0:00:02 > 0:00:06This programme contains some scenes which some viewers may find upsetting
0:00:06 > 0:00:09For many having a perfect body is the most important thing in life.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11What Josh has got is what I'd like. You can see all the cuts,
0:00:11 > 0:00:13you can see his shoulders, his arms.
0:00:13 > 0:00:18It's quite a big stress to have that, sort of, perfect body.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22But as obesity rockets many of us are fighting against one thing...
0:00:23 > 0:00:24..fat.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27I want a body to be proud of.
0:00:27 > 0:00:33Going on the beach and taking your top off and not thinking, "My belly's hanging over my shorts."
0:00:33 > 0:00:36This is a film about what happens to our bodies and brains
0:00:36 > 0:00:38as we battle the bulge.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40You can see I'm right down deep.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Using computer graphics we'll explore why we get fat...
0:00:46 > 0:00:50..what it is, and how hard it is to shift.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55And now I'd just rather eat.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59We'll follow the emotional challenges weight brings...
0:01:00 > 0:01:05You feel horrible. There's nothing really pleasant about a binge.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09..and the extremes some will go in the pursuit for perfection.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13I can't believe that something so similar to speed was in the pills.
0:01:15 > 0:01:16Through the highs...
0:01:17 > 0:01:19There's just no fat there whatsoever.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21..and the lows.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24You couldn't have a worse relationship with your body.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27This is inside story of how fat works.
0:01:42 > 0:01:4518-year-old Ebonie is a student from Maidstone.
0:01:45 > 0:01:50Mortified. I weigh just over 11 stone
0:01:50 > 0:01:53and I really want to go back to ten stone.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56So she's decided to go on a crash diet to lose weight fast.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01# You say it's all in my head... #
0:02:01 > 0:02:04I've got about four weeks. I haven't got long
0:02:04 > 0:02:07but hopefully I'll get it done to the weight I want to be.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13Like 60% of woman on diets, she wants to shape up for her holiday.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20I'm going to Malia and everyone there is young.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24Everywhere you look, people are going to have bikinis on and stuff.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26It's, like, always in the back of your mind that someone is
0:02:26 > 0:02:30going to take a photo and put it on Facebook so everyone can see it.
0:02:33 > 0:02:34For her crash diet to work
0:02:34 > 0:02:37she'll have to drastically cut down the calories,
0:02:37 > 0:02:40which means a massive change in her eating habits.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45I snack a lot on packets of crisps and chocolate bars
0:02:45 > 0:02:47or I'll go to McDonald's with my friends.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50Sometimes I will go out for a Nando's just for something to do
0:02:50 > 0:02:53and at the end of the day it's not the best thing I could be eating.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57Because it's all the junk food that's made her pile on the pounds.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05Once the food leaves her mouth
0:03:05 > 0:03:08it takes just 10 seconds for it to reach her stomach.
0:03:09 > 0:03:14Gastric juices, powerful enough to dissolve bone, help digest it.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16In hours it turns to a gloopy liquid,
0:03:16 > 0:03:19making it's way to her small intestine
0:03:19 > 0:03:22where chemical reactions break the food down.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28Carbs are converted to glucose, proteins to amino acids
0:03:28 > 0:03:30and fats to fatty acids.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37These nutrients, carried in blood to her cells, fuel her body.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47But if she doesn't burn all the fats and sugars from this food,
0:03:47 > 0:03:53any left over are stored in the billions of fat cells inside her body.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57# Nobody knows what I'm feeling inside... #
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Well, I'm having a red carpet theme
0:03:59 > 0:04:02so if you just come looking smart-ish.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06Although desperate to slim down, Ebonie's crash diet
0:04:06 > 0:04:07is on hold for one more day.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11It s my birthday party tonight. My 18th birthday party,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14I've got loads of people coming.
0:04:14 > 0:04:19I think my friends worry about their appearance, I think everyone does.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21Especially in our society now.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25We always put in a lot of effort, it takes ages.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28Cos everyone cares what everyone thinks about what you look like.
0:04:28 > 0:04:33Yeah. It's quite a big stress to, sort of, have that perfect body.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36Or if you put weight on, they'll be like, "She's got fat."
0:04:36 > 0:04:37Everyone talks about you.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41- I think weight's a big issue. - Yeah, weight is a very big issue. - For everyone.
0:04:41 > 0:04:46- Definitely now cos everyone's going on holiday.- Yeah, everyone just wants that beach body.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48And for her diet to work
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Ebonie knows it's not just the junk food she'll have to cut out.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55I think alcohol's what made me put on so much weight, to be fair.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59- Even though I've just turned 18! - You've got it all to come!
0:04:59 > 0:05:02I don't think you realise what you're drinking is fattening.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04Vodka has hardly anything in it.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06No, vodka's good for you, it's one of the good ones.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10Well, I'd hardly say it's good for you! Like, recommended.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14What the girls may not know is that alcohol stops the body burning fat.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16# Hey, I just met you
0:05:16 > 0:05:19# And this is crazy
0:05:19 > 0:05:20# But here's my number
0:05:20 > 0:05:23# So call me, maybe. #
0:05:23 > 0:05:26As alcohol passes through Ebonie's body,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29it's soon absorbed into her bloodstream.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37Once in her liver it's converted to acetate,
0:05:37 > 0:05:39a substance her body uses for fuel.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43While her body works hard to process acetate,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46the breakdown of other nutrients decreases.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54So while Ebonie is burning her vodkas off on the dance floor,
0:05:54 > 0:05:58her body's ability to burn fat slows down by 70%.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04'I'll be scared because this is, like, my main alcohol night.'
0:06:04 > 0:06:09But after that I should be drinking water and starting on my diet
0:06:09 > 0:06:14so yeah, it's quite exciting, really.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17But the next four weeks isn't going to be easy.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19The diet will drastically cut back her calories
0:06:19 > 0:06:23and with less energy, her body may struggle to function properly.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25# So call me, maybe. #
0:06:28 > 0:06:30MUSIC: "Runaway Baby" by Bruno Mars
0:06:33 > 0:06:36Women are not the only ones who worry about their shape.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38# Well, looky here, looky here What do we have? #
0:06:40 > 0:06:45Research shows almost 60% of men are anxious about their appearance.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48# At the end of the night It is her I'll be holding.
0:06:48 > 0:06:49# I love you so. #
0:06:49 > 0:06:51And today one of the most popular looks,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54enhanced muscles with low body fat.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58I've always thought I'd have the perfect body by now. I'm 27 years of age.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01always dreamt of this perfect physique, the six-pack,
0:07:01 > 0:07:03the cut arms, the big chest, the broad shoulders.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08Essex boy Joe is an electrician.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12'I've had personal trainers, I've played football, go down the gym
0:07:12 > 0:07:16'three or four times a week, for a good 15 or 16 years.'
0:07:16 > 0:07:19I've always had this image in my head of what I'd like to look like
0:07:19 > 0:07:21and I've not been able to gain it.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26I want a body to be proud of.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29Going on the beach, taking your top off, and not thinking,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32"My belly's hanging over my shorts."
0:07:33 > 0:07:36A recent Government report shows a key influence on body image
0:07:36 > 0:07:38is from family and friends.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41Sometimes you look at someone who's got their top off, you think,
0:07:41 > 0:07:45"They've got a six-pack, they look cut, ripped. I'd like to look like that."
