Abby Langer, R.D., of Abby Langer Nutrition

The <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a26754453/gwyneth-paltrow-flow-alkaline-water/" id="495e88bf-f689-34c6-a855-115cb8019fef"> alkaline diet </a> fits neatly into this category. Honestly, I cant understand why its still around after all this time-not to mention why alkalizing powders, juices, waters, etc., are everywhere. The promise of the alkaline diet? That "alkalizing" your body-a.k.a. making it less acidic-can make you healthier and help you drop pounds.

But let's talk about the legitimacy of that for a minute...

<h1> First, what exactly is an alkaline diet? </h1>

An alkaline diet is one thats based on the premise that certain foods leave an acidic "ash" in our bodies, that allegedly causes tissues to become "acidified," leading to health issues like osteoporosis, heart disease, and cancer. The diet also claims to help people lose weight

This comes from the diets founder Robert Young, who wrote the book The pH Miracle: Balance Your Diet, Reclaim Your Health. But, heads up, Young is not a licensed doctor-he was actually arrested for practicing medicine without a license, according to a news release from the <a href="http://www.mbc.ca.gov/About_Us/Media_Room/2014/news_releases_20140124_young.pdf" id="36955185-5114-30fc-a8f1-961ecad1b615"> Medical Board of California </a> . You was also ordered to pay $105 million to a female cancer patient whom he counseled to forego traditional cancer treatment, according to the <a href="https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/sd-me-phmiracle-civil-verdict-20181102-story.html" id="39cb1bbe-47c9-38df-a78b-1ad44a295034"> The San Diego Union-Tribune </a> , but court records indicate the case is still ongoing.

His "diet" urges people to avoid "acidic" foods, which, according to the alkaline diet can include meat, dairy, eggs, grains, chickpeas, and many legumes. Fats, on the other hand, are "neutral" foods, while "alkaline" foods are most fruits and vegetables, white rice, and some nuts and seeds. (FYI: <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a21072991/alkaline-water-benefits/" id="3e0ad08b-f897-3e8e-a2b8-d2b0845446dd"> Alkaline water </a> , which isn't necessarily helpful either.)

<h1> So, will the alkaline diet make me healthier-or help me lose weight? </h1>

Im just going to put it right out there: You cant "alkalize" your body with food. The acidity of your blood is held tightly between 7.35 and 7.45; and your kidneys and lungs work hard 24/7 to maintain a homeostasis in your body. Some extra kale isn't going to change that.

Nor would you want it to, tbh: Losing control of your acid-base balance occurs only when a person is extremely ill (think: kidney failure, lung failure, or <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a25133977/ketosis-vs-ketoacidosis/" id="3f065045-03c6-3062-a55e-a39030281da6"> diabetic ketoacidosis </a> ). Those conditions cause a very serious and immediate threat to your life.

Some alkaline dieters even measure the pH of their urine to try and assess whether theyre properly "alkalized," but not only is this futile, it's completely inaccurate-that's because the pH balance of your urine goes up and down depending on the foods you eat (and urine acidity does not impact your health, as it's what the body is flushing out).

And as far as weight loss goes, sure, you might lose weight on the diet-but it has absolutely nothing to do with your body's pH levels. The only reason you'd actually lose weight on the alkaline diet would be because you're improving the quality of your diet (less refined carbs, more fruits and vegetables), and/or decreasing calories overall-two things that happen independent of food acidity or alkalinity.

<h1> Should I try an alkaline diet? </h1>

Basically, the alkaline diet's reported benefits aren't supported by science, but it does have one single benefit: It can help you eat better, if you typically have a diet that's highly processed without many whole foods. The alkaline diet cuts out sugars and ultra-processed foods, so following it will force you to eat whole and minimally processed foods like fruits and vegetables.

But as far as alkalizing your body goes, the diet won't do it for you-because, again, your body keeps track of its own pH levels pretty damn well on its own.

The bottom line: Sure, the alkaline diet might improve your health or help you lose weight-but it won't have anything to do with your pH levels.

Its funny how some nutrition myths persist, even when, scientifically, they dont make any sense.

What Is An Alkaline Diet—And Can It Help You Lose Weight?

The <a href="https://www.hmrprogram.com/" id="7fc3f0fe-57b8-3ebf-ab33-548f26144d3f"> HMR Program </a> (which stands for Health Management Resources) puts that theory to the test. HMR promises easy results using pre-prepared foods (shakes and meals) and a highly structured format to help followers drop a lot of weight fast. But, as a registered dietitian, I was wary of the diet, so I decided to give it a closer look-here's what you really need to know about the HMR Program.

<h1> What is the HMR program, and how does it work? </h1>

HMR has <a href="https://www.hmrprogram.com/plans" id="4be8db70-b75a-3d14-ae85-ff876e7e4c5f"> two different program options </a> : the Healthy Solutions plan, which consists of around 1,200 calories per day, and the Decision-Free plan, which consists of 500 to 800 calories a day. (FYI: The latter plan is medically-supervised, so you need to work with a doctor on that one.)

As far as the Healthy Solutions option goes, the plan is broken up into two phases. The first phase uses what the company calls the "three-two-five daily plan," a.k.a. a daily menu of three HMR shakes, two HMR entrees, and five servings of fruits and vegetables. This phase also suggests moderate exercise, plus food and activity tracking.

