Monday, January 2, 2012

The Four Day Wonder Diet -- Day One

I know the right way to keep my weight in check, really I do. You can't read about, and write about, food as much as I do, as all food bloggers do, and not learn a thing or three about nutrition and healthy eating.

Every once in a while, though, like after the holidays or before a special event, I need a swift kick to get me back on the right track.  And so I've become a big fan of the The Four Day Wonder Diet.  It's exactly what I need to get me jump started back into mindful eating.

I'm headed to Florida at the end of the month to see my daughter and I'm feeling just a bit too dumpy for Florida weather. (Even Pennsylvania weather!)  And my jeans firmly attest to that.

The Four Day is a crash diet but it is a pretty healthy one. (An oxymoron isn't it? Healthy crash diet!) It is strict, very strict.  And I feel oh so noble when I finish the four days of this pretty spartan diet.  It's cleansing.  Nothing but fruits, veggies, and protein.  And all foods I like. No fats, no carbs (except from the fruit).  And it is very filling.

I first learned about this diet about 15 years ago.  My sister-in-law slipped it to me after she saw me gasp after a gander at my behind in the three-way mirror of a dressing room!  Holy moly!  Where did that come from?  When did that happen?

Since then, the Four-Day, as I fondly call it, has been my lifesaver.  Each day begins with half a grapefruit and you're allowed all the black coffee and tea you'd like.  And lots of water.  Then lunch and dinner is well prescribed. Take a look here to see:  Four Day Wonder Diet.(It's also printed below.)

There's no calorie counting, no weird foods.  Just sticking to the planned menus.  And at the end of the four days, you'll have lost at least four pounds; some people as much as 10.  There's just something about the mix of foods and the order in which you eat them that really works!  I have to admit that the first time I did it, I lost about seven pounds and the last time, only five. (It's that age thing and that slowing metabolism.)

The copy of the diet plan my SIL gave me was clipped from a Ladies Home Journal in 1985.  My copy became very well worn.  I have since bought the book from Amazon and last I looked you could still find it there pretty cheap.  

And so I'm off!  I'll let you know at the end of the week how it went.  In the meantime, you just might want to tuck this diet away.

THE FOUR DAY WONDER DIET
Margaret Danbrot 

BREAKFAST, EVERY DAY
½ grapefruit
Black coffee or tea


DAY 1
LUNCH
Broiled steak or hamburger
Lettuce & tomato salad
No dressing
1 apple
DINNER
2 hard-boiled eggs
Green beans
½ grapefruit

DAY 2
LUNCH
1 medium-sized lamb chop
Lettuce & tomato salad
No dressing
6 ounces tomato juice
DINNER
Squash and cauliflower, steamed or raw
Green beans
1 cup unsweetened applesauce

DAY 3
LUNCH
Lettuce and celery salad,
No dressing
Hamburger patty
1 apple

DINNER
Broiled chicken
Stewed tomatoes
6 ounces prune juice

DAY 4
LUNCH
2 hard-boiled eggs
Green beans
6 ounces tomato juice
DINNER
Broiled steak or hamburger
Lettuce & tomato salad, no dressing
6 ounces pineapple juice

DAY 5 and after
After you’ve got your head start, and if you want to lose more weight, aim for a loss of 1-2 pounds a week by eating balanced protein heavy meals.  You can repeat the 4-Day, but only after 4 weeks.

Tips to Be Sure the 4-Day Wonder Diet Works
  1. Pick the right time, not when your schedule includes a string of parties.
  2. Shop ahead.  Make sure you have everything you need beforehand.  Don’t get caught in a situation in which you have to eat something fattening just because there’s nothing else in the house.
  3. Remember, do not vary, substitute or delete any of the foods, unless you’re allergic to something.  In that case just replace it with a similar food; e.g., substitute an orange for a grapefruit.
  4. Don’t eat anything between meals.  There are no “free’ foods you can eat anytime.  AND although you’re allowed an unlimited amount of vegetables at meals, you cannot save them for snacking later.
  5. Don’t drink alcohol at all.
  6. To integrate your diet into family meals, just add a starch and a dessert for the rest of your family.
  7. Try to drink at least eight 8-ounce lasses of water a day.  Try having a glass of water before a meal.
  8. Eat vegetables raw, steamed or boiled.  It’s a good idea to eat them first so you fill up on them instead of protein which is higher in calories.
  9. Always broil all meat or chicken
  10. Remember to remove all traces of high calories fat from meat and chicken.
  11. You may only use pepper or lemon juice to season food.  (Use salt only sparingly because it tends to increase fluid retention.
  12. If you don’t already have one, invest in a good bathroom scale.  It will give you confidence to watch the needle monitoring your rapid weight loss.   
  13. Don’t talk about it!  The less you say about your diet, the better. 
  14. Keep a diet journal to record your weight and what you eat.  It will help you gain insight into the circumstances and times of day when you may need to make an extra effort to stay on course.

