Going on a yogurt diet is a great way to rebalance your gastrointestinal system and aid in weight loss efforts.
What is the Yogurt Diet?
The yogurt diet centers on the health effects of yogurt for overall gut health, as well as its dense nutrient content. By eating a high concentration of yogurt over the course of 7 days, in addition to lean protein, starchy vegetables, and fruits, practitioners believe that this diet can rebalance beneficial bacteria and aid in weight loss. [1]
Yogurt is a semi-sour dairy product made from milk that has been fermented with the addition of bacteria. Generally, eating yogurt is considered a healthy part of your diet, as it has probiotics, minerals, and vitamins, as well as protein. Whole milk products, rather than low-fat or reduced-fat products, often have higher concentrations of calcium and other desired nutrients. That being said, eating an excessive amount of whole-fat dairy products can also lead to weight gain. A single 170-gram serving of yogurt contains about 100 calories, as well as 6 grams of carbohydrates and 17 grams of protein! [2] [3]
Yogurt tastes amazing when paired with berries. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Yogurt Diet Plans
If you choose to follow a yogurt diet, you should know that it is quite strict, unlike other more flexible diets. The yogurt diet is very narrow, meaning that your food intake per day does not vary much. These plans could fluctuate slightly depending on your overall fitness or weight loss goals, but for moderate weight loss, the following yogurt diet plan should be effective. [4]
Yogurt Diet Menu
As mentioned, the most important part of the diet is the yogurt, so roughly 500ml of yogurt should be consumed each day in various forms. Around that, you should include the following foods:
- Kiwis
- Apples
- Pears
- Baked potatoes
- Chicken breasts
- Tomatoes
- Grapefruit
- Spinach
- Apple juice
- Mango
- Coffee
- Tea
Plan
You can make the diet as creative and varied as you want, or approach it in a more utilitarian way:
Day 1
6 cups of yogurt and 4 ounces of beef
Day 2
6 cups of yogurt and 4 baked potatoes
Day 3
6 cups of yogurt, 1 apple, 1 kiwi, and 4 ounces of chicken
Day 4
6 cups of yogurt, 4 ounces of salmon, and 1 mango
Day 5
A mixture of fruits and vegetables all day (no bananas), 6 cups of yogurt
Day 6
6 cups of plain yogurt
Day 7
8-10 cups of spring water
There are many variations to this diet, but the key element is the inclusion of yogurt, preferably Greek yogurt, as this is considered more of a nutrient-dense option.
Before jumping into this diet, you should consider your ultimate fitness goals and approach the diet in this way. For example, if you want to shed pounds, then a basic, utilitarian diet of limited calories (like the one explained above) will work. However, if you want to develop a healthier overall lifestyle and eating habits, creating a more diverse weekly menu will be beneficial. Once you understand how to create a healthy, well-balanced diet, and see the results so clearly, it will become much easier to incorporate those changes over the long term. [5]
