Summary
Liquid only diet is one of the easiest and fastest ways of burning fat. If your goal is weight loss, then you’ve stepped into the right arena with a liquid diet. However, it is important to stay safe while you follow this diet – through striking balance in your diet. This means incorporating nutrient-rich and low-calorie liquids in your diet that nourish your body while you burn fat.
What Are Liquid Diets?
Most liquid diets are made up of liquids such as juices, shakes, herbal teas, or drinks with electrolytes in them. In a day, you’re consuming liquids with few or almost zero solid foods.
While there’s no strict criteria, you should consider your fitness goals when planning your liquid diet. If you’re trying to lose significant weight, your diet plan will be highly restrictive.
On the other hand, if you’re trying to shed a few pounds but nothing drastic, you can strike add some healthy, low-calorie solids too. It’s important to remember that even though you’ll experience quick results with liquid diets, they won’t be long lasting – especially when you return to your regular eating habits.
For sustainable weight loss and maintenance, it’s best to have a balance of healthy liquids and solids. Note: While you're on a liquid diet, make sure you're hydrating yourself constantly. Get half a gallon water bottle to track your water intake and stay hydrated.
How Long Can You Do Just A Liquid Diet For?
According to Stanford Medical and Health Care, you shouldn’t stay on strict liquid diets longer than 5 days. This means essentially, you can do a liquid diet for 5 days.
If you’re following liquid diets loosely (consuming more nutritious liquids and fewer but nutritious and protein-packed solids) then you can follow this diet for a longer period of time.
The key is to understand that to lose weight, you need to be in a slight caloric deficit. So, for instance, if your body’s daily requirement is 2000 calories a day, you should be in a deficit anywhere between 1500-1800 calories. This also depends on your lifestyle, your activity levels, etc.
Supposing your daily requirement is 2000 calories, and you consume them, but you burn 500 calories a day, you’re still in a deficit. Regardless of how long you follow a loose liquid diet for, you need to prioritize your body’s nutrition intake and your overall health.
Discover More Diets For Weight Loss
How To Safely Start A Liquid Diet?
Many people follow a liquid diet due to prescriptions. This may happen if you have any health conditions such as:
- Problems swallowing food
- Problems chewing food
- Any kind of sores in your mouth
- Jaw injuries
- Difficulties in digestion
- You’re in recovery period after infections or illness
- You’re in recovery period after dental procedures
Before you get on the liquid only diet bandwagon, make sure to consider a healthcare expert – especially if you have underlying health problems. Or, if you’re pregnant. If you’re completely healthy and just want to drop some weight, you can start following a liquid diet.
But make sure you’re being responsible and energizing your body with the right nutrients. Although it is recommended to consume a healthy diet, if you want to restrict your calories and lose a few quick pounds, here’s a loosely liquid diet plan you can follow:
A 5-Day Loosely Curated Liquid Diet for Weight Loss - 1500 Calories A Day
Trying to follow a low-calorie liquid diet? Here’s a diet plan you can take inspiration from!
Day 1 Breakfast: Green Smoothie- Spinach, Greek yogurt, kiwi, chia seeds, and almond milk.
- Broccoli, carrots, spinach, and a teaspoon of olive oil.
- Chicken breast, mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and a light vinaigrette dressing.
- Whey protein, almond butter, and almond milk.
- Mixed berries, whey protein, and coconut water.
- Pureed tomatoes, fresh basil, and a teaspoon of olive oil.
- Tuna, mixed greens, olives, and a light dressing.
- Whey protein, unsweetened cocoa powder, and almond milk.
- Mango, pineapple, Greek yogurt, coconut water.
- Cooked lentils, diced carrots, onions, garlic, and a touch of olive oil.
- Grilled salmon, arugula, avocado slices, and light lemon dressing.
- Whey protein, almond extract, flaxseed, and almond milk.
- Beetroot, apple, celery, and a touch of ginger.
- Spinach, mint, cucumber, and a touch of yogurt blended smoothly.
- Grilled turkey slices, romaine lettuce, cucumbers, and a light herb dressing.
- Whey protein, peanut butter, and almond milk.
- Blueberries, blackberries, Greek yogurt, and chia seeds.
- Roasted butternut squash, garlic, onions, and a touch of coconut milk.
- Grilled chicken slices, avocado, lettuce wrapped in a whole grain tortilla.
- Whey protein brewed green tea (cooled), and a touch of honey.
This is just a diet plan option you can follow or take inspo from. Make sure you consider your macros when creating or following any diet plan – not just a liquid only diet. You can always adjust your macros in your calorie count to fit your fitness goals.
Note: Your safety should always come first. When starting any diet, make sure to consult a medical expert or nutritionist to help you get started on a diet plan tailored for your needs.
The Best Foods For A Liquid Diet
Made your mind to hop on the 5 day liquid diet for weight loss train? If so, here are a few healthy food options for you to consider:
Fruits and Veggies
- Juices: No-pulp juices like orange, grape, grapefruit, and carrot juices are perfect.
- Smoothies: Blend your favorite fruits and greens to make your own delicious, nutritious drinks. Think of kale, spinach, apples, kiwi, and cucumbers for the perfect on-the-go green juice.