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Joe is envious of some of his football mates' physiques.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Look at the size of him. What Josh has got is what I'd like.
0:07:53 > 0:07:54You can see all the cuts,
0:07:54 > 0:07:58you can see his shoulders, his arms, his chest.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01Basically that's what I'm after.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05You can do it, just come to the gym more or something, I don't know.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08His brother, Mike, is also a bit jealous.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11When we're down the gym, we hit the weights, do the cardio, everything.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15But for some reason, we can't get the physique like what he's got.
0:08:15 > 0:08:16THEY LAUGH
0:08:16 > 0:08:19Too many pies, that's what it is!
0:08:19 > 0:08:21- Too many pies.- Too many pies and beers.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25Men start to develop their classic V-shape during adolescence
0:08:25 > 0:08:27and can put on over a stone in muscle.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34As puberty kicks in, the brain sends messages to the testicles
0:08:34 > 0:08:37signalling them to release a surge of sex hormones.
0:08:41 > 0:08:42These flood the body,
0:08:42 > 0:08:47triggering fat deposits to develop in the abdomen and buttocks
0:08:47 > 0:08:51as well as broadening the muscles in the chest and shoulders.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56Unhappy with his shape, Joe began doing some research.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59I started thinking about it about a year ago.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01I was mucking around on the internet one time,
0:09:01 > 0:09:05just started putting in different scenarios like instant six-pack,
0:09:05 > 0:09:08see what would come up and then I come across this procedure.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13Joe has decided to undergo a major surgical procedure.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17An advanced type of liposuction where fat isn't only removed
0:09:17 > 0:09:20but sculpted away to create his ideal physique.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23It's not the size that matters, it's the definition.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26Once you have all that body fat removed,
0:09:26 > 0:09:28the stomach goes, all the extra weight,
0:09:28 > 0:09:30or the sides like your love handles.
0:09:30 > 0:09:31THEY SNIGGER
0:09:31 > 0:09:34Seriously it's going to be that V-shape, he's doing my shoulders
0:09:34 > 0:09:37where you can see on Josh, you can see that V?
0:09:37 > 0:09:40- Not really, no!- You can't see it! - You CAN see it.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44As your shoulder comes down you can see your bicep and your triceps.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46That's basically what they're going to do to me.
0:09:46 > 0:09:51Take away all that and then that will push up.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53Can't you just get it from working out more?
0:09:53 > 0:09:57You can do, but like I was saying to you earlier,
0:09:57 > 0:10:00I've worked towards that and it's to a certain size that I'm reaching
0:10:00 > 0:10:03and I'm not getting past that, you know?
0:10:03 > 0:10:06It's hard work putting in a whole year's worth of gym work
0:10:06 > 0:10:10for the two weeks you might have your top off at the beach in the summer!
0:10:10 > 0:10:13For me, I'd rather just enjoy beers and carbs
0:10:13 > 0:10:17than worry about being ultra-dedicated to a diet
0:10:17 > 0:10:19or anything like that, personally.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25When's our season start up again?
0:10:25 > 0:10:27Start of September, first game.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29It's closing up.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33With only a week to go before his operation,
0:10:33 > 0:10:36Joe's hoping it's not only his body that will improve.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38'It's just something to give me self esteem.
0:10:38 > 0:10:43'When I go out, I like to feel good, I like to look good and I think'
0:10:43 > 0:10:44having the nice body,
0:10:44 > 0:10:48that's the greatest confidence boost you could have.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56It's day one of Ebonie's diet.
0:10:56 > 0:11:01She's trying to lose a stone before her summer holiday in four weeks.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05I'm doing my first shake. I haven't actually done one before.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08Her crash diet will restrict her to one evening meal,
0:11:08 > 0:11:11three healthy snacks and two milkshakes a day.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15You have to use skimmed milk as well to do this
0:11:15 > 0:11:19because it's the best one to use for it, it's the healthiest one.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22The diet will give her 1,200 calories -
0:11:22 > 0:11:25just over half the recommended daily amount.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Although this will trigger the weight loss,
0:11:27 > 0:11:30it may leave her hungry and tired.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32I'm hoping it might taste of ice cream.
0:11:38 > 0:11:43The shake is bulked up with fibre to help Ebonie feel full for longer,
0:11:43 > 0:11:46though this cause bloating.
0:11:46 > 0:11:53It's actually quite thick, so it is actually quite filling.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56I've actually drunk quite a lot of this and I already feel sick.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00As the liquid passes to her small intestine
0:12:00 > 0:12:05nutrients are absorbed into her bloodstream.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10The shake alone only gives her a third of the nutritional value
0:12:10 > 0:12:12her body needs to function properly,
0:12:12 > 0:12:14so she must make this up in other ways.
0:12:23 > 0:12:28I hope I can stick it out with it and obviously I'm going to really want to eat a lot
0:12:28 > 0:12:32and I won't be able to but they're all right.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36# For goodness' sake
0:12:36 > 0:12:38# I got the hippy-hippy shakes. #
0:12:38 > 0:12:42Crash diets exploded in the '60s when slimness stood for freedom
0:12:42 > 0:12:44and sophistication.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49# Ooh, I can't sit still... #
0:12:49 > 0:12:52As women began counting the calories diets became the quick fix solution
0:12:52 > 0:12:55to achieve this body ideal.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Mmm, Diet Pepsi did.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00From low-carb to low-fat,
0:13:00 > 0:13:03fad diets offered the generations that followed
0:13:03 > 0:13:05instant and rapid weight loss.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09# The hippy-hippy shake. #
0:13:14 > 0:13:19Today the UK diet industry is worth over £1 billion
0:13:19 > 0:13:23but despite the promises, research shows that 70% of all diet
0:13:23 > 0:13:25and health claims are not proven.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32Ebonie has been on her crash diet a few days
0:13:32 > 0:13:35and has agreed to have her progress checked
0:13:35 > 0:13:38by weight and metabolism expert, James Collins.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44# You shouted, "Hello"... #
0:13:44 > 0:13:47- Hi.- Hello.- Nice to meet you, how are you?- I'm good, thank you.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50Good, please have a seat.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52He first sends her for a scan,
0:13:52 > 0:13:55to calculate how much body fat she's carrying.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59We've now got the results from your DEXA scan.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03This is basically how it's made up. As you can see, it's colour-coded.
0:14:03 > 0:14:08The stuff in red is her fat and the yellow, her lean tissue.
0:14:08 > 0:14:09What does "lean" mean ?
0:14:09 > 0:14:13- That's your muscle.- Oh, right.- So anything that's not your fat tissue.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16- There's not a lot of that, is there! - Brings it to life a little bit.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20So the areas in red here are our fat areas
0:14:20 > 0:14:23and we can see here, we can see these mainly around the buttocks
0:14:23 > 0:14:26and around the thighs a heavy distribution of fat.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28- That's why women have what we call this pear-shape.- Mm-hmm.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32Because they're more prone to depositing fat around the buttocks and thighs.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34And for Ebonie, like all girls,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37these curves kick-start during adolescence.
