Rapid Network

There are many varieties of diet programs that promote or claim to achieve rapid weight loss. Of these many programs, or systems, there are basically 3 main categories. These are as follows:

1. A Liquid-Based Detox Diet

This style of fast weight loss program became popular after being popularized by celebrities and then covered by the media who follow whatever the celebrities drink, eat or do. In essence, this is not strictly a diet and it was designed as a body cleansing detox program. Its purpose was to flush toxins out of the body and help you to feel rejuvenated. In its original form it was only ever meant to be used for 3 days periods but over time it has been adapted, or manipulated, into a quick weight loss system.

The formula basically consists of consuming a drink two or three times a day. The drink contains natural ingredients specifically combined for their individual properties. The main version uses hot water, known to help flush out your body. This is combined with lemon juice which contains acidic and citric acids, also good at promoting detoxification and chilli powder, again another ingredient that has detoxification qualities.

The extra ingredient added when the formula became used as a fast weight loss system was honey. The honey is supposed to supply your body with the sugar it need to keep going during this liquid-only fasting process. You will certainly lose weight quickly if you use this method but there are some serious concerns over its potential health risks if used over lengthy periods.

2. Low Carbohydrate, High Protein Diets

These became very popular after the explosion that was the Atkin's Diet. That particular diet was an extreme form of this program and has now been proven to be a health risk. There are still variations on this theme and they are still very popular. The basis behind this style of diet is as the heading suggests - you are allowed to eat protein-rich food without any real restriction but are not allowed to consume many carbohydrates.

What this diet does is rob your body of its main fuel source - carbohydrates - this then encourages the body to burn its fat stores instead and hence the fast weight loss. The protein is for strength and is alleged to help with counteracting the weakness that comes from starving your body of its fuel source.

The danger of this diet is that it promotes ketosis, in a nutshell ketones are small carbon molecules produced when your body burns fat instead of carbohydrates. This happens because your body goes into a state of ketosis and while this can also suppress appetite it is proven to be harmful to your kidneys and other organs. The main weight loss from this diet comes from water loss and loss of muscle tissue.

3. Diet Every Other Day Diets

This last category has become increasingly popular over recent years and whilst there have been comments about the lack of research, there is now a sudden influx of new documentation becoming available. In fact, this style of diet was first discovered in the 1930's by pure accident. An every other day diet works on the low-calorie system but is not as difficult to follow, the reason being that you only have to stick to the low-calorie regime every other day.

On the other day, often referred to as an 'up-day' you can eat as you please, although there are some sensible restrictions and the better of these diet types do encourage nutrition, healthy eating and a balanced diet. The reason behind this one day on, one day off system is that it supposedly counteracts the usual problem of low-calorie starvation-style dieting - namely, the slowing down of metabolism or the body reducing its carbohydrate needs in response to it being starved - this then results in weight loss reduction.

An alternate day diet lets you eat normally every other day so the body does not consider itself starved. Another benefit to this method is that some people find it easier to follow and adhere to a low-calorie diet when they know they can eat normally the following day. Not everyone can stick to strict low-calorie diets and many have turned to this as a 'best of both worlds'.