What Can I Eat on The Code Red Diet
The Code Red Diet is a 14-day detox and weight loss plan that promises to help you lose up to 10 pounds. The diet consists of three phases: the detox phase, the weight loss phase, and the maintenance phase.
You’ll eat only fruits, vegetables, and whole grains during the detox phase. This phase is designed to rid your body of toxins and jump-start your weight loss journey. In the weight loss phase, you’ll gradually add more healthy foods to your diet while continuing to restrict unhealthy foods. The goal is to lose 1-2 pounds per week until you reach your target weight. In the maintenance phase, you’ll continue to eat healthy foods to maintain your weight.
Some of the foods on the Code Red Diet include:
Cabbage
Tomatoes
Lemons and limes. When you feel a craving for something sweet, try adding fresh lemon or lime to your water or tea. Since lemons and limes contain only about 20 calories and no carbohydrates each, they can be used liberally instead of other high-calorie ingredients such as sugar.
They also add flavor without contributing many calories to your beverage. You might even use them when cooking if you want to cut back on sugar and salt intake while still enjoying the food you prepare for yourself and your family. Next time you make pasta sauce, replace some sugar with lemon juice. Instead of making a dessert called “apple pie,” bake an “apple crumble” that uses lemon juice and cinnamon to sweeten the apples.
Side effects of code red diet:
The side effects of the code red diet are:
1. Constipation: This is one of the most common side effects of any restrictive diet. Code red diet is especially likely to cause constipation because it is low in fiber and other nutrients.
2. Dehydration: Cutting out many food groups can lead to dehydration, which can cause a variety of problems, such as dizziness, fainting, and confusion.
3. Weight gain: Restricting calories too much can lead to weight gain, not weight loss. The body goes into “starvation mode” and starts storing fat instead of burning it.
4. Malnutrition: If you follow a code red diet for too long, you may become deficient in essential nutrients, leading to health problems.
5. Gastrointestinal problems: Code red diets can also cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
6. Hair loss: Restricting calories can lead to hair loss, especially if you are not getting enough protein.
7. Fatigue: Feeling tired all the time is a common side effect of restrictive diets. This is because restricting calories takes a lot of energy and can leave you feeling run down.
8. Mood swings: Dieting can often be very stressful, leading to mood swings and irritability.
9. Bone loss: Calcium is for strong bones, and code red diets can lead to calcium deficiency. This can make you more likely to get osteoporosis.
10. Negative effects on your metabolism: Your metabolism slows down when you restrict calories, making it harder to lose weight whenever you go off the diet. This is because your body needs fewer calories than before to function correctly.
Is code red diet dangerous:
Yes. A code red diet can be dangerous because it is low in many nutrients and can lead to various side effects that affect your health and quality of life. This diet is not recommended, and you should talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before starting any restrictive diet.
The American Heart Association warns against extremely low-calorie diets like the Code Red regimen, which they say “may cause harmful side effects,” including dehydration, gallstones, irregular heartbeat, kidney failure, malnutrition, heart damage, and other severe medical conditions. The site also notes that doctors who want people to lose weight should prescribe nutrition changes plus moderate exercise rather than “fad diets.”
Code red diet rules:
The rules for a code red diet include:
1. Don’t eat any white foods:
No pasta, bread, potatoes, rice, or sugar.
2. Don’t drink calories:
Drink water and as much unsweetened tea as you like. You can also have as much coffee as you want, but it must be plain – not with cream or sugar. You can add spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg if you need to sweeten your drinks.
3. Eat only lean proteins:
Meat and fish should be the central part of every meal on this diet plan. You may choose from beef, lamb, pork, and poultry but must remove all visible fat cooking them and avoid greasy foods. You can also have beans and tofu, but only if they are grilled, poached, or steamed.
4. Avoid carbs:
No rice, pasta, cereals, or flour-based goods such as bread, cakes, and cookies. Sugar is also a “no” on this plan – even dried fruit is banned – because it causes the body to produce insulin which stores fat.
5. Eat at least six times a day:
The code red diet calls for three main meals and three snacks every day to keep blood sugars levels steady throughout the day and maintain energy levels for weight loss success.