Phase one typically lasts four to eight weeks-or as long as it takes for you to reach your goal weight for that phase. For phase two, you'll add in your own cooked meals gradually, subbing one pre-made entree with a measured portion of lean protein or grain a week, then adding on from there.

During both phases, youll have access to an online community of HMR dieters, online resources on the HMR blog, an online health coach, and an HMR calorie guide to help you keep your calories on track.

This doesn't come cheap. The program can cost around $600 a month after the first three weeks (there's a $179 introductory rate for the Healthy Solutions plan), and you still need to provide your own produce. Prices vary by location for the in-person Decision-Free plan.

<h1> Does the HMR program help with weight loss, and should I try it? </h1>

According to the HMR website, those who participated in Healthy Solutions lost anywhere from 13 to 28 pounds in 12 weeks; those who opted for the in-clinic Decision-Free program lost an average of 38 pounds in 12 weeks. On top of that, <a href="https://health.usnews.com/best-diet/hmr-program" id="f84dc440-10bc-322f-aa3e-4011a5278b9a"> U.S. News and World Report </a> ranked the HMR Program as the number one diet for the Best Fast Weight Loss Diets. (It was ranked number 30 for Best Diets Overall).

If I'm being honest, any diet that is low calorie (HMR is considered "very low-calorie" per the study) will be effective for weight loss. But the million-dollar question is, will it last? A 2016 study in the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4446719/" id="e1d44f30-983c-379a-ae84-a0b2ffa79410"> Annals of Internal Medicine </a> showed that, while HMR patients lost more weight than people following other commercial diets, researchers were unable to determine whether they kept that weight off past one year.

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Btb1LJ5F20Y/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" id="3d6faf7f-d3a6-3006-acb5-5ed6b5ef3730"> View this post on Instagram </a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Btb1LJ5F20Y/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" id="0dfb421e-2503-35f2-afa4-ba80b813b459"> Take your chicken to a new level with this simple recipe! Perfectly tender and juicy chicken with a Mexican flare. INGREDIENTS 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast 2 Cups salsa verde DIRECTIONS 1. Add the chicken and salsa verde to a large pot, cover, and heat over medium-high heat. 2. Boil until chicken is tender and fully cooked through, about 12-15 min. 3. Once the chicken is done, remove from pot and shred using 2 forks on a cutting board. 4. Add shredded chicken back to the pot and mix with the salsa verde. 5. Use chicken in tacos, on top of salads, or with a side of veggies. #salsaverdechicken #gamedayrecipe #chickentacos </a> A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hmrprogram/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" id="29cdcccc-e200-356b-a1aa-99b88c5839dd"> HMR Program </a> (@hmrprogram) on Feb 3, 2019 at 1:33pm PST

Probably not. HMR qualifies as a restrictive diet. So, while you may lose weight, you may also have trouble keeping it off, as many restrictive diets are hard to stick to, long-term. Another major issue with the HMR program: all the meal-replacement shakes (three a day on the Healthy Solutions plan; up to five a day on the Decision-Free plan). Unlike a balanced meal, these shakes are unlikely to satisfy both your appetite and your nutrient requirements in the long-term. And shakes don't exactly teach you to cook and plan meals for yourself, a major key to lasting, sustainable weight loss.

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl_FthQgpZr/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" id="4f572bf5-031c-357c-a715-bf00b09363ef"> View this post on Instagram </a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl_FthQgpZr/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" id="2d4c1dcf-3eea-31f3-aa34-7e8c7b4773d5"> Get all the goodness of a banana split with only 150 calories! Filled with the flavors you love and will be sure to satisfy that sweet tooth. This recipe supports the Decision Free, Healthy Solutions, and Phase 2 diet plan. INGREDIENTS 1 HMR 120 Vanilla Shake 1 tsp sugar-free banana cream pudding mix 1 tsp sugar-free white chocolate pudding mix 1 tsp sugar-free cheesecake pudding mix 1/2 tsp rum extract 1/2 tsp banana extract 1 Cup cold water 4 Ice cubes DIRECTIONS 1. Add ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. </a> A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hmrprogram/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" id="29cdcccc-e200-356b-a1aa-99b88c5839dd"> HMR Program </a> (@hmrprogram) on Aug 2, 2018 at 10:59am PDT

Ultimately, even though having everything spelled out for you sounds awesome, HMR doesn't leave room for eating intuitively (eating when you're hungry, stopping when you're full). You're essentially just eating what the diet tells you to, when it tells you to, which can disrupt your ability to identify what your body is trying to tell you.

A diet like this can also lead to guilt around food and eating-especially when you go off the diet and don't have a regimented schedule. And socially-speaking, this diet can be very isolating, in particular during phase one, when social situations involving food are discouraged.

The bottom line : While you can lose weight on the HMR program, I don't recommend it-especially as a long-term diet plan.

What Exactly Is The HMR Program For Weight Loss?

If someone could just cook for you and tell you what to eat and when, losing weight would be sooo simple...right?

What Is The HMR Diet—And Can It Really Help You Lose Weight?

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Abby Langer, R.D., of Abby Langer Nutrition

Articles written by the author

What Is An Alkaline Diet—And Can It Help You Lose Weight?

What Is The HMR Diet—And Can It Really Help You Lose Weight?