Now that's a cheap way to lose weight - the BREATH DIET that takes just five minutes a day



Miki Ryosuke says he lost two stone in seven weeks on the Long Breath Diet

Says he found it by mistake while doing breathing exercises for his back pain

It involves spending two minutes a day concentrating on taking long breaths before exhaling aggressively



If you are struggling to stick to a diet of carrot sticks and lettuce leaves, news of the latest weight loss technique to be sweeping Japan could be music to your ears.



Former actor, Miki Ryosuke, claims to have lost two stone and five inches from his waist in seven weeks by following his Long Breath Diet.



Mr Ryosuke, 55, claims that followers of the diet just have to spend two minutes a day concentrating on taking long breaths and then exhaling aggressively.

Scroll down for video

Former actor Miki Ryosuke claims to have lost two stone and five inches from his waist in seven weeks by following his Long Breath Diet which he discovered by accident

The dieting guru says that he invented the diet by mistake while practicing breathing techniques in an attempt to reduce his back pain, Oddity Central reports.

While he was practicing the breathing techniques, Mr Ryosuke noticed that he was losing weight.



As a result of the discovery, he drew up the Long Breath Diet which involves the dieter taking a specific position before inhaling for three seconds and then exhaling powerfully for seven seconds.

Mr Ryosuke claims that people who practice this breathing technique for two to five minutes a day will see rapid benefits.



Oddity Central reports that there are two ways of practicing the diet.



The first involves tensing the buttocks while standing with one foot in front of the body and placing most of the body’s weight on the back foot.



Mr Ryosuke claims that followers of the diet just have to spend two minutes a day concentrating on taking long breaths and then exhaling aggressively

In this position, the dieter is encouraged to inhale for three seconds while lifting their arms above their head.



They are then told to breathe out while tensing all of their muscles for seven seconds.



The second way of practicing the technique involves the dieter standing upright while tightening their buttocks and placing one hand on their stomach, and the other on the bottom of their back.



They are then told to inhale for three seconds before breathing out for seven seconds, all of the time holding in their stomach.



Jill Johnson, creator of the Oxycise, another weight loss programme based on breathing, told Oddity Central: ‘Fat is made up of oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen. When the oxygen we breathe reaches these fat molecules, it breaks them down into carbon dioxide and water.



‘The blood then picks up the carbon dioxide – a waste product of our bodies – and returns it to the lungs to be exhaled. Therefore the more oxygen our bodies use, the more fat we will burn.’



The Long Breath Diet is believed to increase a dieter’s muscle strength and to boost their metabolism by increasing their blood oxygen levels.



However, most experts believe that practicing it for just two minutes a day is not sufficient to see any significant weight loss.



Richard Godfrey, chief physiologist at the British Olympic Medical Centre, says the effectiveness of the technique is highly doubtful.



He 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.'

The Long Breath Diet involves the dieter taking a specific position before inhaling for three seconds and then exhaling powerfully for seven seconds

In fact, Professor Ian Macdonald, professor of metabolic physiology at the School of Biomedical Sciences in Derbyshire, warns breathing too deeply can do more harm than good.



'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.'



And, he doubts simply breathing will turn fat into fuel.

