Short term dieting is a regimen or plan to be followed for a certain amount of time to lose a certain amount of weight. The implication is that after you have slimmed down you will be able to resume your normal life.

Are you one of those who fear dieting ? Then here is a solution , which will help you keep the cake and eat it too. Go for the short term diet regimen which will help you shed that extra flab.

Most short term diets can be categorised into reduced calorie diets and mono-meal diets.

Reduced Calorie Diets

These can include the use of :

• Dietary aids

• Appetite suppressants

• Meal replacements ( drinks or snacks )

• Herbal diet preparations

• Fasting

Mono-meal Diets

Eat all you want of the allowed food item in this diet ( e.g. eat only grapefruits ) , this is the ideal diet for people who hate to count , weigh , measure , follow charts and analyze food. Mono-meal diets :

1. Offer a very simple approach to weight loss and calorie counting , ' eat only one thing '.

2. These diets focus on a natural food or concoction at the centre of the diet.

3. They perfect for people who wish to continue to eat the way they normally do for most of the year , but are willing to dedicate a week or two to dropping the extra weight every year.

Benefits

♦ A short term commitment

♦ Ease of choice and food preparation

♦ Promise to ' eat as much as you want of the central diet food '.

Drawbacks

Being nutritionally incomplete

Very low in calories

Diets are mostly low in protein , which can lead to loss of lean muscle tissue if followed long term.

Short-term Weight Loss Plan

Sample Menu

• Watermellon all day - all you can eat.

• Breakfast : pineapple

• Lunch : papaya

• Dinner : choice of three vegetables with steamed rice.

For best results

Follow a short term , mono-meal diet , with a maintenance programme of one of the long term diets and start a consistant exercise programme atleast three days a week.