With all the diet plans, advice, and supplements on the market nowadays, it can be virtually impossible to figure out what works and what is all hype. One option that has gotten a lot of buzz lately is the 5-day diet. This diet will provide you with very quick results, which is pretty much required in our society these days. The idea behind this program is that it will give people a kick start on their diet. If they can see results quickly it may give them more of a push to continue and lose all the weight they need to lose.  

This diet is very restrictive, it must be if you are going to lose weight in just 5 days! Here is an idea of what it's all about: 

1.          Right after you get up in the morning, don't wait longer than 30 minutes, eat a small amount of a starchy food like toast or eggs. 

2.          Eat lunch no later than 1 p.m. Include some lean protein like beans or a steak and a lot of vegetables. A mix of vegetables is the best way to go. 

3.          Dinner must be eaten before 8 p.m. and should be the same things you had for lunch. 

4.          Snacks will be any type of 'hard' vegetable. Things like carrots, or celery are good choices. These will slowly release sugar over a period which will keep your metabolism boosted.  

There are many opinions as to whether this type of diet works. Most of us know that if we want to lose weight, we can't starve our bodies since that will only send it into 'starvation mode' and slow the metabolism way down.  

When you take this fact into account it sounds like this diet won't work, and many people say that is the case. Any weight you lose will only be water weight and the weight loss won't be permanent.   

That may not be a problem if you just want to lose a few pounds so that you look great in that new dress you just bought. For a quick weight loss a few pounds of water weight may be all you are looking to accomplish.  

Another way of looking at it is even if you have a lot of weight to lose, it might still help you get some much-needed motivation by losing weight in just 5 days. If you can accomplish that it might make your longer-term goal to lose, 20,50, or even 100 lbs seem more achievable and might just be the kick start you need.  

Others will say that if you cycle this extremely restrictive eating plan with a more reasonable plan you can actually 'trick' your metabolism into burning hot the whole time.  

Your body will take time to react to the restricted calorie intake. If you only do it for 5 days and then immediately go back to a more normal caloric intake you may be able to prevent it from going into starvation mode in the first place.  

No matter what approach you choose for losing weight, whether it's the 5-day diet or something else, just remember that permanent weight loss is achievable and it will make your health, and life, better and more fulfilling.