The werewolf diet, also known as the lunar diet and the moon diet, is a

fad diet A fad diet is a diet that becomes popular for a short time, similar to fads in fashion, without being a standard dietary recommendation, and often making unreasonable claims for fast weight loss or health improvements. There is no single defini ...

that centers upon users

fasting Fasting is the abstention from eating and sometimes drinking. From a purely physiological context, "fasting" may refer to the metabolic status of a person who has not eaten overnight (see " Breakfast"), or to the metabolic state achieved after ...

according to the

lunar phases Concerning the lunar month of ~29.53 days as viewed from Earth, the lunar phase or Moon phase is the shape of the Moon's directly sunlit portion, which can be expressed quantitatively using areas or angles, or described qualitatively using the t ...

. This has prompted people to nickname the diet plan the "werewolf diet" as a result. Celebrities that have endorsed the diet include

Demi Moore Demi Gene Moore ( ; née Guynes; born November 11, 1962) is an American actress. After making her film debut in 1981, Moore appeared on the soap opera ''General Hospital'' (1982–1984) and subsequently gained recognition as a member of the Bra ...

and

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...

. The diet is typically performed in one of two fashions: the "basic moon plan" or the "extended version". The first plan is a variation of the

juice cleanse Juice fasting, also known as juice cleansing, is a fad diet in which a person consumes only fruit and vegetable juices while abstaining from solid food consumption. It is used for detoxification, an alternative medicine treatment, and is often p ...

in that individuals are only permitted to drink water and freshly squeezed fruit or vegetable juice. This is typically performed in a 24-hour period during either the

full Full may refer to: * People with the surname Full, including: ** Mr. Full (given name unknown), acting Governor of German Cameroon, 1913 to 1914 * A property in the mathematical field of topology; see Full set * A property of functors in the mathe ...

new moon In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the naked eye, except when it is silhouetted against the Sun during a solar eclipse. ...

. The extended version requires the diet 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.

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

. 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. 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." They also questioned the diet's long term health risks. 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".

References

{{Fad diets American inventions Diets Fad diets Management of obesity