![Diet Plans and Nutrition [Home]](/images/everydiet4.gif "every Diet [Home]"){kind=small}
Grapefruit Diet
The Grapefruit Diet is a weight loss diet built solely around the humble grapefruit.
The idea that a single item of food has miraculous weight loss properties seems a farce. The grapefruit is a marvelous fruit – a natural simple carbohydrate high in fiber and vitamin C. But to use it as the sole foundation of a weight loss program is unwise. However recent research has discovered that the grapefruit has more to it than meets the eye.
A lot of the grapefruit diet plans that have been circulating are very low calorie diet plans (VLCD’s) with a grapefruit thrown in. VLCD’s are not a good weight loss solution for many people. Most versions of the Grapefruit diet are identical to the Mayo Clinic Diet.
Grapefruit Diet – Meal Plan
Below is the outline of the fad diet – and it IS NOT RECOMMENDED. Note that there is also substantial evidence that grapefruit (unlike any other citrus fruit) can interfere with medication.
12 days on – 2 days off
| Breakfast 1/2 Grapefruit or 4 oz. Grapefruit Juice (unsweetened) 2 Eggs (any style) 2 Slices Bacon |
| Lunch 1/2 Grapefruit or 4 oz. Grapefruit Juice (unsweetened) Meat (any style, any amount) Salad (any kind of dressing) |
| Dinner 1/2 Grapefruit or 4 oz. Grapefruit Juice (unsweetened) Meat (any style, any amount) (fish may be substituted for meat) Vegetables (any green, yellow, or red vegetables cooked in butter or any seasoning) |
| Bed Time Snack 1 glass tomato juice or 1 glass Skim milk |
| Vegetables Allowed Red onions, green onions, bell peppers, radishes, cucumbers, broccoli, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, peas. |
| Vegetables to Avoid White onions, potatoes, celery. |
Look here for other meal suggestions.
Instructions
- At any meal you may eat until you are full – until you can’t eat any more.
- Don’t eliminate anything from the diet, especially don’t skip bacon at breakfast or omit salads. It is the combination of foods that burn fat.
- The grapefruit is important because it acts as a catalyst that starts the burning process.
- Cut down on caffeine- it affects the insulin balance that hinders the burning process. Try to limit to 1 cup per meal at mealtime.
- Don’t eat between meals. If you eat the combination of food suggested you will not be hungry.
- Note that the diet completely eliminates sugar and starches, which are lipids and form fat. Fat doesn’t form fat; it helps burn it. You can fry food in butter and use butter generously on vegetables.
- Do not eat desserts, bread, and white vegetables or sweet potatoes. You may double or triple helpings of meat, salad, or vegetables. Eat until you are stuffed. The more you eat of the proper combination of food, the more you lose.
Properties of the Grapefruit
The traditional grapefruit diet consists of a 7 or 21 day eating plan. 1/2 a grapefruit is consumed during breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Recently the Scripps clinic, based in San Diego carried out a clinical trial and discovered the following:
“The 12-week pilot study, led by Dr. Ken Fujioka, monitored weight and metabolic factors, such as insulin secretion, of the 100 men and women who participated in the Scripps Clinic “Grapefruit Diet” study. On average, participants who ate half a grapefruit with each meal lost 3.6 pounds, while those who drank a serving of grapefruit juice three times a day lost 3.3 pounds. However, many patients in the study lost more than 10 pounds….. The researchers speculate that the chemical properties of grapefruit reduce insulin levels and encourage weight loss.”
By all means include grapefruit in your diet – it may give you an edge. But for serious and sustained weight loss – look elsewhere.
Hi eveyone- I started the diet on 8/12/08 and I will complete my 12th day 8/23. (Two more days to go) I have lost weight and I check back in to let you know how much I’ve lost. It does work. I didn’t cheat either.
Okay everyone, the diet works as of 8/18/08, I am down a extra 5lbs. That is amazing. I feel great. My total lost is 8/lbs in 18 days. I plan to lose another 10 lbs and then I am going to add execrise to this plan. Cheeks………… Let me know how your doing. Great job Wendy!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey everyone. I am starting the diet on 8/21/08. That’s one day away. I am nervous because I don’t last long on diets. I am 5′9 179 lbs, My goal is 145. 34lbs in no certain amount of time. The faster the better though. Wish me luck.
