Fad Diets That Work

Fad diet is a term given to a set of diet programs that are used for short term weight loss. Fad diet is a quick fix to lose weight temporarily. Today, fad diets have become popular means to reduce excess weight in a short time. Most fad diets suggest a dramatic decrease in calorie intake to achieve weight loss. There are a number of books available in the market that provide information about top ten fad diets. Here are some fad diets that work to decrease weight. The fad diet listed below are gaining followers with each passing day.

Cabbage Soup Diet: Those who want to lose weight rapidly should go for cabbage soup diet. Cabbage, known for its fat burning properties, can certainly bring the necessary change in weight. This diet plan should be followed for a period of 7 days, and surprisingly one can lose as much as 10 pounds in a week. The cabbage diet is a test of endurance and willpower, as one has to consume 2 bowls of cabbage soup everyday along with other foods in small amounts. During this diet, one has to avoid alcohol, but can drink low calorie fluids. Make sure that the cabbage soup is fat free to get the desired result. This diet plan provides a quick solution to reduce 10 pounds in a week. Other than cabbage soup, one has to focus more on eating fruits and leafy vegetables. During the first 3 days, one should refrain from eating bananas and milk. To satiate thirst, one can also drink cranberry juice and unsweetened tea during the diet.

Cabbage Soup Diet Plan

DAYS	FOOD ITEMS
Day 1	Soup, all fruits except bananas.
Day 2	Drink more soup. Eat all vegetables (cooked). Do not eat fruits, dry corn, peas and beans. Large baked potato at dinner.
Day 3	Cabbage soup. Eat all fruits and vegetables except potato and bananas.
Day 4	Soup, fat-free milk, and 6 - 8 bananas.
Day 5	Cabbage soup, vegetables, 5 - 6 tomatoes, 450 grams of meat (skinless grilled chicken or 10-20oz. beef).
Day 6	More cabbage soup, meat (skinless chicken or beef), and green leafy vegetables. Eat beef and vegetables as much as you want to satisfy your hunger.
Day 7	Soup, brown rice, unsweetened juices, and vegetables.

Grape Fruit Diet: Grapefruit and weight loss go well together. Grapefruit is one of those foods that can help to burn fat. This fruit is rich in fat-burning enzymes and low in calories, which makes it ideal to include in a weight loss diet plan. Grapefruit diet, basically limits the dieter to consume only 800 calories per day. The diet also helps to regulate insulin levels, which is also good for diabetics. By following this diet, a person may lose 52 pounds in 2½ months. The diet plan of grapefruit that has been effective to lose weight is given below:

Grape Fruit Diet Plan

MEALS	FOOD ITEMS
Breakfast	Half grapefruit.
	Plain tea or coffee.
Lunch	Half grapefruit and 2 eggs.
	Cucumber and tomato salad with vinegar, herbs and lemon dressing.
	A piece of dry melba toast with plain tea or water.
Dinner	Half grapefruit.
	4 to 6 ounces of chicken, beef or ham slices.
	Half a head of lettuce and a tomato with vinegar, lemon and herbs dressing.
	Plain water or tea.

Metabolism Diet: This diet involves low-calorie intake, and can influence weight loss in a healthy way. During this diet, the person is asked to eat certain foods that boost metabolism (the process in which food is converted into energy). This in turn helps to drop off extra pounds. Metabolism diet reduces calorie intake necessary to lose fat and muscles. This is a 7 day diet plan in which a person has to compulsorily drink a minimum 4 glasses of water everyday. If followed properly, one can lose 2 - 3 pounds in the first 4 days itself.

Metabolism Diet Plan

DAYS	BREAKFAST	LUNCH	DINNER
Day 1	Black coffee or tea with 1 - 2 packets of artificial sweeteners	2 hard-boiled eggs and 1 cup of cooked spinach	1 lettuce and celery salad 1 6oz. steak
Day 2	Black coffee or tea with 1 - 2 packets of artificial sweeteners	Lettuce and celery salad, 16oz. steak broiled or grilled	8 - 10 oz. of lean ham
Day 3	Black coffee with 1 - 2 packets of artificial sweeteners	2 hard-boiled eggs, 1 cup of green beans and 1 cup of tomatoes	8-10 oz. of lean ham, 2 cups of green bean and tomato salad
Day 4	Tea with sugar substitute and 1 water cracker	1 hard-boiled egg and 1 cup of raw carrots	1 cup of regular yogurt,1 ounce of Mozzarella cheese, and 1 cup of fruit salad
Day 5	Coffee or tea with sugar substitute, 1 raw carrot and juice of 1 lemon	A fried fish fillet (4 - 6 oz.) and tomato salad	A 4 - 6 oz. steak, broiled or grilled and a green salad
Day 6	Coffee or tea with sugar substitute	4 - 8 ounces of grilled or broiled skinless chicken	2 hard-boiled eggs and 1 raw carrot
Day 7	Tea with lemon	4 - 8 ounces of grilled or broiled steak and 1½ cup of fruit salad	Regular, normal dinner

