lose 21 Pounds in 21 Days: The Martha's Vineyard Diet Detox is not a
traditional
diet, but a detoxification program designed both to "cleanse" the
body and cause
weight loss. Author Roni DeLuz, a registered nurse and naturopathic doctor
(not to be confused with a medical doctor) says she created the liquid diet
when she was trying to heal herself.
Dieters are supposed to cleanse their bodies by drinking liquids every two
hours. They choose from a limited number of options including water, homemade
soups, juices made from
fruits and vegetables, and powdered antioxidant berry and green drinks
available from the author's web site.
In theory, once free of toxins, your body functions better and your
metabolism soars so you can shed those extra pounds. According to the author,
this "is not a so-called weight loss diet; it is a safe, 100% natural
healthy detox that allows you to safely lose 21 pounds in 21
days."
The
Lose 21 Pounds in 21 Days plan is based on three principles:
rest, reduce, and rebuild. "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," says DeLuz.
Dieters choose between a two-day weekend plan, a seven-day plan, or the full
21-day plan, all with a similar schedule of drinking every two hours. DeLuz
recommends a 21-day detox yearly, a seven-day cleanup each calendar season, and
a weekend detox each week.
Supplements including enzyme capsules, an herb cleansing formula, and aloe
vera, as well as services like lymph drainage massages, cellulite treatment,
liver flushes, kidney cleanses, body wraps, detoxifying baths, and weekly
coffee enemas and colonics are part of the plan.
Exercise is included, as long as it can be tolerated and is approved by your
doctor. But the recommended physical activity is limited to walking,
yoga, a chi machine (a so-called "passive aerobic exerciser"), or
jumping on a trampoline, which is encouraged for lymphatic draining to help
your body "oxygenate," according to DeLuz.
After 21 days, dieters go off the detox plan carefully, because their
cleaned bodies will "no longer tolerate processed and junk foods, which
will cause
weight gain," explains DeLuz. The author recommends slowly awakening
the
digestive system with a daily protein powder supplement along with
vegetables, soy milk, 3-4 ounces of salmon, and 1 cup nonfat yogurt. More
nutritious foods are then added. Nutritional supplements (green drinks, berry
drink, and protein shakes) continue to be recommended in smaller doses.
What You Can Eat
Every two hours, you drink a designated liquid. And at the end of the day,
you've consumed 40-48 ounces of water, 32-40 ounces of herbal tea, 16 ounces of
vegetable-based soup, and 32 ounces of either a green drink made from
vegetables, vegetable juice, or a berry drink.
What You Can Eat continued...
"The plan provides approximately 1,000 calories and about 20 grams of
protein per day, depending on your choices," says American Dietetic
Association spokeswoman Amy Jamieson-Petonic, MEd, RD.
There are plenty of fruits and vegetables on the
Lose 21 Pounds in 21
Days plan that are either juiced, pureed, cooked, or come in a powdered
form. But there's very little else. Allowed foods include garlic, beans,
carrots, cucumbers, celery, collard greens, kale, beets, sweet potatoes, summer
squashes, most green vegetables, tomatoes, and purple cabbage.
Nutritionists are quick to point out that the
Lose 21 Pounds in 21
Days plan is lacking in essential protein, fat, and fiber, which could be
dangerous.
"Diet plans deficient in protein can lead to muscle wasting, and when
you don't ingest enough essential fatty acids from fat, you also risk
compromising your immune function," says nutrition and fitness expert
Pamela Peeke, MD.
This plan makes it almost impossible to go out to eat, unless you take along
your drink. Be prepared to give up coffee, which experts point out can result
in
headaches. Alcohol is also on the extensive list of foods and beverages to
avoid until the maintenance stage, and even then it is very limited.
How It Works
"When you're trying to lose weight, your body is not metabolizing or
eliminating correctly, so if you put back natural nutrition into your body, you
will lose weight," says the author. She blames the "toxins" in the
foods and beverages we consume for causing us to be unhealthy and gain
weight.
Liquid foods are recommended in the
Lose 21 Pounds in 21 Days plan
because they allow rest from chewing and are better absorbed in the body.
