Extreme 'celebrity' diets: Beyonce, Marilyn Monroe and the most ludicrous weight loss plans ever survived

In honour of International No Diet Day, we examine the most bizarre food restrictions the famous place themselves under

Beyonce performs at the Grammys (Getty Images)

Today is International No Diet Day – the day when, erm, we stop dieting for 24 hours if we are dieting, and if not, carry on as normal? The rules aren’t entirely clear.

The general ethos of said day, however, is: Fad diets are a waste of time, energy, and ultimately lead to weight gain, thus defeating the object.

Instead, British feminist Mary Evans Young, who set up the annual day in 1992, encourages us to free ourselves from the social pressures of achieving the unachievable – the fashion model body of an underweight teenage girl – and to adopt a healthy, balanced lifestyle that eschews all mention of liquid-only 21-day cleanses in favour of the odd slice of chocolate cake and a twice-weekly jog around the park.

It’s also a good excuse to remind ourselves about the potential dangers – and out-and-out lunacy – of some of the weight loss plans out there.

So where better to turn to than the world of celebrity, constantly dieting themselves into oblivion to perfect their silhouettes using bizarre logic based on very little nutritional fact whatsoever?

Click through the gallery above to find out who took on the most extreme – and survived.

Read More: Why Diets Are Ridiculous