I was watching or channel flipping through CNN this evening, and I caught one of those human interest stories. 

This story was about a Doctor (MD variety) that was attempting to modify his own bad behavior.  He drinks a shot of hot sauce (the painful burning type) to punish himself before he eats.  He was over weight and now he's some kind of skinny running stud.

Regardless there actually seems to be the hint of science leaking into this concept, like something that you would watch on House. The pain apparently triggers a response in the brain that is similar to the pain associated with arthritis or something.

Long story short, this diet actually works.  It does change your behavior through negative conditioning.  It can help turn your brain around and start associating eating food that is bad for you with an non-pleasurable activity.  Its something that sounds like its out of a Clock Work Orange, but does make practical sense if you are that much of a masochist I guess, this might be the diet for you!