0:14:43 > 0:14:44As puberty begins,
0:14:44 > 0:14:48the brain triggers the release of the sex hormone, oestrogen.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53This races though the blood to the fat cells,
0:14:53 > 0:14:55and signals them to get bigger.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07Fat deposits are laid down in the buttocks, hips and breasts.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10This prepares girls' bodies for pregnancy
0:15:10 > 0:15:14and during this time they can gain around 50% more fat than boys.
0:15:17 > 0:15:22So we have this figure of 42.6% so that's your current body fat.
0:15:22 > 0:15:27Actually if we look at that absolutely, we've got that at about
0:15:27 > 0:15:2927 kilograms of fat in your body.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33Now, that's slightly over, so you're slightly overweight at the moment.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35Was that what you expected?
0:15:35 > 0:15:38Yeah, it's the sort of thing I was expecting to see.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40I did know I was, sort of, over that mark anyway.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45Ebonie is carrying seven kilos more fat than is healthy.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48This is about 28 packs of butter.
0:15:49 > 0:15:55Are there any dangers of me being in that sort of tissue fat range?
0:15:55 > 0:15:58There is risk of this longer term,
0:15:58 > 0:16:01being overweight, of having high blood pressure
0:16:01 > 0:16:04which is something that can start relatively young as well.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07Obviously, in older age it's linked to heart disease.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10But also things like Type 2 diabetes is actually starting
0:16:10 > 0:16:12at a lot younger age now.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14What approach are you going to do, diet-wise?
0:16:14 > 0:16:17I'm going to use a meal replacement diet.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21Right. What's the key motivator to lose the weight, what's driving you?
0:16:21 > 0:16:25- The key motivator to help me lose weight is I'm going on holiday. - Right, OK.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28I'm going on a girls' holiday with my friends.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31Great. So you have some motivation for the next four weeks?
0:16:31 > 0:16:33- Yeah, I need to reduce that!- OK.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37So next time we come back, I think that picture there's going to look quite different.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41Yeah, hopefully anyway. I hope it would look different to that.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50Ebonie will find out how successful her diet has been
0:16:50 > 0:16:53when she comes back for another scan in four weeks.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58But like all crash diets, it's going to be tough.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03'With Ebonie the first three days will be extremely difficult because'
0:17:03 > 0:17:06she's going from her normal energy intake which is higher
0:17:06 > 0:17:08and this is suddenly dropping quite considerably
0:17:08 > 0:17:11and this will really cause a shift in her metabolism.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13This will affect her concentration in the short term,
0:17:13 > 0:17:16she's going to feel very hungry over the first two or three days
0:17:16 > 0:17:20and also that's going to affect her mood status.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23I think if I try and diet this way and I don't manage to do it
0:17:23 > 0:17:26I think it'll make me upset because I don't want to stay at this weight.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30I know that I'm uncomfortable at this weight so I think I'll feel
0:17:30 > 0:17:35just disappointed that I couldn't manage to get rid of some of the weight.
0:17:35 > 0:17:36SLURPING
0:17:36 > 0:17:37Finished!
0:17:43 > 0:17:46Our desire to be slim can often damage our relationship with food.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52Today over half of 15-24-year-olds comfort-eat
0:17:52 > 0:17:55with chocolate or fast food when feeling anxious or stressed.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59MUSIC: "The Fix" by Elbow ft Richard Hawley
0:18:00 > 0:18:04In Bristol, 22-year-old Hayley has taken this to the extreme.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10'I think I started binging and overeating
0:18:10 > 0:18:13'probably when I was about eight.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16'Someone called me fat, basically, in class.'
0:18:16 > 0:18:19I remember looking down at my school jumper
0:18:19 > 0:18:24and thinking, "Oh, I'm different, I'm fat."
0:18:24 > 0:18:27From that age Hayley's been caught in an extreme cycle
0:18:27 > 0:18:31of dieting and binge-eating.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35Research shows girls who diet are 12 times more likely to binge-eat
0:18:35 > 0:18:38which can lead to eating disorders.
0:18:38 > 0:18:43I was working at a supermarket and the house was completely empty,
0:18:43 > 0:18:48my parents were away. I ended up getting a big bag of Doritos
0:18:48 > 0:18:52that are meant to be shared and dip,
0:18:52 > 0:18:57and two big slabs of Diary Milk chocolate.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00And I'd eat it all within about three hours
0:19:00 > 0:19:05and then I'd wait and then I'd start again.
0:19:05 > 0:19:11After that, unsurprisingly, I was sick for quite a few hours.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16Hayley is one of the 2% of people in the UK
0:19:16 > 0:19:18who suffers from binge-eating disorder...
0:19:21 > 0:19:25..a condition now recognised to be as serious as bulimia and anorexia.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Scientists believe binge-eating is a way of blocking emotions.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36'I was using food as a coping mechanism'
0:19:36 > 0:19:41for my...hatred of my body,
0:19:41 > 0:19:43and dissatisfaction of myself.
0:19:43 > 0:19:48For Hayley, food became a distraction from her problems.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52As you start to eat it's a feeling of relief that you've finally
0:19:52 > 0:19:55got the food, you can finally do what you want to do.
0:19:55 > 0:20:00And there's a good biological reason for this.
0:20:02 > 0:20:03Eating fatty and sweet food
0:20:03 > 0:20:06can trigger a huge surge of endorphins and dopamine,
0:20:06 > 0:20:08our bodies' feel-good chemicals.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14When these are released they travel quickly through nerve cells
0:20:14 > 0:20:17to the pleasure centres in our brain,
0:20:17 > 0:20:18inducing a natural high.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25But soon after the high, comes the low.
0:20:27 > 0:20:33As the rush of these chemicals drop off, the feelings of pleasure subside causing our moods to slump.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39After a binge, it's very guilt-ridden.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42You feel awful, physically and mentally,
0:20:42 > 0:20:45you've just sabotaged yourself again, you've just binged.
0:20:45 > 0:20:51'You feel greedy, disgusting, horrible.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54'There's nothing really pleasant about a binge.'
0:20:54 > 0:20:57You couldn't have a worse relationship with your body.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02Hayley is among the one in five people who are victimised
0:21:02 > 0:21:03because of their size.
0:21:05 > 0:21:10'Bigger people do tend to be chastised for their weight,
0:21:10 > 0:21:12'made fun of'
0:21:12 > 0:21:15and there's this stereotype of being greedy and lazy
0:21:15 > 0:21:18and it's your fault that you're fat.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20'It's really not the case.'
0:21:20 > 0:21:23I don't know what to get. I'll go for that one. Think I might get...
0:21:23 > 0:21:28- Hi, guys.- Hi.- Can I have a coconut smoothie and a Very Berry, please?
0:21:30 > 0:21:34With the help of therapy she's slowing overcoming her condition
0:21:34 > 0:21:36and feels more confident being out with her mates.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Do you find yourself bingeing less at the moment?
0:21:43 > 0:21:46Yeah, I think so.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48The supermarkets are still quite challenging
0:21:48 > 0:21:51but I find areas like this, it's sort of a bit different.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55And binge food isn't really... For me, it's not the same food
0:21:55 > 0:21:57- as I would eat on a day-to-day basis.- Yeah.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01- I guess it'll only just get better. - Yeah.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06Hayley now writes her own blog
0:22:06 > 0:22:09so others can better understand her condition.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14'I'm definitely moving forwards trying to combat it.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18'I haven't really binged for a couple of months now'
0:22:18 > 0:22:19so that's good.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32Today, 27-year-old Joe is in London for his operation.
