I am glad you are interested in you body and long term health. However, the way you are feeding it does not support your body's optimal functioning nor increasing muscle.

Current recommendations by the American Dietetic Association, the U.S. Surgeon General and the American Medical Association encourage people to eat a diet centered around the Food Guide Pyramid and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The Pyramid is printed on many food labels, especially cold cereal boxes.

Carbohydrates should make up approximately 55% of your total calories, fat 30% and protein 15%. Excess fat and protein can be very harmful to the "interior of your body". Eating fat while limiting carbohydrate will increase blood fats which can build up to harmful levels. A high fat diet has also been closely linked in many studies to a high incidence of heart disease and many cancers, such as prostrate and colon. A high protein diet can cause the body to lose calcium, which can lead to development of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis can result in broken bones. After a few days on a low carbohydrate diet of less than 130 grams per day, a person develops ketosis. Read below for more information on ketosis. Then on weekends, when you re-feed carbohydrates, your body is busy replenishing depleted carbohydrate stores (glycogen in liver and muscle).

How do you know the weight you gained was all muscle? One method to assess your muscle mass is a body fat analysis. Did you have your body fat tested before and after you tried this diet?

Muscles increase in size when you make a muscle do more work than it is used to doing like in weight training. Eating more protein does not cause a person to gain muscle. Your body can easily convert protein to glucose if your body needs it due to an inadequate intake of carbohydrates.

I hope this information has been helpful for you to assess your diet. See your local Registered Dietitian for more suggestions on a healthier diet for the interior of your body.

Never heard of adaptogens though your suspicions are probably right on target. Liquid diets have been around since at least the 1950's and don't produce lasting weight loss according to research. Read my Fad Diet, Food Fallacies and Overweight topics for more information.

Successful weight loss means you keep it off, some researchers say for at least one year after you have reached your goal weight. I wonder why not keep the weight off for the rest of your life? Research has proven successful weight loss is accomplished through a slow weight loss using a moderate calorie reduction, exercise 30 minutes 5 times per week and writing down everything you eat.

There is not such thing as a "fat burning diet". You "burn" fat by either eating less food than your body needs or doing aerobic exercise. What you have seems to be a variation of the cabbage soup diet. I seriously doubt that a hospital would recommend a 7-day diet for overweight heart patients, especially in a cardiac care unit. I also doubt that lots of black coffee with caffeine would be recommended since caffeine is a cardiac stimulant.

The maximum amount of weight (fat or muscle) a person can lose in a day is 1/2 pound. Any additional weight lost is water. Since the body is about 60% water and 1 gallon of water weighs 8 pounds, a person can see weight losses greater than 1/2 pound on a scale simply by losing body water. However, when your body replaces the water lost, weight gain will re-occur. So you are right back to where you started at an unhealthy weight.

Research has proven that quick weight loss is quickly regained. Studies have shown that gradual weight loss, a lower calorie / fat diet, exercise and analyzing everything you eat is more likely to result in permanent weight loss. Weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per week is slow enough. A goal of losing 10% of your current weight has been shown to improve your health risk and may be a more reasonable, attainable goal. So figure 10% of your weight as a weight loss goal, then divide by 1 or 2 to determine how many weeks it will take you assuming you follow this advice.

I would suggest you start with the Healthy Body Calculator to assess your current physical data and view Your Nutrition Facts for a calorie and fat gram recommendation for gradual weight loss. If you need help with meal planning for weight loss, I would suggest you see a Registered Dietitian.

Thanks for your input. Will check out the articles you list. Yes, the brain does burn ketones though mental processing seems to become a bit sluggish on this fuel as it prefers glucose. The current accepted practice in medical nutrition therapy is to not recommend ketogenic or fasting diets. There are other factors at work with ketogenic diets i.e. the loss of lean tissue mass, which decreases metabolic rate, but because catabolism of lean tissue yields glucose, the blood sugar is maintained in a safe range. The researcher who had c o fasting during W.W.II was Ancel Keyes did his work under the bleachers at the U of MN and is now living in Italy.

I am familiar with the Zone diet and am responding based on your understanding of this diet.

