Werewolf diet

The werewolf diet, also known as the lunar diet and the moon diet, is a fad diet that centers upon users fasting according to the lunar phases.<ref> Burkart, Gregory. The Latest Celebrity Health Fad: The Werewolf Diet(link). {{{website}}}. Fearnet.

</ref> This has prompted people to nickname the diet plan the "werewolf diet" as a result.<ref>

Werewolf Diet: Will juice cleanses during full moons help you lose weight?(link). {{{website}}}. NYDN.

</ref> Celebrities that have endorsed the diet include Demi Moore and Madonna.<ref> Gans, Keri. Forget Cavemen, Now Everyone's Eating Like a Werewolf(link). {{{website}}}. Shape.

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The diet is typically performed in one of two fashions: the "basic moon plan" or the "extended version".<ref name=USN>

Should You Try the Werewolf Diet?(link). {{{website}}}. US News.

</ref> The first plan is a variation of the grapefruit diet in that individuals are only permitted to drink water and freshly squeezed fruit or vegetable juice.<ref name=USN /> This is typically performed in a 24-hour period during either the full or new moon.<ref name=USN /> The extended version requires the dieter to begin with the initial fast during the full moon and then follow a series of eating plans tailored to the various moon phases, such as not eating after 6 p.m. or eating less than normal.<ref name=TIME> Sifferlin, Alexandra. Promising the Moon: The Truth Behind the Werewolf Diet(link). {{{website}}}. TIME.

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Criticism

The werewolf diet has received some criticism due to its similarity to detox diets as a whole, with some physicians dismissing the diet as a fad diet.<ref>

Madonna and Demi’s "Werewolf" Diet(link). {{{website}}}. Woman's Day (MSN).

</ref><ref> Melone, Linda. The Latest Diet Fad That Involves...Werewolves? Oh, And Moons.(link). {{{website}}}. Prevention.

</ref> Criticisms include the diet's effectiveness in the long term, that it hasn't been scientifically proven, and that the weight loss could be attributed more to the low calorie intake as opposed to lunar shifts.<ref> Borreli, Lizette. The Werewolf Diet: Eating To Lunar Calendar Helps You Lose 6 Pounds In 24 Hours, Claims Say(link). {{{website}}}. Medical Daily.

</ref><ref name=WHM /> Others have raised concerns over claims that individuals can lose six pounds in one day, as some nutritionists have said that there is "no solid evidence that anyone can lose six pounds in a day."<ref name=TIME /> They also questioned the diet's long term health risks.<ref name=TIME /> A member of the Women's Health advisory board commented that, while the moon had a limited effect on the human body, "the effect isn't so great that you should actually rethink the way you eat during different times of the month" and that "fasting isn't the smartest idea—it can set you up for binges—and the Werewolf Diet's claims that you can lose up to six pounds in a day simply aren't realistic".<ref name=WHM> Lindenmuth, Katy. Should You Try the Werewolf Diet?(link). {{{website}}}. Women's Health Magazine.

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