The latest diet fad to set the internet abuzz is called the CiCo diet.

CiCo stands for Calories In, Calories Out, and essentially is all about calorie counting, so not exactly revolutionary.

The idea is that by counting your energy intake and expenditure, you can keep yourself in a calorie deficit and thus lose weight.

However health professionals have expressed concerns over the diet, mainly because they fear some people may ignore the nutritional value (or lack thereof) of what they’re eating if they only care about calories.

“If we simply look at calories in versus calories out, we forget about some of the complexities of weight loss, nutrition and our relationships with food,” Aisling Pigott-Jones, a spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association, told Kashmira Gander at the IB Times.

“But that should not be our sole focus when trying to become or stay fit and healthy.”

Pigott-Jones gives the examples of Mars bars - you could consume 1500kcal in Mars bars alone over the course of a day thus creating a calorie deficit for yourself, but you won’t be healthy.

“However, because of the high sugar content, you will never feel full, always craving more satiation,” she explains.

Six healthy breakfast recipes - in pictures







+ show all Six healthy breakfast recipes - in pictures









1/6 You will need: 1 onion, 1 red pepper, 1 stick of celery, 1 cup of mushrooms, 4 to 6 eggs, 1 habanero chilli (optional), 1 tablespoon of oil, 25g of grated low-fat cheese, 150 ml of skimmed milk, 50g of turkey breast. Add some spinach for an extra boost. Method: 1) Cook your turkey breast so that it’s ready to add to the mix later on. Best to grill it and then chop it up as it’s healthier than shallow frying. 2) Meanwhile, heat the oil and add your onion, pepper, chilli, mushrooms and celery to your pan. Cook these for around five minutes until your veg is nice and soft. 3) Whisk your eggs and milk together in a separate bowl, seasoning with salt and pepper. 4) Add the egg mixture, veg, cooked turkey and cheese to a high-sided baking pan or tin and cook in your oven for around 15 minutes at 170C. DW Fitness Clubs

1) Cook your turkey breast so that it’s ready to add to the mix later on. Best to grill it and then chop it up as it’s healthier than shallow frying. 2) Meanwhile, heat the oil and add your onion, pepper, chilli, mushrooms and celery to your pan. Cook these for around five minutes until your veg is nice and soft. 3) Whisk your eggs and milk together in a separate bowl, seasoning with salt and pepper. 4) Add the egg mixture, veg, cooked turkey and cheese to a high-sided baking pan or tin and cook in your oven for around 15 minutes at 170C. 2/6 Be careful when you buy your porridge, as some brands will cram a lot of sugar in there. Porridge is a good breakfast option as it is renowned for releasing energy slowly, which means you can get to lunch without suffering from a lull. A great source of fibre, potassium and vitamins, bananas are always a good accompaniment to your morning oats. DW Fitness Clubs

3/6 Ingredients: 2 full eggs, 3 egg whites, asparagus, peppers, 50g of smoked salmon Method 1) Boil your asparagus in water for around five minutes. 2) Meanwhile, mix your eggs and egg whites in a jug, and add a splash of skimmed milk. Chop some peppers up and throw them in too. 3) Once your asparagus is cooked, drain it and chop into smaller chunks. Add these to your egg mixture. 4) Whisk your mixture and season with salt and pepper. 5) Pour the mix into a hot pan with a small knob of butter or a teaspoon of quality olive oil. 6) Cook the omelette for around 90 seconds to two minutes. 7) Once the bottom is cooked, take the pan off the hob and place under the grill for another 30 seconds to a minute in order to cook the top. 8) Serve with your smoked salmon. DW Fitness

1) Boil your asparagus in water for around five minutes. 2) Meanwhile, mix your eggs and egg whites in a jug, and add a splash of skimmed milk. Chop some peppers up and throw them in too. 3) Once your asparagus is cooked, drain it and chop into smaller chunks. Add these to your egg mixture. 4) Whisk your mixture and season with salt and pepper. 5) Pour the mix into a hot pan with a small knob of butter or a teaspoon of quality olive oil. 6) Cook the omelette for around 90 seconds to two minutes. 7) Once the bottom is cooked, take the pan off the hob and place under the grill for another 30 seconds to a minute in order to cook the top. 8) Serve with your smoked salmon. 4/6 Greek yoghurt has vast nutritional benefits. Regardless of where you stand on the superfood debate, Greek yoghurt’s credentials speak for themselves. A good source of potassium, protein, calcium and essential vitamins, this food forms an ideal base for a healthy breakfast, especially if you’re trying to lose weight. DW Fitness

5/6 Eggs Florentine is not only a tasty breakfast, it also carries a hefty nutritional punch, particularly when you throw some spinach into the equation. DW Fitness

6/6 So fast and easy to make, yet so effective. Wholemeal toast can be a good breakfast choice, as long as you are sensible with your toppings. Peanut butter is perfect. A good source of “healthy fats”, as well as protein and Vitamin E among other nutrients, a liberal spreading of peanut butter can set you up for the day. DW Fitness

“Because of the high saturated fat content, you will feel sluggish. Because your diet will contain no fibre, you will suffer constipation or other bowel issues. Because of the low nutrient value, you would soon become anaemic and deficient in a host of vitamins and minerals.

“Because your body will then be ‘under-nourished’, not from an energy point of view, but from a nutritional point of view, any exercise or fitness activities you engage in, will contribute to the negative energy balance. But you won't become fitter, stronger or have any impact on your long-term metabolism.”

Pigott-Jones believes people will probably lose weight on the diet in the short term, but it’s not sustainable as you’ll end up feeling unwell so give it up, return to your normal diet and end up regaining weight.

She is one of many nutrition experts who’ve criticised the CiCo diet in recent days, but advocates of the plan have defended themselves, taking to Reddit to argue that it works for them.

“I tried to lose weight for years, and only after this past year of consistent, slow-and-steady CiCo (via tracking with MFP [My Fitness Pal app]) have I been successful,” one person wrote on the forum.

“I also feel like I have completely reframed my relationship with food and focus on eating foods that are healthy and filling since I know I have to make my 1300-1500 calories each day really count!”

At the end of the day, calorie-counting may help, but you need to make sure you’re counting nutrients as well.