Weight Loss & Diet Plans

Lose 21 Pounds in 21 Days: The Martha's Vineyard Diet Detox

What It Is

Lose 21 Pounds in 21 Days: The Martha's Vineyard Diet Detox is not a traditional diet, but a detoxification program designed both to "cleanse" the body and cause weight loss. Author Roni DeLuz, a registered nurse and naturopathic doctor (not to be confused with a medical doctor) says she created the liquid diet when she was trying to heal herself.

Dieters are supposed to cleanse their bodies by drinking liquids every two hours. They choose from a limited number of options including water, homemade soups, juices made from fruits and vegetables, and powdered antioxidant berry and green drinks available from the author's web site.

In theory, once free of toxins, your body functions better and your metabolism soars so you can shed those extra pounds. According to the author, this "is not a so-called weight loss diet; it is a safe, 100% natural healthy detox that allows you to safely lose 21 pounds in 21 days." 

The Lose 21 Pounds in 21 Days plan is based on three principles: rest, reduce, and rebuild. "Rest comes from not chewing and ingesting nutrients in liquid form. Eliminating toxins, resting the body and engaging in elimination therapy, you cleanse and rebuild the body so it can shed weight," says DeLuz.

Dieters choose between a two-day weekend plan, a seven-day plan, or the full 21-day plan, all with a similar schedule of drinking every two hours. DeLuz recommends a 21-day detox yearly, a seven-day cleanup each calendar season, and a weekend detox each week.

Supplements including enzyme capsules, an herb cleansing formula, and aloe vera, as well as services like lymph drainage massages, cellulite treatment, liver flushes, kidney cleanses, body wraps, detoxifying baths, and weekly coffee enemas and colonics are part of the plan.

Exercise is included, as long as it can be tolerated and is approved by your doctor. But the recommended physical activity is limited to walking, yoga, a chi machine (a so-called "passive aerobic exerciser"), or jumping on a trampoline, which is encouraged for lymphatic draining to help your body "oxygenate," according to DeLuz.

After 21 days, dieters go off the detox plan carefully, because their cleaned bodies will "no longer tolerate processed and junk foods, which will cause weight gain," explains DeLuz. The author recommends slowly awakening the digestive system with a daily protein powder supplement along with vegetables, soy milk, 3-4 ounces of salmon, and 1 cup nonfat yogurt. More nutritious foods are then added. Nutritional supplements (green drinks, berry drink, and protein shakes) continue to be recommended in smaller doses.

What You Can Eat

Every two hours, you drink a designated liquid. And at the end of the day, you've consumed 40-48 ounces of water, 32-40 ounces of herbal tea, 16 ounces of vegetable-based soup, and 32 ounces of either a green drink made from vegetables, vegetable juice, or a berry drink.