INDEX
- Generality
- How does it work
- Example
- Effectiveness
- Contraindications and Side Effects
Generality
The Plank diet is a fast , high- protein weight loss strategy , which apparently has a name that can be traced back to the scientist Max Plank.
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Max Plank, born in the 19th century and died in 1947, was a physicist scientist of German nationality who discovered and popularized “quantum theory” – hence “quantum mechanics”.
To be sure, there is no correlation between the well-known character and the Plank diet; in fact, the “Max Plank Society” (German public scientific research body) has denied any common thread between Max Plank’s projects and the objectives of the diet in question. Therefore, there is no link between the German icon of world physics and the weight loss system of the Plank diet. Obviously, it is impossible to understand the reason for such a choice and, what is certain, is that the first impression on the reliability of the protocol does not seem exactly the best .
The Plank diet is a weight loss system to be used only for 2 weeks , at the end of which you “should” end a weight loss of about 9 kilograms . After these 14 days, the weight “should” remain constant for about 3 years , thanks to the metabolic changes imposed on the body.
How does it work
Now we come to the big question: ” How does the Plank diet work ?”
The Plank diet could be called a ” lightning diet “, which is an ultra- fast weight loss technique .
We also reiterate that it is a high-protein diet , which therefore provides a quantity of proteins considerably higher than the recommendations (of any country) for a healthy and correct diet .
The Plank diet drastically reduces (and sometimes eliminates) some foods from the ordinary menu (such as sugar and oil ). Furthermore, no reference is made to the portions and weights of the foods chosen. Finally, there is no protocol of motor physical activity associated with the diet.
Example
Plank Diet Example
Below we will summarize a typical menu , that is the original version , of the Plank diet.
It is a “draft” available on the website of the system in question, which is why, for the purposes of greater transparency, I invite all readers to consult it to confirm the truthfulness and updating of what will be exposed. Without distinction between: sex , age , morphological type , constitution , initial BMI or weight , the following menu is suggested:
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | |
| Day 1 | Sugar-free coffee QB * | 2 hard- boiled eggs and lightly salted spinach to taste | Cooked ham QB |
| Day 2 | Sugar-free coffee QB and some bread | 1 steak with QB salad and fruit | Cooked ham QB |
| Day 3 | Sugar-free coffee QB and some bread | 2 hard-boiled eggs and tomato salad to taste | QB cooked ham and salad |
| Day 4 | Sugar-free coffee QB and some bread | 1 egg, raw or boiled carrots to taste and Swiss cheese | Fruit and 1 yogurt |
| Day 5 | Carrots , lemon and sugar-free coffee QB | Steamed fish and tomatoes | 1 steak with salad garnish |
| Day 6 | Tea with lemon juice | Grilled chicken _ | 2 hard-boiled eggs and carrots |
| Day 7 | Tea with lemon juice | A grilled steak and fruit | Anything you want |
* QB = How Much Enough
- Some ancillary indications are: drinkwater frequently and as much as possible (even over 2 liters per day) to counteract protein excess (attempt to safeguard kidney health).
- The diet should be followed with fidelity at least from the eighth day onwards.
Effectiveness
Does the Plank diet work?
Like all high-protein diets – in one way or another, low-calorie – even the Plank diet certainly makes you lose weight ; since it is a diet for weight loss , this is certainly not an unexpected result.
Most practitioners of the Plank diet have achieved a positive result, but it would be more important to understand if this corresponds to the goal of the Plank diet: -9kg in 14 days and no weight gain for the next 3 years .
Obviously, any (conscientious) user should not report any comments (if not negative, for any weight gain before age 3) until the application time has expired. For most, that’s not the case.
By scrutinizing the comments on the net, whose veracity should still be ascertained, many claim to have obtained results very similar to those expected, therefore between 6 and 9 kg, in proportion to the rigor employed in following the diet. First of all, a “more or less” 3 kg on a target of 9 is absolutely not a good result, as it corresponds to 33% of the total. This fluctuation does not indicate good applicability .
With a nutritionally balanced diet it is not possible (it would not be considered as such) to lose more than 700-1000 g per week, therefore 1.4-2.0 kg in 14 days; however, this prediction is calculated on the relationship between: estimate of anthropometric characteristics, total energy expenditure and caloric intake of the diet (the latter should not correspond to less than 70% of the real energy requirement ). What can you say, despite being a slower (but also less stressful) method, it “guesses” with remarkable precision the progression of weight loss and, barring complications, leaves no unknowns.
Continuing to analyze what users have written, it is already possible to observe some complaints about the retention potential ; among other things, we must always keep in mind that not everyone has the foresight to communicate their negative experiences and that, alas, failure to comply with the diet is often perceived as a personal failure , which exponentially reduces the possibility of public comments negative.
The Plank diet promises: “no maintenance phase at the end of the diet”, but it is then suggested to avoid alcohol and sugars (presumably the simple discretionary ones, such as sucrose ), and to limit carbohydrates (even if we remember that even simple sugars are carbohydrates ; this clarification is not clear).
The so-called ” aggressiveness ” of the Plank diet is to be understood as ” drasticity ” or “incisiveness”; whatever word is used to define it, it should discourage the most zealous consumers to use it; on the other hand it seems to tempt those who, in order to lose a size, would put their health at risk.
Contraindications and Side Effects
Is the Plank Diet Bad?
With regard to this last statement it is necessary to clarify. In itself, assuming perfect health (especially liver and kidneys ) and a level of physical activity no more than “moderate”, a 14-day high- protein diet should n’t be harmful to the body. However, it is necessary to keep in mind that it will be necessary to deal with: constant tendency to hypoglycemia , ketoacidosis and dehydration , nutritional deficiency of many minerals and vitamins , lack of dietary fiber , hungeretc. Often, these circumstances lead to: cramps , weakness, asthenia , sleep disturbance, etc.
It is also essential to keep in mind that the Plank diet, being very rich in ingredients of animal origin, could tend to increase blood cholesterol levels . It goes without saying that an excess of the latter is linked to the onset of atherosclerosis , which is why the Plank diet is to be considered unsuitable for people already predisposed to hypercholesterolemia . Severe diabetics , people with kidney or liver disease , hyperuricaemic (or gouty), growing subjects , pregnant women and women should also avoid the Plank diet .feed us . Personally, I would also add all those who carry out a physically intense work activity and sportsmen.
Beyond all this, the most negative aspect concerns the education and experience lived in a similar slimming path . Accepting such a strongly unbalanced diet means giving in to a slimming drive that reveals too high a discomfort (nowadays quite widespread) and the desire to achieve a body image different from one’s own at any cost; a very bad emotional condition. Moreover, since it is a diet potentially inadequate for maintenance and predisposing to the yo-yo effect , it contributes to the accumulation of negative dietary experiences that inexorably worsen self- esteem and the relationship with food.