Atkins Diet: This low-carbohydrate diet designed by Dr. Robert Atkins is one of the best fad diets that work. However, people looking to quickly lose weight will be disappointed, as this diet is created to slow down weight loss gradually. Don't expect rapid weight loss with Atkins diet. As carbohydrates intake is considerably reduced in the Atkins diet, the body has to depend only upon fat to fulfill its energy needs. Thus, with Atkins diet, the body transforms into a fat burning machine. In other words, in a low-carbohydrate diet, the body expels more calories than normal. The diet recommends to eat right and healthy food, and restricts consumption of carbohydrates to not more than 20 grams per day. Dr Atkins believes that cutting down carbohydrates intake sufficiently is the key to decrease weight. According to the Atkins diet, one can eat regular-sized meals in sensible portions.

3 Day Diet: A very low-calorie diet, the 3 day diet is one the best fad diets that work fast to lose weight. People who followed it as instructed have lost 4 - 6 pounds in 3 days. The combination of foods recommended for 3 days stimulates the body to burn more fat in a short time.

3 Day Diet Plan

DAYS	BREAKFAST	LUNCH	DINNER
Day 1	Black coffee or tea with sugar substitute, 1 toast with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, ½ grapefruit or juice	1 toast, ½ cup of tuna, and black coffee or tea with sugar substitute	3 oz. chicken or any other lean meat, 1 apple, 1 cup of carrots, 1 cup of green beans, and 1 cup of vanilla ice cream
Day 2	Black coffee or tea with 1 - 2 packets of artificial sweeteners, 1 egg, ½ banana and 1 toast	8 regular saltine crackers and 1 cup of cottage cheese or tuna	2 beef franks, ½ cup of carrots, 1 cup of broccoli or cabbage, ½ banana and ½ cup of regular vanilla ice cream
Day 3	Black coffee with sugar substitute, 1 oz. cheddar cheese, 5 regular saltine crackers, and an apple	1 boiled egg, 1 toast and black coffee or tea with sugar substitute	1 cup of carrots, 1 cup tuna, 1 cup of cauliflower, 1 cup of melon and ½ cup of vanilla ice cream

Ice Cream Diet: This diet is a delicious remedy to solve weight problems. It is one of the effective fad diets that work to cure obesity. This diet gives one more reason to love ice creams. It has been found that eating ice creams can contribute to weight loss. In this diet plan, one can enjoy an ice cream daily, yet lose weight. Eating 3 to 4 scoops of ice cream everyday along with fruits, salads and homemade vegetable soup can only benefit in losing weight. For better results, a fat-free variety of ice cream would be a good option. A group of obese people who were kept on this diet lost around 4 - 5 pounds in 5 days.

Grape Diet: People who have adopted this grape diet program have reported weight loss. Besides losing weight, people also experienced increased energy, sense of well-being, and improved memory. The healing properties of grapes provide plenty of health benefits and can cure various ailments. This fat diet that works to detoxify the body is a bit difficult to follow, as one has to consume only grapes and water. One can eat any type of grapes, preferably grapes with seeds. The water if needed, should be taken 1 hour after consumption of grapes. It is possible to lose 4 - 5 pounds if the grape diet is followed for 5 days.

The Lemonade Diet: This is one of the fad diets that really work to eliminate unwanted pounds. It cleanses the body and makes the dieter feel healthier. The desire to eat fast food frequently is often the main cause behind weight gain. These fast food cravings will eventually vanish within a few days of implementing the diet. During this diet (7-10 days), drinking lemonade minimum 6 times in a day is advised. Drinking salted water early in the morning and tea at night stimulates bowel movement. Avoiding solid foods forms an integral part of this diet. People have reported significant loss of pounds after strictly implementing this diet. Lemonade diet can greatly reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

Fad Diets that Don't Work

Fad diets that don't work are those that are rich in fats and high in calorie count. Also, not following a fad diet as prescribed cannot help in any way to lose weight. Many people often do not stick to the recommended fad diet. As a result, the person is unable to lose weight quickly. On the contrary, the weight loss is gradual which does not serve the purpose.

Fad Diets and Weight Loss
One needs to understand that a fad diet is not a permanent solution to weight problems. Fad diets provide short-term benefits such as quick weight loss, but this diet approach is absolutely not suitable for long-term use. These weight loss diets continued for longer periods can cause severe health complications. Also, the dieter regains his original weight once he starts following his normal regular diet. Instead, switching over to a diet that is nutritious but low in calories as well as enjoyable can provide sustained weight loss. According to a recent report, a diet plan that cuts down food consumption to 1500 calories per day is capable enough to decrease weight. So a better way to lose weight is to follow a customized diet plan that gives long-lasting results.

One should consult a dietitian or a nutritionist before following any of the aforementioned fad diets that work. The dietitian may customize a fad diet plan that suits the dieter's health and needs in a better way.