The grapefruit diet is a super old and fast diet. Since the 1930s many people have used the grapefruit diet to lose weight fast. The grapefruit diet is a fast one because it helps you lose weight in a very short time. The grapefruit diet is also known as the Hollywood diet or the mayo diet. The whole diet is based on the idea that grapefruits burn the fats away, especially when you eat grapefruits and foods rich in proteins.
The grapefruit diet is a 12 days diet. If you want to repeat the diet you must let your body take at least a 1 week break. The grapefruit diet promises to help you lose 10 pounds in 12 days. That is a super fast diet if you ask me. Even if there isn’t any scientific proof that grapefruits really burn and melt the fats away, the grapefruit diet has passed the test of time. Many people claim fabulous weight loss results with the help of this fast diet.
If you are in a tight spot and you really need to lose some weight fast I recommend you give the grapefruit diet a try. It is fast, healthy and pretty easy to follow.
During this fast diet all the meals contain a grapefruit or grapefruit juice in them. When deciding if to drink grapefruit juice or the fruit itself you should take into consideration that it has been proven that eating the whole grapefruit is much more efficient that the grapefruit juice. So if you can and you wish to obtain better weight loss results after the grapefruit diet you should eat the grapefruit.
It is also recommended that you drink at least 8 cups of water daily while on the grapefruit diet. If you are a coffee lover then I have great news for you. During the grapefruit diet you can drink as much coffee as your hearth pleases. But you cannot add anything in the coffee to make it sweet. No sugar, artificial sweeteners or honey.
The grapefruit diet puts all complex carbs on the black list. You are forbidden to eat any complex carbohydrates while on this diet. Also snacking between meals is a big no-no.
Fortunately the consumption of vegetables is highly recommended during the grapefruit diet. And the best part is that you can cook the vegetables in large quantities of butter. Just as an example for breakfast you can eat eggs, bacon, coffee or tea and of course a half of a grapefruit. For lunch you can eat a salad, whatever meat you like in whatever quantity you desire and a grapefruit.
During the fast grapefruit diet you can cook your food and make it as fatty as your heart desires. You can add lots of butter and salad dressings. You are even allowed to eat fried foods. This makes the preparation of the meals super easy and fast. Plus you never get struck by food cravings or go hungry. And still this is a super fast diet that helps you lose weight quickly. How cool is that?!
If you decide to drink grapefruit juice, instead of eating the grapefruit (I don’t recommend this if you want to lose weight fast), you never ever add anything to make the grapefruit juice sweeter. Also any aliment or drink that hasn’t been included in the grapefruit diet is off limits. You aren’t allowed to eat snacks all day long while dieting. Just before sleep you can eat a light snack if you really feel hungry.
A sample grapefruit diet menu
For breakfast you can eat 2 eggs, 2 pieces of bacon, sugarless coffee, half a grapefruit or 250ml(one glass) of grapefruit juice.
For lunch you can eat a salad with lots of dressing sauce, unlimited meat, half a grapefruit or 250ml of fresh grapefruit juice.
For supper you can eat green vegetables or tomatoes. You have to avoid vegetables that contain starch like peas, beans, corn and sweet potatoes even potatoes. They contain complex carbs which aren’t allowed in this fast diet. You can eat a salad, meat or fish in whatever quantity you desire and half a grapefruit or 250ml of fresh grapefruit juice.
As a light snack before going to sleep you can drink a galas of low fat milk.
How does this slim fast diet plan work
The grapefruit diet contains a small amount of carbs, a moderate quantity of proteins and a small amount of calories. You get about 800 to 1000 calories each day while on the grapefruit diet.
It is also frequently said that grapefruits contain some enzymes that melt the fats. Unfortunately there isn’t any scientific research to back up this claim. A study made in 2006 in Florida reported that just by adding 1 half of a grapefruit to each meal you can lose weight. Most experiment participants lost about 3 pounds in 12 days but there were people who lost 10 pounds in 12 days. All that just by adding half a grapefruit to each meal of the day.
Grapefruits are very nutritious and contain few calories. Grapefruits contain 66-84 calories per serving, are rich in vitamin C and fibers. But the mysterious fat burning properties of grapefruits enzymes haven’t been proven yet by modern science.
Because grapefruits have a low glycemic index and contain lots of fibers they can lower the level of insulin in your body making you feel full faster. Because of this you will eat less during the day and you will lose weight. It is unavoidable.
The grapefruit diet is a fast diet that unfortunately has also a dark side too. If you abuse it and diet for too long periods of time of you starve yourself you can run in the following health problems. Some people that used the grapefruit diet to lose weight fast said they got stomach aches and felt dizzy. This were probably due to the excess consumption of coffee without eating enough food.
I only recommend you use this diet if you need to lose weight fast. The purpose of all fast diets is that of helping you lose weight very fast for a special event that caught you off guard. You just need to lose a couple of pounds to look stunning. Then you can use this diet. But if you use this diet to lose a lot of weight, like more than 10 pounds than I recommend you try a slower but much more healthier diet.
A last warning: under no circumstances should you keep the 12 days grapefruit diet more than 2-3 times in a 6 months period of time. Keeping a 36 days grapefruit diet can have some nasty health effects.
September 1, 2009
Diets & Nutrition