You have surely heard actresses on television say that they have lost weight dramatically thanks to a detox diet. It is possible? Yes it is and you too can successfully do it as long as you understand some basic things.

Before you start the detox diet, you must first consult with your doctor to be sure that it is safe. Nursing mothers or those who are pregnant should not try it. The same goes for people with certain medical conditions.

You also have to understand that there is a preparation phase involved before you get started. To do this, you have to reduce your consumption of alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, sugars and certain foods at least a week in advance, drinks lots of water and get plenty of rest.

It is best to also exercise at least 20 to 30 minutes a day to prepare your body physically for what is about to happen. This should also be done during the detox diet and even after to maintain your energy levels.

Naturally, you will have to buy the fruits and vegetables you will be using for the next few days. Ideally, these should be organic but if there is none, make sure to peel off the skin and wash these first before consuming.

Not all detox diets will require you to eat it raw. In fact, some programs will only tell you to eat 85% of it raw while the other 15% is cooked.

So you don't get tired eating the same fruits or vegetables for the duration of the program, you have to know which ones work well together. An option is to mix carrots or tomatoes with celery, cucumber or spinach. If fruits are involved, use apple, cranberry or pineapple but never orange because it is highly acidic.

It will be very useful if you had a juice but if you don't, a regular blended will work. You should consume a certain volume of at least 64 ounces of the fruit or vegetable for the next few days and then drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water.

For those who are unable to finish the drink made for that day, don't worry because fruit juices will stay good for about 3 days while vegetable juices are good for 5 days.

Should the detox program last for about 3 days or longer, you can add in some solid fruits and vegetables during the succeeding days. If at any point you will dizzy, nauseous or you want to throw up, stop the program and get medical help. 

Let's say you have finished the detox diet. What happens next? Well, since detox diets are only good for the short term as this may be harmful to your health, it is best to gradually return to solid foods.

If you feel good about what it has done, this can be done again. Experts advise that this should only be done once or twice in a year.

The detox diet does more than cleanse your system. It may also help reduce your weight but don't be fooled because the only thing you lost is water. You will eventually get this back when you go back to your regular diet.

There are many detox diets to choose from so read about each one to get to know what it is. If you don't like to drink it, you can also eat it.