Doctor Mike Varshavski, a Board Certified FM Physician living in New York City, is one of YouTube's most well-known and loved, doctors.
He currently sits at almost nine million YouTube subscribed and a combined total of 1,398,181,426 views across his videos.
The self-described dog dad loves spending time online in a bid to educate people when it comes to our health whilst making it a fun environment to learn.
New Year has just passed and we are now into February, but 'new year dieting tips' are still rife with many 'experts' claiming they know it all and that by taking a magic pill, you can drop all those unwanted pounds.
But we all know that's not the case.
Dr Mike has touched on this subject many times warning people to be careful what they do in order to lose weight.
So to tell fact from fiction, Doctor Mike sat down and told his viewers what tips get a thumbs up - and which get two thumbs down.
Drink black coffee to boost your metabolism
Discussing this tip, Doctor Mike said that caffeine is a stimulant therefore it could boost your metabolism.
He added: "I like this statement because black coffee means it doesn't have excess calories from sugar, milk, creamer - all of that.
"In addition, black coffee will technically keep your fast going so if you're a fan of intermittent fasting you're still going to be getting a lot of those same benefits with having a little stimulation on board."
Hang a mirror in front of your dining table
According to some sources, studies show that watching yourself eat reduces the amount of food you consume.
Dr Mike immediately stated that this tip was one to stay away from simply adding: "NO. If you want to add a mirror for decor - go right ahead. But if you're doing it so you hate yourself whilst you're eating - no."
Use smaller plates and bowls
By using a smaller bowl, people are more likely to give themselves smaller portions.
It is also said to act as an 'optical illusion' that will give you a full sensation from seeing a clean plate.
Explaining this tip, Doctor Mike said that he liked this idea as it's one that is "fairly benign."
He continued: "Really one of the biggest problems in the eating habits of my patients who are obese or overweight is that they eat really big portions and they don't even realise it.
"So by having a smaller plate you're already helping yourself to figuring out a health portion size - but also when you see it and you eat the entire plate, there is a psychological concept to how you absorb those calories."
Intermittent fasting
According to the John Hopkins Medical website, "intermittent fasting is an eating plan that switches between fasting and eating on a regular schedule. Research shows that intermittent fasting is a way to manage your weight and prevent — or even reverse — some forms of disease."
However there are also claims that by doing so, you could reduce your muscle mass.
Discussing the topic he said: "This is controversial. For some like myself, intermittent fasting works great.
"Because you're eating in a very specific window - meaning you're not eating for 16 hours and you're only eating in a time-restricted eight hour feeding pattern - you're going to eat less calories.
"That's just the nature of eating in a smaller window.
"That being said, some people actually get a disordered relationship with their eating habits so it's certainly not for everyone."
In addition to the weight loss element of fasting, other benefits that have been proven include hormonal changes, increased clarity and efficiency.
Although Mike didn't touch on muscle mass, the John Hopkins Medical website states that physical performance is not affected stating "young men who fasted for 16 hours showed fat loss while maintaining muscle mass."
You may want to avoid fasting if you:
- Are 18-years-old or younger
- Pregnant or breastfeeding
- Have diabetes or blood sugar problems
- Have an eating disorder or a history of an ED
Swap protein for whey protein powder
Doctor Mike said that he is "hesitant" to recommend this tip as he isn't a fan of getting his protein needs from supplements.
He explained: "When you eat a protein rich meal it usually comes with some fat, some carbohydrates depending on the source of protein and when you're getting whey protein powder, you're really isolating the protein and getting just that.
"I feel like you can find nutrient-rich protein sources like tuna and salmon and in addition, you're also going to get a lot of other nutrients that aren't found in whey powder like Omega 3 fatty acids."
Chew your food slowly
According to this claim, eating your food slowly can signal to your brain that you're full meaning if you eat fast, by the time the signal has told your brain that you're full, you may have overeaten.
Doctor Mike said he would change this advice to "chew thoroughly" rather than slowly.
He explained: "If you slow down your chewing, that might be a little bit awkward. But if you chew thoroughly you could actually give yourself the time to signal to your body that you're fuller and you're getting the nourishment because it's really about eating to the point you're satiated not to the point you feel so full that you hate yourself.
"We've all been there but it's not a healthy place to be if you're trying to lose a healthy weight."
Ruin food you don't want to eat
This tip suggests that you ruin food on purpose - such as spoiling it with lots of salt or dousing it in milk- in order to avoid foods that are calling your name you 'shouldn't be having'.
Debunking this tips straight away he says: "Not only will this create a very disordered eating pattern where you're destroying food instead of creating a healthy relationship with it, you're also getting rid of food someone can eat.
"I don't know where this advice came from - but two thumbs down."
Green tea
The reported benefits to green tea are endless with many people claiming it's loaded with powerful antioxidants called catechins which are believed to work synergistically with caffeine to enhance fat burning.
Dr Mike said he is one of the biggest green tea fans.
As it has caffeine in it, he warns people not to drink it at night and instead have it with your breakfast or lunch.
He adds that not only does it have caffeine, it has polyphenols and l-theanine which can balance out the caffeine and provide you with a calming effect.
He also warns that you won't see a magical effect - so any company that offers green tea supplements as the 'magic weight loss pills' are ones to stay away from.
Interval training
This form of training involves alternating short bursts of intense activity with longer intervals of less intense activity or stretches.
Getting rather excited about the thought of this exercise, Doctor Mike said: This is my favourite. HIIT. HIT. HIIT. HIIT.
"This is high intensity interval training. You go all out for 30 seconds or a minute. Then for a minute, three or five minutes, you do really mild and light intensity activity."
"One, it promotes weight loss. Two, it promotes muscle building and three it also improves heart rate variability.
"When you start exercising really quickly your heart rate should go up to compensate. But then when you do light intensity exercise, your heart should be able to settle back down. As you do this more and more, your heart's ability to calm down in that light period will improve."
In addition to the other countless benefits, he said that studies have shown that there is an "improved survival" rate for those who have a heart attack and who have a good heart rate variability.
To watch the full video and see his tips in full, visit his YouTube channel here.