Cheeks……… this is day fourteen. I have just come off my two-day break. We a few snacks (fruits), I am down 3lbs. I did get some information from a doctor. She said at first you would lose what they call “water weight” and then if you proceed the weight should start coming off very fast.
i lost 8 pounds in 12 days.
i actually think thats a pretty good amount.
i was 120 and now im 112.
yay me!!lol
Hey everybody…. Purpose hav u seen any changes yet?
Hey all. This diet has worked for me. I was on it for 12 days and then off for 15 while away on vacation. Now back on it again to lose final 5 to 10 pounds. I like this diet because you do not feel like you’re starving and it helps your mind get off the carbs. When you are off the diet you will re-think your carb intake.
I went on thi diet 10 years ago and lost 40lbs in 3mts, I started again last month and lost 4lbs the first 5 days then goit off track , I again have started today 8/11/08 and plan to loose about 50-60lbs.
Me and my daughter will start this diet on monday. I went on power 90 for 90 days and this diet really works. My daughter can’t really exercise after just having her baby so I found this on the internet and decide this might be something we can do together. I’ll write again to let you know if this diet works. People lets not leave ugly comments. That is why this world is so messed up because people have no respect for other people. If we put God first in everything we try to do here on this earth then we will succeed in everything we put our mind to.
i did this grapefruit diet and i must say i was very impressed with my results. i lost 15lbs in 1 1/2 months while going to the gym 5 days a week. cheating was inevitable for me and it usually happened on the weekends but i know my limit. i want to lose 25 more lbs!
i started this “grapefruit craze” late in may and i must say i was impressed with my results. i lost 15 lbs in 1 1/2 months while going to the gym 5 days a week. i cheated usually on the weekends but not too crazy ( i knew my limit). i still continue eating my grapefruits 3 times a day and i’ve been losing. i need to lose 25 more pounds!!!
Cheeks… Sometimes I eat fruit. I am on day 5, I haven’t notice any significant change yet (it might be the fruit). I plan to weigh at day 7 and again at day 12. I really do not get that hungry on this diet.
I was thinking of using this diet but I don’t think my parents will let me =\
Good luck to everyone though!
I think it works i know someone who lost alot of weight.I always have want to try it but now i came across this page ill try it. I want to loose 30lbs… hope to stick to it…
I just came back from the doctor this morning and she said I need to loose 100 lbs. So I want become diabetic any time soon I’m 29 and weigh 264 my goal is to lose 100 lbs by Dec 31,2008 to start the new year health I’ll be starting my as of 8/6/08 I will keep everybody posted and good luck to everybody that’s doing it.
hey sally or jackie what is a normal menu choice for you on a given day? i want to do it and make sure i am doin it right. i need to lose about 50 myself someone please answer and what all do you drink and is ir between meals
Ummm… since we can not eat snacks in between meals… can we chew sugarless gum… and can we eat apples?
Reading the progress of yall’s diet, makes me wanna do this diet. I’m 5′7 weighing in at 210. My goal weight is 160. Imma try this diet for the 12 days and see how it goes. Wish me luck!
Hello all, I started the diet today. I am 5′3 212 lbs. My first goal is to lose 20 lbs (192lbs). I will keep you posted on my progress. I do not plan to use this long term, but just to jump start my weight lost and then I plan to incorporate execrise etc.
To Bert….im going to start the diet this following Monday and right now im doing tons of research….and so far i’ve read that you are not supoose to use OIL……….
I am 5′3 and weight 135…i want to lose 15 pounds…im going to start this diet tomorrow(8-1-08)…i will keep u guys posted in 12 days to let everyone know how it worked for me!!! Plus im going to exercise the first week…cuz i run 3 miles 5 days of the week…i will weight myself and the second week i am not going to exersice…then weight myself…so i will let you guys know what works better!!! GOOD LUCK TO ME!!!
Hey did you all really eat until you were stuffed or did you eat until you werent hungry anymore? Also when it say you can fry foods are you frying them in cooking grease or what? Please someone answer!!
I’m currently on this diet, but I have a concern. It says you can use any dressing. How much dressing can you use and does it matter if it’s a sweet dressing? (Cause of the carbs)
does anyone have an idea of how much weight you will gain back verses that that you lost. I read that the weight loss is from losing fluids. I currently weigh 164 but would like to be 130 but don’t see much point of doing the diet if you are going to gain it right back. I understand that you do not need to pig out, but what if you just eat normal meals after finishing the diet such as a steak and fries with water? If anyone could help I’d appreciate it!!
Hello! On day 1 now and i really see results and progress already. I can feel that i’m more sensual now. I saw a boy looking at me when i went out and i just knew it was working. I’m currently 350 lbs but my target weight is 115. Wish me luck fellow dieters! Peace out
I eat pizza, etc.. on my days off. You are not going to gain it all back in 2 days anyway. It took me 5 years to get “fat”.
