7-Day Weight Loss Detox Homemade Plan: Is This the Answer to Your Weight Problems?

You may have already heard about detox plans on social media. Every now and then, a video will go viral with a creator claiming they’re about to go on a detox to help cleanse their bodies after a week of ‘vacation eating’ or as a way to help kickstart their weight loss after a prolonged period of bad eating habits.

A 7-day weight loss detox homemade plan is one of the most common plans you’ll see out there. Made from fresh ingredients in the comfort of your home, such a plan seems not only affordable but also convenient.

But can a simple 7-day detox diet plan truly help you lose weight, or is this yet another quick weight loss fad that promises fake results at the expense of your health? Let’s find out.

What Is a 7-Day Weight Loss Detox Homemade Plan?

A 7-day weight loss detox homemade plan is an eating plan that promises body cleansing, detoxification, and weight loss in just 7 days. While there are many variations of this plan, they all have the following factors in common:

1. They promise significant weight loss (up to 10 pounds or more) in just seven days.
2. They advise participants to avoid processed foods, added sugars, alcohol, and sometimes caffeine.
3. In addition to calling for the elimination of the above foods, some variants of the detox plan also advise participants to eliminate major food groups, i.e. grains, proteins, and fats, for a portion of the detox duration – about 3 to 4 days.
4. They’ll encourage their participants to survive on a largely liquid diet for the duration of the detox. Most such plans will have participants survive on water as well as smoothies or juices made from vegetables and fruits for the week. However, others will allow for the consumption of broth and vegetable soups.
5. They are very low in calories. Even the plans that allow consumption of food have strict limits on how much you can eat and may only allow for a single piece of fruit at meal times or small amounts of raw (or sometimes steamed) vegetables.
6. They encourage hydration, with participants encouraged to drink 2.5 to 4 liters of water a day.

Are Weight Loss Detoxes Safe?

No, they’re not, and they’re not necessary either. Here’s why:

They Are Very Low in Calories and Eliminate Major Food Groups

According to the Dietary Guidelines, the estimated average calorie needs for adult men and women are 2,000 to 3,000kcal and 1,600 to 2,400kcal, respectively (1). As shown in the above section, a 7-day detox diet plan for weight loss will likely have you living on a liquid diet with perhaps a piece of fruit and some raw vegetables at lunch and dinner. 

Such a meal plan will have you consuming way less than the estimated daily calorie intake. According to research, quick weight loss diets (such as weight loss detox plans (2):

• Increased the risk of gallstone formation.
• Increase the risk of disordered eating, such as anorexia or binge eating.
• Increase the likelihood of constipation, exhaustion and energy loss, hair loss, loss of bone strength and density, and low immunity to illness.

Detox diets also call for the elimination of some or all major food groups for varying periods of the diet plan. According to research, such elimination diets can lead to an altered gut microbiome, malnutrition, or undernutrition due to an inadequate intake of carbohydrates, protein, and micronutrients. This can ultimately lead to frequent infections and other physiological problems (3, 4).

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Your Body Already Has a Detoxification System

The greatest thing about our bodies is they come with an in-built detoxification system that includes the (5):

• Lungs
• Skin 
• Digestive system
• Liver 
• Kidneys

All of these organs work in their own ways through a metabolic process that is known as biotransformation (6), which ensures they cleanse our bodies of any toxins we come into contact with, whether through the air we breathe, toxins we encounter in our environment, or things we ingest (5).

As long as you’ve not been diagnosed with an illness that affects any of these organs, it’s likely safe to assume that they’re working as they should and will get rid of any toxins you may have in the body. You don’t need to go the extra step of living on a largely liquid 5-day detox diet plan to flush out toxins from your body.

There’s No Evidence That Detox Diets Work

If you take a step back and observe these viral videos and testaments, you’ll note that most, if not all the evidence that a 7-day detox diet for weight loss – or any other cleansing meal plan for that matter – is largely anecdotal. There’s no scientific evidence to back up the claims that are being made. 

Even some more honest proponents of detox diets will tell you that not only is there very little research proving that detoxification therapies are helpful, but that such diets have a slew of side effects, including (7):

• Headaches
• Lightheadedness
• Diarrhea
• Cramps
• Bloating
• Body aches
• Fatigue
• Dehydration
• Mood changes and weakness

Actual scientific research also discourages participation in detox diets:

1. One study that looked at fad diets stated that detox diets are mainly liquid-based, low-calorie, and nutrient-poor, and there is no scientific research that confirms or negates the effectiveness of commercially available detox regimes for losing weight, so we can’t state with certainty that such diets work for weight loss.

The study also stated that following such an eating plan can increase binge eating, cortisol levels, and appetite, resulting in difficulty in losing weight. They also stated that such diets pose a high health risk due to their nutritional inadequacy, and any weight loss that is experienced is likely short-term and unsustainable (8).

2. Another study that looked at the effect of toxic trace element detoxification by detox diets found that a specific detox diet may help get rid of some toxic trace heavy metals. The results found that of the 29 heavy metals that are found in the hair, the detox diet was able to reduce four of them. 

Study participants who followed the detox diet also experienced lower BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio changes. However, when compared to the calorie-restriction diet participants, the latter group had more significant changes.

