The Fruit Diet to Lose Weight

Also known as The Fruit Flush Diet, this diet, created by personal trainer Jay Robb, promises that you'll lose up to 10 lb. in only three days. He recommends that you give your system a break from all other foods, and only eat fruit because it is the ideal detoxing food. However, you actually can eat foods other than fruit on the diet.

Day One

For the first day, drink 6 oz. of protein shake every two hours to get 100 to125 g of protein. You can choose your own protein powder, but it should not have any artificial colors, sweeteners (natural or artificial), casein, calcium caseinate or sodium caseinate. After each shake, drink 8 to 12 oz. of water. For dinner, you are allowed 3 to 6 cups of uncooked vegetables, with 1 to 2 tbsp. olive or 1/2 avocado (not both), plus half a lemon or lime. You can also have 3 to 6 oz. of lean protein or egg whites. On all three days, all sources of caffeine are forbidden, including coffee and tea. You cannot drink any alcohol or sodas (diet or regular). You must also refrain from all dairy, starches like bread and rice, cooked vegetables, juices, almost all fats and sweets. Dietary supplements like vitamins are discouraged.

Days Two and Three

On both days that follow, eat 100 calories of fresh fruit every two hours, and drink 8 to 12 oz. of water. (Rob claims that eating fruit every two hours stabilizes glucose levels, which is blood sugar.) For dinner each night, follow the guidelines from the first day: uncooked vegetables and a small amount of lean protein. On days two and three, consume 50 g or protein.

Health Risks

Robb admits that at least half of the weight you lose in three days comes from water, not fat, but he claims that the weight loss encourages you to develop a healthier lifestyle with more whole foods and exercise. However, as with all quick weight loss, the message is mixed: eat limited foods totaling around 900 calories a day, but then develop practical, healthy eating habits that you can maintain. In the end, you learn very little about nutrition and how to eat healthy, long-term. Detox diets like The Fruit Diet also push you body into a semi-starvation mode; after three days, there is a strong chance you will binge on all the foods that you miss.