0:22:33 > 0:22:39I've got an image in my head of the physique I'm going to have when I come out.
0:22:39 > 0:22:44If I get anywhere near that result, I'll be a happy man.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48For over £15,000 his surgery won't just suck fat out
0:22:48 > 0:22:50but sculpt it to reveal his muscles underneath.
0:22:52 > 0:22:53Hey, Joe.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56His consultant is Grant Hamlet.
0:22:56 > 0:23:03OK. In terms of your expectations, what do you want at the end of this?
0:23:03 > 0:23:05Just the whole chiselled, defined look.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07You know, the stomach area,
0:23:07 > 0:23:10I find it very difficult to establish a six-pack.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12I've never been able to accomplish a six-pack.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14I'm not making you a six-pack,
0:23:14 > 0:23:17- I'm just showing off the one you already have.- Good.
0:23:17 > 0:23:18- Great.- I'm excited.- OK.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25First the before shots.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27# I'm sexy and I know it. #
0:23:29 > 0:23:34Fat removal treatments are one of the fasting-growing cosmetic procedures today.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39In 2011 there was an increase of 8% of men having this done.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44Next, Joe's body is marked up
0:23:44 > 0:23:47making sure fat is taken from the correct areas.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50It is very important that this gets done properly.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52You are carrying a little bit around
0:23:52 > 0:23:55what we call the muffin top area, so that will be thinned out nicely.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58- So if we choose blue... - If the surgeon is just 2mm out
0:23:58 > 0:24:01Joe could end up with bumpy lines on his body.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09The fat Joe's having reduced is his subcutaneous fat -
0:24:09 > 0:24:12fat that lies under the surface of his skin.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20This fat is crucial for survival, protects us during starvation
0:24:20 > 0:24:23and provides insulation from heat and cold.
0:24:26 > 0:24:31This is the love handle which is the bane of most men's lives,
0:24:31 > 0:24:36and to get that V-shape, we have to remove this.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38But we all carry another type of fat
0:24:38 > 0:24:41which liposuction cannot touch - visceral fat.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47This fat is deep inside our body and wraps around our internal organs.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51Too much of it can be dangerous
0:24:51 > 0:24:55and has been linked to heart disease and some forms of cancer.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00Joe will have to be careful.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04If he puts on weight he's still at risk of gaining visceral fat.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09Although studies show this can be prevented by exercise.
0:25:16 > 0:25:21Let me just take a photo of that so we can have a representation.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Say you stop training, what's the chance of the fat coming back?
0:25:24 > 0:25:29Fat cells are like sponges, OK? And because they can absorb fat,
0:25:29 > 0:25:33they can get bigger. You've already got the right lifestyle,
0:25:33 > 0:25:37you know what you want to do what to get and how to keep it. It's all about maintenance.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40- That's it.- You don't buy a Ferrari and not clean it.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43- Of course, you don't.- All right? So that's what we're doing here.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45See you after. Thank you.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48Four hours' time. All right, mate, cheers.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51My friends and family have supported me all the way through this.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54They're obviously worried but they're all happy for me,
0:25:54 > 0:25:57I've had a few text messages wishing me good luck,
0:25:57 > 0:26:00give them a text or phone call once I'm out.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02If I'm available, I'll do it.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09Back in Maidstone it's day five of Ebonie's crash diet.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12And she can already see results.
0:26:13 > 0:26:19Yeah, it's going good. It's hard but I am sticking at it
0:26:19 > 0:26:24and I have faced demons such Nando's and McDonald's
0:26:24 > 0:26:29and I haven't eaten them so, yeah, I'm doing well.
0:26:29 > 0:26:30She's lost almost two kilos.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34At least I know this is actually working
0:26:34 > 0:26:38so I can see signs already of it working, that's good.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41Although her weight's gone down,
0:26:41 > 0:26:45Ebonie might think the two kilos she's lost is fat - but it isn't.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49The crash diet is forcing her body to use up
0:26:49 > 0:26:52its carbohydrate stores found in her muscles.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58This is mainly made up of water so as Ebonie slim downs
0:26:58 > 0:27:01it's mostly water and muscle she's losing, not fat.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06And that's why the weight is dropping off so quickly.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13# Gangnam Style. #
0:27:16 > 0:27:20It's two days later and Ebonie's carbohydrate stores are running low.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26This is taking its toll on her body and her brain.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29I literally get up as late as possible for work
0:27:29 > 0:27:36because I'm, like, tired so I just want to sleep in as much as possible
0:27:36 > 0:27:39and then I'll just go to work, come home, have my dinner
0:27:39 > 0:27:43and be, like, "Nah, I can't be arsed to do anything."
0:27:43 > 0:27:45The diet is also affecting her moods.
0:27:45 > 0:27:46'I get quite fed up.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50'I'm not sure if that's just my body getting used to it
0:27:50 > 0:27:52'and I have been quite miserable.'
0:27:52 > 0:27:55With her carb stores almost empty,
0:27:55 > 0:27:59her body now has to eat into its emergency energy supplies - her fat.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06Hormones head to her fat cells and trigger the breakdown
0:28:06 > 0:28:09of fatty acids, which her body will now use for fuel.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16As this makes Ebonie's fat cells shrink, she slims down.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23I burnt ten calories in that, which isn't a lot.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25# Oppan Gangnam Style. #
0:28:26 > 0:28:32MUSIC: "Crystalised" by The xx
0:28:33 > 0:28:36While over a quarter of Brits are on a diet
0:28:36 > 0:28:39not everyone opts for a quick-fix solution to fight the flab.
0:28:42 > 0:28:4426-year-old Steven's low levels of fat
0:28:44 > 0:28:47are due to an extremely active lifestyle.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50But it wasn't always like that.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52During sort of more the teenage years
0:28:52 > 0:28:56I started to try the food that you weren't previously allowed before.
0:28:56 > 0:29:01A lot of sweets, chips, ready meals, pizza, that sort of thing.
0:29:01 > 0:29:05I'd overindulge, really. Put on quite a bit of weight through that.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08His recreational habits also didn't help his weight.
0:29:08 > 0:29:12When I was about 15 or 16, I started smoking a lot of weed,
0:29:12 > 0:29:15skunk, that sort of thing,
0:29:15 > 0:29:18and really you're not doing too much exercise
0:29:18 > 0:29:21because you are pretty much out of it all the time.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24Then a back payment from social security
0:29:24 > 0:29:25left him with a difficult choice.
0:29:27 > 0:29:32Either I go out and buy a lot of skunk here
0:29:32 > 0:29:34or I do something else with it so I bought a bike
0:29:34 > 0:29:38and that's basically how it started, at that point there.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49Steven clocks up over 300 kilometres a week cycling.
0:29:49 > 0:29:51This has had a massive impact on his body,
0:29:51 > 0:29:53including his levels of fat.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00Like all of us, Steven gets his main source of energy
0:30:00 > 0:30:03from burning calories, or more simply, sugars.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09As he pedals, sugar-rich blood from his major organs
0:30:09 > 0:30:11is diverted to his muscles.
