The Grapefruit Diet was the fad diet of the 1970 and its popularity continued into the 80’s. The diet saw people becoming obsessed with the so called ‘fat burning’ grapefruit.

On the whole, the grapefruit diet provides no more than a mere 800 calories per day and dieters who have braved eating copious amount of the sour fruit could allegedly lose up to an astonishing 3 stone in only 12 weeks!

Although the Grapefruit Diet has been dismissed as yet another fad diet, in 2004 a study led by Dr. Ken Fujioka at the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center at Scripps Clinic found that eating half a grapefruit with each meal or drinking a glass of grapefruit juice did in fact encourage weight loss. Those who participated in the experiment lost, on average 3.5 lbs over a 12 week period.

Researchers believe that grapefruit has the ability to control insulin levels, which in turn promotes a level of weight loss.

However, as with the Cabbage Soup Diet, this seven - twelve day plan is not suitable as a healthy method of long term weight loss, dieters wishing to embark on a long term healthy eating plan in order to lose weight should take a look at our healthy eating section.

So, what exactly is the Grapefruit Diet?

Firstly, it is important to follow the rules of the Grapefruit Diet, these are strict but if you follow them religious then you should see dramatic weight loss results.

The Rules:

Important - You must drink eight 8oz. glasses of water daily (64 oz. total per day).

Eat until you are full.

You must eat the minimum listed at each meal.

Do not eliminate anything from the diet! In particular the bacon for breakfast and the salads for lunch and dinner, you must consume these foods. It is claimed these combinations of food burn the fat, omitting one part of the combination will cause the whole thing not to work.

Don't add or reduce the amount of grapefruit or juice. The grapefruit or fruit juice will act as a catalyst which will start the burning process.

If you’re generally a big coffee drinker cut down on the coffee as it can affect the insulin balance, which in turn will hinder the fat burning process. Try to limit yourself to 1 cup at meal time.

Do not eat between meals, instead eat until you are dull at meal times.

You can fry food in butter and it is suggested that you use butter generously when preparing vegetables.

Avoid eating desserts, breads, and white vegetables or sweet potatoes.

If you are hungry you can either double or triple helpings of meat, salad or vegetables.

Make sure you eat until you are stuffed!

you can stay on the diet for up to 12 days. However, if you wih to continue this diet on a longer basis, stop the diet for 2 days and then repeat.

DAY 1
BREAKFAST
A cup of black coffee or tea with sugar substitute & 1/2 a grapefruit
followed by either 2 eggs to your taste or 2 rashers of bacon.

LUNCH
Any amount of lean beef, chicken or fish with a tomato salad and again either coffee or tea.
 

DINNER
Broiled fish with tomato and lettuce salad followed by another grapefruit.

DAY 2
BREAKFAST
A cup of black coffee or tea with sugar substitute & 1/2 a grapefruit
followed by either 2 eggs to your taste or 2 rashers of bacon.
 

LUNCH
As much grapefruit fruit salad as you like and a mug of coffee.
 

DINNER
A hamburger without the bread and as many cooked vegetables you desire.

DAY 3
BREAKFAST
A cup of black coffee or tea with sugar substitute & 1/2 a grapefruit
followed by either 2 eggs to your taste or 2 rashers of bacon.
 

LUNCH
A tuna salad followed by a grapefruit or if you wish, a melon.
 

DINNER
2 lean pork chops with a mixed green salad and a mug of coffee.

DAY 4
BREAKFAST
A cup of black coffee or tea with sugar substitute & 1/2 a grapefruit
followed by either 2 eggs to your taste or 2 rashers of bacon.

LUNCH
2 eggs and cottage cheese with 3 oz. of squash, 1 slice of toast and a mug of coffee.

DINNER
Chicken either grilled or broiled without the skin, served with spinach or green pepper and again a mug of coffee.

DAY 5
BREAKFAST
A cup of black coffee or tea with sugar substitute & 1/2 a grapefruit
followed by either 2 eggs to your taste or 2 rashers of bacon.
 

LUNCH
All the dry cheese you want with spinach and a single slice of toast.
 

DINNER
Broiled fish with cooked vegetables or a green salad and 1 slice of toast.

DAY 6
BREAKFAST
A cup of black coffee or tea with sugar substitute & 1/2 a grapefruit
followed by either 2 eggs to your taste or 2 rashers of bacon.
 

LUNCH
As much grapefruit salad as you like, eat until you are full and drink 1 cup of coffee.

DINNER
Broiled chicken without the skin served with tomato and lettuce salad followed but a grapefruit or melon and your final coffee of the day.

DAY 7
BREAKFAST
A cup of black coffee or tea with sugar substitute & 1/2 a grapefruit
followed by either 2 eggs to your taste or 2 rashers of bacon.
 

LUNCH
Chicken served either hot or cold with a tomato & lettuce salad followed by a grapefruit or melon and coffee.
 

DINNER
Lean beef served with a mixed salad and a mug of coffee.

Our advice?

The Grapefruit Diet is most certainly not a healthy way to lose weight and is by no means a sustainable diet.

Although grapefruit will do you no harm if you include it in one of your five a day, the grapefruit diet itself is not one Love Life Hate Diets would recommended!