How to do a liquid diet

Going on a liquid diet for a period of time is a good way to give your body time to heal. It must be a healthy diet of liquids that are easily digestible.

A diet of water, fresh juices, smoothies, herbal teas and other pure liquids has many benefits for your health and longevity.

A good liqiud diet could be considered a modified fast. It is safer and more doable than fasting for many people, because of the less drastic side effects of detox. Basically what you are doing is giving your digestive system a break, while at the same time nourishing it with the vitamins it needs to speed up the healing process.

Your body immediately starts flushing out toxins and waste that has been deposited and might be building up in your digestive system and colon. Depending on the state of your health, this process can take a short or long time - anywhere from days to months. Many people choose to do a liquid "fast" for 7 days to 30 days. You could keep up this diet for many months without any harmful effects (as long as you are drinking the right things).

A liquiddiet is not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and talk to your doctor if you have serious health conditions which might be a concern.


It is important to do your liquid diet properly and no what kind of liquids you should and should not consume.

Drinking the wrong fluids could do your body more harm than good.


Drink

• Freshly pressed fruit and vegetable juices (ones that you have made yourself, or ordered at a fresh juice bar)

• Raw smoothies from only raw fruits, vegetables, their juices, cold-pressed oils, seed and nut milks (for ease of digestion and faster results)

Supplements such as an antioxidant blend, herbal medicine, spirulina etc may be added to the smoothie. Don't add protein powder to your smoothie on a liquid diet. A study found that people who consumed protein drinks on a liquid diet damaged their systems instead of healing.

• Kombucha tea - this is a raw fermented tea which has a sweet, vinegary taste and a light carbonation. Usually available at health food stores or whole food markets.

• Herbal tisanes, infusions and decoctions.

• Pure water (do not drink tap water!) Optimally drink spring water (Find your local spring and gather it for free!), or water that has been filtered through a high quality filter.

• Apple cider vinegar and honey drink - mix one tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar and 1 tbsp raw unpasteurized honey in a mug of warm water and drink. If you find this too sour, add only 1 tsp of each.

• Supplements in capsule or tablet form with your water or juice. This may include herbal medicines, vegetable, herb and/or antioxidant powder blends, spirulina/chlorella, any other pure super food or supplement *(please check the ingredients to make sure there are no preservatives, sugar, or artificial additives). Choose vegetarian capsules when you can, as gelatine capsules can be more difficult for your body to digest.



Liquids to avoid

• Coffee, tea, or any caffeinated drink

• Protein shakes

• Energy drinks

• Any form of alcohol (I hope this one is obvious!)

• Processed drinks of any kind, such as store bought fruit juice or any boxed and bottled drinks

• Any liquified food that is not plant based such as: eggs, cooked grains, milk, ice cream, pudding, canned soup, etc.



Coming off the Liquid Diet.

Come off the liquid diet gently. Be careful, because what you eat afterwards could undo many days and weeks of cleansing and healing.

Choose easily absorbed and digestible foods, the following would be great choices:

• Raw fruits, leafy greens and sprouts

• Steamed vegetables

• Cooked whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat)

• Cooked squash and root vegetables (butternut squash, pumpkin, sweet potato, beets, carrots, turnip, etc.)

• Avocados, they help the digestion and apsorption of food.

• Foods rich in probiotics, such as kefir, live yogurt, fermented foods (sauerkraut, kombucha, miso, cultured vegetables)

Try raw ginger as a remedy for eating the wrong food after a liquid diet.

Myths about the Liquid Diet.

1. Green Tea is a healthy choice for a liquid diet. False. Green tea contains beneficial antioxidants, which is good to drink with meals, in moderation. On its own it has too much caffeine which dehydrates the body and is a harsh stimulant.

2. Citrus and grapefruit for a liquid diet. False. Pasteurized orange juice and grapefruit juice is not your healthiest choice for a liquid diet. Both are much lower in nutrients than their fresh counterparts. The citric acids can eat away at the lining of your intestines and kill the good bacteria - leaving you feeling hungry and sick.

