If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is. This diet has no starvation plan attached, but rather involves concentrated breathing for two minutes. Miki Ryosuke, a former Japanese actor claims – wait for it – that he lost 12kg in seven weeks, and all because he inhaled and exhaled.

According to Ryosuke, to lose weight on the diet, one ought to take long breaths and exhale aggressively for two to five minutes a day to guarantee results.

Chief physiologist at the British Olympic Medical Centre, Richard Godfrey is doubtful of the diet’s effectiveness. Godfrey said:

Medium to high intensity work out – such as rowing, brisk walking, or running – over a long period is the only way to burn up fat and elevate metabolism.

Deep breathing and gentle exercises for five minutes a day is not going to burn up enough calories to transform body shape.

Some experts are cautioning those who practice the diet, stating it could impact negatively on their health. Professor Ian Macdonald of metabolic physiology at the School of Biomedical Sciences in Derbyshire said:

Inhaling and exhaling too deeply can disturb the balance between carbon dioxide and oxygen in the body needed to neutralise the blood. This can cause light headedness and even make someone faint.

Contraction of muscles caused by exercise mobilises fat stores. But it is only vigorous aerobic sport that triggers enough energy to turn fat into fuel. Deep breathing alone will burn up fat by two per cent at best.

[Source: MailOnline, YouTube]