A point to note is that the detox diet in question wasn’t liquid-based like many of the 7-day detox to lose belly fat diets that we see. The diet in this instance included healthy meals based on organic plant-based diets, including various vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and phytonutrients (9). It’s probable that simply eating a healthy, balanced diet that is rich in these plant-based, nutrient-dense foods would have a similar effect. 

3. In another recent study that looked at the effect of detox diets on toxin detoxification and weight management in women, researchers found that there wasn’t enough research to back up many popularly claimed benefits and that they’re likely to be harmful due to a lack of minerals, vitamins, and dietary fiber, and this can lead to stress and fatigue. 

In terms of weight loss, it should be noted that some of the participants lost negligible weight, some maintained their original weight, and some even gained weight (10).

Is a sugar detox plan better for your health and weight loss? Check out our article for an in-depth look.

How to Lose Weight in Seven Days

Unfortunately, you can’t lose significant weight in just 7 days – at least not weight caused by stored fat in the body. According to the CDC, sustainable weight loss means losing weight (body fat) at a gradual and steady pace of 1 to 2 pounds a week. This is usually achieved through a balanced lifestyle that includes (11):

• Good nutrition (preferably through a calorie deficit diet)
• Regular physical activity (at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week)
• Stress management
• Enough sleep (7 to 9 hours a night)

Any diet that promises more than this range of weight loss is likely a fad diet that will put your life and health in danger in the name of quick weight loss.

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How Can I Lose Weight in 7 Days Through a Detox?

As mentioned several times above, you cannot lose weight, at least not weight caused by stored fat, by doing a 7-day full-body cleanse detox at home. Detox diets are fad diets that only help you lose water weight, which most people confuse with fat loss.

Water weight is what happens when your body retains more water/fluid than is required by the body. Severe calorie restriction, such as through a largely liquid-based diet, can lead to loss of water weight, which will cause the bathroom scale to go down – making people think they’ve lost actual weight.

Read more: Foods That Increase Metabolism And Burn Fat

How Much Weight Can You Lose on a 7-Day Detox?

If you’re thinking about fat loss, then you’re unlikely to lose any meaningful weight on a 7-day detox meal plan. As mentioned above, actual weight loss requires a healthy calorie deficit diet, exercise, sleep, and even reduced stress levels, which leads to a loss of 1 to 2 pounds a week.

Detox diets don’t incorporate healthy calorie restriction and leave you too weak to properly exercise. The severe hunger and other side effects of eating too few calories may also increase your stress levels and make it harder to sleep – all factors that will hinder any fat and weight loss efforts.

How to Do a 7-Day Weight Loss Detox Safely

Fundamentally, detox diets are not safe, so we can’t give you tips on how to make them safe. What we would suggest instead is that you ignore these fad diets completely and choose healthier weight loss methods, as the unfortunate truth is that weight loss takes time, and there is no quick fix.

Instead of trying to find a way to make detox diets safe or sustainable, both of which are impossible due to the very nature of the diet, we would instead recommend:

1. Reducing your average daily calorie intake by 500 – 750 calories (12).
2. Increasing your physical activity. Try simple exercises for at least 30 minutes a day and do a combination of cardio and strength training workouts.
3. Sleep more. Try getting 7 to 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.
4. Reduce stress. We know that stress is unavoidable, particularly in the modern world. However, you can find pockets of happiness and stress relief in your life. Endeavor to find these as they’re not only good for weight loss, they’re also good for your mental health.

Detox teas are another popular quick weight loss method. But are the purported detox tea benefits factual or yet another fad?

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is a good detox meal?

Detox meals aren’t a scientific thing. As previously mentioned, your body already has a detoxification system that works to cleanse the body, and unless these organs are infected, your body will do the job it needs to do. That being said, consuming healthy, nutrient-rich foods and meals can help keep you and your body healthy, which in turn keeps these organs disease-free and allows them to work as required.

• What is a good morning detox drink?

Most people state that lemon water, green juices, coconut water, or turmeric and cinnamon drinks make great morning detox drinks. However, as we previously mentioned, there is no clinical evidence that claims that these drinks do anything to cleanse or detoxify your body.

• Are eggs good for detox?

No food has been scientifically proven to help detox your body. However, eggs are an excellent source of high-quality protein and other beneficial nutrients, which makes them a fantastic addition to any healthy weight loss diet.

• Is cucumber good for detox?

As with eggs, no research has claimed that cucumbers, by themselves or in water, will help detoxify your body. However, cucumbers are low in calories and high in water content, which makes them a refreshing vegetable to have as a healthy snack or a great addition to a refreshing salad.

The Bottom Line

If weight loss, particularly long-term weight loss, is your goal, then a 7-day weight loss detox homemade meal plan should be the last thing on your mind. As with other detox weight loss plans, it’s nothing but a fad that won’t lead to any fat or weight loss. 

At most, it will simply lead to water weight loss, which could have easily been achieved through increased physical activity or a healthy reduction of refined carbohydrates and sodium in your diet. 

Instead, stick to a combination of a healthy, balanced calorie deficit diet and increased daily exercise. It may take time, but the weight loss will come and be sustainable in the long term.