Like many fad diets, the Miracle Diet--also called the 5-Day Miracle Diet-- is very restrictive of the foods you can eat, and can be hard to sustain for a long period of time. However, unlike many fad diets, the miracle diet is intended to change your eating habits for life rather than to be a short-term diet to shed pounds quickly.
Origins
The 5-Day Miracle Diet was created by nutritionist Adele Puhn. The reason the diet is called the 5-Day Miracle Diet is not because it lasts five days, but rather because that is supposed to be the amount of time it takes to regulate your blood sugar.
Premise
Similar to the philosophy behind a glycemic-index diet, the premise of the Miracle Diet is that foods that help you manage your blood sugar can help you lose weight by lowering cravings for unhealthy foods and eliminating extreme energy fluctuations which can result in overeating or indulging. The glycemic index gives carbohydrate-containing foods a value according to their potential to raise your blood-sugar level. However, the Mayo Clinic states that scientific evidence regarding diets based on blood-sugar regulation remains controversial.
Timing
The timing of your meals is as important a part of the Miracle Diet as the foods you eat. You must eat breakfast a half hour after getting out of bed, eat lunch by 1 p.m. and eat dinner by 7 p.m. In addition, you have to eat snacks between meals in order to avoid going more than three hours without eating. Generally, this means having a snack or two after breakfast and lunch.
Foods to Eat
For breakfast, you are supposed to combine protein and a complex carbohydrate, and for lunch and dinner you are supposed to combine protein and vegetables. For snacks, the diet requires you to eat foods low on the glycemic index, such as fruits and vegetables. Egg whites, chicken breast, turkey, and fruits and vegetables such as lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, apples, oranges and cantaloupe are recommended.
Foods to Avoid
While following the Miracle Diet, you should avoid foods with a high glycemic index such as yogurt, bananas, grapes and bagels. Potatoes and excessive portions of rice, pasta and noodles also should be avoided. You also should stay away from breads and cereals that are not made from whole grains, oats, barley or bran.
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