24 comments:

  1. I need that diet!! Could I stay on it for, say, 40 days? Alas, I clicked on the link but Google said I needed special permission to view it.

    Happy new year and happy dieting.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  2. I have an odd little fruit and kale diet that I will do for 3 days - healthy and just a kick-start to a better eating program. I love when they are truly healthy. Good luck! Wishing I was going to Florida!

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  3. ½ grapefruit Black coffee or tea for the breakfast? So little?
    Happy New Year!

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  4. best of luck with the diet! I have some skinny secrets and a detox recipe up if you haven't seen it yet! xo

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  5. I have read about this and pondered about it and now you are telling me it works;wow! Take good care.
    Rita

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  6. Bonnie -- I didn't know you needed permission. Fixed now and copied here, too!
    Claudia -- I'm curious about your curative fix! I love kale!
    Angie -- Yep, that's it. Makes me kinda anxious for lunch. And a lot of water!
    Marina -- Thanks for stopping. Your skinny tips are great and so's the detox salad.
    Rita -- It does work. And I get smug about my self-discipline, too!

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  7. Good info here! This does not look too hard to manage and it does not appear that you will be starving either. Thanks for the post, detox is long overdue at my house.

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  8. This is great to know - if i do it for 2 weeks will I lose 20 lbs!!
    Mary x

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  9. We did something like this in college...and it worked!!! Even in those days, we couldn't eat all the pizza and drink all the beer we wanted and stay looking good! I know this will jumpstart your way to a healthy new year! Thanks for sharing, Rosemary~

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  10. Best of luck with the diet - and the foods do sound healthy and delicious! Have fun in Florida - but I have to say -it's pretty darn cold here, too!

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  11. Lol, just last week I realized that I needed to go up a jean size. Not the end of the world but I did decide to start exercising again. Good luck on the diet!

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  12. I'm not sure how I'd do with half a grapefruit for breakfast, but it sounds like it's a really effective diet. Good luck!

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  13. I can imagine that this diet would be very effective for quick weight loss which is what you want when you decide to begin a diet. The diet looks familiar to me, maybe from high school days? Good luck with it!

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  14. wow..thanks for the great post..
    sounds to be really effective..:)
    Tasty Appetite

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  15. Wow this sounds too easy and I like that :) Good food choices too!
    Thanks and take care..

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  16. This sounds like an excellent 4 day plan that can be easily achieved. Bookmarking. :)

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  17. I've been feeling like I need some sort of a cleanse lately, but I'm nursing so I'm not doing anything right now. I'll have to remember this, though!

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  18. Is it okay to drink water throughout the day? Like more than the specified times? - desiree

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  19. Starting day 1 today.... Went on the 3 day diet last month but only lost a couple of pounds...
    Wish me luck!!!
    btw, is lemon allowed in water and is Splenda allowed in tea??

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    1. I realize this is over a year old, but I have used this diet successfully through the years since it appeared in LHJ. I am 63 now and want to stay healthy. Watching your weight is the way to do it, ladies and gentlemen. I have successfully used Splenda in tea and coffee. As for the lemon juice, I don't see how it would hurt. I use Mio in my water...a product that was not available until recent times. I drink more water now because oF it! Good luck with your healthy eating!

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  20. I still have my original LHJ page with the diet, and am completing day 4 today. So far about 5.

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  21. Nice writing and thanks ! You may want to get the motivation you need by losing some weight fast, and then continuing your path to weight-loss. On the other hand, you might just want to lose a dress-size quickly, to fit in your prettiest summer outfit. Either way, give this diet a chance, and you can see dazzling results. But first, here’s what you should know See more here http://3daysmilitarydiet.com/blog/3-day-diet.html

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  22. Hi, I did this diet back in 1996, I remember I lost over 50lbs. in a period of about 6 months doing it about once every month, very good diet if you follow it to the letter and doing some exercise.I'm thinking on trying this diet again.

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  23. I did this diet when I was in my twenties and I lost 8 pounds in 4 days, without even exercising! It works if you stick to it!

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I realize you don't have to take the time to comment . . . but it makes my day! So glad you decided to stay.