Not so, says Peeke. There is no advantage to consuming foods in liquid form.
In fact, it works against you. She says whole foods -- not pureed or juiced --
are the best form to eat.
"Your body needs whole foods to chew, digest, absorb to keep the
gastrointestinal tract functioning well," Peeke says. "Every part of
the intestine is designed to extract nutrients, so there is no advantage in
liquefying them."
DeLuz thinks everyone needs to detox, and says that unless you have a
medical condition, there are no consequences to the cleansing and detoxifying
21 day plan."
The
Lose 21 Pounds in 21 Days plan would be difficult for anyone who
is working or traveling to follow, Jamieson points out.
"It is unrealistic to follow the plan unless you are at home," says
Jamieson. She also thinks it is expensive, with all the recommended
treatments, supplements, and the need for a juicer not found in most home
kitchens.
A 21-day program plus nine-day maintenance pack is available online for $199
from the author. The web site estimates that the plan costs around $12 per day,
but does not indicate what that amount include
What the Experts Say
Yes, you can lose weight rapidly with
Lose 21 Pounds in 21 Days: The
Martha's Vineyard Diet Detox. But experts say this is more likely a result
of severe caloric restriction, rather than detoxification.
Peeke warns that this kind of 21-day detox can actually make you fatter in
the end.
"You might lose weight because you are taking in so few calories, but
most of the lost weight will be fluids and muscle," she says. "In the
absence of adequate protein, your body has to get protein from some source, so
it burns up its own muscle mass. And at the end of the fast, the dieter will
weigh less -- but their body composition will be higher in fat and lower in
muscle."
The principle of detoxification raises a red flag, says Michelle May, MD,
author of
Am I Hungry.
"The suggestion that we are filled with toxins creates fear that drives
book and product sales," she says. "But in truth, our bodies naturally
rid themselves of undesirable substances without any human intervention
whatsoever."
Says Holly Wyatt, MD, an
obesity expert with the University of Colorado: "If anything is
important to weight loss, it is getting plenty of liquids and staying well
hydrated so the liver and kidneys can function optimally, do their jobs, and
rid the body of any toxins."
The
detox diet is deficient in protein, fiber, essential fatty acids,
fat-soluble vitamins, and certain minerals, experts say.
"The only positive thing to say about this plan is that it encourages
plenty of fruits and vegetables, which most people don't get enough of in their
diets," says Jamieson-Petonic.
Experts agree there is no credible science to substantiate the claims this
plan is built upon, such as the need for detoxification, lymphatic draining,
liquid nutrition, and frequent bowel cleansing. There are no studies available
to document that dieters will lose 21 pounds in 21 days. Instead, this claim is
based on testimonials from the author's clinic and her co-author's personal
experience.
Unless you have a problem associated with your lymph system, this system
does not need any help. "If you are concerned about your lymph system, the
best thing you can do is get plenty of exercise and drink lots of water -- but
you don't need to jump on trampolines or get lymphatic massages," says
Peeke.
Another problem is that the
Lose 21 Pounds in 21 Days plan is likely
to leave you hungry. "When you drink most of your calories, you usually
don't get the same satiety value as eating solid foods. So dieters may feel
very hungry on this plan," says Jamieson.
And what happens when the 21-day period is over? "When using enemas and
fasting techniques, the fluids you lose come back almost immediately when you
reintroduce food and stop the unusual behavior," says Wyatt.
Wyatt cautions that this plan could leave dieters feeling dizzy, dehydrated,
and light-headed. This, she says, is the result of an inadequate diet -- not as
a result of feeling sick as your body dumps toxic residues as the author
explains.
Food for Thought
While the plan may sound like a scientific approach to weight loss, it lacks
the fundamentals that dietitians, doctors, and health authorities know are
essential for good health. Further, drinking excessive amounts of liquids that
are inadequate in many needed nutrients, along with taking such measures as
enemas and lymphatic draining, could be unsafe.
If you want to lose weight safely and naturally and keep it off, find a plan
you can stick with long term -- one that includes regular physical activity and
a well-balanced diet.
Try this deliciously healthy take on your favorite comfort food today.
