Egg Grapefruit Diet

Interested in following the egg grapefruit diet for rapid weight loss? Instead of blindly diving in, find out all of the information you can to make sure this is the right diet for you.

What Is the Egg Grapefruit Diet?

Like many fad diets, this diet promises to shed pounds quickly. Known as the Mayo Clinic Diet (although not endorsed or approved by the Mayo Clinic), you can follow a three or 12-day program eating little more than eggs and grapefruit. You’ll find variations on what other foods you can eat, but here are some sample meal plans:

Sample One

Breakfast:

• Half a grapefruit (or grapefruit juice)
• Two eggs
• Two slices of bacon

Lunch

• Half a grapefruit (or juice)
• Salad
• Any meat

Dinner

• Half a grapefruit (or juice)
• Salad with dressing
• Meat or fish
• Plain coffee or tea

Sample Two

Breakfast

• Half a grapefruit
• Plain coffee

Lunch

• Half a grapefruit
• One egg
• Salad
• One slice of bread
• Plain coffee

Dinner

• Half a grapefruit
• Two eggs
• Salad or lettuce
• Tomato
• One slice of bread
• Plain coffee

Common Rules

Any diet has rules to follow, and the egg grapefruit diet is no exception. Here are some of the rules you’ll be expected to adhere to while on this plan:

• Eat until you are full to stuffed
• Drink at least eight eight-ounce glasses of water each day
• Limit your coffee intake
• Don’t eat breads, desserts, white vegetables or sweet potatoes
• Do not snack between meals
• Follow the diet for 12 days, take two days off and then repeat

As you can see, the second sample version of this diet includes bread, so that version doesn’t stick to the no-bread rule of sample one.

Variations and Effectiveness

There are variations to this diet which allow other fruits, breads and cheese. Still, the calories are very restricted, which is what leads to the rapid weight loss. It does advocate drinking a lot of water, which is important, but eating the same diet for 12, or even three days, can get incredibly boring. Humans are naturally inclined to look for variety in their diet, so eating the same foods for days in a row won’t be very satisfying to the majority of people.

For most variations of this diet, your daily caloric intake is around 800, which is much lower than the recommended minimum of 1200-1300 even for people trying to lose weight. Anyone who only takes in 800 calories a day is bound to lose weight, but when you begin eating normal meals again, chances are the weight will creep back on.

Grapefruit: Miracle Food?

Why do proponents of this restrictive diet believe that it works so well? Some people think that grapefruit is a thermogenic food, or one that burns more calories to eat and digest than it contains. So, by eating grapefruit (the more you eat, the better), the more calories you burn in the process. As a fruit, grapefruit is good for you, but the jury is still out on whether it’s a miracle food.

Eggs are also a good source of protein, but can be less ideal for those watching their cholesterol levels. Many people skip the yolk and just eat the egg whites, which are healthier. The protein and the citrus combined are part of a good eating program, but they should be incorporated as part of an overall varied nutrition plan for optimal health benefits.

Proceed with Caution

If you decide to follow the egg grapefruit diet, to lose pounds quickly before a class reunion or to fit into a bikini before vacation, keep in mind that this is a short-term fix. Also, you should check with your physician because grapefruit juice can interfere with certain medications and shouldn’t be taken in large quantities by everyone.

While not the easiest diet to stick to, if you can go with it for three or 12 days without dying of boredom from the lack of variety, you may be able to drop five to 10 pounds quickly, just in time for a major event..

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