Stillman Water Diet

Dr. Irwin Stillman's 1967 book "The Doctor's Quick Weight Loss Diet" put high-protein diets on center stage. Along with his recommendation that people seeking to shed pounds forgo consumption of carbohydrates, he advocated drinking a half-gallon of water daily. His diet soon became known as the Stillman water diet. The no-carb/low-carb diet controversy has yet to be fully resolved. Check with a health care professional before you use this diet for weight loss.

Plan

This diet recommends an unrestricted daily intake of low-fat proteins. It also requires eight full glasses of water daily. Coffee, tea and soda do not count toward fulfilling the water requirement, but followers of this diet may consume them moderation. The diet excludes all other foods, including grains, fruits, vegetables and saturated fats such as butter.

Promises

The diet plan's main attraction is quick weight loss. A sense of fullness, instead of deprivation that people associate with dieting, makes Stillman's water diet less difficult for those who try it to stay on it long enough to see weight loss. His hypothesis is that your body expends more energy to process proteins than carbohydrates. He theorized that a focus on protein consumption and drastically reduced carbohydrate intake forces your body to burn more calories and to do it more efficiently. He predicts weight loss of 7 to 10 lb. in the first week, followed by 5 lb. on average thereafter, according to "Ebony" magazine.

Problems

A low-fat diet has benefits, especially for your cardiovascular system. The amount of water that you consume may help you feel full longer and reduce your calorie intake from the allowable proteins. However, the missing food groups provide nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals or enzymes that you cannot get from the protein sources in the diet. Even if you take a multivitamin supplement, your nutrient intake is not likely to reach the recommended daily values for an adult.

The amount of water required is necessary because this diet causes your body to produce ketones, or residue from fat burned by your body. You must eliminate ketones through urination to prevent gout and kidney stones, according to the Weight-control Information Network. The American Diabetes Association warns that diabetics risk comas and death from a buildup of ketones in the blood.

Considerations

Safe weight loss is 1 to 2 lb. per week, according to the Weight-control Information Network. Stillman's book presents no scientific research to support his diet's premises, safety or weight loss promises. The "New York Times" points out that the weight loss from Stillman's diet is temporary. The pounds will come back when you return to a normal diet that includes the forbidden carbohydrates.