Your protein component is higher than your RDA of 63 grams per day. 90 grams of protein in an 1800 calorie diet equates to 20% of calories from protein, but not excessive. If you calculated your protein requirement from your present lean muscle mass, then you would not have additional protein to build muscle through weight lifting. Adding a level of activity (usually calculated in calories) would contribute calories. Would these activity calories be from protein food sources? If so, then you would have additional dietary protein to build muscle through exercise.

Your fat component is calorically equal to protein at 360 calories in an 1800-calorie diet and equals 20% of calories from fat. This is lower than the 30% fat calories currently recommended for healthy diets. Monounsaturates are the best at not increasing blood cholesterol levels. If increasing your protein intake, you invariable will increase your consumption of saturated fats unless your proteins are entirely from vegetable sources.

Elevated triglycerides are therapeutically treated with a moderate carbohydrate, sugar and alcohol free diet, not low fat, high carbohydrate. High carbohydrates will increase triglycerides, which should measure below 150 mg/dl. Triglycerides comprise all the VLDL component of blood cholesterol.

Your carbohydrate is 120 grams (90 grams times 1.33) in an 1800 calorie diet and equals only 27% carbohydrates. This is too low, even for a diet to lower triglycerides. Carbohydrates that produce a low to moderate glycemic index (increase in blood sugar caused by eating a particular food) are recommended to lower triglycerides. Around 50% of calories from carbohydrates would be better.

I believe that your 1800 calorie calculations may be off if you eat 90 grams of protein (360 calories = 20%), 360 fat calories (40 grams = 20%) and 120 grams of carbohydrate (1.33 times 90 grams protein = 27%). This total is 20% + 20%+ 27% =67%. You have underestimated the protein, fat or carbohydrate in your diet if in fact you are eating 1800 calories per day. Otherwise, you have overestimated how many calories per day you eat and are eating far less. Anyway, recheck your nutrient and calorie math.

As to your lean body mass, I wonder what method was used to calculate it. If your gym used calipers or electrical impedance, both can produce erroneous readings depending on the client's hydration and the skill of the person performing the test.

Sounds like you are better informed than the physician assistant. You are correct that he is teaching an unhealthy diet to people, including diabetics who may be more harmed by the ketogenic diet you describe. It reminds me of the outdated high protein, low carbohydrate diets.

I would suggest you call or write the hospital administrator that the physician assistant is practicing dietetics. Some states requires licensure only for those persons with the education and experience to provide nutrition information.

An adolescent female is still growing and needs calories, protein, iron and calcium to achieve her genetically determined height, is menstruating (needs additional iron) and is at a very vulnerable time in laying down bone tissue to prevent osteoporosis later in life. Fasting at this time could jeopardize a girl's lifelong health.

Since the human body burns calories and needs protein, vitamins and minerals 24 hours a day, I would not say that fasting is healthy for anyone. Fasting does not provide the raw material - food - that the body needs for fuel. Fasting tricks the body into thinking that a famine has occurred and your metabolism slows down. You burn fewer calories so that you can survive longer on your stored fat and lean muscle tissue (organs and muscles).

Some religious beliefs include a day of fast or even several days, which should not be harmful, if the person drinks enough water to prevent dehydration. However, fasting has no scientific basis in improving health.

Unfortunately, magazines, newspapers and television do not usually have people with degrees in nutrition or dietitians making nutritional recommendations. When reading articles on nutrition, first look at the person's credentials. A Registered Dietitian is a reliable source on nutrition.

Please read 3rd question below about fasting.

In regards to weeklong liquid diets, there is no advantage and may be disadvantages depending on what you drink. If you were to choose something like Instant Breakfast or a complete nutritional supplement like Ensure, Sustacal or Meritene and you drank enough to get 100% of the RDA, then the only nutritional concern would be meeting fiber needs. But why?

Fruit contains mostly Vitamin C, A, potassium and fiber. Fruit is deficient in protein and many nutrients and would not be recommended as a sole food source.

Even if you used a juicer with fresh fruits and vegetables, your diet would still be lacking in grains and legumes if you were interested in a vegetarian diet.

Frankly, I do not know of a good reference on just liquid diets other than a basic nutrition text written by someone with degrees in nutrition science.

