New Diet Books: The Virgin Diet: Drop 7 Foods, Lose 7 Pounds, Just 7 Days ^[1] by J.J. Virgin (Harlequin)
Type of diet: Anti-inflammatory, elimination, low-calorie, heart-healthy
Lifestyle: Menus and recipes
Cook/prep effort: Medium to high
Cost: $$-$$$ (medium to high)
Main goal: Energy, better health, lower cholesterol
Consider for: Weight loss; food sensitivities; digestive problems; diabetes

Plan basics:
The Virgin Diet is based on the notion that "food intolerance is the real cause of weight gain," according to author J.J. Virgin, a certified nutrition specialist featured on the TLC reality series "Freaky Eaters."

The plan involves removing seven foods from your diet – items to which many people's bodies have "high food intolerance" reactions, Virgin says. You may not be allergic to them, but if they affect you negatively, giving them up should make your metabolism, digestive and immune systems work better, she says.

How it works:
The plan has three cycles. During the first 3 weeks, you'll eliminate these foods from your diet:

Corn
Dairy
Eggs
Gluten
Peanuts
Soy
Sugar and artificial sweeteners

In their place, you'll eat vegetables, lean protein, high-water-content fruits and high-fiber carbs. This should result in quick weight loss while reducing inflammation and stabilizing blood sugar, Virgin says.

In Cycle 2, you create an individual diet plan over 4 weeks by adding the foods back into your diet, one at a time, to see if your body reacts badly. If it does, you don't tolerate that food, and should avoid eating it at least 95% of the time.

In Cycle 3, you start a permanent eating plan based on your body's food sensitivities.

The book takes you step-by-step through meal plans, shopping strategies and recipes, so there's little guesswork.