3. A liquid diet is a guaranteed way to lose weight fast, and keep it off. False. If you do a fad liquid diet, you starve yourself of calories, and can lose weight fast in a short period of time. Unfortunatley, it's your health that pays the price. Your metabolism is out of whack, your hormones are out of balance

4. A liquid diet should consist of any type of liquids. False. Any diet can technically be a "liquid diet", but that doesn't' necessarily make it healthy or even safe. When consuming only liquids and sparing your body of digestion work, it is vulnerable to absorb more. Naturally, you want it to absorb beneficial nutrients, not toxins or products that create waste. Many people consciously choose a liquid diet for ease of digestion, as a medical recommendation. It's counterintuitive then to choose foods that won't be easily digested, and that will actually keep building up and adding to the blockage in your intestines and colon. 

Banana Diet

The banana diet involves a number of eating plans that use bananas as the primary food basis of the diet.

When the Morning Banana Diet was promoted on the Japanese social networking site ‘Mixi’ in March 2008 it became so popular that it resulted in a nationwide banana shortage.

The diet was created by Hitoshi Watanabe who has studied preventative medicine and his wife Sumiko who is a pharmacist.

The Morning Banana Diet Basics


The creators of the Morning Banana Diet claim that eating only bananas and drinking room temperature water for breakfast leads to weight loss regardless of what is consumed for the rest of the day.

The diet is extremely simple and easy to follow however many Japanese have reported rapid weight loss when experimenting with this diet.

One of the reasons why the diet may work is that bananas are said to improve digestion and boost metabolism. Another possibility is that bananas are high in resistant starch, which is a type of fiber that can promote the feeling of fullness and may block the absorption of some carbohydrates.

The reason why the water has to be room temperature is not certain but many theories have been speculated on the Internet such as that it improves digestion or reduces hunger.

Dieters are also advised to eat their evening meal before 8pm and to avoid desserts after dinner. If feeling very hungry it is acceptable to have a piece of fruit.

Aside from eating bananas for breakfast and avoiding late night eating another rule of the diet is that you must go to sleep before midnight every night. The rationale behind this advice is sound as scientific studies show a relationship between sleep deprivation and obesity

At all times dieters should follow the Japanese principle of eating until only 80% full.

Dairy products and alcohol are also not allowed on this diet. In addition the only beverage that may be consumed with meals is room temperature water.

Recommended Foods

Bananas – must be raw, not cooked and not frozen.

Sample Diet Plan


Breakfast
One or more bananas (as many as desired until full)
One glass lukewarm water

Lunch
Meal of choice

Afternoon Snack
A small sweet snack is allowed around 3pm if hungry

Dinner
Meal of choice but must be eaten before 8pm
No dessert

Exercise Recommendations

Dieters are told they should exercise only if they want to.


Pros

• Eating breakfast every day may increase metabolism and reduce the likelihood of overeating later in the day.
• Avoiding caffeine at breakfast may lead to more stable blood glucose levels and reduced appetite.
• Not eating after 8pm will reduce tendency for late night snacking on high calorie foods.
• Avoiding dairy products and dessert will reduce calories by limiting fat and sugar intake.
• Bananas are a nutritious food and high in fiber, vitamins B6 and C and potassium.
• Discourages overeating.

Cons

• Some dieters may not respond well to a pure carbohydrate breakfast particularly those with hypoglycemia.
• Easy for dieters to consume excess calories if they eat whatever they like for lunch and dinner.
• Does not encourage exercise.
• Does not address psychological factors involved in dieting.

Less Calories Still Key

If dieters are experiencing success on this diet it is not likely to be due to any special fat burning qualities of bananas. It is much more likely that it is related to following the other rules of the diet such as eating only at specific times of the day and avoiding desserts.

This will result in a reduction of calories that will promote weight loss so long as dieters do not consume excessive calories in their other meals.

