21 Pounds in 21 Days is a book written by Roni DeLuz, a registered nurse and naturopathic doctor who explains the details of the Martha's Vineyard Diet Detox and how it rids the body of toxins.
21 Pounds in 21 Days Diet Plan
Lose 21 Pounds in 21 Days: The Martha's Vineyard Diet Detox is a liquid detoxification program and not a traditional diet. It is designed to help dieters cleanse the body and to bring about weight loss through drinking cleansing juices every two hours. This diet is not as restrictive as the Master Cleanse Diet which only has dieters drink a lemonade mixture, water and tea. Instead, the 21 Pounds in 21 Days plan allows:
- Water
- Homemade soups
- Juices made from fresh fruits and vegetables
- Powdered antioxidant berry and green drinks
Dieters follow the plan by drinking a designated liquid every two hours with a total of:
- 40-48 oz. of water
- 32-40 oz. of herbal tea
- 16 oz. of vegetable-based soup
- 32 oz. of either a green drink made from vegetables, vegetable juice, or a berry drink.
All of this liquid adds up to about 1,000 calories with approximately 20 grams of protein per day.
Diet Principles
This cleansing diet plan stresses that it is not a weight loss diet and is based on three principles:
- Rest
- Reduce
- Rebuild
According to the author, "Rest comes from not chewing and ingesting nutrients in liquid form. Eliminating toxins, resting the body and engaging in elimination therapy, you cleanse and rebuild the body so it can shed weight." And while it isn't meant to be a weight loss diet, the very nature of detoxification aids the body in shedding unwanted weight in the process.
Different Plans
Following a liquid detox diet is not easy, but this plan offers three different choices designed for different purposes.
- A two-day weekend plan
- A seven-day plan
- 21-day plan
Basically, these three plans are really one and follow the same regimen of drinking every two hours. The author suggests that the 21 day plan be followed once a year while the seven day plan should be initiated as a "cleanup" each season four times a year. The two day plan is recommended as a weekly cleanse to be followed as a weekend detox.
Supplements and Services
This diet isn't as easy as drinking your juices every two hours. Supplements and services to help the detoxification process include:
- Enzyme capsules
- An herb cleansing formula
- Aloe Vera
- Lymph drainage massages
- Cellulite treatment
- Liver flushes
- Kidney cleanses
- Body wraps
- Detoxifying baths
- Weekly coffee enemas and colonics
Understanding Toxins
Most of the toxins in our bodies are stored in our body fat. Cleansing is believed to metabolize the fat which forces the toxins into the blood stream. Once that is accomplished the body takes care of the rest by processing the toxins to be eliminated. However, contrary to what you might think, this elimination process is not entirely done through the urinary tract or bowel. Another major organ which aids in the elimination of toxins is the lungs as toxins are expelled in our breath.Often people hear about detoxifying without really understanding the scope of toxins stored throughout their bodies. The thinking behind this and many detox plans is that when people follow a traditional diet plan to lose weight their bodies do not metabolize or eliminate properly. On the other side, a detox diet composed of natural nutrition not only promotes better health and helps to lose unwanted weight but also gets rid of the toxins which contribute to weight gain and poor health.
Exercise
Like most diet plans, this one also recommends exercise but only if it can be tolerated and is approved by your doctor. The list of recommended exercise is limited to:
- Walking
- Yoga
- Chi Machine
- Jumping on a trampoline
Feeding Your Cleansed Body
Once the body eliminates toxins, it functions more effectively. Metabolism climbs and as a result the body drops extra weight. But after the 21 days, dieters must exercise caution when starting to eat again because once the body is cleansed, it will not tolerate processed and junk foods. Instead, the author recommends slowly waking the digestive system with a protein powder supplement along with:
- Vegetables
- Soy milk
- 3-4 ounces of salmon
- 1 cup nonfat yogurt
Once your system gets accustomed to processing food again, more nutritious foods can be added, but know ahead of time that no coffee or alcohol is allowed on this diet and even after the maintenance stage is reached they are to be strictly limited.
The Downside
Before you begin any diet it's best to check with your primary care provider. In the case of the 21 Day diet, nutritionists have stated that the diet lacks essential protein, fat, and fiber, and because of this people should be warned that the diet could be dangerous and could contribute to:
- Muscle wasting
- Compromising your immune function
Also, if you're thinking of trying this diet, be prepared to stay home for your meals because going out is just about impossible unless you bring your liquid meal with you.
Moving Forward
If you know all this, and have the okay from your doctor, then you can purchase a 21-day program plus nine-day maintenance pack for $199 through the author online.
