The” best Hollywood diets”, in my opinion, is truly an oxymoron. We’ve all seen the TV ads and the magazine advertisements that boast “Lose 10 pounds in a week”, “Lose 5 inches in 5 days”, “Look like Angelina Jolie if you drink this”. And there are hundreds of quick, weight loss Hollywood-type diets out there.
What the majority of them fail to point out is that although they are quick, they are totally unhealthy and unsustainable. The minute you start eating normally again, back comes the weight. All they manage to do is give you a false sense of hope.
Let’s dissect a couple of the “Best Hollywood Diets”.
The theory behind the Grapefruit Diet is that the grapefruit contains some “mystical” ingredient that when eaten with protein, theoretically triggers fat burning and hence weight loss. The diet promotes “fast weight loss”. The unfortunate part is that the weight loss is primarily from fluids and not fat and usually returns once you go off the diet.
Here’s a sample meal plan from the Grapefruit Diet.
Breakfast
2 eggs, 2 slices of bacon, black coffee, 1/2 grapefruit or 8 ounces grapefruit juice
Lunch
Salad with salad dressing, unlimited meat, and 1/2 grapefruit or 8 ounces grapefruit juice
Dinner
Red or green vegetables (except starchy ones such as peas, beans, corn, sweet potatoes) or salad, unlimited meat or fish, and 1/2 grapefruit or 8 ounces grapefruit juice
Bedtime Snack
8 ounces skim milk
This low carb, moderate protein diet will average only 800-1000 calories. Who wouldn’t lose weight–with or without grapefruit– when calories are reduced to this level?
Beyond being nutritious, the experts agree that there is no scientific basis that grapefruit has any fat burning enzymes.
This Hollywood Diet-“specially formulated juice drink”- is often advertised on late night TV as the 48 hour miracle diet. The specially formulated juice drink is supposed to stimulate your metabolism and help you burn fat.
While on this diet, people cannot drink alcohol, smoke or consume caffeine. Instead you drink the Hollywood Diet juice. For the next couple of days, that’s all you will consume, since food is not allowed.
You will probably lose weight on this diet but it will only be due to severe and unhealthy calorie restriction. The average person needs 2000 calories a day to remain healthy. The Hollywood Diet juice drink has only 500 calories a day. It’s really quite easy to lose weight if you starve yourself!
These Hollywood Diets or Fad Diets need to be taken with a grain of salt. They are unhealthy and the results they produce are temporary. Healthy weight loss is a process not a promise.
By: Christina Moxley
