The V8 Diet is intended for adults, excluding pregnant or breastfeeding women, or individuals with special medical needs. Adults are advised to consult with a physician before beginning any diet and/or exercise program.
The V8 Diet is designed to provide approximately 1,200 calories per day. This should result in a healthy weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week for women under 165 pounds who do not exercise regularly. Men, heavier women, and those who exercise regularly generally require more calories (about 1,600 calories per day) to meet their nutrient needs. If you need additional calories above 1,200 calories, follow the calorie boosters recommendations shown to increase your calorie intake for a healthy rate of weight loss.
If, after the first week, you find that you are losing more than 2 pounds per week, you will need to add more food to your diet. To do so, increase your calorie level by 400 calories by following the new calorie level in the calorie boosters guide. If, after a week at this level, your weight loss is still too rapid, go up another 200 calories by adding the calorie boosters recommended at the new calorie level in the guide each day. Continue monitoring your weight loss weekly, and adding calorie boosters as needed until weight loss slows to a healthy rate.
The V8 Diet is a well balanced eating plan. To ensure you are meeting recommended daily amounts of essential nutrients, we recommend that you take a multivitamin and mineral supplement when following the V8 Diet or any other weight loss plan. Be sure to check the "Supplement Facts" panel and select a product that provides no more than 100% of the Daily Value for vitamins and minerals. Please consult with your physician for additional information about other supplements.
Yes—regular exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Exercise burns calories and should help to increase weight loss. Sticking to a regular exercise program after losing weight has been found to be one of the key success factors for keeping weight off. Simple ways to add more exercise into your busy day are to walk instead of ride, whenever possible, and to use the stairs more often instead of an elevator/escalator. If you do not currently exercise, try to work up to 30-45 minutes of walking, 3-5 days/week. Be sure to consult your physician before beginning an exercise program.
The V8 Diet can be adapted for maintaining weight by adding more foods slowly until weight loss stops. Add 400 additional calories by following the recommended calorie boosters for the new calorie level to your daily diet for a week and see if your weight stabilizes. If you continue to lose weight, add 200 more calories to your daily diet by following the recommendations for calorie boosters at the new calorie level. Continue until your weight stabilizes. You can also visit mypyramid.gov to find your personal pyramid and follow the MyPyramid recommendations for a healthful diet.
When you increase your fruit and vegetable consumption you increase your fiber intake in your diet. This is unlikely to result in serious discomfort. If you experience significant discomfort, please consult with your physician.
In 2005, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a new version of the food pyramid, called MyPyramid. At mypyramid.gov you will find useful information to help you live a healthier life and be more active, as well as learn about your personal pyramid.