The HCG Diet Program

Phases of HCG Diet Plan

Incredible Results, Breathtaking Weight Reduction, and Happy Patients are often the phrases associated with the HCG diet plan. But what exactly does this diet entail? Why does it work so well when people are looking to get rid of stubborn pounds?

The HCG diet plan was began by Dr. A.T.W Simeons in the 1950s. He was working in India at the time, researching how to treat starvation and obesity and how they relate to one another. Dr. Simeons discovered that HCG mobilized lipids in nearly all of his patients, allowing for the painless expulsion of fat cells from the body. This was a very unique property, as no other substance has since been discovered that does anything similar. Naturally, numerous studies were conducted to test Dr. Simeons’ theory. After decades of research, it has become clear that the HCG diet plan offers not only extreme results, but extremely fast results as well.

Dr. Simeons broke down the plan into phases, which has now become a world famous strategy for weight loss results. Each phase entails a different set of steps, that when coupled with HCG intake, results in fantastic weight loss speed and results. We’re hoping to provide you with an excellent breakdown of these phases and also, hopefully, some ways that you can maximize your weight loss while taking HCG. Many places have modified these phases to meet certain patient needs, however, generally speaking this old, yet proven, breakdown is by far the most powerful and effective, especially for HCG drops.



Phase 1

Phase 1 is often the most overlooked phase of the HCG diet plan, but probably the most important. Phase 1 involves high caloric and high fat intake for 2-3 days while taking HCG. This is the beginning of all HCG regimens, whether or not you’ve done one previously. This is absolutely critical to success, as the body will attempt to deposit new fat cells and lipids, but the HCG hormone will begin to stop it from doing so. Rather than storing new fat, the body will loosen and mobilize fat and lipids. Once you start the diet plan itself, these newly mobilized lipids and fats result in extremely rapid weight loss. (10 lbs in 2-3 days being very common). During this phase however, it’s critical to keep taking HCG supplements (HCG drops) or injections, and from that day forward you cannot halt your intake of HCG until the regimen is completed.



Phase 2

Phase 2 is often the most challenging for dieters. It requires strict caloric intake between 500-700 calories/day, though this is actually quite a bit of physical food if done correctly. Generally speaking, lean protein is fine, fish and chicken in particular. Meals are made up of coffee and tea for breakfast and then two major meals for lunch and dinner. These meals can be rather substantial, and www.bottled-hcg-diet.com actually provides many excellent recipes in their free guides whenever you order. The HCG diet entails upwards of 60 days of low calorie intake and HCG intake. Both of these things combined help you to lose upwards of 50 lbs in a single treatment schedule, which is simply amazing. The first 5-10 days of Phase 2 are the most powerful, and usually weight reduction after that drops to like 0.5 pounds per day or so. The use of the HCG weight loss program can be an excellent way to lose weight. This part/stage the program is where the bulk of the person’s weight comes off.



Phase 3

Phase 3: REST! By far everyone’s favorite period of the HCG diet plan (and honestly one of the most critical as well). Caloric intake is returned to between 1200-1500/day, but the low fat and no milk portions of the diet remain to keep the body free of external unnatural hormones. This phase is initiated after about 43-60 days dependent upon the regimen followed. During this particular phase, HCG intake is halted, and a new diet plan called the “stability phase” is activated. HCG must be flushed from the body for a period no shorter than 23 days, before beginning a new regimen. This is necessary for your body to keep shedding weight and not simply adapt to the HCG intake, either from HCG drops or otherwise. Maintenance is another term often used for Phase 3, but it really doesn’t matter what it is called, Phase 3 is probably the most critical phase for people who are interested in losing over 30 lbs, since multiple HCG regimens are necessary. There are specific phase 3 foods that go well with it, but just avoid dairy and high fat foods and you will do well in this phase and be ready to start again. Some people actually continue to lose weight during Phase 3! Not surprisingly they come back into their HCG diet plan after 23 days even happier than when they left!

