone to drop off. And, boy, it will drop, along with your mood, your sanity, and your body’s ability to burn calories.

In short, it will grind to a staggering halt. So come February, that half a stone will go straight back on again, followed by another half a stone as your body takes emergency fat-storage measures, just in case you decide to deprive it of food again.

It’s time, gorgeous girls, to care about the right way. Not only for greater success, but for the sake of your hormones and your metabolism…

A healthier way to approach dieting

Focus on proteins

Focus on protein-rich foods (eggs, yogurt, chicken breast, tofu), plenty of veg, wholegrain carbohydrates (brown rice, quinoa, whole oats) and a small chocolate treat every day.

Keep living your life

No need to suffer, or be too perfect, or avoid socialising. Don’t clear the diary or get sucked into your mate’s ‘let’s go in hard’ approach.

Live your life, and you will still get results. Work hard and be focused, yes, but live your life and you will get longer-lasting results as you'll be enjoying the process.

Avoid catastrophising

No need to catastrophise when you go off plan or eat something you didn’t mean to. You haven’t broken anything, so put thoughts of sabotage out of your mind. Just get back on it. The quick way isn’t quick. The right way is quick.

Annie Deadman is a fitness expert who writes a monthly Fitness Guru column for woman&home magazine, and a Feel Great column for our sister title, Woman magazine.

There's no health and fitness topic she won't tackle – from how to enjoy the benefits of caffeine to how to lose a menopause tummy, and how to love your legs in shorts.