The Skinny of the Skinny Girl Diet

With a name like the “skinny girl diet”, it is not hard to mistake this meal plan for an anorexic diet. In fact, there are similarities between the two. The skinny girl diet is a VLCD, a very low calorie diet that aims to kick start your weight loss efforts by eating fewer calories. It is designed for women and promises fast results within a week of following it.

How Does the Skinny Girl Diet Work?

Literature about this diet is limited. This can be partly due to its similarity to many other low-calorie meal plans. Another reason might be because VLCDs are hugely frowned upon in the medical community. It is believed to be the brainchild of Bethenny Frankel, a popular television personality. This diet is more about eating strategies than it is about a meal plan people should follow.

In a nutshell, the skinny girl diet teaches followers to select their foods carefully and employ certain dietary strategies to either lose weight or keep it off. It recommends that dieters stick to a 400-800 daily calorie limit. This can be done by eating more fruit and vegetables, while avoiding starchy foods.

What Can You Eat On The Skinny Girl Diet?

Fresh produce is the order of the day with this meal plan. In some modified versions of the diet, followers are advised to feast on only vegetables and fruit. Foods should contain as few calories as possible. This means foods like watermelons; leafy greens and low-sugar fruit are at the top of the list. Dieters are advised to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and avoiding carbonated drinks.

Basic Skinny Girl Diet Eating Strategies and Principles

The diet is accompanied by the philosophy that you should view your daily diet as an account balance. Some foods should be forfeited for the sake of maintaining your caloric limit, while others are replaced by healthier alternatives. Dieters are allowed to consume more than 800 calories a day, provided they burn off the additional calories through exercise. The last day of this 30-day meal plan is dedicated to fasting.

Principle #1: Taste all, eat nothing

This principle states that you can have a bite of any food you want, as long as you don’t have it all. For instance, a dieter can “taste” a fattening food like chocolate cake by taking one or two bites. By tasting and not eating, you can keep calories low without depriving yourself of favorite treats.

Principle #2: Make portions smaller

The Skinny Girl diet is about downsizing the portions of the food you eat. Having smaller portions is a way to enjoy meals without going overboard with calories.

Principle #3: Eat only real food

Avoiding processed food is a big principle to follow on this diet. Processed foods like packaged meats, commercially-baked products and canned ingredients are discouraged. Dieters should therefore strive to eat fresh, “real” food in its most natural state.

The Skinny Girl Diet can be best described as an attitude towards food and a set of strategies that can aid weight loss. What you eat is important, but how you eat it might be even more valuable. Choosing fresh foods over processed, taking small bites and having small portions are legitimate weight loss tactics. However, the low-calorie content of this meal plan can be dangerous to your health. 

Consider this article as an awareness campaign. If you want to lose weight fast, choose a diet that won’t harm your body.