FISHY FAST
I tried the stomach-churning 3-day sardine fast – I had terrible cat breath but I shifted 4 pounds and felt great
Emma's fishy fast came about after I hit 14st 7lb over the summer and decided I simply had to lose weight
WE know oily fish is good for you but what about the ‘sardine fast’ that’s gone viral?
Mum-of-one Emma Marns, 33, an academic and operations administrator from Hockley, Essex, decided to find out if it could help her shift stubborn pounds . . .
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CRAZY as it sounds, I’m about to embark on a “sardine fast”, where I’ll live off the canned, oily fish – and nothing else – for three whole days.
At just 50p a tin, they’re as cheap as chips — but sadly, I won’t be eating chips with them.
My fishy fast came about after I hit 14st 7lb over the summer and decided I simply had to lose weight.
I had tried fad diets in the past, but none worked.
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After snacking my way through lockdown, I reached almost 13st, so I embarked on the 1:1 Diet — a restrictive, consultant-led regime of low-calorie shakes, soups and bars.
By the following year, my weight dropped to just over 10st and I went on to have a healthy pregnancy with my daughter Melody, now two.
But after eight months of poor eating during maternity leave, I ended up heavier than ever and weighed more than 14st.
At 5ft 6in, worryingly, my BMI hit 32.9, classing me as obese.
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That’s when I spotted Dr Annette Bosworth’s Sardine Fast on YouTube.
It’s had almost 700,000 views, while the hashtag #sardinediet is fast approaching 40,000 searches on TikTok.
As the name suggests, the diet involves eating nothing but tinned sardines (in water or oil) for 72 hours.
There’s no limit on how many you can eat and a 120g tin contains around 220 calories.
And you’re only allowed to drink water, black coffee or tea.
Dr Bosworth promotes healthy ketogenic living — ditching carbs to force the body to burn fat for energy.
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Sardines are nutritious and high in iron, vitamin D, protein and calcium. They are also completely lacking in sugar.
The fast claims you can lose up to half a stone in just three days.
I’d never eaten a sardine in my life and the thought of filling my belly with tinned fish didn’t fill me with joy. But I was intrigued.
Plus, I want to be a good role model for my daughter.
As a child of the ’90s, I was bombarded by images of super-skinny catwalk models, while size zero stars like Kate Moss and Victoria Beckham dominated magazine covers.
Despite being chunky in primary school, by the age of 14 I’d lost so much weight from barely eating I was dubbed “Annie Anorexic”.
Now I’m a mum, I want to make healthy choices instead of constantly belittling myself in front of Melody.
Yes, the Sardine Fast is a quick fix, but shedding a few pounds could help keep me motivated on a longer journey to healthier living.
So, three full days of unlimited sardines? Challenge accepted.
DAY ONE
STEPPING onto the bathroom scales, I peek sheepishly through my fingers and note my starting weight, 14st 8.5lb.
Shunning my usual steaming bowl of porridge with blueberries, I gingerly pull back the lid on a small 120g tin of Asda’s own-brand sardines in sunflower oil, costing 50p.
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It looks like cat food, smells like cat food but, surprisingly, tastes like tuna.
I chase it down with a mug of black coffee, stunned to discover that after just one tin, my appetite is satisfied.
By 1pm I’ve gobbled down three tins of sardines and reached my limit.
As the afternoon wears on, I’m craving a sweet treat — anything to relieve the foul odour creeping up from my stomach in burp form.
By 7pm my hunger pangs convince me to tackle another tin, but I only manage half a portion before the taste and smell makes me gag.
With two long days to go, I wonder what on earth I’ve done.
TOTAL TINS: 3.5
DAY TWO
I WAKE up after an incredible night’s sleep, full of the joys of spring (well, autumn).
The last time I felt this alert was before my daughter was born.
I expected to wake up ravenous, but I’m not the least bit hungry.
I optimistically chuck three tins of sardines into my bag to eat at the office, along with some paprika and black pepper — my favourite seasonings — to spice things up.
To my amazement, I actually enjoy my paprika-doused breakfast.
I don’t feel any tummy rumbles until lunchtime, when I cheerily spoon two tins into my mouth with a hearty sprinkling of black pepper.
But by dinner time I can’t face any more sardines.
I’m desperate to crawl into bed, my body lacking the sugar hit from the bourbon biscuits I usually munch in front of the TV.
TOTAL TINS: 3
DAY THREE
IT’S the final day — thank goodness.
After a night of broken sleep, I wake up hungry.
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Another stomach-churning tin of sardines awaits.
I’m disappointed to wake up so unhappy after yesterday’s surge of joy, but I’ve learned a big lesson – I often overeat and don’t need half of what I put into my body every day.
I manage to do the nursery run, complete a day’s work in the office, come home and do my share of the chores — all on three tins of fish and a couple of litres of water.
I’m also sure my hair and skin look better and that my eyes are brighter.
Is this really the sardines working their magic in just three days?
While I couldn’t face a final tin for dinner, I feel proud of myself for seeing it through.
TOTAL TINS: 3
THE RESULT
I STEP gingerly onto the scales and — hallelujah! — I’ve lost 4.25lb.
I’m absolutely thrilled with the result, but after three days of only tinned sardines passing my lips, I wish I’d lost more.
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Sharing the news with my husband Bradley, 31, a scrap handler for Environ UK, he’s delighted for me.
He loves my body regardless of what I weigh, but he admires my strength.
Mostly, he’s just glad the smell of sardines has left the house.
The Sardine Fast is hard-going, but I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to curb their snacking habits and lose weight quickly.
If you won’t eat a tin of sardines, you’re not really hungry.
Lesson learned.
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TINS CONSUMED: 9.5 (a mix of Asda own brand and John West in olive/sunflower oil)
COST: £9.25
THERE’S CATCH TO FISH DIET
WHILE Emma lost weight on the Sardine Fast, Dr Hana Patel says it’s potentially harmful.
The NHS GP said: “Fish is an important part of a healthy, balanced diet, but the NHS recommends no more than two portions of oily fish per week for girls and women not yet in menopause.
“This is because it contains higher levels of pollutants than other seafood, which can build up in the body and affect a pregnancy.
“The high protein and fat content in sardines makes you feel fuller, but it’s not a healthy way to lose weight.
“Ketosis – which is the aim of this diet – happens when your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose.
“If your body doesn’t have any carbohydrates to burn, it will break down fat instead.
“Ketosis can help with weight loss by reducing appetite.
“It may improve blood sugar control and reduce the risk of heart disease, too.
“But there can be unpleasant effects including dry mouth, thirst, headaches and stomach upset.
“Always consult your doctor before trying a ketogenic diet.
“Relying on one food alone poses serious nutritional and health risks and I would not recommend this sardine-only diet for this reason.”
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