Apples are nutrition-dense fruits that aid weight loss, fight cancer, reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, prevent gallstone formation, boost immunity, and prevent the development of cataracts(1), (2). Shavonne Morrison, RDN, says, “Apples are a good source of healthy fiber, phosphorus, vitamin A, magnesium, and potassium and have about 125 calories, depending on the type of apple.” Therefore, the 5-day Apple Diet will not only help you lose water weight and reduce bloating, but will also improve your overall health. However, you should also keep in mind that working out regularly and making a significant change in your lifestyle can help to lose weight quickly and in a healthy way. In this article, we will tell you why the apple diet works, the 5-day diet plan you can follow, and exercises you can do. We also have a delicious recipe in store for you! Take a look!
The Apple Diet?
The apple diet is a 5-day diet plan where a major portion of your meals will consist of apples. On Day 1, dieters are allowed to eat only apples for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. On Day 2, dieters are allowed to eat apples for breakfast and dinner, and for lunch, apples and veggies. Day 3 to Day 5, the dieters are allowed to eat fruits, fresh fruit juices, vegetable smoothies, proteins, and dairy along with apples for each major meal.
How Does The Apple Diet Work?
The ideal components for a diet, apples, are rich in minerals, vitamins, and fiber and also have very few calories, amounting to around 80 to 100 calories depending on the size of the fruit. An effective laxative, apples are also nutritious and beneficial for the nervous system, which is why they are included in many diet routines. However, for this diet, the apple is the star! The fiber in the apple binds to the fat molecules, preventing fat absorption. The fiber bound fat is then directly excreted from the body. Apples also make you feel fuller for a longer time. They are nature’s thermogenic foods and may even fire up your metabolism, hence supporting weight loss. Eating an apple before every major meal will make you feel less hungry and prevent you from overeating. According to Shavonne Morrison, RDN, “Consuming apples will not directly cause you to lose weight. However, apples are a good source of fiber, particularly pectin, which can help keep you full longer compared to other types of carbohydrates. This can help reduce cravings and help you stay in a calorie deficit, which is necessary to promote weight loss.”
The 5-Day Apple Diet Plan
The 5-day apple diet requires the dieters to eat only apples and fluid on day one. For the rest of the four days, the dieters will be allowed to eat mostly apples along with other nutrition-dense foods but not exceeding 1200 calories per day.
1. Day One
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner should consist of apples and only apples, amounting to around 1.5 kilograms. Apples are rich in vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and dietary fiber. These nutrients are essential for maintaining proper body fat percentage, good cardiovascular health, and improved brain function, and preventing diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and GI tract irritation. Drink enough detox water and water to keep yourself hydrated throughout the day.
2. Day Two
On day two, eat apples along with a healthy vegetarian lunch. This will help you to get other essential nutrients from the veggies. Olive oil is a rich source of good fats that will help retain the cell membrane integrity. Make sure to keep sipping on detox water and drink a good amount of water throughout the day.
3. Day Three
This day can be called protein day. Proteins are the building blocks of our bodies. Therefore, start your day with a good protein source like scrambled eggs (use one whole egg). If you are a vegetarian, you may have a glass of milk instead of eggs. Bengal gram is rich in protein and will help you feel full for a longer time. Yogurt will help with digestion. For dinner, eat a good source of protein and 1 apple. For two days you ate mostly apples, your body does not have enough energy for digestion and metabolism. So, do not eat too much food. Fill yourself up with water and detox drinks.
4. Day Four
Start your day with an apple and kale smoothie. Kale helps you lose weight and makes you full for a longer time. The vegetarian lunch will help you get all the essential nutrients from the different types of veggies. Include a lot of green leafy and colorful veggies. On this day, take a post-lunch snack break. Have a glass of fresh fruit juice or any whole fruit. For your evening snack, green/black/white tea is highly recommended as it contains antioxidants and will help your body flush all the toxins out. Have a vegetarian dinner along with an apple. This will soothe your digestive system.
