Diets & Fads
A gentle tour of the carnival — and how to spot the rigged games.
7 minute read
This book doesn't recommend a diet. It hands you questions so you can weigh claims yourself.
Page 1
Why new diets keep appearing
Most eating plans produce early change, partly through water and glycogen shifts and partly because any new structure changes habits. That early result gets sold as proof of a mechanism.
When results plateau — as bodies adapt and hunger hormones rise — the plan is often blamed on the person rather than the design.
Page 2
Four questions worth asking
Does it name a villain food and promise magic if you banish it? Does it require buying something specific? Does it use words like detox, cleanse or reset without saying which organ does what?
And the kindest question: could I eat this way in a year, at a birthday party, on a busy week? Sustainability is a real nutrition metric.
Page 3
What actually holds up
Across studies, plans that people can sustain do similarly well. Common threads: plenty of plants and fibre, adequate protein, enough food to not be ravenous, and regular rhythm.
Weight cycling — losing and regaining repeatedly — carries its own costs. Steadiness and self-respect are legitimate goals.
Painting page: A carnival wheel of claims
Tap a colour, tap a shape. There's no correct version.
Paint box
Pick a colour, then tap any shape. Your painting saves itself.