Does This Weight Loss Hack Have Any Truth To It?

You may be too young to remember the last time this diet went around. But it’s still here, and it’s still gross.

Way back in 2006, Seth Roberts of The Shangri-La Diet claimed to have lost thirty-five pounds in three months just by eating 100-400 calories of unflavored sugar water, olive oil, and bland foods per day.

He did it while his nose was clipped shut of course, otherwise how else could anyone stand it?

This was part of a psychological theory that stated that eating foods with no flavor makes your body sever the link between flavor and calories in your brain.

The idea was so poorly received that one medical professor, John Ford from UCLA, wouldn’t even give the diet a peer review.

And it makes sense. After all, Coke Zero has no calories, but we can’t use that to sever this flavor-calorie connection.

So maybe the theory is wrong.

But is there anything to the practice?  

Nutritionists say that the only reason this works is because people who adhere to it are essentially just eating a snack between meals, meaning they’re better at controlling their portions when they eat their full meals.

But you can basically do that with any food that’s high in fiber and protein. Almonds, greek yogurt, a whole vegetable, or a host of other foods will do the job. You don’t have to shoot olive oil like tequila to get the benefit of a filling snack.

Unless you want to, I guess. Then knock yourself out.

Would you try this “diet” technique?