5. Day Five
On this day, dieters will be allowed to eat fruits, veggies, good fats, good carbs, and proteins. This will help to revive your body from the low-calorie diet you had been following for the past few days. As you have followed a step-by-step procedure of introducing all the foods that you want the body to metabolize, on the last day, when you eat a complex amalgamation of foods, your metabolism will stay active and help burn the calories without making you feel weak. [Read: Daniel Fast Diet]
Foods To Eat During The Apple Diet
Fruits & Veggies – Seasonal fruits, local fruits, green leafy veggies, and colored vegetables.Proteins – Chicken without skin, fish, eggs, lean cuts of turkey and beef, tofu, mushrooms, and soy chunks.Dairy – Low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt, and cheese (in limited amounts).Herbs & Spices – coriander leaves, mint leaves, rosemary, thyme, dill, fennel, rose petals, ginger, garlic and onion powder, coriander and cumin powder, turmeric, chili powder, garam masala, fenugreek, mustard seeds, etc.Bread & Biscuits – multigrain or wholegrain bread and biscuits.Fats & Oils – Olive oil, rice bran oil, canola oil, ghee, and mustard oil. All in limited amounts.Beverages- Fresh fruit juices, fresh tender coconut water, buttermilk, detox drinks, fresh vegetable juices, and smoothies.
Foods To Avoid
Fats & Oils – Lard, butter, coconut oil, mayonnaise, and dalda.Beverages – Packaged fruit juices, packaged coconut water, carbonated drinks, and alcohol.Proteins – Chicken with skin, processed meat, beef, and pork.Dairy – Cream cheese or cheese in excess amounts, full-fat milk, and full-fat yogurt.
Apple Diet Recipe
Turkey Wrap With Mint Chutney
1 tortilla bread 1/2 cup lean ground turkey 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste 1/4 onion chopped 1/2 tomato chopped 1 lettuce leaf chopped 1/4 apple chopped 1/2 teaspoon garam masala 1/4 teaspoon chili powder A handful of mint leaves Lemon juice 2 tablespoon rice bran oil Pink Himalayan Salt
Cook the soy chunks the same way as the turkey is cooked and then follow the rest of the steps to make a delicious soy chunk wrap. In case you have thyroid issues or are allergic to soy, you can opt for other high protein sources like kidney beans or cottage cheese. Check out what to eat and what to avoid to lose weight quickly. [Read: Milk Diet For Weight loss]
Role Of Exercise
Working out is a must if you want to lose weight, especially if you are overweight. However, since on the first two days you will be on a very low-calorie diet, it is better to avoid any rigorous workout routine. Stick to yoga and meditation. From the 3rd day on, you can follow your regular exercise routine or you may start running, walking, running up the stairs, jumping rope, yoga, dancing, squats, swimming, pilates, jogging on the spot, push-ups, sit-ups, etc. Make sure to lose weight first and then build muscle. For building muscles, go for strength training exercises.
Benefits Of The Apple Diet
Will help you lose weight by making you feel full, hence, curbing the hunger pangs. Eating apples every day will help prevent the risk of stroke, heart disease, and also lower cholesterol levels. This diet is pocket-friendly and is super simple. This diet will prevent you from drinking packaged fruit juices that contain artificial flavor, color, and sweetener. This diet helps to bring the metabolism of your body right back up in a slow and steady process. This diet is a balanced diet that comprises vegetables, fruits, protein, dairy, good fats, good carbs, micronutrients, and dietary fiber.
Side Effects Of The Apple Diet
You may become bored with eating apples right before every major meal. Those who are used to eating a lot of calories without burning them may become irritated and experience mood swings, as this diet is tough to follow for the first two days. You may feel weak and sleepy.
Can I eat apples at night for weight loss? Shavonne Morrison, RDN, says, “Eating an apple at night will not directly cause weight loss. You can have an apple as a bedtime snack if you are hungry and want something healthy and filling to eat.” How much weight can you lose on the apple diet? You can lose up to 6 pounds by following the apple diet. Make sure to work out and get adequate rest. Also, it’s important to note that it’s just water loss, and you need to continuously do vigorous exercise and have a high-quality diet to further lose fat – else this lost water weight can easily bounce back. This diet is just a way to detoxify and release toxins so that your system can get pumped up and get ready for further weight loss. Can I take an apple in the form of juice? You may, but eating a whole fruit is much healthier. This is due to the fact that juicing degrades the micronutrients and enzymes of the fruits. Also, since you will depend solely on apples for the first two days, eat the fruits to get the feeling of being full. You can drink fresh apple juice (without straining) on the 4th and 5th days. Is going on the apple diet effective for losing weight? Yes, you can lose weight with the apple diet. You will be eating apples before major meals, which will make you feel full. Therefore, you will feel less hungry and as a result, you will eat less. Regular workouts will help you further with burning fat and building muscle. Does Apple Help To Lose Belly Fat? Apples are replete with fiber and flavonoids that may help lose belly fat (3). Also, the pectin fiber in apples breaks down slowly and promotes satiety, which, in turn, may discourage cravings and possibly promote weight loss (4), (5).
