Fitness trainer sheds light on how the ‘5-factor diet’ might be the secret to getting a Hollywood

An Australian fitness expert has shared an insight into whether the 5-factor diet could assist with losing weight and getting a Hollywood body.

The 5-factor diet was developed by fitness trainer and nutritionist Harley Pasternak who has a list of celebrity clients, including Jennifer Hudson, Lady Gaga and Rihanna.

Ben Lucas, owner and director of Flow Athletic Australia told FEMAIL the unique diet has ‘potential’ to be a good diet and lead to incredible results, but may differ between individuals.

‘I think the results will depend on the person, their lifestyle and how their body responds to food,’ he said. 

Others celebrities that supposedly have tried the diet include Katy Perry and Kim Kardashian.

What is the 5-factor diet?

The diet is a five-week plan consisting of five meals a day, with each made from ingredients across five food groups. 

The meals contain a type of protein, fibre, complex carbohydrate, sugar-free drink and healthy fats. 

The diet has also been labelled as ‘Hollywood’s Hottest Eating Plan’ because it’s designed to shed weight fast and improve daily fitness routines.

‘Eating frequently is great for your metabolism, and ensuring there are five ingredients would hopefully mean the individual is getting variety in their diet across the five meals (assuming they are not eating the same thing for every meal), which is important for the gut,’ Ben said.

‘But your body also does need several hours to fast (generally overnight as you sleep) for glucose control and to give your stomach a chance to have a general clean out.’ 

What about exercise?

Throughout the diet plan participants are encouraged to complete daily 25-minute workouts that focus on the whole body.

The factor training involves a warm up, upper-body exercises, lower-body exercises, core strength exercises and a cardio finish.  

But Ben said exercising for 25 minutes per day might not suffice in conjunction with eating carbohydrates every day, especially if the prime goal is to lose weight.

‘Having carbs in all five meals may be a bit too much, especially if you are often desk bound and don’t move as much as you should,’ he said.

What are the benefits?

There are a range of benefits by taking up the short diet plan, as it will keep your metabolism high, allow you to develop a healthy relationship with food and encourage regular fitness habits. 

‘It’s good that the 5-factor diet encourages exercise every day, however I would recommend walking for at least an hour a day too – more than 10,000 steps is ideal,’ Ben said.

’25 minutes of exercise aside from walking a day is fine, but if you know you won’t do it every day aim for at least 45 to 60 minute workouts three times a week.’ 

What are the disadvantages?

While the diet was designed by an A-list celebrity nutritionist, Ben pointed out some noticeable flaws, such as risk of overeating.

He said an individual may become guilty of ‘portion distortion’ by eating too much of every meal or consuming too much of one type of food, which may delay the results. 

On the other hand, Ben said some people will likely need to train for more than 25 minutes a day to see noticeable results.