In the wealthiest circles of Victorian England, bizzare fads ran rampant

In the wealthiest circles of Victorian England, bizzare fads ran rampant. But perhaps none was as strange as the tapeworm diet, in which dieters swallowed an unhatched tapeworm and let it grow inside them by consuming andigested meals. Obviously, this an exceptionally dangerous and unhealthy way to manage your weight. However, while modern fad diets aren’t usually this extreme, they do promise similar results; specifically, losing weight fast. So, are there any fast diets that do work? And are any of themactually healthy for you? To answer these questions, let’s consider a thought experiment. Sam and Felix are identical twins both planning to go on a diet. They share the same height, weight, fat and muscle mass. But Sam is hoping to lose weight slowly, while Felix wants to go fast. Sam’s plan is to gradually decrease his calorie intake and increase his regular exercise. With less energy coming in and more being expended, he is creating an energy deficit inside his body. To compensate, Sam’s body begins breaking down his emergency glucose supply, stored in the liver in the form of glycogen. Then, after 4 to 6 hours, his body starts burning fat cells as a major energy source. This process releases lipid droplets which are broken down into compounds that float through the bloodstream and provide energy to organs and tissues. Felix aims to create a similar energy deficit by dramatically cutting his calorie intake. Unlike Sam, who is still eating smaller meals, Felix is eating almost nothing. And his body responds by going into a starvation response.