The lean diet was invented in the 1980s by American nutritionists for clinical purposes.Initially, a strict low-calorie diet was prescribed to people whose body mass index exceeded 35, but later many people losing weight began to practice it, because it allows you to lose 5-10 kg by burning fat in the hips and waist.
What type of diet is this?
The lean diet consists of alternating different low-calorie and fasting days.It is thanks to the low daily calorie intake that the fat burning process begins.However, for the same reason, during the diet you should refrain from mental and physical stress, as well as stressful situations.Outdoor walks and spa treatments are recommended.
Before starting a lean diet, you should be examined at a medical center and consult a doctor.In addition, it is recommended to follow it under the supervision of a specialist, since such a diet can cause an exacerbation of chronic diseases and the development of new ailments.

If the diet is extremely difficult to tolerate, causing general weakness, dizziness and reduced performance, you should switch to a more balanced diet.
Main rules
The lean diet requires compliance with the following rules:
- strictly follow the menu (any snacks are prohibited!);
- divide the proposed list of products into 3-4 meals and chew thoroughly to create the impression of a regular meal;
- follow the drinking regime - drink 1.5-2 liters of water per day (teas and herbal infusions are allowed, but without sugar);
- You can drink plain plain water with the addition of a slice of lemon or lime;
- The last meal should be taken 3 hours before bedtime, otherwise a late snack can cause a slowdown in the metabolic process, which will reduce the effectiveness of the diet;
- On some days, the diet includes freshly squeezed juice, but banana and grape juices should be avoided, as they are high in calories, and you should also refrain from drinking pomegranate drinks, as they are bad for the stomach.
Store-bought drinks are strictly prohibited because they contain preservatives, dyes and other substances harmful to long-term storage of the product.In addition, they lack vitamins and microelements, which are destroyed during heat treatment of fruits.
Enter the diet
Takes 3 days.First of all, you need to exclude the following foods from your diet:
- confectionery and baked goods;
- fried and fatty foods;
- carbonated and alcoholic drinks.
The emphasis in nutrition should be on plant foods - vegetables, fruits, dried fruits.It is recommended to prepare vegetable salads, dietary meat and fish, as well as natural juices and cocktails.
Menu options
The diet differs depending on the duration of the diet.It can be observed from 7 to 20 days.Of course, it is worth starting with a weekly option to test your capabilities and also evaluate the effectiveness of the diet.
For 7 days
Will allow you to lose around 5 kg.The weekly diet looks like this:
- Day 1.Drink 1 liter of milk.In addition, as part of the drinking regime, it is important to drink the daily amount of water.It is allowed to start your morning with a cup of black coffee, but it is advisable to give preference to green tea.
- Day 2.Eat 200 g of cottage cheese and drink 800 ml of tomato or citrus juice.All drinks containing banana, mango and grapes are prohibited.
- Day 3.Drink 1 liter of mineral water without gas.
- Day 4.Cook 4 potatoes without salt or seasoning.Drink 800 ml of sugar-free juice.
- Day 5.Eat 5 apples, preferably green.
- Day 6.Eat 200 g of dietary meat (chicken breast, beef, turkey) and drink 800 ml of juice.
- Day 7.Drink 1 liter of kefir.

As part of your diet, you should choose only low-fat fermented milk products.
For 14 days
The results of the two-week diet are promising - about 8 kg less.Diet per day:
- Day 1.Drink any amount of green tea throughout the day.
- Day 2.Drink 800 ml of kefir.
- Day 3.Drink any amount of green tea or mint (lemon balm).A sweetener, stevia, can be used as a sweetener.
- Day 4.Drink only non-carbonated mineral water.
- Day 5.Drink 1 liter of water and eat 1 apple, divided into 2 doses.If desired, the fruits can be baked in the oven.
- Day 6.Drink 1 liter of milk.
- Day 7.Drink green tea or mint without restrictions.
- Day 8.Drink 1 liter of skimmed milk (skimmed milk).
- Day 9.Eat two fresh or baked apples and drink 1 liter of water.
- Day 10.Drink 1 liter of kefir.
- Day 11.Eat 400 to 600 g of fresh cucumbers.
- Day 12.Drink green tea or mint without restrictions.
- Day 13.Drink 1 liter of milk.
- Day 14.Eat three fresh or baked apples and drink 1 liter of water.
For 20 days
This is the most sustainable diet option that will allow you to lose around 10 kg.You need to start with a 7-day diet, and the menu from the 8th to the 20th day looks like this:
- Day 8.Eat stewed vegetables, lean meat and dairy products in reasonable quantities.
- Day 9.Eat 200 g of cottage cheese and drink freshly squeezed juice.You can make a smoothie from several fruits, except bananas and grapes.
- Day 10.Eat 200 g of lean fish (pollock, lemonfish) or shrimp.Drink juice.
- Day 11.Cook 4 potatoes and drink the juice.
- Day 12.Eat 5 green apples.Can be baked in the oven.
- Day 13.Eat 200 g of dietary meat and drink 800 ml of juice.
- Day 14.Drink 1 liter of kefir.
- Day 15.This is a “rest” day where you can step away from your diet.You can eat any healthy food.Preference should be given to porridges, soups with weak meat or fish broth and salads.
- Day 16.Eat 5 apples.
- Day 17.Eat 200 g of meat and drink 800 ml of juice.
- Day 18.Drink 1 liter of kefir.
- Day 19.Eat 200 g of cottage cheese and drink 1 liter of water.
- Day 20.Eat 1 apple and drink 1 liter of kefir.
Stop the diet
It is a mistake to assume that after a lean diet you can immediately return to a normal diet.This will not only lead to the “return” of lost kilograms, but will also harm health.The fact is that during diet days, the body is weaned from the digestion of normal foods due to a reduction in the quantity and quality of digestive enzymes obtained.You must therefore gradually “learn” to eat correctly so as not to cause stomach and intestinal problems.