In diets that contain fewer than 900 calories, all food eaten including protein and fat is broken down into glucose to provide fuel for the body. Protein and fat are very expensive fuels for your body. You can only convert 70 percent of the protein and 30 percent of the fat you eat to glucose. The nitrogen from the protein is excreted in the urine. This leaves no protein for repair or maintenance of muscles and organs. Also, in diets containing fewer than 130 grams of carbohydrates, ketosis occurs and your body starts breaking down muscle and lean tissue to provide glucose for brain and nerve fuel. Your body's first need is for fuel. Your body's use of dietary fuels cannot be changed drastically by altering your diet.

Your body can and does take stored fat (as triglycerides) and incompletely breaks it down into ketones, which can be used as a fuel source for muscles and organs. To completely breakdown body fat, you need glucose and oxygen. If glucose is not available for fuel by your limiting dietary carbohydrates, your body learns to run on ketones, but your brain doesn't. Your brain gets sluggish because it only runs on glucose. Your body starts breaking down muscle and organ tissue to provide the needed glucose for brain tissue. Protein contains glucose in its structure and it can be scavenged for use by the brain and nerves. Quick weight loss diets claim they spare muscle protein, but they don't. A diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates does not spare muscle protein from being broken down, unless you eat enough carbohydrate. As you continue on a high protein, low carbohydrate diet, the amount of ketones increases and ketosis occurs. Ketones are very irritating to your kidneys and the kidneys try to get rid of the ketones through the urine.

My nutritional advice is similar to that of a doctor's advice about medical topics. The nutritional information provided on carbohydrate controlled diets are based on research, education and clinical experience. I don't usually quote-specific research studies as this is aimed at the general public.

If restricting carbohydrates for you have improved your cravings for carbohydrates, congratulations. However, there is no research to substantiate what you have experienced by eating carbohydrates at particular time of the day. There are carbohydrates in all foods, even trace amounts in meat and therefore would be impossible to eat 0 carbohydrates at a meal unless you only ate fats like butter or margarine.

Secondly, high or low blood sugars do not cause anxiety attacks. The cravings and obsessing you describe are more indicative of binge eating.

Some studies are beginning to suggest that the broad based use of fat free or fat reduced foods does not decrease calorie intake. It seems that a person will consume the calorie deficit from fat reduced foods in other meals. Calories do count, not just fat grams!

High blood sugar is one symptom of diabetes and is caused by a lack or insufficient production of insulin. Low blood sugars is one symptom of hypoglycemia which is triggered by eating high carbohydrates, especially simple sugars and sweets, which causes an overproduction of insulin.

Fasting has no health benefit and the risks are dependent upon how long the fast lasts, whether the person drinks water while fasting, age, health status, environmental temperature, physical exercise, etc. Dehydration will occur in a few days and thirst may not be a good indicator. The very minimum amount of water needed per day is 1 quart, but an individual's need may be higher than this. I would suggest leaving fasting a curiosity.

The euphoria or inner calm, I cannot explain. However, after 1 day when the body has depleted glycogen (stored glucose in lean tissue and muscles), the body starts breaking down protein structures to provide glucose the brain and nervous system need for fuel. At the same time, the body also breaks down body fat, but not completely to produce ketones. These build up in the blood and are excreted by the kidneys. Other body systems can run on ketones, but generally a person feels lethargic and mentally dull due to the lack of glucose in the blood. Meanwhile, the body is deprived of the basic building blocks (protein, carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals) for maintaining essential body functions.

There is no cleansing of the body that occurs, only depletion.

Atkins diet dates back to the 1960's and is basically a semi-starvation diet that is very low in carbohydrates and high in protein. It usually contained less than 600 calories per day. A low calorie diet is usually less than 1,000 calories per day, which is not recommended, but not low carbohydrate.

Low calorie and low carbohydrate diets can be used under medical supervision for morbid obese persons (twice their healthy body weight or at least 100 pounds overweight). Under other circumstances, are not recommended. The problem with these diets is that after the first few days, body stores of glucose (glycogen) are depleted, the body turns to the only other source of glucose in the body which is lean muscle tissue (organs and muscles). Metabolic rate decreases because the body thinks it is starving and because the muscles that burn calories are cannibalized to provide glucose.

Starvation affects all persons the same. The difference is how much stored glycogen and lean muscle tissue does the person have to lose before dehydration or death occurs.

