With summer coming in a few months, the desire for a better body can take affect. While working out and eating right can help do that, many diets normally involve starving oneself, drinking juices, eating a lot of a certain food, or any combination of these.

But two questions need to be asked: Does it really work? And is it safe? There is a diet that works on the chemical breakdown of foods. As long as the diet is followed exactly and no substitutions are made, one can lose up to 10 pounds in three days. I did this diet and it was 100 percent successful; my mother has tried it in the past with the same result. The diet is broken down by eating specific foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner for three days.

Breakfast on the first day consists of black coffee or tea, half of a grapefruit, and one slice of toast with two tablespoons of peanut butter. For lunch, eat half a cup of tuna and one slice of toast with coffee or tea. To end the first day, have six ounces of meat, one cup of string beans, one cup of beets, one small apple, and one cup of vanilla ice cream.

For the second day, breakfast is one egg cooked any way, one slice of toast, half a banana, and coffee or tea. Lunch is one cup of cottage cheese and five saltine crackers. The end of the day is two hotdogs, one cup of broccoli, half a cup of carrots, half a banana, and half a cup of vanilla ice cream.

The final day is the hardest. Breakfast is five saltine crackers, one slice of cheddar cheese, one small apple with black coffee or tea. One hard boiled egg and one slice of toast is lunch. The final meal of the diet consists of one cup of tuna, one cup of beets, one cup of cauliflower, half a cup of cantaloupe, and half a cup of vanilla ice cream.

The diet  is completely safe but there are things to remember: no snacking between meals. Salt and pepper can be used but no other seasonings or sauces can be used. Drink lots of water throughout the day.The diet is designed to only be done for three days. After the three days, eat a normal healthy diet. If dieting is not something that is desired but a healthier lifestyle is, try these suggestions.

• Drink plenty of water; sometimes thirst is confused as hunger.
• Everything is good in moderation so it’s okay to have a sweet once in a while.
• Switch pasta with vegetables; this will reduce starch intake that can cause weight gain.
• Always eat breakfast, even if it is just a piece of fruit. Skipping breakfast can cause one to snack throughout the day and eat more than necessary at lunch.