Strunz diet

What is the Strunz Diet?

The doctor and endurance athlete Dr. Ulrich Strunz invented the “Strunz Diet”, also known as the “Forever Young” diet, which consists of a low-carbohydrate diet and a disciplined exercise program. With the help of this diet it should be possible to lose up to 7 kg of body weight in a week.

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Instructions for the Strunz diet

The Strunz diet is designed to help you achieve your dream weight in just three stages, and that is healthy and effective. While the first week of the diet is carbohydrate-free, idle fat-burning enzymes are to be awakened. The diet effect is accelerated by a balanced body training that consists of endurance and strength. As a result, the metabolism is fully in motion within a month and the fat burning gradually increases.

The second phase of the Strunz diet should be carried out until the individual desired weight is reached. Finally the third phase, the so-called permanent nutrition, which aims to maintain the desired weight in the long term and prevent the dreaded yo-yo effect.

Phase 1 - the vital fat burning

The first radical Vita fat burning phase lasts about seven to ten days. Exercise is very intense, at least 30 minutes a day jogging and 10 minutes strength training. In addition, the diet in the first phase consists only of fruit, salad, vegetables and protein drinks. It is important that sufficient fluids are drunk and that vitamin and mineral supplements are taken. Animal fats are prohibited at this stage.

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Phase 2 - the interval diet

In the next two to ten weeks, you will alternate between vital fat burning and Forever Young days. On Forever Young days, fruits and vegetables with carbohydrates (whole grain products) and lean meat and fish. Only fruit, vegetables and protein shakes may be consumed on the vital fat burning days. Phase two is only ended when the desired dish has been reached.

Phase 3 - permanent nutrition

The third phase of the Strunz diet is used to maintain the desired weight. The main focus of this phase is on dinner, which consists exclusively of salad, meat, fish, vegetables and fruit. A protein drink should also be prepared once a day. Sufficient water and a disciplined exercise program are essential pillars of this diet.

How much can I / should I lose weight with this form of diet?

Approximately half a kilogram per day is given as a guideline. But it should be remembered that weight loss does not mean losing fat.
You can lose about 1 pound of body fat a week. The value depends heavily on physical activity and the combination of diet and protein drinks.

Since the second phase of the diet should be carried out until the desired weight is reached, different amounts of weight can be lost with the help of the diet, depending on your own goals. So it depends on the target weight with which you want to leave the intensive second phase of the diet in order to maintain or even improve this target weight in the third phase.

How can I avoid the yo-yo effect with the Strunz diet?

If a complete change in diet actually takes place, the weight can be maintained without the yo-yo effect (see also: Lose weight by changing your diet). The prerequisite is that you continue to eat healthily and do sports. The third phase of the Strunz diet is intended for this in order to maintain the desired weight permanently and not to fall into old patterns.

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Side effect of the Strunz diet

In general, the Strunz diet does not cause any symptoms, as the food is healthy and physical activity should also be carried out in a healthy manner. As a food-related side effect, it is not uncommon for raw or steamed vegetables to cause bloating, as the diet contains a lot of fiber, which forms gases in the body.

Criticism of the Strunz diet

Some people who have successfully lost weight with the Strunz diet criticize the protein shakes, which are expensive and, if you make your own with protein powder, are difficult to prepare at work, for example.

What are the risks / dangers of the Strunz diet?

Since the Strunz diet is a low-carbohydrate diet, cravings and abdominal pain can occur, especially at the beginning of the diet change. Fruit and vegetables should therefore be consumed in sufficient quantities to avoid this. People who are very overweight should also make sure that the exercise program is not too demanding for them.

Where can I find good recipes for the Strunz diet?

There are numerous very easy to cook recipes for the Strunz diet on the Internet. Of course, in the books on the Strunz diet by Dr. Ulrich Strunz offers a variety of recipes that are assigned to the different diet phases. The advantage in the books is that the corresponding diet plan can be found in a structured manner and the diet can be carried out more easily according to the instructions. The website of the inventor of the diet also provides numerous recipes.

Medical evaluation of the diet by

The Strunz diet is ideal for athletes and people who want to lose weight very quickly. The time flexibility of the second phase until reaching the personal desired weight allows you to plan the diet individually. The third phase helps very well to change the diet permanently and to avoid the dreaded yo-yo effect.

For people who are very overweight, the first phase of the diet in particular can be very difficult to adhere to, as the diet is very radically reduced to fruit, vegetables and protein. In addition, there is the disciplined sports program, which is not necessarily acceptable in its form for previous sports fans. For very overweight people, an initially slower change in diet is better, as well as a gradually increased exercise program to combat obesity.

What alternative diets are there to the Strunz diet?

If the Strunz diet program is too tight, the low-carb diet, for example, can be used, which is considered to be easier to implement. Here, carbohydrates are increasingly replaced by protein so that the body gains its energy from it and breaks down the body's own fat instead of incorporating it.

The low-carb Atkins diet, which consists of individual Atkins phases and provides a plan, is also known.

If it is difficult to do without carbohydrates, diets that are particularly high in carbohydrates such as the rice diet can be tried. In general, people who have not done much sport should start training slowly and gradually improve.

What are the costs of a Strunz diet?

The Strunz diet is based on many healthy foods that are not exactly cheap. Daily foods consist of legumes, nuts, fish, and seafood, which can be more expensive. In winter the prices for fruit and vegetables rise a little accordingly, but nowadays it is easier to buy high quality fruit and vegetables cheaply.

The protein drinks, which are an essential part of all diet phases, represent a greater cost factor than the generally healthy foods. Depending on the brand, protein shakes cost between 5 and 25 euros per kilogram.