When creating a menu, you should take into account that the diet should be dominated by soft foods with a minimum content of coarse dietary fiber and fiber.Taking into account this rule, the exit plan from the diet is as follows:
- Day 1.Prepare a light vegetable soup without salt.Eat it in 4-5 doses and the portions should be moderate - 200-250 ml each.It is forbidden to add beans and pasta to the soup.
- Day 2.Include steamed vegetables and baked or boiled fish in your diet.Such food will saturate the body with useful substances, but will not disrupt the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.You can include milk and herbal teas in your drinking regime.
- Day 3.Introduce a portion of boiled meat without skin, bones and fat layer.If you wish, you can prepare baked or steamed cutlets.Broccoli puree or other boiled vegetables are perfect as a side dish.
- Day 4.To activate the stomach and intestinal motility, prepare a viscous porridge for breakfast - oatmeal, barley or corn.It is better not to add salt to the porridge, but you can cook it with milk.You can introduce semolina and rice into your diet after a week.
- Days 5-7.Gradually increase the portions and their calorie content to the daily requirement.
- Days 8 to 10.Include a limited amount of heavy foods, which are recommended to be served in the morning to allow digestion during the day.In any case, avoid eating foods that are too fatty and high in calories.
The amount of coffee and tea should be limited to 1-2 cups per day.
Recipes
On a lean diet, you will not need to please yourself with original dishes, but it is worth taking into account recipes that will make it much easier to follow a low-calorie diet:
- Herbal decoction.Mix a bunch of lemon balm and 1 tbsp.L.green tea.Transfer the raw materials to a kettle and pour 1 liter of water at 90 degrees.Infuse and drink, diluting with lukewarm water.
- Sweet green tea.Mix 1.5 tbsp.L.green tea and 1 tbsp.L.stevia herb.Prepare 1 liter of water at 95 degrees, let it sit for 20 minutes and you can drink.
- Potatoes in their jackets.Line a baking tray with paper and place the potatoes, first making cross-shaped cuts to prevent them from bursting.Transfer the baking sheet to the oven for 30 minutes, preheated to 180 degrees.During cooking, potatoes can be sprinkled with water or dill tincture.
- Baked apples.Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the fruits which are baked in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 180 degrees.Golden apples are particularly suitable for baking.
On diet days when juice consumption is allowed, you can prepare the following fresh juices:
- Peel 4 oranges and squeeze the juice.Add 100 g of raspberries and cranberries.Blend in a blender, adding 3-4 ice cubes.Leave on for 2-3 minutes and drink.
- Peel 2-3 grapefruits and 500 g of tangerines.Squeeze the juice from the citrus fruits, mix, sprinkle with a pinch of cinnamon, mix and drink.
- Peel 4 green apples and 1 pear.Remove the pits, mix and blend in a blender.Add 1 stalk of celery, 3-4 ice cubes and beat again.If necessary, you can add cold water.
Warnings
A lean diet can cause gastrointestinal diseases, including gastritis.So it is important to follow it under the supervision of a doctor in order to stop losing weight on time.In addition, after such a diet, metabolic disorders, psychological problems and weakened immunity, as well as hair loss and brittle nails are possible.So, in order to normalize the condition, it is important to correctly stop the diet and take a course of vitamins.
Contraindications
It is strictly not recommended to follow a lean diet for those who have a normal body mass index and want to lose just a few pounds.It is also contraindicated for people with pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, heart and kidneys, as well as chronic diseases.Nursing mothers, pregnant women and adolescents should benefit from this method of losing weight, since a deficiency of vitamins and beneficial elements will have an extremely negative impact on their health.
So, the lean diet is a strict low-calorie diet that was developed for people with a body mass index of 35 or more.You should adhere to such a diet only after consulting a doctor and under his strict supervision in order to minimize its negative impact on the body.
























