US Ski Team Diet

So the US Ski Team Diet sounds just like what it is.  It's the diet that the US Ski Team followed in order to drop a ton of weight.  It became very popular in the 70's and everyone and their mother took a stab at it and usually came out successful if they went about it correctly.  The motivation was that the skiiers used it to drop 20 lbs in 14 days, sounds unhealthy, but if Olympic athletes are doing it, why can't we? The diet is simple, very restrictive, and say a big farewell to our friend carbs.  The organization of the diet is to eat all that you want within limits, becuase the foods listed as acceptable will make you feel full.

Check it out!

Monday

Breakfast: Grapefruit, two eggs, clear tea or coffee
Lunch: Two eggs, tomatoes, clear tea or coffee
Dinner: Two eggs, combination salad, one piece of dry toast, clear tea or coffee

Tuesday
Breakfast: Same
Lunch: Two eggs, grapefruit, tea or coffee
Dinner: Steak, olives, celery, cucumber, tomatoes, lettuce, clear tea or coffee

Wednesday
Breakfast: Same
Lunch: Two eggs, spinach, tea or coffee
Dinner: Two lamb chops, celery, cucumber, tomatoes, clear tea or coffee

Thursday
Breakfast: Same
Lunch: Two eggs, spinach, tea or coffee
Dinner: Two eggs, cottage cheese, cabbage, one piece of dry toast, tea or coffee

Friday
Breakfast: Same
Lunch: Two eggs, spinach, tea or coffee
Dinner: Steak, celery, cucumber, tomatoes, clear tea or coffee

Saturday
Breakfast: Same
Lunch: Fruit salad (put anything in it and eat as much as you want), clear tea or coffee (meaning no sugar/cream)
Dinner: Steak (lean), celery, cucumber, tomatoes, clear tea/coffee

Sunday
Breakfast: Same
Lunch: Cold chicken, tomatoes, grapefruit
Dinner: Chicken, tomatoes, grapefruit, carrots, cabbage, clear tea or coffee

REPEAT FOR THE SECOND WEEK!

This diet stresses that you are only supposed to follow this plan for 2 weeks, not longer because it will be unhealthy for your body.  It also says that abstaining from eating is very harmful your health as well.  The diet prohibits the consumption of alcohol, eating between meals, and using butter or fatty dressings to spice up your foods. 

I think this diet is feasible.  Yes, it is very strict, but it is healthy in the sense that you are eating a balanced diet.  You are not starved because you can eat as much of the food listed as you want and the foods used in the meal plan are very filling foods to tide you over to the next meal.  The things that the diet prohibits such as carbs, fatty dressings and butter, and alcoholic drinks are things that we should always be watching in our routine diets.  The other reason that this is possible is because it is only for two weeks.  When people try to go on diets for months or years, they tend to binge when they are prohibited from many foods or aren't eating enough to satisfy their bodies.  I would actually consider trying this one myself. 

Here's an article from Sports Illustrated (in 1985) about the ways World Cup skiiers follow a diet plan and what the reasons are. 

Also, you can learn how to eat like an Olympian!

Happy dieting!
MIA