An easy 10-day diet is more likely to be successful if it's made up of minor adjustments that fit conveniently into your everyday schedule and lifestyle. Diets with strict weight-loss goals or eating rules won't have much impact over such a short period of time, but a helpful strategy is using the 10 days to find healthy tactics that can permanently work.
Benefits
Making nutritious food choices can have great health benefits, even if it's only over a temporary period. Healthy foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals may help boost energy and alertness on a short-term basis. Over an extended period of time, MyPyramid.gov notes that nutritious foods cut risks of obesity and weight gain, as well as osteoporosis, bone loss, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, cancer and kidney stones. Over a 10-day diet period, seek out as many healthy foods as possible.
Foods
According to MedlinePlus, a website from the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, a basic balanced diet contains daily servings of nonfat dairy, lean protein, vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Many foods in those main groups are simple to prepare and easy to incorporate into a temporary diet. Try yogurt, milk and low-fat cheese from the dairy group; fish, lean meat, beans, legumes, tofu, eggs and nuts from the protein group; any fresh vegetables and fruits; and barley, quinoa, bulgur, oats, brown rice, whole-wheat bread and whole-grain pasta from the grains group. Most health benefits come from whole, natural foods, so avoid processed items and restaurant meals.
Changes
Focus on making small changes and adjustments during each day of your diet. For example, HelpGuide.org, a nonprofit website dedicated to physical and mental health education, suggests swapping out a doughnut or another baked good for an apple. Rather than attempting to completely transform your diet, keep things simple. Choose changes that you feel you'll be able to stick to in the long-term, even after the 10-day period is over. MayoClinic.com advises making your diet as easy as possible by avoiding strict rules and including foods you enjoy.
Results
A 10-day diet will not yield dramatic weight-loss or physical results that last. Those changes take longer periods of time, and any weight lost during the 10-day trial is likely to come back if you return to your normal way of eating afterward. Instead of measuring results on the scale or by body measurements, try keeping a food journal and jotting down notes regarding changes in energy level, mood, motivation and other mental factors.
Considerations
The best health benefits are derived from healthy eating plans that last for a lifetime, not just a temporary period. If weight loss is a goal, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends choosing a long-term plan that calls for no more than 2 lbs. of net loss per week. Use your 10-day plan to find changes that you can maintain through time, and make an effort to stick to them. Before beginning any new diet or way of eating, take time to talk with a physician.
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