Diets & Food Advice

DIETS:

The 3 Day Diet

With this diet you eat exactly what is listed for 3 days of the week. The calories for the food for each day equals out to approximately 968. You can either only do the diet three days out of the week and eat healthy the rest of the week, either three days in a row or alternating days. Or you can do the diet twice each week and give yourself a free day between each set of three days. And remember, you can always alter some of these things to go for an even lower cal or fat version if you want to. Whatever you decide, here is the diet:

Day 1:

Breakfast:

1 slice dry toast (I’d recommend whole wheat, the lower-cal kind)

2 tbs reduced fat peanut putter

½ grapefruit or 6 oz. grapefruit juice

Lunch:

4 oz. water-packed tune, drained

1 slice plain dry toast

Dinner:

4 oz. meat, fish, or poultry, broiled

1 cup green beans

1 cup carrots, steamed

1 small apple

1 cup low-fat frozen yogurt (I’d go for fat free here)

Day 2:

Breakfast:

1 boiled egg

1 slice plain dry toast

1 banana

Lunch:

1 cup cottage cheese (I’d go for fat free here too)

5 crackers

Dinner:

4 oz. skinless chicken breast, broiled

1 cup broccoli

½ cup carrots

1 banana

½ cup low-fat frozen yogurt

Day 3:

Breakfast:

5 saltine crackers

1 oz. cheddar cheese

1 apple

Lunch:

1 boiled egg

1 slice plain dry toast

Dinner:

6.5 oz. water-packed tuna, drained

1 cup carrots

1 cup cauliflower

1 cup melon

½ cup low-fat frozen yogurt

So there you have it. I think the most important part about this diet is the portion sizes so make sure to measure everything as best you can.

The 7-Day Soup Diet

This one has been called a bunch of different names and is said to have originated from a number of places. It is sometimes referred to as the Sacred Heart Diet. I'm not really sure where it came from, but I tried it once and it worked pretty well. Also you can eat a decent amount. Some of the days indicate to "eat until you are stuffed". I personally would never do that, even if it is just vegetable soup. You don't want your stomach to get used to being "stuffed" when you stop the diet.

To make the soup you need:

1 or 2 cans of stewed tomatoes

3 plus large green onions

1 large can of beef broth (no fat)

1 pkg. Lipton Soup mix (chicken noodle)

1 bunch of celery

2 cans green beans

2 lbs. Carrots

2 Green Peppers

Season with salt, pepper curry, parsley, if desired, or bouillon, hot or Worcestershire sauce. Cut veggies in small to medium pieces. Cover with water. Boil fast for 10 minutes. Reduce to simmer and continue to cook until veggies are tender.

This soup can be eaten anytime you are hungry during the week. Eat as much as you want, whenever you want.

DRINKS:

Unsweetened juices

Tea (also herbal)

Coffee

Cranberry juice

Skim milk

Water, water, water

DAY ONE

Any fruit (except bananas). Cantaloupes and watermelon are lower in calories than most other fruits. Eat only soup and fruit today.

DAY TWO

All vegetables. Eat until you are stuffed with fresh raw, cooked or canned veggies. Try to eat green leafy veggies and stay away from dry beans, peas or corn. Eat veggies along with the soup. At dinnertime tonight reward yourself with a big baked potato and butter. Don't eat any fruits through today.

DAY THREE

Eat all the soup, fruit and veggies you want. Do not have a baked potato. If you have eaten as above for three days and not cheated, you should find that you have lost 5-7 pounds.

DAY FOUR

Bananas and skim milk: Eat at least 3 bananas and drink as much milk as you can today, along with the soup. Bananas are high in calories and carbohydrates, as is the milk but on this particular day, your body will need the potassium and carbs. Proteins and calcium to lessen the cravings for sweets.

DAY FIVE

Beef and tomatoes: you may have 10 to 20 ounces of beef and a can of tomatoes, or as many as 6 tomatoes on this day. Eat the soup at least once today.

DAY SIX

Beef and veggies, eat to your heart's content of the beef and veggies today. You can even have 2-3 steaks if you like with green leafy veggies but no baked potato. Be sure to eat the soup at least once today.

DAY SEVEN

Brown rice, unsweetened fruit juice and veggies, again, be sure to stuff yourself and eat the soup. You can add cooked veggies to your rice if you wish.

Due to the variety of digestive systems in individuals, this diet will affect everyone differently. After day three, you will have more energy than when you began, if you do not cheat. After being on the diet for several days, you will find that your bowel movements have changed. Eat a cup of bran or fiber. Although you can have black coffee with this diet, you may find that you don't need caffeine after the third day.

You can eat broiled, boiled or baked chicken instead of the beef. Absolutely no skin on the chicken. If you prefer, you can substitute broiled fish for the beef on only one of the beef days. You need the high protein in the beef for the other days.

Continue on the diet as long as you wish and feel the difference both mentally and physically.

NOT ALLOWED:

No bread, alcohol, carbonated drinks (including diet drinks). Remember, absolutely no fried foods.

REMEMBER TO:

Drink plenty - at least 6 to 8 glasses - of water a day, as well as any combination of the following beverages: black coffee, unsweetened fruit drinks, cranberry juice and skim milk.