Grapefruit
Diet, also known as the Hollywood
Diet or Mayo
Diet, has long history in the United States. It has existed since 1930 and has been known as a fast weight loss method up until now with many variations and the only essential thing that can not be changed is half serving of grapefruit before every meal. Grapefruit were claimed to have fat burning properties, and with the diet encouraging meat intake, these combination of high cholesterol foods with grapefruit seems to burn fat faster.
The basic of the diet itself has been identified as low carbohydrate and protein diet with the averages of 800 to 1000 calories per day. With less than 1000 calories per day diet, most people will still loose weight even without grapefruit consumption, but how the half serving of grapefruit before each meal boost the weight loss process is still unknown. Notes that up until now, no scientific studies have manage to prove grapefruit's power to burn fat.
These are a sample of meal plans based on grapefruit diet:
Breakfast
1. Half serving of grapefruit or 4 oz unsweetened grapefruit juice
2. Two eggs, any style of cooking.
3. Two slice of bacon, cooked medium.
4. You can also add black coffee.
Lunch
1. Half serving of grapefruit or 4 oz unsweetened grapefruit juice.
2. Salad, any type of dressing, any size.
3. Meat, any type, unlimited amount.
Dinner
1. Half serving of grapefruit or 4 oz unsweetened grapefruit juice.
2. Meat, any type, unlimited amount.
3. Any red or green vegetable cooked with seasoning or a salad.
4. A cup of coffee or tea.
Bedtime snack
8 ounces of skim milk with sweetener, the alternative is a glass of tomato juice.
No snack between meals allowed.
Pros
1. It consists of 12 diet days with 2 off diet days, so you have 2 days to eat whatever you want.
2. The program offer pretty quick weight loss: 18 pounds in first 18 days.
3. For those who doesn't like the idea of going to gym, this program have no instruction whatsoever regarding exercise or workout.
4. Affordable and simple.
Cons
1. It is not healthy to eat too much acidic citrus fruit all throughout the day for long periods. It will increase the acidity level in your stomach and increasing the probability to get a sore stomach, gastritis or even ulcerous diseases. If you suffer any of this or other digestive tract ailments, you should stop consuming any acid foods like grapefruit, lemons, or oranges.
2. The program cuts out things that needed in a balanced diet, such as carbohydrates.
3. The limited foods varieties restrict you to improve your eating habits, and it can cause boredom, monotony, and taste fatigue.
4. You will regain weight as soon as you quit the diet.
5. Unlike other citric fruits, grapefruits are known for their interactions with some drugs like felodipine, a drug used to control hypertension. Recent studies show that felodipine in combination with grapefruit juice can cause toxic effects.
6. I you starting this diet, monitor how are you feeling every day, there are report that some persons experienced runs in the beginning of the program, and this can leads to dehydration if not treated quickly.
7. There are opinions that grapefruit inhibits the insulin production of the pancreas. If you suffer from diabetes, you may even get to coma because the insulin level decreases suddenly.
8. This is a list of drugs that can lead to unpredictable and hazardous if combined with grapefruit juice:
• Statins (Cholesterol Drugs): lovastatin (Mevacor), atorvastatin Lipitor, Simvastatin Zocor, simvastatin/ezetimibe Vytorin
• Antihistamines: Ebastine, Seldane
• Calcium Channel Blockers (Blood Pressure Drugs): nimodipine (Nimotop), Felodipine (Nitrendipine, Plendil), Pranidipine, nisoldipine (Sular), nicardipine (Cardene), verapamil (Verelan)
• Psychiatric Medications: buspirone (Buspar), triazolam (Halcion), carbamazepine (Tegretol), diazepam (Valium), midazolam (Versed), sertraline (Zoloft)
• Intestinal Medications: cisapride, taken off the U.S. market (Propulsid)
• Immune Suppressants: cyclosporine (Neoral), (tacrolimus) Prograf
• Pain Medications: Methadone
• Impotence Drug (erectile dysfunction): sildenafil (Viagra)
• Ant-HIV medication : saquinavir (Invirase)
• Antiarrhythmics: amiodarone (Cordarone)
Note that you don't have to understand all of these drugs, simply consult with your doctor before if you plan to start this diet.
Conclusion
It's okay to starting grapefruit diet if you just aim to look leaner in your wedding or your friend's party, but with so many downfall and side effects, it's not advised to do this in long term. There are people that claim to do this for years with good result, but you should not try your luck just for a few pounds weight loss, there are many weight loss programs out there that offer healthy long term solution as well as quick result. But if you really want to try this, remember to consult your doctor if any bad symptoms occurs and before starting the program.
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