Many of us are trying new diets while our regular lives are paused. Changing unhealthy diet practices is great. We can take the time to become better cooks, brush up on our skills, or learn a new hobby. It’s a fun, useful activity that we can bring with us back into our normal lives. Some people are also trying out new diets.

We have gone on record many times saying that we don’t like one specific diet best. Diets can be highly restrictive and hard to stick to. Many diets are unhealthy for longer periods, and most are impossible over long periods. When you can’t stick with a diet, you can end up with yoyoing weight, which is unhealthy.

So, when we hear about a fad diet becoming popular, we like to look into it to learn if it’s healthy or sustainable. That’s why we’re looking at the boiled egg diet. As you can guess from the name, it’s a diet that focuses on eating eggs. Some people swear by it. A person following the diet eats several boiled eggs a day, lean protein, low-carb fruit and non-starchy vegetables. That might sound perfect to someone with blood sugar concerns. But, doctors have said that it’s challenging to stick to, ineffective and far too restrictive. It’s not evidence-based, nutritious, effective or sustainable.

While the creator says that you can lose 25 pounds in two weeks, there is no proof. And, while that might be true, those results maybe just because it’s low in calories and carbohydrates. Many low-carb, low-cal diets can cause weight loss, but this study hasn’t been examined. Breakfast is two eggs with a low carb vegetable or fruit. Lunch and dinner are both one egg or a small amount of lean protein with vegetables. There are no snacks. You’re supposed to follow that routine for several weeks before easing into a regular diet. If that sounds hard to follow — or too low in calories — you’re absolutely correct. Where’s the dairy and variety? How do you motivate yourself with small, healthy treats?

The fact that it is designed to be only a short-term diet means you most likely won’t see long-term results. Additionally, it can be tough to get enough vitamins while following it. Our team likes eggs, they are a healthy, nutritious part of any diet. But, four eggs a day for weeks on end might not be a good idea when a great diet should have variety.

“Eggs are little nuggets of nutrition, providing protein, choline, vitamin D, lutein and more, but the egg diet, on the whole, is low in carbs which can leave you hungry,” said Kelly Plowe, a registered dietitian. “Also, eating the same food over and over (like eggs for breakfast) can get boring for some, which can lead to non-compliance.”

Variations of the diet include the egg and grapefruit diet. You follow the same rules, but you eat half a grapefruit with every meal and don’t eat any other fruit. An even worse version has people eating nothing but eggs and water for 14 days.

We don’t usually condemn a diet. We always suggest people talk to a doctor before making any changes, but we rarely say something is out-and-out bad. But, the egg diet is something we feel confident about saying it’s terrible. It’s unhealthy and unsustainable. If you talk to your doctor, they may say you should eat more eggs, but it’s highly improbable they would endorse this menu.