I generally do not provide menu plans for diets, especially not low calorie or low carbohydrate diets for weight loss. If your doctor recommends a low calorie or low carbohydrate diet, ask to see a dietitian for assistance in meal planning.

There is no nutritional value to fasting and the risk is dependent on many factors not the least are age, health status, outside temperature, physical exercise and length of the fast. If you are a healthy adult without diabetes, there is probably little associated risk to fast for one day as long as you include water to prevent dehydration.

Fruit juice contains fructose (fruit sugar) which can be used as caloric fuel for the body during a fast. Eight ounces of fruit juice only contains 30 grams of carbohydrate and about 120 calories. You would have to drink 12 1/2 eight ounce glasses of juice to spare blood glucose or glycogen (stored glucose) from being used as fuel.

During a fast, your body still burns calories, usually as blood glucose or glycogen stored in muscles. Once that 1500-calorie supply is exhausted, the body has to burn protein stores. Unfortunately, body fat is not easily moved out of storage and burned as a calorie source during a fast.

Various fad diets have advocated periodic fasting to supposedly shock the metabolism or rid the body of waste products. Neither has been substantiated by research.

Well, your instincts are correct. I don't know of any research to support 1, 2 or3 above. At this time I do not have any references that "debunk" Diamond's opinions.

I find it quite interesting when these theories on food or digestion are passed around. Remember this body was designed millions of years ago and we have the same genetic material. Basically, cave persons ate when they found food and didn't eat when food wasn't available. Any available food source was eaten when cave people found food. The cave people who didn't eat, died and did not pass on their genes. Don't you find it amazing that the human race has survived so long eating a mixed food diet from available foods?

The human body runs 24 hours a day and does not cycle elimination, consumption and absorption. All happen simultaneously and even continuously. Food starts at the mouth, is digested in the stomach and small intestines, absorbed in the small intestine and eliminated via the large intestine. Fermentation produces gas, which if produced is passed out of the body. No food putrefies the body. Breakfast is the best meal of the day. It breaks the fast your body has been in since the last meal the previous day.

Milk is a wonderful food source of protein, calcium, phosphorus, Vitamin D and riboflavin. The human body needs a food source of these nutrients as bone calcium turns over in the body and needs to be complete replaced. Some persons do develop intolerance to milk, which is caused by a decreased production of lactase the enzyme that reduces milk sugar (lactose).

I would suggest that if you are looking for a reputable nutrition reference, look for one written by a Registered Dietitian who has both the education and experience to espouse sound nutrition information.

No I don't, but I did see it in one of the news groups on the Net. Sounds like the latest fad diet though. Kind of reminds me of the Beverly Hills fruit diet - the silver bullet food that melts off weight. What are you going to eat when you go off the cabbage soup?

Any diet that has fewer calories than what you are eating now will cause weight loss. The problem most persons have is maintaining the weight loss. The one good thing a moderate weight loss plan can do is providing you with a new eating plan that can be followed for a lifetime. There is no silver bullet food yet for weight loss. It takes diet and exercise.

I am not aware of any pills currently available that really do block metabolism of carbohydrate, protein or fat. There have been various over the counter blockers available. One was a starch blocker that was made from raw dried beans, some of which contain substances, which cause other disturbances (gas), in the gastrointestinal tract.

The safety or effectiveness of energy nutrient blocker would vary with the active chemical doing the blocking. At the present, I do not know of any that are healthy or safe.

Most quick weight loss diets allow all the lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs and cheese you want, but no breads or starches, fruits, starchy vegetables ormilk. It is a high protein, very low carbohydrate diet that results in ketosis and dehydration. This diet would not be recommended for a 60-year-old woman with a heart blockage. In fact, I would not recommend any quick weight loss diet for anyone.

Successful weight loss means losing weight and keeping it off. A weight reduction diet that is slow and incorporates changes in eating habits has been proven to be the most successful.

The arguments of people that favor quick weight loss diets (Scarsdale, Stillman, Atkins, Ski Team, Air Force, Drinking Man's, Calories Don't Count, Mayo orgrapefruit diets) is that if you eat enough protein, you will spare your own body protein from being broken down and instead will break down your body's stored fat. This is incorrect and not how your body uses protein or fat.