0:30:15 > 0:30:20As this enters each cell, mitochondria - tiny power stations -
0:30:20 > 0:30:23combine the sugar with oxygen to produce the energy he needs.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29The cells burn this energy in seconds but, being fit,
0:30:29 > 0:30:33his heart is strong enough to pump more blood to the muscles for hours.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36This is also how he burns fat.
0:30:41 > 0:30:43But despite what we all think,
0:30:43 > 0:30:46exercise alone is not a great fat-burner.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50After two hours on the track,
0:30:50 > 0:30:52Steven has burnt around 1,000 calories,
0:30:52 > 0:30:55or just over two large chocolate muffins.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00So his 4% body fat is also down to something else...
0:31:01 > 0:31:03..his diet.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12- Hi, guys.- Hey, Steve. How are you? - I'm fine, thank you.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15Great. Are you going to be making your lunch now?
0:31:15 > 0:31:17Yeah. What's good for me today?
0:31:17 > 0:31:19We've actually made all salads today.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24And most of what Steven eats is low fat.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28I eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32When I go cycling, obviously, I top up my energy levels
0:31:32 > 0:31:34with a lot of different sources,
0:31:34 > 0:31:38so I take some dried fruit, something like that,
0:31:38 > 0:31:43or some natural energy bars, some homemade cake, something like that,
0:31:43 > 0:31:46or just something like a bit of bread with peanut butter on it.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49That sort of thing can help sustain your energy levels.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55While our size is influenced by diet and exercise,
0:31:55 > 0:31:57our DNA also has a massive impact.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07In 2007, the FTO gene was discovered
0:32:07 > 0:32:10and, for those of us who carry variations in both copies,
0:32:10 > 0:32:13this can add around three kilos to our weight.
0:32:15 > 0:32:17Scientists now believe over 600 genes can
0:32:17 > 0:32:20influence things like appetite and metabolism,
0:32:20 > 0:32:22and these, combined with our lifestyle,
0:32:22 > 0:32:25will ultimately determine our shape.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29You look at Steve and I just cannot imagine you being overweight,
0:32:29 > 0:32:30in any way at all.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32That's what everyone says.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35I don't think it's hard to lead a healthy lifestyle.
0:32:35 > 0:32:39It's, like, how long does it take you to make a salad?
0:32:39 > 0:32:40It's doesn't take you very long.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44It's the same amount of time as it would to wait for the microwave
0:32:44 > 0:32:46to go ping for your ready meal to be done.
0:32:46 > 0:32:50So it's not hard in any way. People just make excuses.
0:32:55 > 0:32:5927-year-old Joe has always wanted to change his physique.
0:33:00 > 0:33:04He's about to undergo five hours of surgery for Vaser liposuction,
0:33:04 > 0:33:07a procedure that uses ultrasound technology.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12There are always operational risks,
0:33:12 > 0:33:15there are anaesthetic risks.
0:33:15 > 0:33:18We just have to bear in mind that there can be complications.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22We break the barrier that is the skin,
0:33:22 > 0:33:25so we need to protect against infection.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31Nerves ain't kicked in yet, funnily enough,
0:33:31 > 0:33:35but can't wait to get under, get it all done, and get into recovery.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40Joe has been put under general anaesthetic.
0:33:42 > 0:33:43To begin,
0:33:43 > 0:33:48a saline solution is injected into the layer of fat beneath his skin.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55This liquid, which contains a local anaesthetic,
0:33:55 > 0:33:57expands his fatty layer.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01It also contracts the blood vessels,
0:34:01 > 0:34:03reducing the risk of damage and bleeding.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09Apart from making the area numb,
0:34:09 > 0:34:11it will take away a lot of the pain
0:34:11 > 0:34:14that can common in these types of procedures.
0:34:15 > 0:34:19Next, small incisions are made in Joe's body.
0:34:19 > 0:34:23He will hear a little bit of the ultrasound.
0:34:26 > 0:34:30As high-frequency ultrasound waves are fired into the fatty layer,
0:34:30 > 0:34:33they create tiny bubbles in the solution.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39These bubbles expand to nearly 2cm
0:34:39 > 0:34:43and act as mini crowbars, forcing the fat cells apart.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54And you can see I'm right down, right down deep.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57I mean, I can feel the tip of my probe down there.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05With the fat cells now broken apart,
0:35:05 > 0:35:07they're carefully sucked out of Joe's body.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13But not all Joe's fat is being removed.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17How do I know how much to leave?
0:35:17 > 0:35:21The way it feels, the way it looks, we do a skin thickness test.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24So we roll the skin between our fingers, like that.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27Side effects associated with the treatment
0:35:27 > 0:35:29can include bleeding, bruising and,
0:35:29 > 0:35:33if the ultrasound probe is not used properly, skin burns.
0:35:35 > 0:35:39We've just uncovered the muscles that he has underneath there.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43Now everything will shift into place and be in the right place.
0:35:43 > 0:35:44In just hours,
0:35:44 > 0:35:49Joe is on the way to achieving the body he has always dreamt of.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51I don't think it's cheating.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53Is brushing your hair in the morning cheating?
0:35:53 > 0:35:56You're making yourself look better.
0:35:56 > 0:36:00OK, in this instance, the five years it would take you in the gym
0:36:00 > 0:36:02has taken me five hours on table,
0:36:02 > 0:36:05but that's the nature of things as they are happening at the moment.
0:36:05 > 0:36:09Joe has almost had three litres of pure fat taken from his body.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14It's not a massive amount but for somebody like Joe,
0:36:14 > 0:36:17that probably is going to make a huge difference.
0:36:17 > 0:36:19But some of this fat is going back inside.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25We're going to take 60mls and we're going to do
0:36:25 > 0:36:28the fat transfer to the deltoid area.
0:36:28 > 0:36:29Just hang on to the arm there.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34I can feel myself in the muscle
0:36:34 > 0:36:37and it's lots of little, shallow layers.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44The fat taken from Joe's love handles
0:36:44 > 0:36:49is slowly injected in between his muscle fibres to bulk them up.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58Fat will also be injected to enhance his chest.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02With the operation over,
0:37:02 > 0:37:06Joe will now have to go through weeks of recovery.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08I think Joe will be impressed.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11I think we've done all we can.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19Almost 40% of men would sacrifice a year of their life
0:37:19 > 0:37:22in exchange for the perfect body.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24MUSIC: "Run The World" by Beyonce
0:37:24 > 0:37:28And psychologists believe a reason for this
0:37:28 > 0:37:31is because woman are now more financially independent.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34Men feel they can no longer rely on
0:37:34 > 0:37:36money and status to attract a partner,
0:37:36 > 0:37:39and in the '90s, the metrosexual emerged - the modern man,
0:37:39 > 0:37:42who was in touch with his feminine side,
0:37:42 > 0:37:45willing to spend time and money on his appearance.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57It's week three of Ebonie's crash diet.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01But things aren't going too well and she's hit a plateau.
0:38:01 > 0:38:02I'm not impressed.
0:38:02 > 0:38:06It just irritates me cos I just think, "What have I done wrong?"