So does anyone know if there is a vegetarian version of this diet? I would normally think Quorn would be a good substitute but wonder if this would work here.
Hey Jeff – do you eat carbs on your 2 days off ?
Turkey bacon works too. My wife used to use that method.
Hi afshou – my guess is yes you can replace the bacon with another type of meat (or fish) as i believe that this diet is about consuming meat/salad and grapefruit. i am still wondering about what to eat during the 2 days off….
Can we replace the 2 slices of bacon with anything else?? It’s because I’m muslim, and I’m not allowed to eat pork.
Question – does it matter when the grapefruit is consumed ? Meaning, do you have to eat the grapefruit first and then the meat/salad or can you eat the grapefruite after the meat/salad (like a dessert to the meal) … ??
I started July 8, on day 3, and i think and feel it working, especially as a ‘kick start’ to help you start a regime and I don’t feel like i’m starving between meals and i acutally have the energy to boost even without extra coffee (amazing!). I am wondering what to eat on the 2 days off ? Can you / should you eat some carbs ? Please let me know, i want to do this right….
Grapefruit JUICE sends me to the Shi**er within an hour. Eating the fruit does not.
I cannot recommend if you are working out alot. You need carbs for the energy for the workout I think.
does anyone know if you can use olive oil for cooking the vegetables instead of butter?
thx!
my sister followed this diet, without doing much exercise and lost 50 pounds, this diet DOES work for people who follow it correctly.
OK well it does really work, but I doubt that it is because of the grapefruit. Using this diet you consume less than 1000 calories a day. If you are a realtively unactive person you stil burn off about 750 calories. This diet eliminates almost all sugar also. The reason this is a “bad” diet is becuase you loose all starch from your diet. As soon as you start eating starch again you will gain weight. I lost 20 pounds on this diet in 30 days. I did 10 days on 2 days off. Grapefruit is also verry acidic. Be careful not to drink too much, and if you do decide to dring “Simply Grapefruit” works really well. No sugar added
Is it me or does this diet give you the runs the first couple of days? My friend on the diet says its normal, is that true for you guys?
diets do not work medically, ohhh iam so hungry,
I planning starting this diet Monday I been researching this for awhile and I want to know how do ya’ll deal with your two days off. Do you eat a lot of carb or junk foods.
Im 6′2 was 250. Now about 237. 4 weeks into it now.
I want to be about 215. Seems to have leveled off last 1.5 weeks though.
what can i say ……..for someone who has struggled with dieting all his life,diets DONT work!If they did there would be one and it would be called THE DIET everyone would be on it and everyone would be slim.
Saying that im still a fat B—–D! Best of luck!
p.s ITS A BLOODY HARD GAME.
I just started. I thought i’d hate it but i have loads of energy. I am a former athlete who always believed in good carbs but this is just the boost I need to knock off about 10-15 lbs.
i really wish those ppl who said they lost the 40 to 50 lbs on this diet would say how long it took to lose that amount!!!!!!
I was on this diet for 9 weeks and I lost 29lbs!!! It DOES work!! I also excersied on a gizelle for 30 minutes a day.
Here is the one I am doing :
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-grapefruit-diet
I started 06/02 and lost 14 lbs as of 06/26.
Remember… You can eat as much meat as you want. I ate a whole Porterhouse steak, then the salad and grapefruit one meal.
12 days on, 2 days off and start over.
hey guys im on day 10 of the grapefruit diet…im so happy with the results and i started going to the gym at least 3-4 days a week to help me too.
theres also a hollywood diet that consists of drinking only the specific juice(you blend fruit yourself to make the juice) and water for two days. it also works but i know its not as good for you because you dont eat solid food. However i wasnt hungry when i did this because i was able to sip the juice whenever i wanted, not just at a certain time.
good luck to everyone and if anyone has any questions, id be more than happy to answer!
So i tried the 3 day diet and lost about 4 pounds the first three days but crashed the diet the end of the last day >_<
it gets you more hungry then if you were to starve yourself all together! I would know. It’s probably because you anticipate each meal..
Although I am wondering if THIS diet actually works, i need to lose about 15 lbs, anyone know how long that will take on average..?
It’s crucial that I find out!
I work midnight to 8 am.
I eat the eggs and bacon when I get home then off to bed.
I eat first salad around 5 PM.
I eat 2nd salad at 0130 AM.