It’s a question millions of us have been asking for decades: What are the best ways to lose weight?
Celebrities and fitness influencers have touted weight-loss pills, meal replacement shakes, and supplements, saying they’re the secret to their toned, Hollywood-ready physiques.
But these ‘tips’, according to AI, are not worth the paper they are written on.
MailOnline can reveal strenuous workouts, meal prepping and intermittent fasting are among ChatGPT’s top five weight loss tips.
And we’ve published the guide for those who want to try it out. But be warned: Leading experts say weight loss approaches aren’t for everyone.
ChatGPT awarded High Intensity Interval Training as the best for weight loss
HIIT
Two to three sessions of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) per week was the chatbot’s best tip for shedding the pounds.
This workout consists of alternating short bursts of high-intensity exercise with low-intensity recovery periods, usually 30 seconds each, with a typical workout lasting about half an hour.
ChatGPT even provided a list of go-to exercises, including sprints, burpees, jumping jacks, and squats.
The cardiovascular exercise involves working between 80 and 95 percent of your maximum heart rate, which is calculated by subtracting your age from 220.
For example, a 30-year-old would have a maximum heart rate of 190.
The nation’s favorite workout guru, Joe Wicks, nicknamed the Body Coach, is a proponent of the trendy workout.
And Australian researchers found last year that it was more effective at controlling your waistline than traditional aerobic exercise, such as running or swimming.
Dr. However, Duane Mellor, one of Britain’s top nutrition researchers, warned that exercise can only support weight loss, rather than be the main cause of it.
He told MailOnline, “While HIIT may be the workout preference for some and is easier to fit in time-wise, it’s not a better form of exercise.
“While exercise can help with weight management, its contribution to weight loss may be limited.”
Preparing meals
Videos of people cooking meals for the week ahead have racked up billions of views on TikTok — sparking a trend of their own.
But the time and cost saving trend is also one of the best ways to get a ‘healthy and consistent’ eating pattern according to ChatGPT.
It consists of spending time in your week making a large portion of breakfast, lunch, and dinner and putting them in containers to consume throughout the week.
The chatbot claims that having meals already prepared helps to “avoid impulsive, unhealthy food choices and promote portion control.”
As a result, dieters are better able to track what they eat and their calorie intake, which can help with weight loss.
Each meal should be balanced and contain lean protein, whole grains, vegetables and healthy fats, according to the AI chatbot.
The NHS recommends that you eat five servings of fruit and vegetables every day and drink plenty of fluids.
Dr. Semiya Aziz, an NHS and private GP, praised meal prep as an excellent way to control portion size.
She told MailOnline: ‘It often encourages people to think about the varied food groups needed for a balanced meal.
“This is essential because when we begin to understand the different foods and the benefits obtained, we begin to eat healthier foods in general.”
“Meal prep can also help with portion control and avoid buying takeout, which can have significantly more calories than a home-cooked meal.”
Intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting – an extended period of time without eating followed by a period of normal eating – was the chatbot’s third suggestion.
There are four main types of fasting.
The 5:2 diet involves eating normally five days a week and drastically reducing your calorie intake two days a week — down to 500 for women and 600 for men.
Those following the 16:8 plan only eat within eight hours of the day, for example, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and fast for the remaining 16 hours.
Alternative fasting involves eating only about a quarter of your normal daily intake in one day, followed by a day where you eat 25 percent more than usual.
And fasting for 24 hours means eating nothing at all for a whole day.
In theory, the diets give the body a “break” from digesting food and cause dieters to take in fewer calories than they would if they were eating more regularly.
While this type of eating habit has had positive effects on blood sugar control and short-term weight loss, some small studies saw some people eating too much.
Dr. Aziz said, “This is an excellent way to lose weight, but may not be the ideal way to eat for everyone. Various fasting/eating regimens have been proposed.
“Fasting is a common tradition practiced by many religions around the world, primarily for the health benefits and detoxification of food items.”
Cut sugar and carbs
According to ChatGPT, reducing added sugars and refined carbohydrate intake is another cornerstone for weight loss.
Sugar is a type of carbohydrate that gives the body energy, but eating too much can lead to weight gain.
There are natural sugars, found in fruits, honey and milk, or free sugars, which are added to cookies, chocolate and fizzy drinks.
Health chiefs say free sugars should make up no more than five percent of daily caloric intake because overeating can lead to weight gain, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
“Focus on whole, unprocessed foods and choose complex carbohydrates like whole grains, legumes, and vegetables over sugary snacks, soda, and processed foods,” ChatGPT advised.
While this approach has proven successful for many, experts emphasize the importance of choosing a diet based on individual preferences.
Dr. Mellor said: ‘Intermittent fasting can be helpful for some people, while limited sugar and refined carbohydrates can help for others.
“But these need to be carefully considered based on a person’s preferences and make sure their diet remains well-balanced.”
The daily recommended amount of free sugar is 30 grams — sugar added to food and drink, rather than sugar found naturally in fruits, vegetables and milk — and carbohydrates is 230 grams for women and 300 grams for men, according to the NHS .
Track progress
According to ChatGPT, it is vital to track your progress and be accountable.
Doing this can help dieters stay motivated and inspired.
There are many smart and easy ways to track your eating and exercise, with diaries and mobile apps being the most popular.
Tracking can help those struggling to shift the scales adjust their regimen when it’s not effective.
ChatGPT recommended joining a support group or finding an exercise partner to share your weight loss journey and keep you accountable.
It also told avid dieters to “listen to your body, remain patient, and make gradual lifestyle changes that you can sustain over the long term.”
Adults should do some form of physical activity every day. According to the NHS, exercising just once or twice a week can reduce the risk of heart disease or stroke.
Dr. Mellor noted that ChatGPT cannot consider how its advice fits a person’s lifestyle and preferences.
He said: ‘It’s also not great at considering evidence or bias, it just looks at the information on the internet and selects options.
“It’s incapable of considering how people eat. Often in common what is important for our mental well-being and sense of belonging.’