How Much Should I Weigh? part2

Most people overestimate how much weight they can realistically lose, which leads to frustration, says Blatner. To find your happy or healthy weight, Blatner suggests looking back on your weight history as an adult and identify a weight you were able to maintain naturally and fairly easily.

And if you've gained more than a few pounds since your wedding day, forget trying to fit into that bridal gown. "As you gain weight, you experience an increase in fat cell size and number, which will probably prevent you from getting back to your married weight," says Wadden.

Instead of focusing on the numbers on the scale, Blatner suggests setting behavioral goals: "Eat breakfast every day, go for daily walks, eat more fruits and vegetables -- when you set behavior goals, they are easier to accomplish and they make you feel good." Stick with these behaviors for 3-6 months and they will become part of your life.

Based on your current weight, eat about 10 calories per pound of nutritious food (low in fat, rich in lean protein, high in fiber), get regular exercise, and assess your weight after a month or so.

"Your weight will settle out and typically you will lose 10%, then hit a plateau, which is a good time to maintain the weight loss," says Wadden.

As you get to a healthy weight, you can go up to 12 calories per pound.
Tips for Weight Loss Success

Here are some tips from Blatner for weight loss success:
Eat regular meals. People who eat regular meals consume fewer calories than those who eat irregular meals.
Use a plate, sit down, and enjoy your meals. Folks who do this eat 43% smaller portions than those who eat out of containers or on the run, according to Blatner.
Get at least 30 minutes of moderate activity each day.
How much and what you eat makes a big difference. Enjoy normal portions of foods that are high in fiber (fruits, veggies, whole grains) and rich in lean or low fat protein is the secret to feeling full.
Think positive: Focus on the benefits of a healthier lifestyle rather than the scale.

How much weight do you really need to lose?

Maybe you've been struggling -- without success -- to get down to the size you were in high school or on your wedding day. But do you really need to go that low? The truth, experts say, is that you can weigh more than your ideal weight and still be healthy (not to mention happy).

If you're overweight, losing just 10% of your body weight is associated with a myriad of health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar, and reducing your risk for heart disease. Not only that, experts say, but this kind of weight loss is easier to attain and maintain, setting you up for success in the long run.

Your Weight "Set Point"

Just as your body temperature is programmed to stay around 98.6 degrees, your body weight is naturally regulated to stay within a range of 10%-20%, says Thomas Wadden, PhD, director of the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders at University of Pennsylvania Medical School. This weight range is known as the "set point."

A complex set of hormones, chemicals, and hunger signals help your body naturally maintain your weight within this range, says American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD.

It is not just a matter of genetics, though. Your eating and exercise habits can also help to determine your set point.

"Overeating swamps the internal regulatory system, and, as a result, the set point increases -- which is much easier to do than it is to lower it," says Wadden. The body adjusts to the higher weight and "resets" the set point to defend the new weight.

It is difficult, but not impossible, to set your range lower. "With changes in healthy eating and exercise behavior, you can lower your set point," says Blatner.

The 10% Solution to Weight Loss

A recent book, Break Through Your Set Point: How to Finally Lose the Weight You Want and Keep It Off, by George Blackburn, MD, suggests that maintaining a 10% loss for six months to a year helps your body adjust to the lower weight and thus reset the set point.

Wadden explains that when you lose large amounts of weight at once, you set up an internal struggle and hormones like ghrelin spike to make you hungrier as your body tries to defend its comfortable range.

Instead, experts recommend that you try losing 10% the old-fashioned way -- by slowly changing eating and exercise behaviors -- then maintain this new weight for a few months before trying to lose more. Not only will your body get the signal to lower its "set point," but you'll give yourself a chance to get used to new food choices, smaller portions, and regular exercise.

“When patients lose 10% it may not be the pant size they want, but they start to realize how a little weight loss impacts their health in very positive ways," says Blatner. "They feel better, sleep better, have more energy or less joint pain, and some people are able to reduce medications."