The Ice Cream Diet Plan

Losing weight is tricky, especially if you can't ditch your craving for ice cream. But the Ice Cream Diet, created by Holly McCord, is purported to help dieters lose weight while still eating ice cream every day. Any diet that involves eating the same foods over and over again is considered a fad diet, and may not provide healthy or maintainable weight loss. Consult your doctor before making any changes in your current eating plan, especially if you have health conditions or allergies.

The Ice Cream Diet is based on the book of the same name, written in 2002 by Holly McCord, M.A., R.D., a nutrition editor for "Prevention" magazine. In the book, McCord notes that dieters can eat a moderate portion of ice cream every day, as long as they stick with healthy, low-calorie meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. According to McCord, ice cream is high in calcium and may help keep dieters from feeling deprived while following an otherwise nutritious eating plan.

The Ice Cream Diet recommends that dieters eat a total of 1,250 calories plus one serving of ice cream per day, for a total of 1,500 calories per day. Sample meals may include a half bagel with cream cheese and a cup of fruit salad for breakfast, two slices of roast beef with lettuce and tomato and reduced-fat mayonnaise, low-fat milk and fruit as a snack, and one slice of veggie pizza with a side salad for dinner.

When you're burning more calories than you consume, you create a calorie deficit, causing weight loss. Whether you're eating ice cream or not, you will lose weight if you achieve this balance. The Ice Cream Diet recommends the same 1,500-calorie diet for everyone, which may not be healthy in your particular case. Your doctor may recommend a different diet based on your specific weight-loss needs.

Although The Ice Cream Diet may be more maintainable than low-calorie fad diets that involve eating nothing but cabbage soup or grapefruit, it is still a fad diet. Instead of following a strict eating plan, focus on eating a variety of fresh fruits and veggies, lean protein and whole grains in moderation for every meal. When you're feeling in the mood to indulge, eat between 100 and 200 calories of your favorite sweet or salty treat. If you're not in the mood, don't eat a bowl of ice cream just because it's there. Combine your healthy eating plan with daily exercise to lose weight and keep the weight off -- even if you're eating the occasional indulgence.