Your body prefers to run on your blood glucose for fuel. Every time you eat carbohydrates (starches, fruit, milk and vegetables), that break down into glucose, you refuel your body's glucose. When carbohydrates are not eaten, your body has to turn to another source of fuel, either stored protein in muscles and organs or body fat. However, your brain and nerve cells can only run on glucose.

In diets that contain fewer than 900 calories, all food eaten including protein and fat is broken down into glucose to provide fuel for the body. Protein and fat are very expensive fuels for your body. You can only convert 70 percent of the protein and 30 percent of the fat you eat to glucose. The nitrogen from the protein is excreted in the urine. This leaves no protein for repair or maintenance of muscles and organs. Also, in diets containing fewer than 130 grams of carbohydrates, ketosis occurs and your body starts breaking down muscle and lean tissue to provide glucose for brain and nerve fuel. Your body's first need is for fuel. Your body's use of dietary fuels cannot be changed drastically by altering your diet.

Your body can and does take stored fat (as triglycerides) and incompletely breaks it down into ketones, which can be used as a fuel source for muscles and organs. To completely breakdown body fat, you need glucose and oxygen. If glucose is not available for fuel by your limiting dietary carbohydrates, your body learns to run on ketones, but your brain doesn't. Your brain gets sluggish because it only runs on glucose. Your body starts breaking down muscle and organ tissue to provide the needed brain glucose. Protein contains glucose in its structure and it can be scavenged for use by the brain and nerves. Quick weight loss diets claim they spare muscle protein, but they don't. A diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates does not spare muscle protein from being broken down, unless you eat enough carbohydrate. As you continue on a high protein, low carbohydrate diet, the amount of ketones increases and ketosis occurs. Ketones are very irritating to your kidneys and the kidneys try to get rid of the ketones through the urine.

Your body draws water from your tissues to have water to float these ketones out. This results in dehydration and the resulting weight loss you experience is actually from water. Most of these diets caution followers to drink eight glasses of water a day to prevent serious dehydration. A simple test for dehydration is, take a pinch of skin on the back of your hand and pull it up. Let the fold of skin go and it should snap back. If it doesn't, you may be dehydrated. Other tests for dehydration are to look at the color of your urine, it should be almost clear and without smell (except the first urine in the morning). Also, the mucous membranes inside your mouth should be moist, not dry and cracked. If ever, there is any question about dehydration, go see your doctor.

Your mother is increasing the levels of triglycerides and probably cholesterol in her blood because these fats provide fuel when glucose is in limited supply. Also, your liver releases increased amounts of cholesterol during periods of stress and a quick weight loss diet is definitely stressing your body.

Show your mother this column and encourage her to see a Dietitian for an appropriate diet. She should also consult her doctor regarding the appropriateness of a weight reduction diet considering her current health. One last thought, a person called doctor might have their Ph.D. and not a MD. Check a person's credentials before trusting them with your nutritional health.

I've read the brochure and sheet about Herbalife products. They contain numerous erroneous statements about nutrition and how your body uses nutrients. In this space I will only address some of the fallacies.

Statements such as Formula No 1: Protein food "is scientifically formulated to satisfy your hunger and help reduce nervousness and irritability, which often comes when restricting food intake. It burns fat and builds muscle." The role of protein is to build and repair lean muscle tissue. The building occurs during periods of growth, weight lifting or isometric exercises to build muscle size. Protein does not burn fat.

In healthy adults, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein (50 grams for adult females, 63 grams for adult males) is necessary to repair tissue and muscle. Protein takes about four hours to digest and absorb and will satisfy hunger by providing calories, but it does not reduce nervous irritability. In fact, a diet high in protein is nauseating. That is why your appetite becomes less while on a high protein diet. The idea that protein burns fat is simply not true. In starvation diets of less than 600 calories, your body will start breaking down muscle along with mobilizing some stored fat. Your body will use protein to repair only if there are sufficient calories available for fuel. Also, any excess consumed protein will be stored as fat. Your body stores very little protein other than that found in muscle and organs.

