I tried the stomach-churning 3-day sardine fast – I lost 4 pounds and felt great

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.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.

Emma Marns decided to find out if the ‘sardine fast’ could help her shift some stubborn pounds
Emma Marns decided to find out if the ‘sardine fast’ could help her shift some stubborn poundsCredit: Sun Newspapers Ltd
Emma said: 'My fishy fast came about after I hit 14st 7lb over the summer and decided I simply had to lose weight'
Emma said: ‘My fishy fast came about after I hit 14st 7lb over the summer and decided I simply had to lose weight’Credit: Sun Newspapers Ltd

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.“But there can be unpleasant effects including dry mouth, thirst, headaches and stomach upset.IT’S the final day — thank goodness.“It may improve blood sugar control and reduce the risk of heart disease, too.

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I’m absolutely thrilled with the result, but after three days of only tinned sardines passing my lips, I wish I’d lost more.Sardines are nutritious and high in iron, vitamin D, protein and calcium. They are also completely lacking in sugar.Sharing the news with my husband Bradley, 31, a scrap handler for Environ UK, he’s delighted for me.There’s no limit on how many you can eat and a 120g tin contains around 220 calories.

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Mostly, he’s just glad the smell of sardines has left the house.“Ketosis – which is the aim of this diet – happens when your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose.

I’ve lost over 100 lbs – my lazy girl lunch takes two minutes to prepare, my biggest tip is to keep things simple

“Ketosis can help with weight loss by reducing appetite. 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.WHILE Emma lost weight on the Sardine Fast, Dr Hana Patel says it’s potentially harmful.But by dinner time I can’t face any more sardines.COST: £9.25Something had to change.

Emma added: 'I had tried fad diets in the past, but none worked'
Emma added: ‘I had tried fad diets in the past, but none worked’Credit: Sun Newspapers Ltd
Emma with husband Bradley and baby Melody
Emma with husband Bradley and baby MelodyCredit: Supplied

To my amazement, I actually enjoy my paprika-doused breakfast. I STEP gingerly onto the scales and — hallelujah! — I’ve lost 4.25lb.“If your body doesn’t have any carbohydrates to burn, it will break down fat instead. 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.The Sardine Fast is hard-going, but I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to curb their snacking habits and lose weight quickly.I WAKE up after an incredible night’s sleep, full of the joys of spring (well, autumn). If you won’t eat a tin of sardines, you’re not really hungry. “The high protein and fat content in sardines makes you feel fuller, but it’s not a healthy way to lose weight.At 5ft 6in, worryingly, my BMI hit 32.9, classing me as obese.

DAY ONE

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.Is this really the sardines working their magic in just three days?

As the name suggests, the diet involves eating nothing but tinned sardines (in water or oil) for 72 hours
As the name suggests, the diet involves eating nothing but tinned sardines (in water or oil) for 72 hoursCredit: Getty

It looks like cat food, smells like cat food but, surprisingly, tastes like tuna.It’s had almost 700,000 views, while the hashtag #sardinediet is fast approaching 40,000 searches on TikTok.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 . . . 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.TOTAL TINS: 3.5Dr Bosworth promotes healthy ketogenic living — ditching carbs to force the body to burn fat for energy.While I couldn’t face a final tin for dinner, I feel proud of myself for seeing it through.

DAY TWO

“Relying on one food alone poses serious nutritional and health risks and I would not recommend this sardine-only diet for this reason.”The fast claims you can lose up to half a stone in just three days.Lesson learned.TOTAL TINS: 3Shunning 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.Now I’m a mum, I want to make healthy choices instead of constantly belittling myself in front of Melody.I’m also sure my hair and skin look better and that my eyes are brighter. TINS CONSUMED: 9.5 (a mix of Asda own brand and John West in olive/sunflower oil)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.

DAY THREE

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.

THE RESULT

“Always consult your doctor before trying a ketogenic diet.WE know oily fish is good for you but what about the ‘sardine fast’ that’s gone viral?

The mum's fishy fast came about after she hit 14st 7lb over the summer
The mum’s fishy fast came about after she hit 14st 7lb over the summerCredit: Supplied
The diet helped Emma lose 4 pounds
The diet helped Emma lose 4 poundsCredit: Supplied

The last time I felt this alert was before my daughter was born.He loves my body regardless of what I weigh, but he admires my strength.STEPPING onto the bathroom scales, I peek sheepishly through my fingers and note my starting weight, 14st 8.5lb.That’s when I spotted Dr Annette Bosworth’s Sardine Fast on YouTube.But after eight months of poor eating during maternity leave, I ended up heavier than ever and weighed more than 14st.I chase it down with a mug of black coffee, stunned to discover that after just one tin, my appetite is satisfied.

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“This is because it contains higher levels of pollutants than other seafood, which can build up in the body and affect a pregnancy. And you’re only allowed to drink water, black coffee or tea.

THERE’S CATCH TO FISH DIET

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.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.At just 50p a tin, they’re as cheap as chips — but sadly, I won’t be eating chips with them.So, three full days of unlimited sardines? Challenge accepted.With two long days to go, I wonder what on earth I’ve done.I spent this summer unhappy with my size, hiding under loose harem pants and cavernous ­cardigans.TOTAL TINS: 3As the name suggests, the diet involves eating nothing but tinned sardines (in water or oil) for 72 hours. After a night of broken sleep, I wake up hungry.I expected to wake up ravenous, but I’m not the least bit hungry. My fishy fast came about after I hit 14st 7lb over the summer and decided I simply had to lose weight.
Throughout the diet, you’re only allowed to drink water, black coffee or tea
Throughout the diet, you’re only allowed to drink water, black coffee or teaCredit: Sun Newspapers Ltd

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