Contrary to claims made by clickbait headlines, there is no "celebrity secret" to weight loss. It's been in plain sight for a long time.
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Former host of The Late Late Show, Craig Ferguson, used to joke about there being no carbs in LA or Hollywood (when comparing it to various other US locations known for their food).
In the 2008 comedy Tropic Thunder, when Robert Downey Jr's character asked Ben Stiller's about looking "more shredded than a Julienne salad", he claimed it was just diet, shortly before Downey snatched the map.
It doesn't matter if you go ketogenic (very-low carb, adequate protein), Atkins (very-low carb, slow-release protein), a program that uses a points system (just don't cheat), a meal delivery service promoting weight loss, a system that defines a window of time in which you can eat each day, foods you can eat raw, or eliminating processed snacks to have more fresh plants instead (something nutritionist Dr Rosemary Stanton OAM has long advocated), they all achieve essentially the same thing; seriously reducing your consumption of simple carbohydrates (sugars and starches).
I personally went the full-keto a few years ago, and I have stuck to it. For blokes, it's basically the weight division fighter's eating plan, but without the last-minute dehydration or needing to remove your underwear before getting on the scales.
I chose to try it because of an episode of Catalyst I'd seen presented by Dr Maryanne Demasi. In fact, the full video, and transcript, are still available on the ABC website (Low carb diet: Fat or fiction, November 13, 2014).
I'd been sitting on my bum to work for over seven years at that point and it didn't matter how far I walked at lunch, it didn't stop me needing to buy bigger pants; it just made the size I had last longer. Don't get me wrong, daily activity is important for all sorts of physiological reasons (from cardiovascular health to organ and brain function), but it's also only one piece of the puzzle.
While keto worked well for me (and I found virtually quitting simple carbs preferable to moderate restriction because they often just trigger my appetite), it's not for everyone. A colleague who is diabetic tried it under his doctor's supervision and after 12 months he was still in the tricky early-transition phase that usually only goes for 3-4 weeks.
As such, going all the way to very-low carb should be chosen only after you've done a lot of reading about it first (to understand the other changes required), and with careful monitoring if you have any other condition.
MAKE HEALTHY
NORMAL
For the past few years NSW Health has run a campaign called Make Healthy Normal.
They use various negative imagery and depict a visit to the GP that highlights bad long-term habits in an effort to encourage better choices and more physical activity.
I remember an acquaintance of mine once said that diets never work for anyone because as soon as you start eating normally you put the weight back on.
I personally believe that's looking at things from the wrong end. It's like blaming the light bulb for not being illuminated after flicking the switch off. Of course it's dark; what did you expect?
So, if eating and drinking "normally" causes people to gain weight, then perhaps it is your definition of normal that needs to be changed.
In other words, whatever method of simple-carb reduction you find works for you, the important point is, getting off the unnecessary stuff that is making your belly bigger can't be temporary, it needs to be permanent.