The numerous diets that seem to fill up our newsfeeds and Pinterest boards may seem bizarre enough to most of us. Really, imagine your great-grandparents suddenly refusing to eat potatoes or bread or refusing to eat fruit because it contains sugar. In the grand scheme of things, we have to admit that our problems as a culture with overeating and lack of exercise have led us to some real extremes.

Well, if our run-of-the-mill fad diets are a tad bit strange, what about diets that truly seem a little crazy? They are everywhere, and many of them are quite bizarre.

Do you recall the obsession with the cabbage soup diet a couple of years ago? Or what about the popular lemon cleanses of today? We explore a few unlikely, but effective, ways to lose weight below. As bizarre as they may seem, these diets actually have a proven track record–if you can stick to them.

Liquid Diets

We have all probably been on a diet of liquids at some point in our lives because of the flu or some other illness. There are those in the diet community who claim that consuming nothing but liquids can help you drop pounds like never before. Followers of this diet trend advocate eating soups, smoothies, fresh juices, and lots of water.

But why is a liquid diet effective? This plan works in part because we often snack because we enjoy the texture of certain foods. Just think of the delight that you feel while crunching away at a bag of potato chips or munching on hot, buttery popcorn.

If you remove that temptation from the scenario, you are more likely to stop eating when you actually get full. Soups and smoothies are also generally packed with nutrients from fruits and veggies, so this diet still delivers on healthy ingredients. It works best for short periods, though, because it is hard to make the commitment to liquids for life.

Paleo Diet

This diet is all the craze in the United States right now. Many people dismiss it as a fad, but this manner of eating has taken a stronghold in many circles. You probably have an officemate or a gym buddy who practices this “caveman” regimen.

The paleo diet is based on the assumption that human genetics has changed little since the days of hunter gatherers, and yet our food supply has changed dramatically. They argue, in spite of cloudy and sometimes conflicting evidence, that cavemen were healthier than we are–without somehow engaging the issue of their short lifespans or the fact that their way of life did not make them strong enough to persist through history…

According to most paleo diets, you should abstain from grains, potatoes, diets high in carbohydrates, and milk products. You should eat lots of grass-fed beef, even if you cannot kill it with your handmade spear. In spite of its apparent bizarreness, the paleo diet can get results. For many people, especially those with virtual addictions to processed foods and carbs, it can increase weight loss.

Look at Your Plate

Some nutritionists argue that reducing your plate size can have a similar effect on your waist. If you have ever taken a look at the gigantic platters you get at steak houses, you might understand why. If you chronically clean your plate at each meal, just get a smaller one. You might be surprised by the results.

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Writtenby Ashley Williamson. Ashley is a freelance writer and an occasional health blogger. She is specialized on alternative medicines, dietary supplements and organic food products. She often takes inspirations from her personal trainer who knows which muscle groups to train together while working out.