I think all diets

are nonsense from a weight-loss perspective, because if we simply consume less than we burn, we lose weight no matter which diet we adopt. The Paleo diet is particularly troublesome, however, in that it forbids the consumption of foodstuffs, such as cereals and most carbohydrates, that are easily digested by the body and used for energy rather than being stored as fat. It recommends an incredibly high protein intake of up to 35 per cent of daily calories, which is considerably higher than the 15 to 25 per cent suggested by modern dieticians. The Paleo diet also recommends a moderate to high intake of fat—again, not usually recommended by dietitians. I have been following Dr Michael Mosley’s bestseller The Fast Diet, in which he espouses the benefits of intermittent fasting and warns that the eating of five small meals a day recommended by Paleo can actually have adverse effects. Mosley states that fasting for long intervals between meals (up to 16 hours) allows your body to repair cells rather than continually produce new ones. The constant production of new cells can increase the risk of cancer. My regime these days is all about keeping an eye on the calories… and skipping breakfast.

David is the founder of Aqua Restaurant Group