Dr Michael Moseley believed there were three things that dieters should avoid if they want to lose weight and it wasn’t all about cutting down the calories
Dr Michael Moseley, the diet guru behind The Fast 5:2 diet, had three food groups which he said slimmers should steer clear of if they’re serious about shedding pounds. The expert’s advice was rooted in the principles of the Keto diet, which triggers your body into a fat-burning state.
While he agreed that “cutting right down” is key to whittling down your waistline, the doctor, who died this year, previously told ITV’s This Morning that simply slashing calories isn’t always the most effective route to steady weight loss. Instead he explained that ditching sugar, starchy carbs, and processed meats can revolutionise your metabolism.
He urged viewers to resist the temptation of sugary drinks, cereals, and even high-sugar fruit smoothies. He said: “Cut right down on sugar, sugary treats, drinks and desserts. That includes most breakfast cereals, which are usually full of sugar, as well as most commercial smoothies.”
Unlike other diets that advocate for cutting out fats, he recommends reducing or limiting starchy carbohydrates. And he said white bread, pasta, potatoes and white rice were the main offenders contributing to many people’s weight gain.
The weight loss expert added: “Switch instead to whole grains including bulgur (cracked wheat), whole rye, wholegrain barley, wild rice and buckwheat. Brown rice is okay.”
Dr Mosley recommended a shake-up in our diets, suggesting the addition of legumes like lentils, kidney beans, and chickpeas as “healthy and filling” alternatives to stodgy carbs. He pointed out that this swap is not only waistline-friendly but also a savvy move for the budget-conscious shopper.
And he advised against daily calorie counting. Instead, he encouraged people to track calories just two days a week during fasting periods, with a limit of 500 calories on those days. But it’s not an all-you-can-eat affair for the rest of the week.
The expert recommended a Mediterranean-style diet to avoid sugar-laden foods, starchy carbohydrates, and processed meats. Speaking on the popular show he advised: “That means more olive oil and nuts, as well as plenty of eggs, full-fat yoghurt, oily fish and vegetables.
“Make sure you fill up on protein and veg on your fasting days. Protein is very satiating and you can eat a lot of vegetables for very few calories.”
He also issued a warning on his website Fast800, advising people to avoid ultra-processed meats and generally processed foods, which are often “packed with sugar, fat, and salt, as well as chemical flavourings and preservatives.”
The doctor’s website includes the following foods as those to avoid – Chicken nuggets, burgers, chips, pizzas, hotdogs, pre-packaged meals, mass-produced ice-cream, sweets, crisps, energy bars, bakery goods, biscuits, margarine and pretty well anything that says ‘instant’– i.e. instant noodles, soups and desserts.
He warned these foods are designed to set off the reward circuits in our brains, “so once we start eating them we find it really hard to stop”.
The health expert continued to stand by Fast 5:2 Diet as a sure-fire way to get slim. He said previously: “Today we have more hard evidence than ever that the 5:2 is one of the best ways to get slim and stay slim – as well as reduce your risk of illness.”