The next claim is the Formula No 2 Herbs "curb the appetite and cleanse the body of toxins. It is the buildup of toxins that invites disease." I have never read any scientific research to prove that herbs do anything to your appetite. Herbs do enhance the flavor of food. Your liver cleanses your body of toxins, (alcohol is a toxin). To suggest that herbs will rid your body of toxins that invite disease is totally unfounded. It further suggests that this herb formula will prevent disease. Research has substantiated that a good diet, adequate sleep, no smoking and no alcohol are more healthful.

Another erroneous statement is that Formula No 4 Oil "contains essential fatty acids that our bodies need in order to assimilate protein. They keep the skin tight while losing weight and maintains your energy level throughout the day." Corn, safflower, soybean, sunflower and cottonseed oils and margarine all contain the essential fatty acid, linoleic acid. You only need about five grams (1 tsp.) of oil or margarine per day to prevent fatty acid deficiency, which is evidenced by red, dry, flaky skin. In amounts above that level, your body uses fat to supply energy and carry fat-soluble vitamins in food. Excess consumed fat is stored in body fat. Fat is not needed to assimilate protein. Enough calories from either fat or carbohydrate over basal energy needs are necessary for your body to spare protein to build and repair muscle and organ tissue. In regard to keeping your skin tight, collagen helps to keep the appearance of skin smooth. Collagen is higher in the skin of children and decreases with age. Anything you eat or rub into the skin will not necessarily make it tighter. As you age, your skin loses some elastic ability as evidenced by wrinkles in our senior population. Fat is digested and absorbed in about six hours which adds to your feeling full longer and helps maintain energy by providing additional calories to the body.

Another concern I have regarding Herbalife Slim and Trim is its price. These liquid diets cost money and depending on the number of glasses per day you drink, the cost goes up. Most companies figure the price based on a per week or per month. You can compare that cost to how much you spend per week or per month on groceries.

Also, a concern I have is that the diet claims it "will help you lose 10 to 29 pounds a month", which is too much, too fast. A practical weight loss diet based on the Exchange List is geared to four to eight pounds a month. It is a diet you can live with for the rest of your life. The biggest concern I have about the Herbalife weight control program is that it doesn't tell you what to eat after you've lost weight to keep it off. You can eat a diet based on the Exchange List for the rest of your life.

If you would like to read more about separating nutrition fact from fallacy, send for the "Food Facts Talk Back" from the American Dietetic Association, 216 West Jackson Blvd., Suite 700, Chicago, Illinois 60606.

I have reviewed the information about the Aloe Vera line including Forever Lite nutritional diet and Fast Break bars. I still maintain that a successful weight reduction diet must include slow weight loss, changes in fat eating behaviors and recommendations for weight maintenance so that the weight lost is not regained.

I do not believe that a person must buy a powder diet or supplement to achieve weight loss or good health. My concerns regarding nutritional diet powders, breakfast bars and nutritional supplements are based on research and my clinical experience with patients.

Most do not perform as advertised and create an aura of success based on one food. No one magic food will cause weight loss. Also, the powders or bars will often contain more calories and fewer nutrients than eating a balanced diet of regular food.

Persons without a working knowledge of basic nutrition provide these diets to the public. The public lacks guidance in the use of these products and misuse is frequent. Registered Dietitians are the appropriate resource persons to see, as they have the college education background in nutrition.

Most physicians will admit their knowledge of nutrition is limited. People with a Ph.D. are called doctor and may have no nutrition education. Ask about the educational background of the person who is giving you nutritional advice. Other people without appropriate nutrition education have started calling themselves nutritionists, which is misleading. Actually, a nutritionist is a person with a master's degree in nutrition.

Nutritional adequacy based on a percent of the RDA does not insure an appropriate diet. Your body's first need is for energy to function. Your body will first fulfill its need for calories and it is capable of burning protein for calories. Semi-starvation diets (Aloe Vera is one of them) of fewer than 800 calories will not spare protein that is needed for growth and repair of tissues.

Cost is another factor. The amount of money spent by the public on diet products amounts to over 6 billion a year. I am concerned about how much of the food dollar is spent on weight loss diets and nutritional supplements. When I go the grocery store, I find that a bag of groceries runs between $10 and $15. Take a look at the amount of money you spend on these nutritional supplements each month. Your food dollars would be more economically spent on nutritious food itself.

The public is faced with many products claiming good health and weight control. So far, the majority of these "health products" do not meet the nutrition gained in eating a variety of foods from the Food Guide Pyramid - Meat, Milk, Bread, Fruits, Vegetables and Fat.

