Diets for Rapid Weight Loss

Diets for rapid weight loss are tempting and exciting. However, they may not be the most nutritionally sound. Any health practitioner will tell you that a healthy weight loss is 2 lbs. a week. That's the kind of weight loss you can maintain. However, so many people are looking for a quick fix and there are several diets out there that will deliver--as long as you can stick to the eating plans!

South Beach Diet

The South Beach Diet's creator, Dr. Arthur Agatston, probably wouldn't classify his eating plan as a diet for rapid weight loss because, in truth, over time, the weight loss evens out to a healthy 2 to 3 lbs. a week. It involves nutritionally balanced eating. However, the diet will cause you to lose between 8 and 13 lbs. in the first two weeks. That's rapid weight loss!

The South Beach Diet is known as the "healthy" version of the Atkins Diet. It focuses on good, complex carbohydrates such as whole grain breads, pastas and brown rice. There are three phases. In phase 1, most carbs and sugar must be avoided. This includes breads, pastas, grains, cereals and sugars. You eat meats, poultry, fish, nuts, cheese and vegetables for two weeks, while you lose between 8 and 13 lbs. After two weeks, you move on to phase 2, which allows a very limited number of carbs back into the diet. Stay on phase 2 until you've achieved your desired weight loss. Phase 3 is the maintenance plan for life.

hCG Diet

The hCG diet is designed for very rapid weight loss. You can lose about 1 to 2 lbs. every day! HCG stands for human chorionic gonadotropin, which is a hormone found in men and women. Its effect is the most profound in women during pregnancy because it increases their metabolism, allowing them to digest and metabolize the nutrients they need for themselves and their unborn babies.

The hCG diet combines taking hCG with a diet that's very low in calories. The hormone is given orally or by injection. If by injection, it must be administered and monitored by a health care practitioner. Adding salad and vegetables to meals will increase weight loss. You must also ingest a good amount of fiber and drink lots of water.

Cabbage Soup Diet

The Cabbage Soup Diet involves the unlimited eating of...cabbage soup! You can have as much as you want, along with unlimited water, but every other food is very limited. The plan claims you can lose up to 10 lbs. in seven days.

On day 1, eat cabbage soup plus a fruit, except for bananas. Drink black coffee, unsweetened tea, water and cranberry juice. On day 2, eat cabbage soup along with boiled, raw or steamed vegetables. Don't eat peas, corn or dry beans. For dinner, consume a baked potato with butter. On day 3, eat cabbage soup with other vegetables and fruit. day 4 consists of cabbage soup plus up to eight bananas and skim milk. On day 5 eat the soup, up to 450 grams of fish or meat and up to six tomatoes. Day 6 calls for the soup, plus vegetables and meat. Finally, on day 7, eat cabbage soup, 100 percent fruit juice, brown rice and vegetables.