How TikTok's 'summer body' hacks could be harming your health according to experts

We've all been there - in January we're saying "new year, new us" and commit to healthy habits for the year ahead - but by April, it's all a distant memory.

Then there's the panic when you realise you have a summer holiday fast on the approach in the months ahead, with many people turning to 'quick-fix' diets to achieve the body that they want.

Spoiler alert: They don't really work.

It's bad news if you're trying to get into shape, because the diets and regimes that are actually sustainable take time to work, and require consistent effort - even after you've got to where you want to be.

However, that doesn't mean that social media isn't awash with trends and fads trying to convince us that we really can turn things around in a short space of time.

To de-influence you, we've got fitness coach Donna Callander and Live Football Tickets on-hand to explain why your favourite fitness trend might not be the one to try...

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75 Hard Challenge

One of TikTok's most popular challenges, the 75 hard challenge has over 52 million views on the platform, and is based on six simple rules to transform your life.

The challenge entails following a nutrition/eating plan suited to your goals, cutting out alcohol and cheat meals, and completing two 45-minute workouts, drinking a gallon of water and reading 10 pages of a book every day - for you guessed it, 75 days.

But, is it really that sustainable? There's concern that the lack of rest days significantly increases the risk of injuries by depriving the body of time to recover, and encourages feelings of burnout if you're unable to keep up with the demands of the challenge.

“The positive here is that it takes around 21 days to build a habit, so in theory you could then pick up some positive habits here and it mixes health, exercise, growth and mindfulness. However, what is the end goal? What is the diet? How do people choose it? ", says Callander.

"That is a dangerous road as people are choosing something to alter their food or their exercise regime based on social media as opposed to whether it is right for them.”

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30-day Gallon Water Challenge

We're constantly told "drink more water" - but just how much is too much? Well, experts think that the 30-day gallon water challenge could be pushing the boundaries, with participants expected to guzzle a gallon a day for a month.

Callander states: “It’s important to drink water as part of a healthy diet and avoid fads and challenges unless you have consulted your doctor, because suddenly adding too much of anything to your body without balancing things out can have consequences.

"Whilst dehydration is usually a more common issue, hyperhydration or overhydration can equally cause issues such as a cloudy thinking, nausea and vomiting, muscle weakness, spasms or cramps and headaches.”

Dry-scooping pre-workout powder

Protein shakes and pre-workout powders have become commonplace in every gym-goers arsenal, but one trend that's popped up online recently is the idea of taking your powders dry.

Sounds gross, right? Well, people are still doing it because of suggestions that it gets ingested into your system quicker, which there's no evidence to suggest is true.

“As far as I am aware there are no real benefits to dry scooping. You tend to see videos of those trying it ending up in coughing fits which is usually down to them accidentally ingesting it as opposed to swallowing it", says Callander.

"It is something that is for likes or follows on TikTok as opposed to something that general people should be trying.”

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