If your diet previous to the vegetable diet was low in fiber, your cramps may have been due to the sudden increase of fiber from the vegetable diet. Also, vegetables that are members of the cabbage family (broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower) increase intestinal gas. Did you eat any of those during the one week diet?

Your intestinal tract is one long muscle that rhythmically moves food along for further digestion or absorption. Fiber increases this movement and the lack of fiber slows that movement.

So if the fiber of your diet was suddenly increased, you may have felt some cramping. Instead, I would recommend a gradual increase of fiber over two or three weeks so that your intestines can adapt slowly. It sounds like you are off the diet now, but if the cramping continues, see your doctor.

The part of your question I am concerned with is, why did you choose a vegetable diet to lose weight? What were you planning to eat after you lost weight to maintain your lower weight?

If you indeed need to lose weight follow a balanced diet from each of the Food Guide Pyramid Groups and a lower calorie intake (no lower than 1,200 calories, however). Vegetables are low in calories and high in vitamins, but by themselves do not cause weight loss.

No, just drinking Instant Breakfast will not assure you of losing weight. Your weight loss depends on a day's total food intake and total energy expenditure.

Instant Breakfast is a powder whose main ingredients are: nonfat dry milk; sugar; sweet dairy whey; corn syrup solids; calcium caseinate; lactose. Many of these ingredients are taken from milk (nonfat dry milk, sweet dairy whey, calcium caseinate and lactose). So by adding Instant Breakfast powder to milk, you are doubling the protein and tripling the carbohydrate content. It is essentially fortified double strength milk. Remember, half the protein comes from the milk you add to the powder.

Go to your local grocery store. Compare the price of one serving of cereal with milk to one package of Instant Breakfast. Decide for yourself if cost is a factor. Both Instant Breakfast and cereal with milk have similar nutrient analyses and are breakfast food items. Also, both are usually eaten with milk added.

You also have mentioned that you don't like breakfast. If your choice is Instant Breakfast or nothing, drink the Instant Breakfast. At least, it gets your body some nutrients right away in the morning. If you were concerned about your weight, I would suggest you add skim milk as it is lower in fat (1 1/2 tsp.) and lower in calorie (60) than whole milk.

If you feel you need to lose weight, forget the liquid meal drinks. Try decreasing your calorie intake to no lower than 1200 calories per day.

No. I had thought we had heard the last of the starch blocker issue when the FDA banned them. Starch blockers do not prevent you from absorbing starch and do not live up to their advertising claims.

Starch blockers were derived from raw kidney beans. An alpha amylase inhibitor was the substance derived from the beans. Amylase is the enzyme produced by your body that breaks down starch into glucose (blood sugar). The amylase inhibitor was supposed to prevent starch from being broken down and absorbed. The starch then supposedly passed through you undigested and magically, no calories from the starch.

Some short-term studies have shown that starch blockers did not perform as advertised. Studies by Dr. George Bo-Linn at Baylor University Medical Center showed that no more starch was excreted with starch blockers than with placebos (sugar pills). Two explanations were suggested: the pancreas may produce much more amylase than is needed in the first place; the starch blocker may have a protein carbohydrate (glycoprotein) form that the body can digest before it can begin blocking.

The FDA acted to remove starch blockers from the market because their safety and effectiveness have not been proven. One noticeable negative effects to starch blockers has been excessive gas (from the kidney beans) and stomach distention.

An editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine put it well. "There is still no calorie free lunch." Today, the best method for permanent weight loss is to focus on permanently changing eating habits.

No, Grapefruit, orange juice and apple cider do not burn off fat whether they are eaten alone, in between meals or with a meal.

Citrus juices are slightly acidic in nature, but are much less acidic than the hydrochloric acid secreted by your stomach (pH of 1.2). Acid foods do not burn off fat nor alter the fact that all excess food eaten is stored as body fat. Some of these fat-burning diets don't even recommend a lower calorie intake. Instead, the fat burning diets are usually built around one magic food. Avoid following any diet that recommends one magic food that must be eaten with each meal or daily.

A more sensible approach to "burning off fat" is a combination of decreasing your total food intake and an exercise program tailored to your current health state.