A Canadian personal trainer Cole Robinson is advocating a new weight-loss method known as the Snake Diet. It is a new and questionable way to lose weight quickly. Robinson claims that his creation can “challenge everything you thought you knew about food and the limits of the human body”. Not only does it supposedly promote weight-loss but can also cure diabetes.
Although Robinson’s claims sound optimistic, they have no medical backing. He is not a medical expert and there are concerns that this weight-loss trend isn’t completely safe. The Snake Diet itself consists of fasting and encourages people to adopt the natural eating pattern of snakes.
Where’s the Logic?
This is certainly unusual, but that’s not to say it isn’t based from logical reasoning. Intermittent fasting, where you don’t eat for 12 – 18 hours, has been proven to aid weight-loss. The aim is to mimic the natural fast that occurs during sleep. Qualified nutritionists recommend eating between 8am and 8pm if you were to try intermittent fasting.
The Snake Diet is an extreme diet type that involves eating one large meal during the day. The meal will consist of mainly protein and fat, then you fast for 22 hours afterwards.
However, before you even begin this pattern of eating, you would need to fast for 48 hours and drink Robinson’s concoction known as “Snake Juice”. This consists of one litre of water, two teaspoons of pink salt and 2 teaspoons of NoSalt, a salt replacement product. Snakes aren’t generally known for consuming salt water, yet Robinson insists that it is essential for detoxing the body, diminishing sugar cravings and causing the body to start burning fat.
Humans Can’t Live Like a Snake
Unsurprisingly, eating in the same way a snake does is certainly not sustainable or healthy. The Snake Diet is not built on science and instructs people to starve their bodies of essential nutrients. Registered and qualified nutritionists have already denounced the weight-loss trend and are urging people not to try it.
Fasting for 22 hours will most likely leave you feeling low and fatigued. Indeed, you will lose weight because you’d be taking in far fewer calories. Nevertheless, once you begin eating normally again, the weight lost will be gained. After eating so little, your body will respond to its craving for much needed calories.
Not only are the lack of calories and nutrients an issue, but also the significant consumption of salt. One day’s worth of Snake Juice contains 4,000mg of sodium. This is almost double the amount that anyone should consume daily. As a result, existing health problems such as high blood pressure or kidney issues could be aggravated. Furthermore, you will become extremely thirsty because only 1 litre of plain water is allowed per day during the detox period.
Don’t Try the Snake Diet
When entering the fasting phases of this weight-loss trend, you will most likely end up with nutritional deficiencies. It’s also very likely that you will also end up constipated, because the calories you do consume will only be from protein and fat. Overall, the Snake Diet is not scientifically proven and should be avoided.
