Crash diet are generally safe and effective, as long as you are eating enough protein (50-75 grams of protein a
day) and drinking enough water (at least a gallon, 128 ounces) or non-caloric fluid a day. There’s no agreement
in medicine about what a crash diet is, except that a crash diet is very low in calories for rapid weight loss – and
when it’s been studied, weight loss on 500 calories a day is about the same as weight loss on 800 calories a day
– so assume that a crash diet is 800 calories (or less) a day. You can make up your own crash diet. The key is to
make sure you eat a at least 50-75 grams of protein a day, which mean at least 200-300 of your 800 calories
should be from protein. Protein contains 4 calories per gram of protein. The easiest (lowest calorie) protein foods
for a crash diet are cottage cheese (200 calories per cup) or canned tuna, canned chicken and canned shrimp
(also about 200 calories per small can). The advantage of canned protein is that it’s premeasured for you. The
easiest (lowest calorie) vegetables for a crash diet are any vegetable you like (50 calories per cup), except peas,
potatoes anc corn. The easiest (lowest calorie) fruits for a crash diet are cantelope, grapefruit (50 calories per
half) or berries ( 50 calories per cup).