Liquid fasting diets have recently come back into fashion with the advent of sports and nutritional drinks. Not only do liquid fasting diets help you jump-start a weight-loss program, but they can seriously affect your weight quickly, which helps you build momentum that can enable you to sustain a long-term weight-loss program. In order to do a liquid fasting diet correctly, you must understand exactly how they work and what effect they can have on your health.
History
In the late 1970s, liquid diets started to fall out of favor with dietitians and physicians not because they did not get rid of pounds, but because long-term, careless usage led to serious malnutrition. However, they continued to be popular simply because they worked throughout the 1980s. However, as other diet trends came onto the scene, liquid diets got less and less attention, and experienced a serious "lull" for the next decade or so. Fortunately, with the advances in nutritional science, you can now go on a liquid fasting diet and see great results without risking your health--if you follow the rules.
Function
In order to lose 1 lb., you have to cut about 3,500 calories from your diet. Liquid fasting diets help with this because they are low calorie and help you control your intake of calories by simply outlawing solid foods. This can result in dramatic and immediate weight loss if you stick to the program.
Effects
Liquid fasting diets see great results because you can lose 3 to 4 lbs. or more in under a week the first week on the diet. However, you will also experience a decrease in energy because you have cut your calories so dramatically. After the first week, your body may begin to adapt to the shortage, so most liquid fasting diets are intended to be short-term regimens.
Considerations
Before beginning a liquid fasting diet, determine exactly what you will be losing--other than solid food. For example, check to see if you need to take additional vitamin supplements to ensure you are getting enough vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients. Also make sure that you are doing the diet at a time when you can stick to the plan. Otherwise, you may find that you have just added a liquid supplement to your caloric intake rather than cutting serious calories.
Types
Liquid fasting diets come in many varieties. Some are "shake" diets, which means that you drink a nutritional shake several times a day in place of a meal. Others are literal "juice" diets that do not have a lot of nutritional value and are not much different than drinking water. Long-term liquid fasting diets should not keep you solely on liquids but should eventually work solid food back into your daily routine.
Warning
It is very important that you do not continue a liquid fasting diet past the recommended time. If you do so, you risk your physical health. You can develop cramps, nausea, dental complications and serious malnutrition over time.