0:38:06 > 0:38:10Now I'd just rather eat, cos if it's not going to work,
0:38:10 > 0:38:12then I don't want to do it.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15The diet is making her feel irritable and tired,
0:38:15 > 0:38:19causing her brain to crave fatty and sweet foods.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22This week, I've done a bit more cheating, so yesterday
0:38:22 > 0:38:27I had a Crunchie bar instead because I didn't have one of my shakes,
0:38:27 > 0:38:29so that sort of stood in for it.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32And it's not just chocolate that's replacing the shakes.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40Quavers! These have been a godsend to me, to be honest,
0:38:40 > 0:38:45so these have only got 88 calories in a bag, so I already knew that!
0:38:47 > 0:38:51Ebonie may lack willpower, but it's not really her fault.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55We evolved when food was scarce,
0:38:55 > 0:38:59so our bodies are programmed to hold onto fat at all times.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02Her crash diet has forced her body into starvation mode,
0:39:02 > 0:39:05and will do everything to top up her fat stores.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13MUSIC: "Sweet Like Chocolate" by Shanks & Bigfoot
0:39:13 > 0:39:17So, a picnic out with her mates isn't going to be easy.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23Oh, that looks nice.
0:39:23 > 0:39:24It does, actually.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27What is the hardest part of being on a diet,
0:39:27 > 0:39:28Smelling food!
0:39:28 > 0:39:29LAUGHTER
0:39:29 > 0:39:31That is the most hardest part,
0:39:31 > 0:39:34because you know you can't eat it, especially when it's, like...
0:39:34 > 0:39:37I love Chinese. I could eat Chinese every day of the week,
0:39:37 > 0:39:39when I smell it and I know that's really good.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46The sight and smell of food triggers nerve impulses to race to
0:39:46 > 0:39:50the hypothalamus - the control centre for hunger in our brain.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55On her diet, Ebonie's brain now has heightened sensitivities to
0:39:55 > 0:39:58these cues which is tempting her to eat even more.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04My hungriest times is when I get in from work
0:40:04 > 0:40:05and it's going to be dinner time,
0:40:05 > 0:40:09and I can smell my dinner cooking and I'm like, "I'm now really hungry."
0:40:09 > 0:40:11You usually do eat a lot of crap and you haven't,
0:40:11 > 0:40:14and I actually thought you would have. I'm not going to lie!
0:40:14 > 0:40:16LAUGHTER
0:40:16 > 0:40:17Yeah, I know.
0:40:17 > 0:40:19I think you've done well though.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23That picture on your BBM of you and Emma - I thought you'd lost weight.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26It's really hard, like now.
0:40:26 > 0:40:27Yeah, temptation!
0:40:30 > 0:40:33But it's not just Ebonie's senses that are enticing her to eat.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36Her hunger hormones are as well,
0:40:36 > 0:40:38and one of these is leptin.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42Produced in her fat cells,
0:40:42 > 0:40:46it signals to her brain she no longer needs to eat.
0:40:46 > 0:40:50But as Ebonie loses weight, and her fat cells shrink,
0:40:50 > 0:40:52so do her levels of leptin.
0:40:52 > 0:40:56This increases her appetite, making the crash diet even harder.
0:40:56 > 0:41:00Changes in other hormones can also affect women's periods.
0:41:00 > 0:41:04So, on her diet, Ebonie is constantly fighting her biology.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07It's so much better to sit in the shade. I feel better already.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10I'm just happy I'm only on it for a short period of time.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12If I was on it for a long period of time,
0:41:12 > 0:41:15I don't think I would stick it out as much as I do.
0:41:21 > 0:41:26As Ebonie knows, we are surrounded by food 24/7.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31With one in four Brits now obese,
0:41:31 > 0:41:35some of us are eating 200 more calories a day than we need.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41With today's body ideal being slim and fat-free,
0:41:41 > 0:41:44this can drive some people to dangerous measures,
0:41:44 > 0:41:45just to shed the pounds.
0:41:55 > 0:41:5930-year-old Sam is just married and living in Greece.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04But, five years ago,
0:42:04 > 0:42:06the promise of quick and easy weight loss
0:42:06 > 0:42:08turned her life upside down.
0:42:10 > 0:42:15I first started worrying about my weight when I was in college
0:42:15 > 0:42:17and I was training to be a dancer,
0:42:17 > 0:42:21and my teacher told me that I'd never make it because I was too fat.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24It really affected my confidence.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30Since then, Sam's struggled with her weight.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33She tried ever diet imaginable
0:42:33 > 0:42:36but, as a last resort, opted for diet pills.
0:42:40 > 0:42:44It said they were herbal, natural ingredients.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47You think vitamins - it can't do any harm,
0:42:47 > 0:42:49and so I decided to buy them.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56The slimming pills she ordered online
0:42:56 > 0:42:58contained the herbal extract Ephedra.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04But, unknown to Sam, two years earlier,
0:43:04 > 0:43:07the US Government had banned the sale of diet pills
0:43:07 > 0:43:11containing the substance because of its dangerous side effects.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17The first day, I didn't really notice any difference,
0:43:17 > 0:43:19but the second day, I was up early
0:43:19 > 0:43:22and I just felt like I'd got so much energy,
0:43:22 > 0:43:25and I decided, "Right, I'll clean the house."
0:43:25 > 0:43:27I pulled everything out,
0:43:27 > 0:43:30I cleaned all the fridge, all the cooker, all the books,
0:43:30 > 0:43:32I put them in alphabetical order!
0:43:33 > 0:43:35Sam lost over 12 kilos in a month,
0:43:35 > 0:43:38but her weight was not the only change to her body.
0:43:39 > 0:43:42I can't remember a lot from that time,
0:43:42 > 0:43:45but my mum said that I'd sleep maybe a couple of hours
0:43:45 > 0:43:47and stay awake for days.
0:43:48 > 0:43:53On a trip to London to visit friends, things got worse.
0:43:53 > 0:43:56I said, "Jessica, I can't breathe. I can't breathe.
0:43:56 > 0:43:58"Call an ambulance, I can't breathe"
0:43:58 > 0:44:01and I ran into the living room and got my phone out of my bag
0:44:01 > 0:44:02and called myself an ambulance.
0:44:02 > 0:44:05I told them what was happening to me and they said,
0:44:05 > 0:44:07"Oh, you might be having a heart attack,
0:44:07 > 0:44:09"you might be having a heart attack,"
0:44:09 > 0:44:12cos I could feel, like, my heart was beating out of my chest.
0:44:12 > 0:44:14Most diet pills available online today
0:44:14 > 0:44:16have been banned from the UK market
0:44:16 > 0:44:20because scientific testing has shown them to cause serious side effects.
0:44:22 > 0:44:24And, like the ones Sam took,
0:44:24 > 0:44:28many diet pills works on the body in a similar way to amphetamines.
0:44:30 > 0:44:33Once the diet pill is absorbed into the bloodstream,
0:44:33 > 0:44:34it rushes to the brain
0:44:34 > 0:44:38where it triggers the release of the chemical noradrenaline.
0:44:41 > 0:44:43This chemical narrows the blood vessels,
0:44:43 > 0:44:45forcing the heart to beat faster,
0:44:45 > 0:44:48so more blood can be pumped through the body.
0:44:50 > 0:44:53Noradrenaline also works on regions of the brain
0:44:53 > 0:44:56that suppress appetite, cause insomnia and anxiety.
0:44:59 > 0:45:01I would shout at my mum for no reason,
0:45:01 > 0:45:05and I've never been like that with my mum. We've always been so close.
