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The Tapeworm Diet: In the early 20th century, some people believed that ingesting a tapeworm could help them lose weight. The idea was that the tapeworm would consume some of the calories from the person's food. This is extremely dangerous and is not a recommended or safe method for weight loss.
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The Cabbage Soup Diet: This is a short-term, low-calorie diet that involves eating mainly cabbage soup for a week. It gained popularity in the 1980s. Critics argue that it lacks essential nutrients and can lead to nutritional deficiencies.
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The HCG Diet: This diet involves taking the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) either through injections or drops while following a very low-calorie diet. The FDA has deemed HCG for weight loss as fraudulent and has issued warnings about it.
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The Grapefruit Diet: Also known as the Hollywood Diet, this involves eating large amounts of grapefruit with every meal. Advocates claim that grapefruit contains fat-burning enzymes, but there's little scientific evidence to support this.
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The Master Cleanse (Lemonade Diet): This is a liquid diet that involves consuming only a concoction of lemon juice, cayenne pepper, maple syrup, and water for several days. It's often used for detoxification and rapid weight loss, but critics argue that it lacks essential nutrients and can be dangerous.
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Waist Trainers and Corset Training: While not a diet per se, waist trainers and corset training gained popularity as a means of achieving an hourglass figure and promoting weight loss through compression. Critics argue that they can lead to discomfort, restriction of movement, and potential harm to internal organs.
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The "K-E Diet" (Feeding Tube Diet): This extreme weight loss method involves inserting a feeding tube into the nose that runs down into the stomach. The tube delivers a low-calorie, high-fat solution, providing roughly 800 calories a day. It's a highly controversial and potentially dangerous method.
All of a sudden a 16 hour fast doesn't seem so tough.