The Grapefruit Diet
The grapefruit diet is one of the earliest known Hollywood fad diets. It dates back to the 1930s, and many Hollywood stars of the time swore by it. It became part of xerox lore, faxed from machine to machine, in the 1970’s. The diet is attributed to the Mayo Clinic, which clearly states that it has nothing to do with diet and that the diet is not good.
The grapefruit diet is a lot like Atkins, but with a grapefruit eaten with each meal. The diet only allows three meals each day, with no snacking in between meals. The diet made astounding claims – lose a pound each day for 10 days. The distribution was just as far fetched – no weight loss for four days then five pounds lost all on the fifth day. It was based on the claim that grapefruit contains fat burning enzymes, something that has never been proven.
In 2004 a scientific study determined that it is possible that the grapefruit diet helps people lose weight. 1/2 grapefruit with each meal helped people lose 3.6 pounds in only 12 weeks. Those who drank the serving of grapefruit juice at each meal lost just slightly less weight in the same period of time. Many of the participants lost more than 10 pounds in 12 weeks. Researchers attributed the weight loss to decreased insulin levels caused by eating grapefruit. But the weight loss may have also been due to increased levels of exercise.
Here are the rules for the grapefruit diet:
- Drink eight servings of water a day.
- Eat until full.
- Eat every item of food listed for each meal because the menus are formulated to burn fat.
- Grapefruit is the key – so eat that as specified.
- One cup of coffee can be consumed at each meal.
- No snacking.
- Butter can be used.
- No starches or sweets can be eaten.
- Eat any amount of meat, salad and vegetables to make you full.
- Eating more will actually result in more weight loss.
- Follow the diet for 12 days, skip two days, then start again.
- Grapefruit with each meal is ½ or 18 ounces of juice.
Now you can go try the grapefruit diet.
