Best Free Crash Diets

Weight loss and fitness have been hot topics lately, and many people are interested in learning about the best crash diet available.

Best Crash Diet

Trying to follow a crash diet or fad that may involve starving yourself can be both frustrating and dangerous. The National Institute of Health discourages fad diets and says they make unrealistic promises. There is not one best crash diet to follow as all crash diets are unhealthy and provide mixed results. The best diet to follow is one that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, legumes, healthy oils, and lean proteins.

Popular Free Crash Diets

Here are some examples of some of the most well known crash diets being promoted today.

Cabbage Soup Diet

The cabbage soup diet includes very strict daily eating plans for one week. Cabbage soup is allowed in unlimited quantities. The meal plan varies by day, and restricts dieters to just cabbage soup and one other food group.

While this diet does include some nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables, it does not allow for a balanced eating plan. It is also very difficult to follow.

Grapefruit Diet

The grapefruit diet claims drinking grapefruit juice activates the fat burning process. It also advocates the use of unlimited amounts of meat at every meal and limits certain vegetables such as white onions. This diet is not a good idea because it suggests limiting foods that are very healthy, such as certain vegetables, but encourages dieters to eat unlimited amounts of meat. Meats are high in fat and cholesterol and will not help you lose weight. Also, there is no scientific evidence that supports the notion that any kind of juice stimulates fat burning by the body.

Chicken Soup Diet

The chicken soup diet is a free crash diet that has many variations. However, it is based on a 7-day meal plan that follows a specific routine-namely a choice of five breakfasts and, after that, chicken soup. The chicken soup that comprises this diet isn't your mom's chicken soup. You must follow an exact recipe that includes the following:

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 pound of parsnips, cut up
• 1 turnip, cut up
• 4 celery stalks
• 1 tablespoon of garlic, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 16 cups reduced fat, low sodium chicken broth
• 1 bag of frozen carrots
• 1 box of frozen broccoli florets
• 1 box of collard greens, chopped
• 1 ½ cups onions, chopped
• 5 cups of cooked chicken
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup dill, chopped

To make the soup, cook the vegetables and seasonings in the heated olive oil until tender. Next, add the broth and lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer. For more information on this diet, visit Chicken Soup Diet.

Scarsdale Diet

The Scarsdale Diet dates back to the publication of a book by the same name written by Dr. Herman Tarnower in the 1970s. The diet was designed for overweight participants, and it's based on a specific nutrient ratio of 43% protein, 22.5% fat, and 34.5% carbohydrates. With a limited caloric intake of approximately 1000 per day for the first two weeks, dieters can lose up to 20 pounds. The meal plan is very limited, and because of the reduced calorie intake, strenuous exercise is discouraged as well. For more information on this diet, including a detailed meal plan, visit The Weight Loss Institute.

Free Eight Week Weight Loss Plan

Rather than following a crash or fad diet that is difficult to follow and lacking in nutrients, why not try an eight week long healthy weight loss cleanse? If you stick to the following plan, you may be able to lose up to 20 pounds in two months. Plus the following recommendations are for a healthy, well-balanced and nutrient rich program that will help you to incorporate healthy habits into your routine. The following plan will not only to help you to lose weight it will help your body to gently detoxify some of the toxins which may have been accumulating for years.

Prepare Yourself Ahead of Time

It is a good idea to come up with a plan on how you will implement this plan before actually starting it. It will be easier for you if you come up with some recipes and shop for food before beginning the cleanse. This way, when you are hungry you will already have healthy foods on hand. It is also very helpful to enlist support from family members or friends. It will be much easier to stick to the plan if you have a cheerleader. Most importantly, if you have a day where you stray from the cleanse, don't beat yourself up. Remember that no one is perfect and simply begin again the following day.

Foods to Limit or Avoid

The following foods are typically high in calories or fat and offer little in nutritional value. Some of these things will be difficult to give up, but try to remember this is only for eight weeks. At the end of the program, you can incorporate them back into your lifestyle. However, once you see how good healthful eating can make you feel, you may choose to avoid them!

• Avoid red meat
• Avoid dairy products
• Avoid refined sugars
• Avoid fried foods
• Limit your coffee consumption to one cup per day
• Limit alcohol consumption to four drinks per week
• Avoid refined grains (white bread, white pasta, white rice, etc.)

Foods to Include

• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Whole Grains (whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, corn tortillas, brown rice)
• Beans and Legumes
• Fish
• Turkey
• Chicken
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Herbal Tea
• Green Tea
• Honey and Maple Syrup

Tips and Substitutions

Making big lifestyle changes can feel very overwhelming in the beginning. However, in a few weeks the changes will become a part of your routine. As you begin to lose weight and look and feel healthier, you will be proud of yourself for making the effort to improve your well-being. Here are some ideas on how to include healthy foods in your daily routine.

• Prepare a large plastic storage container full of chopped fruits and vegetables at night to take to work with you the following day. If you absolutely cannot find the time to chop your own produce, look for fresh fruits and veggies that are pre-chopped at your grocery store. This way you will have a healthy snack available at all times.
• Keep unsweetened, dried fruit and nuts in your bag, car, or desk. These make healthy snacks when you are in a hurry.
• Mashed avocado makes a wonderful substitution for mayonnaise on sandwiches and wraps.
• Try to make a fresh veggie sandwich to have for lunch at least once a week. Try hummus, mashed avocado, or mustard instead of mayonnaise and cheese. Tomatoes, lettuce, red onions, and cucumbers make great sandwiches.
• Read labels when shopping. Refined sugars and high fructose corn syrup can hide in unsuspecting places. Look for fruit juice, canned fruits and vegetables, pasta sauce, whole wheat bread, and condiments free of sugar and high fructose corn syrup.
• Try hummus or guacamole as a dip for fresh vegetables.
• Drink green tea instead of coffee in the morning. Substitute honey instead of sugar.
• Instead of soda pop, try sparkling water and add a lemon wedge or unsweetened fruit juice.
• Drink at least half of your body weight in ounces of water each day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, your body requires at least 75 ounces of water every day in order to eliminate wastes and to stay properly hydrated.

The idea behind the eight week cleansing plan is to include only nutrient dense foods that are low in fat and calories. While it may feel that your diet is very limited at first, you will find it is not so difficult to follow after the first couple of weeks. If you stick to it, you will be amazed by how great you look and feel!

Remember, the best crash diet is the one you choose not to follow. Trying to lose weight by starving yourself or depriving yourself of nutrients is not a safe way to lose weight. Strive to make slow changes over a period of weeks or months. Trying to lose weight in just a few days is unrealistic and even dangerous.