Health&Fitness Aken: Change your body with these crash diets

The Paleo Solution

The Diet: Paleo Solution proponents believe that our early ancestors' whole-foods diet is healthier than our modern (superprocessed) regimen. That means no chips or cookies or even prepackaged "healthy" foods, like yogurt. Instead you eat three to four meals daily of four to eight ounces of lean protein (chicken, turkey, or seafood), raw or lightly cooked 

vegetables, and healthy fat (oils or nuts). Daily caloric intake hovers around 1,200 to 1,400.

The Raw Food Cleanse

The Diet: The Raw Food Cleanse is a three-, seven-, 14-, or 28-day plan that claims to reset your digestive tract. It's based on the theory that cooking depletes foods of nutrients, so you should eat fruits and vegetables in their raw state. There are recipes for fruit and vegetable juices, soups, and salads. Daily intake is around 1,200 to 1,400 calories, estimates Andrea Giancoli, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

The 17-Day Diet

The Diet: According to the doctor who created the plan, it takes 17 days for your body to recognize a diet as a habit and slow your metabolism in response. He claims that three 17-day cycles keep your metabolism revved. The first cycle allows about 1,200 daily calories of unlimited lean protein, nonstarchy veggies and, early in the day, two low-sugar fruits. In cycle two you add two healthy carbs and alternate 1,200- and 1,500-calorie days. In the third cycle, fruit's okay anytime, as is one alcoholic drink a day. To maintain, you follow these rules during the week.

The Dukan Diet

The Diet: Pay attention; the Dukan Diet is complicated. There are four phases: (1) two to seven days during which you eat low-fat protein (think chicken, turkey, fish, and tofu), drink water, and take one and a half tablespoons of oat bran a day to keep you regular. (2) Every other day, add low-carb veggies until you reach your goal. (3) Add one piece of low-sugar fruit, two slices of whole-grain bread, and one serving of cheese each day — plus a once-a-week cheat meal. (4) In maintenance, you can eat anything if you follow these rules: three tablespoons of oat bran and 20 minutes of walking each day and one pure-protein day a week.