Weight Loss & Diet Plans

The Lemonade Diet (Master Cleanse Diet)

Experts' Views continued...

Another risk of rapid weight loss is losing lean muscle. Fitness expert Pamela Peeke, MD, says that without enough protein in the diet, your body must get protein from some other source -- so you burn your own muscle mass. At the end of the fast, you weigh less, but your body will be higher in fat and lower in muscle.

Johnson agrees. "Lean muscle and fluids are the first to go on starvation diets, not belly fat," she says.

Also, "whenever you follow an extremely restrictive diet plan, it is usually followed by an extreme binge," Johnson says.

Her advice: Forget fasting and detoxing, since they are risky, don’t work long-term, and can forge an unhealthy relationship with food.

Instead, choose a weight loss plan that fits your lifestyle and is doable long-term.

When a special occasion calls for slimming down quickly, get more aerobic exercise and trim calories with a healthy, well-balanced diet plan. Quick weight loss doesn’t last. In most cases, the lost weight returns along with a few added pounds.

If you choose to follow this plan, be sure to only do it for a few days -- and consult your doctor beforehand.

Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, is director of nutrition for WebMD. Her opinions and conclusions are her own.