0:45:05 > 0:45:08I was ill, I didn't even connect it to the diet pills.
0:45:08 > 0:45:10I was ill and I just wanted to get better,
0:45:10 > 0:45:13but I just kept getting worse and worse and worse.
0:45:15 > 0:45:17Public health specialist Jim McVeigh
0:45:17 > 0:45:20is one of the county's leading experts in illegal drugs,
0:45:20 > 0:45:22and has studied Ephedra,
0:45:22 > 0:45:25one of the main ingredients in the pills Sam was taking.
0:45:26 > 0:45:29Ephedra - it's been around for thousands of years.
0:45:29 > 0:45:32It's a traditional herbal medicine from China.
0:45:32 > 0:45:35More recently, it's been synthesised.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38Certainly in the short term, there's been cases of
0:45:38 > 0:45:43people having acute episodes of psychiatric problems.
0:45:44 > 0:45:45Today in the UK,
0:45:45 > 0:45:48there are hundreds of illegal weight loss pills available online.
0:45:48 > 0:45:51You can never believe anything that you see on the Internet,
0:45:51 > 0:45:53and that's particularly true
0:45:53 > 0:45:56when it comes to buying something like drugs.
0:45:56 > 0:46:00Many of these tablets have been made in makeshift chemistry labs,
0:46:00 > 0:46:01both in the UK and overseas.
0:46:04 > 0:46:07There's been deaths associated with these drugs,
0:46:07 > 0:46:10in particular the ones that have been banned.
0:46:10 > 0:46:12They're banned for good reason -
0:46:12 > 0:46:16that's because there's been adverse health consequences.
0:46:16 > 0:46:19Despite the dangers, a recent survey showed more than
0:46:19 > 0:46:22one in ten teenagers would take pills to alter their appearance.
0:46:27 > 0:46:29For Sam, the worst aspect of taking the pills
0:46:29 > 0:46:32were the psychological effects,
0:46:32 > 0:46:36and she was finally admitted to a mental health unit for two weeks.
0:46:36 > 0:46:39It took her another 18 months to recover from her experience.
0:46:41 > 0:46:45In retrospect, it was idiotic, it was crazy that I did that,
0:46:45 > 0:46:50and now I've accepted myself, I've accepted who I am,
0:46:50 > 0:46:52I no longer try to change things.
0:46:53 > 0:46:57Out of the hundreds of diet pills developed to fight obesity,
0:46:57 > 0:46:59only one remains legal in the UK.
0:47:06 > 0:47:10It's the day after Joe's fat removal operation.
0:47:10 > 0:47:12I'm really happy this morning.
0:47:12 > 0:47:15I've got no aches. I've got a little bit of pain,
0:47:15 > 0:47:17there's a bit of bruising on the arms,
0:47:17 > 0:47:20and there's a bit of swelling.
0:47:20 > 0:47:23You can see the V. It's very numb still,
0:47:23 > 0:47:26but you can sort of see the biceps and the triceps,
0:47:26 > 0:47:29and there's just a lot more shape to it.
0:47:29 > 0:47:33I think the reason why my arm looks so big is it's a little bit...
0:47:33 > 0:47:37It's swelled a little bit, but if it stays like that, I would love it!
0:47:37 > 0:47:39Hi, Joe. How are you feeling today?
0:47:42 > 0:47:45Now, 48 hours after his operation,
0:47:45 > 0:47:48Joe is about to see his new body for the first time.
0:47:49 > 0:47:50Tell me now how you feel.
0:47:50 > 0:47:53It feels better already. So tight!
0:48:01 > 0:48:03Wow! Look at that!
0:48:08 > 0:48:09HE CHUCKLES
0:48:11 > 0:48:14It's tender, it's very numb,
0:48:14 > 0:48:19but there's just no fat there whatsoever, you know, just...
0:48:19 > 0:48:23In a couple of days, the sensation will start to come back,
0:48:23 > 0:48:26so it will feel more like your skin again.
0:48:26 > 0:48:29- Do you want to go...? We have a mirror.- Yeah, please.
0:48:31 > 0:48:34That's incredible. That looks fantastic.
0:48:34 > 0:48:38The V, the stomach - still there.
0:48:38 > 0:48:39That is amazing.
0:48:42 > 0:48:45I feel confident already.
0:48:45 > 0:48:48Looking in the mirror there, I feel proud of my body.
0:48:48 > 0:48:50It feels amazing.
0:48:52 > 0:48:56Joe will have ten sessions of physio to help his new body recover.
0:48:59 > 0:49:02Collection of fluids in his tissues could lead to infection,
0:49:02 > 0:49:05which, in severe cases, may need hospitalisation.
0:49:07 > 0:49:09And we can start.
0:49:12 > 0:49:14It's more superficial swelling at the moment.
0:49:14 > 0:49:18It's sore round those sort of areas,
0:49:18 > 0:49:21round the sides and...stomach area.
0:49:21 > 0:49:25- So, around here?- Yeah.- Around there.
0:49:25 > 0:49:28But it will be at least six weeks until Joe can find out
0:49:28 > 0:49:31what his football pals think of his new physique.
0:49:31 > 0:49:36Once all the... As much fluid is drained, the skin's retracted
0:49:36 > 0:49:41and it's healed, then I'll do the big reveal and show my mates.
0:49:48 > 0:49:50After four weeks on her crash diet,
0:49:50 > 0:49:53Ebonie is back in Harley Street,
0:49:53 > 0:49:55curious to find out how successful it's been.
0:49:58 > 0:50:01- So, the day's here, finally.- Yeah.
0:50:03 > 0:50:05This is our scan here.
0:50:05 > 0:50:08Now, I think the most important thing we want to look at
0:50:08 > 0:50:12is that we've gone from 69 kilograms to 66.
0:50:12 > 0:50:14That's not very good.
0:50:14 > 0:50:17It's not very good, is it? Is that what you expected?
0:50:17 > 0:50:18No.
0:50:18 > 0:50:22So you've lost three kilos. That's getting up towards seven pounds.
0:50:22 > 0:50:24Oh.
0:50:24 > 0:50:28Although Ebonie has lost weight, the overall results aren't so good.
0:50:29 > 0:50:31Now, where's that loss?
0:50:31 > 0:50:36You've actually lost up to around about a kilo in just pure fat,
0:50:36 > 0:50:39so where's the rest of it come from, do you think?
0:50:39 > 0:50:41Dunno!
0:50:41 > 0:50:43Well, it's a really interesting one
0:50:43 > 0:50:46- because we've actually lost 1.5 kilos in muscle.- Mm-hmm.
0:50:46 > 0:50:48Is that what you expected?
0:50:48 > 0:50:50No, not really.
0:50:50 > 0:50:54I'd have thought when you lose weight, it's just straightaway fat.
0:50:54 > 0:50:56I wouldn't have even thought muscle.
0:50:59 > 0:51:00On her crash diet,
0:51:00 > 0:51:04Ebonie has used up her carbohydrate stores in her muscles.
0:51:07 > 0:51:08But a lot of this is water,
0:51:08 > 0:51:11which her body will suck up like a sponge
0:51:11 > 0:51:13once she starts eating normally again.
0:51:16 > 0:51:19Do you think it would have improved anyway
0:51:19 > 0:51:21if I was as strict as I could have been?
