The Four Day Wonder Diet -- Day One

I know the right way to keep my weight in check, really I do. You can't read about, and write about, food as much as I do, as all food bloggers do, and not learn a thing or three about nutrition and healthy eating.

Every once in a while, though, like after the holidays or before a special event, I need a swift kick to get me back on the right track.  And so I've become a big fan of the The Four Day Wonder Diet.  It's exactly what I need to get me jump started back into mindful eating.

I'm headed to Florida at the end of the month to see my daughter and I'm feeling just a bit too dumpy for Florida weather. (Even Pennsylvania weather!)  And my jeans firmly attest to that.

The Four Day is a crash diet but it is a pretty healthy one. (An oxymoron isn't it? Healthy crash diet!) It is strict, very strict.  And I feel oh so noble when I finish the four days of this pretty spartan diet.  It's cleansing.  Nothing but fruits, veggies, and protein.  And all foods I like. No fats, no carbs (except from the fruit).  And it is very filling.

I first learned about this diet about 15 years ago.  My sister-in-law slipped it to me after she saw me gasp after a gander at my behind in the three-way mirror of a dressing room!  Holy moly!  Where did that come from?  When did that happen?

Since then, the Four-Day, as I fondly call it, has been my lifesaver.  Each day begins with half a grapefruit and you're allowed all the black coffee and tea you'd like.  And lots of water.  Then lunch and dinner is well prescribed. Take a look here to see:  Four Day Wonder Diet.(It's also printed below.)

There's no calorie counting, no weird foods.  Just sticking to the planned menus.  And at the end of the four days, you'll have lost at least four pounds; some people as much as 10.  There's just something about the mix of foods and the order in which you eat them that really works!  I have to admit that the first time I did it, I lost about seven pounds and the last time, only five. (It's that age thing and that slowing metabolism.)

The copy of the diet plan my SIL gave me was clipped from a Ladies Home Journal in 1985.  My copy became very well worn.  I have since bought the book from Amazon and last I looked you could still find it there pretty cheap.  

And so I'm off!  I'll let you know at the end of the week how it went.  In the meantime, you just might want to tuck this diet away.

THE FOUR DAY WONDER DIET

Margaret Danbrot 

BREAKFAST, EVERY DAY

½ grapefruit

Black coffee or tea

DAY 1

LUNCH Broiled steak or hamburger Lettuce & tomato salad No dressing 1 apple

DINNER 2 hard-boiled eggs Green beans ½ grapefruit

DAY 2

LUNCH 1 medium-sized lamb chop Lettuce & tomato salad No dressing 6 ounces tomato juice

DINNER Squash and cauliflower, steamed or raw Green beans 1 cup unsweetened applesauce

DAY 3

LUNCH Lettuce and celery salad, No dressing Hamburger patty 1 apple

DINNER Broiled chicken Stewed tomatoes 6 ounces prune juice

DAY 4

LUNCH 2 hard-boiled eggs Green beans 6 ounces tomato juice

DINNER Broiled steak or hamburger Lettuce & tomato salad, no dressing 6 ounces pineapple juice

DAY 5 and after After you’ve got your head start, and if you want to lose more weight, aim for a loss of 1-2 pounds a week by eating balanced protein heavy meals.  You can repeat the 4-Day, but only after 4 weeks.

Tips to Be Sure the 4-Day Wonder Diet Works

1. Pick the right time, not when your schedule includes a string of parties.
2. Shop ahead.  Make sure you have everything you need beforehand.  Don’t get caught in a situation in which you have to eat something fattening just because there’s nothing else in the house.
3. Remember, do not vary, substitute or delete any of the foods, unless you’re allergic to something.  In that case just replace it with a similar food; e.g., substitute an orange for a grapefruit.
4. Don’t eat anything between meals.  There are no “free’ foods you can eat anytime.  AND although you’re allowed an unlimited amount of vegetables at meals, you cannot save them for snacking later.
5. Don’t drink alcohol at all.
6. To integrate your diet into family meals, just add a starch and a dessert for the rest of your family.
7. Try to drink at least eight 8-ounce lasses of water a day.  Try having a glass of water before a meal.
8. Eat vegetables raw, steamed or boiled.  It’s a good idea to eat them first so you fill up on them instead of protein which is higher in calories.
9. Always broil all meat or chicken
10. Remember to remove all traces of high calories fat from meat and chicken.
11. You may only use pepper or lemon juice to season food.  (Use salt only sparingly because it tends to increase fluid retention.
12. If you don’t already have one, invest in a good bathroom scale.  It will give you confidence to watch the needle monitoring your rapid weight loss.   
13. Don’t talk about it!  The less you say about your diet, the better. 
14. Keep a diet journal to record your weight and what you eat.  It will help you gain insight into the circumstances and times of day when you may need to make an extra effort to stay on course.