Grainy Goodness
- Cereals: Liquid diet can be too exhausting if you don’t fill yourself up well. So go for a grainy-pudding-mixture – mix rice or oats with water or milk for a creamy, filling, porridge-like meal!
Dairy
- Smooth Yogurts and Milks: Smoothies are a lifesaver if you’re on a liquid diet. They’re fulfilling, accessible and easy-to-make. The best part is – you can always get creative and have a different smoothie flavor every day. It goes without saying but if you’re lactose intolerant, you can go for lactose-free dairy options such as almond, soy or oat milk.
- Cheese: High in protein and low in calories, cottage cheese is the perfect cheese to include in your diet. Blend it with some chocolate powder and you have a yummy treat.
Sip-on desserts
- Creamy Shakes: Blend protein ice cream, peanut butter or chocolate spread and your choice of milk for a delicious, fulfilling cream shake.
- Puddings: These can get all liquidy with a bit of thinning.
Protein Power-Ups
- Drinkable Supplements: You can always go for protein shakes – just add Whey into your water or milk.
- Broths: Whether it’s a bone, chicken, or veggie broth, it’s like a hug in a mug.
Sippin' on Other Stuff
- Fancy coffee or tea? Go for it! Make sure they’re sugar-free though. You can always add zero-calorie sweeteners.
Alright, with these options, you’re on your way to a healthy and well-balanced liquid only diet. Plan out 7-8 of these tasty treats throughout your day and watch for those calories. But as mentioned earlier, always consult your doctor.
Important Considerations
Here’s the thing – liquid diet is more than sipping on some drinks. It’s important to stay safe when you’re following this diet. Make sure to factor in the following considerations:
Calories: Most people aim for anywhere between 800-1500 calories to lose weight through this diet. However, this is aggressively restrictive and unsustainable. If followed for too long, this can be hazardous for your health. Make sure you don’t go overboard.
All Bodies Are Different: While it’s important to stay on a calorie deficit to lose weight, everyone has different bodies – especially given medical history and conditions. This is why, liquid diet will look different for everyone. For a healthy person, organ juice may not be a problem. But if someone’s fresh out of gastric surgery, an acidic juice is to be checked off their list.
Underlying Medical Conditions:
- Diabetes: Cars play a major role in managing your blood sugar levels. It’s important to get professional advice to make sure you’re consuming carbs as per your body’s requirement.
- Lactose Intolerant: If you’re lactose intolerant, then dairy is not your friend. Make sure you’re using lactose-free options to replenish your body.
- Hypertension: If your blood pressure is irregular, make sure you consult a professional to help you manage your sodium consumption.
Always Do Your Research: As mentioned, do your homework, and consult a professional before you follow any diet. While a liquid diet is a great way to lose weight, it’s important to take your physical, mental, and emotional health into consideration. If you’re trying to be healthier and fitter, then take a more long-term but sustainable approach – eat well and workout regularly!
Benefits of Liquid Diet
Despite being a short-term plan, a liquid diet does offer several benefits including:
- Aids in instant weight loss because of a low-calorie intake
- Covers micronutrients as you get to consume fruits and veggies
- Improves your overall hydration
- Assists in maintaining sugar levels for diabetic people
- Improves your body’s digestive system
- Detoxifies your body from toxins through healthy liquids
- Helps you overcome unhealthy eating habits
- Aids you in your post-recovery phase
Key Takeaways
There are plenty of diets available on the internet that talk about fat burning and weight loss. From the Scarsdale diet plan to the Keto diet - the internet is full of diets that promise instant results. And even though a liquid diet will help you get results in the short-term, it doesn’t promote a sustainable lifestyle.
In fact, it’s not even completely healthy to step into it. So even if you do decide to take up this diet, make sure you prioritize your health and aim for long-term fitness.
FAQs
Is a liquid diet safe?
If you are required to follow a liquid diet by your healthcare professional, then it's safe to follow for the prescribed amount. On the other hand, if you are following a liquid only diet for weight loss purpose, then you need to keep it to 5 days. Following a liquid diet for more than 5 days can lead to fatigue, exhaustion and even dizziness because your body isn't receiving sufficient nutrients and energy to stay active and healthy. In addition, this diet is low in calories - especially when you compare it to your daily recommended calorie intake. This is not enough for your sustenance. To stay fit, it is always recommended to take a healthy, well-balanced diet.
Is a 7 day liquid diet healthy?
If you are consuming highly nutritious liquids in your liquid only diet, then it is healthy and even safe to follow. However, it is not recommended to follow a liquid only diet for more than 5-7 days because of the severe health risks associated with it.
Will I lose weight on a 2 week liquid diet?
Yes, you will lose weight on a 2 week liquid diet because it is highly restrictive and low in calories. If you maintain a calorie deficit during your 2 week liquid diet, you're likely to experience rapid weight loss results. However, it is not recommended to follow a liquid diet for 2 weeks as it can lead to health problems such as fatigue, dizziness, and low energy levels. In addition, it can also lead to unhealthy eating habits or worse, an unhealthy relationship with food in general. To stay fit, you should consume a nutritious and healthy, well-balanced diet.