0:51:21 > 0:51:23Do you think that would be any different?
0:51:23 > 0:51:27Being really honest, I think the weight loss would have increased
0:51:27 > 0:51:30and we would have seen more of that come from fat storage as well.
0:51:30 > 0:51:32Would you recommend this diet?
0:51:32 > 0:51:33Honestly, no.
0:51:35 > 0:51:36The reason I say that is
0:51:36 > 0:51:39it's an extreme diet and a short-term approach,
0:51:39 > 0:51:42- and, unfortunately, with that, they're doomed to failure.- Mm-hmm.
0:51:42 > 0:51:46Whereas if you actually had an approach - for example,
0:51:46 > 0:51:49eating healthily, or reducing the fat content in your diet,
0:51:49 > 0:51:51that's where we see a lot of success.
0:51:51 > 0:51:56'It has been a good experience, but I wouldn't do the shakes again.'
0:51:56 > 0:51:57Like James has said as well,
0:51:57 > 0:52:01it's only a short-term diet, so it's not best in the long run.
0:52:03 > 0:52:06Research shows that after long periods on a crash diet,
0:52:06 > 0:52:09your body can start to eat away at protein in your vital organs,
0:52:09 > 0:52:11which can cause irreversible damage.
0:52:12 > 0:52:16MUSIC: "Bang Bang Bang" by Mark Ronson
0:52:20 > 0:52:23Having lost three kilos on her crash diet,
0:52:23 > 0:52:26Ebonie is finally in Greece with her new beach bod.
0:52:26 > 0:52:29But how long will the weight stay off?
0:52:30 > 0:52:33Sleep, eat, drink, eat...
0:52:33 > 0:52:35- Get in the pool! - Get in the pool, yeah!
0:52:35 > 0:52:36Eat, have a nap, drink...
0:52:36 > 0:52:39But you don't eat healthy stuff cos even though you try to,
0:52:39 > 0:52:41all it is is, like, fry-ups.
0:52:41 > 0:52:44Because it's washed in their water, like, the salad and stuff.
0:52:44 > 0:52:47Yeah, and it's horrible. It's not the same as back home.
0:52:47 > 0:52:49But to be fair, that's all there is, so...
0:52:51 > 0:52:54But any concerns about her weight are now on hold.
0:52:55 > 0:52:58To be honest, I'd rather enjoy myself than think, "I can't eat this."
0:52:58 > 0:53:01But I'm still happy I dieted. At least I lost a bit of weight.
0:53:01 > 0:53:04Better than being in the state I was in. Ha!
0:53:04 > 0:53:05You were skinny the first day!
0:53:05 > 0:53:08Yeah, at least I was skinny one day of the holiday!
0:53:14 > 0:53:16On the crash diet,
0:53:16 > 0:53:20Ebonie's metabolism may have slowed right down to preserve energy.
0:53:20 > 0:53:22So she'll have to be careful.
0:53:28 > 0:53:30As she starts to eat more again,
0:53:30 > 0:53:33any extra calories will be stored as fat,
0:53:33 > 0:53:37and she could end up putting on more weight than before she started.
0:53:38 > 0:53:42From now on, Ebonie has decided to do things a little differently.
0:53:44 > 0:53:46My goal when I get back is to keep healthy
0:53:46 > 0:53:49and not snack and eat so much crap.
0:53:50 > 0:53:54So, just to keep a healthy lifestyle as well.
0:53:54 > 0:53:57It's not just losing weight, you want to keep normal.
0:53:59 > 0:54:01Which is probably not a bad idea,
0:54:01 > 0:54:03as studies show that in the long term,
0:54:03 > 0:54:0595% of crash diets don't work.
0:54:09 > 0:54:12MUSIC: "Mama Do The Hump" by Rizzle Kicks
0:54:22 > 0:54:24It's been seven weeks since Joe's operation
0:54:24 > 0:54:27and it's time for the big reveal to his football mates.
0:54:29 > 0:54:32Come on, then, Joe, get your kit off, mate! Let's have a look.
0:54:32 > 0:54:33- Are you ready for this?- Yeah.
0:54:36 > 0:54:38Looking good, mate, looking good!
0:54:38 > 0:54:40Are you going to tense? Hulk pose!
0:54:40 > 0:54:41Hurrrgh! Yeah!
0:54:41 > 0:54:43THEY LAUGH
0:54:43 > 0:54:46Do you want a feel? You can have a feel of my abs and arms and that.
0:54:46 > 0:54:49Solid, rock hard. Like a washboard!
0:54:50 > 0:54:52Is that still swollen or...?
0:54:52 > 0:54:54Let me test it! Hurgh! Only joking!
0:54:54 > 0:54:56- Is that still swollen or...? - Round the side.
0:54:56 > 0:54:58Was it quite bruised, then, afterwards?
0:54:58 > 0:55:01I was swollen, yeah, a lot. A hell of a lot.
0:55:01 > 0:55:03Do you feel happy with the result?
0:55:03 > 0:55:06I didn't imagine this procedure to make me feel this good
0:55:06 > 0:55:10and look this good, you know. I am ecstatic with the outcome.
0:55:10 > 0:55:15You know, the definition, the look - this is more than I thought.
0:55:15 > 0:55:18- No, it looks good, man. It's good. - It does look good, man.
0:55:18 > 0:55:20As your football manager, how's your mobility?
0:55:20 > 0:55:23Are you going to be slower? Are you going to be all right?
0:55:23 > 0:55:25You feel mobile, feel good?
0:55:25 > 0:55:27Lightning! Usain Bolt, you better watch out!
0:55:27 > 0:55:28LAUGHTER
0:55:37 > 0:55:40But if Joe doesn't keep up the exercise,
0:55:40 > 0:55:44the thousands of pounds he spent on his surgery will all be in vain.
0:55:44 > 0:55:47I don't regret the decision, you know. It's money well spent.
0:55:47 > 0:55:49I'm so motivated, I've got the buzz for it,
0:55:49 > 0:55:52I'm going to get back in the gym. My heart's back in it now.
0:55:52 > 0:55:57I just want to feel and look great forever now, you know, so I'm happy.
0:55:57 > 0:55:59- It's a good look, man. It's good. - Cheers.
0:55:59 > 0:56:02MUSIC: "Express Yourself" by Labrinth
0:56:02 > 0:56:06Many of us strive for a slender shape, the perfect body.
0:56:09 > 0:56:12But weight is a complex issue, linked to our genes,
0:56:12 > 0:56:15our hormones and even our brains.
0:56:15 > 0:56:17LAUGHTER AND SHOUTING
0:56:19 > 0:56:22And while some of us opt for quick-fix solutions,
0:56:22 > 0:56:26a healthy lifestyle can be just as effective for fighting our fat.
0:56:26 > 0:56:28# Express yourself
0:56:31 > 0:56:32# Express yourself
0:56:34 > 0:56:36# Oh, do it!
0:56:36 > 0:56:41# See, it's not what you look like when you're doin' what you're doin'
0:56:41 > 0:56:44# Express yourself
0:56:44 > 0:56:46# Oh, do it!
0:56:46 > 0:56:47# Here we go now
0:56:47 > 0:56:49# I don't make the papers
0:56:49 > 0:56:53# I'm far from JLS... #
0:56:53 > 0:56:55Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd