I have tried numerous diets, so many I can’t even recall all of them: military diet, no-carb diet, you name it! As all professionals will tell you—dieting does not work. In order to achieve your desired results you need a lifestyle change, learn self-control, and of course the dreadful e-word, exercise.
So you’re probably wondering what made me try the Grapefruit challenge, considering I am walking proof that diets don’t work. I was up late one night watching TV with my sister watching a UK show that busts diet myths and tests out the wildest diets out there on willing contestants. One of the diets was the Grapefruit Challenge. It was easy enough to follow, not life altering and the contestant actually ended up losing 15 pounds in two months.
I went to the grocery store bought myself a bushel of grapefruits—I must admit the cashier looked at me funny—and began to try it out for myself. After a month on the diet my final verdict is that I would definitely recommend people to try it out.
WebMD, Healthline and many other health forums online all make the same claims—grapefruit has no magical properties that make you lose weight, but it has been seen to be quite effective. The contestant on the show and I can attest to its filling properties. Considering grapefruit has the ability to curb cravings and make you feel fuller, it is likely you will make healthier choices and eat fewer calories. With that in mind it is still up to the individual to make the right choices, but if done properly the results could be quite rewarding and the diet is completely safe.
Here is how it works:
- The individual dieting should consume ½ grapefruit before every meal
- Individuals should consume more protein and filling veg rather than carbs (boo! only hard part of this diet)
- No snacks permitted
- Refrain from consuming any sodas or sugary drinks and limit your alcohol consumption
My Experience:
I actually freaking love grapefruit now! I ended up finding myself craving the thing. I know what you’re all thinking—I’m lying—but I assure you I am not! I found that if you removed all the skin (that casing-like stuff, not talking about the peel, people) on the actual flesh of the grapefruit so just eat the actual fruit itself it’s actually quite enjoyable.
I found myself not craving sweet things (although chocolate didn’t understand our breakup, but it had to be done). Also, I found myself feeling full even before I ate my meal.
Why it works:
I believe, all things considered, the grapefruit is an aid to learning self-control and cutting those tempting cravings.
My success:
After a month I lost seven pounds! Considering I am a university student who fills her voids with copious amounts of wine, I was unable to really cut back on my alcohol consumption which had a factor in my final results. But hey, seven pounds is still an achievement, I lost the equivalent of a chihuahua and I think that’s a win.
If you’re thinking of giving this a try my advice for you is try out grapefruit before you buy the whole grocery store’s inventory. Try my method of eating it and see if you like it. If you are all good to go with the taste, make sure your budget can permit buying that much grapefruit; although they aren’t expensive you’ll be consuming 1 ½ a day! So keep this in mind (maybe don’t buy any other fruit). Lastly, don’t be like me—really try to give it a good effort to see good results.
Happy dieting y’all!