It’s a blast from the past – the Grapefruit Diet. Is the Grapefruit Diet legitimate, or a money making diet scheme? I interviewed Dawn Jackson Blatner, a registered dietitian and certified specialist in sports dietetics, to find out the skinny on the Grapefruit Diet.
Lisa LaGrou of Oakland County Moms – We first heard about Grapefruit diets in the 80’s. How is your program different?
Dawn Jackson Blatner – Grapefruit does deserve to be the star of the show. When you think about half of a Florida grapefruit, or 8 oz. of 100% grapefruit juice… it provides 100% daily value in vitamin c, it’s water rich so it makes you feel full, and I really enjoy the bold and invigorating flavor so it gives you the natural energy. But around that superstar of grapefruit is a balanced diet. So I have been put in the new USDA MyPlate guidelines (whole grains, lean protein, tons of produce, low fat dairy, healthy fats)… to build around the grapefruit to make an actual balanced plan that is super tasty and easy to prepare.
Grapefruit Diet Interview Video
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Lisa LaGrou of Oakland County Moms – So you’re actually making meals using aspects of the grapefruit diet?
Dawn Jackson Blatner – Yes, absolutely. I’ve done some creative things with Florida grapefruit. I can take you through some things. All the seven days – breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks are in there right for the taking.
Lisa LaGrou of Oakland County Moms – What is your Grapefruit Diet approach in your workshops and nutrition counseling – Is it like bootcamp?
Dawn Jackson Blatner – I do a lot of different things, from working with pro athletes and individual clients. One of things that I think is most helpful out of all that I do is to create diets for national magazines. And so this is another way I could create and provide it to a large number of people. And, when I produced this particular Grapefruit Active Lifestyle Meal Plan, I had a fitness focus woman in mind. So, I made the plan with three meals a day and two snacks, so that the total was 1,600 calories. And that is really a sweet spot – it’s enough calories to fuel a workout but not too many to weigh anyone down. I also thought about vegetarians and vegans. There’s options for all of those types of eaters. And I think the number one thing is that women are busy. We need something that’s quick and we need something that’s going to taste good. I was able to use a lot of the cooking skills that I have to make sure that these recipes are very tasty.
Lisa LaGrou of Oakland County Moms – You mentioned that you work with professional athletes. Specifically, you’re the nutrition consultant for the Chicago Cubs. Do you offer the same tips and advice to moms as you would a professional athlete?
Dawn Jackson Blatner – Absolutely. You’d be surprised how similar from men to women, to athletes to non-athletes, how it really is the base – whole grains, lean protein, lots of produce, low fat dairy, and healthy fats, and this meal plan allows people understand how to have that balance while injecting it with that bold and invigorating flavor of the Florida grapefruit.
Lisa LaGrou of Oakland County Moms – What do you think of reality shows like “The Biggest Loser”? Do you think shows like that are good to motivate people or unrealistic?
Dawn Jackson Blatner – I congratulate anyone who is making the change for the healthy eating and the fitness, whether it’s a drastic thing like on a TV show, or whether it’s simple steps you take in your everyday life. I think it’s just important that wherever you’re at, you’re at least trying to make progress. You’re not trying to be perfect. You’re trying to make progress. That’s why I encourage people to try a seven day Grapefruit Active Lifestyle Meal Plan. It’s seven days to really show you the ropes of how to eat healthfully.
This article was originally posted in 2012
For more info on Dawn Jackson Blatner, visit her website. For more info on grapefruit or the grapefruit diet, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grapefruit_diet
