List of Diets

Gain Weight Diet

2008-07-04T18:58:00.000-07:00

The secret to packing on pounds of solid muscle mass is simple: For the most part, the types of foods you eat on a muscle-gaining program are the same ones you should eat all the time, whether you want to lose, gain or maintain - you just need to eat more of them. "Just eat more" is easier said than done, however. It seems like you’re constantly shopping, cooking and eating. Sometimes preparing food and eating it can seem like a full time job! One way to make gaining weight and forcing down all that food less of a chore is to choose foods (or supplements) with a HIGHER CALORIE DENSITY. By doing so, you can get more calories in the same amount of food.
Understand the Calorie Content of Food
All proteins and all carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram and all fats have 9 calories per gram, but not all foods have the same number of calories per unit of volume. Let me explain:
Imagine for a moment, two measuring cups (the kind you have in your kitchen) and notice the amount of space in each container. Got it? Now visualize the two cups side by side; one filled with chopped cucumber and one filled with raisins. Each cup now contains exactly the same VOLUME of food, right? But did you know that the cup of raisins has 37 times more calories? That’s right! The cup of cucumbers contains 14 calories, while the cup of raisins contains 520 calories. If cucumbers and raisins both have four calories per gram, then how could this be? The answer has to do with calorie density. The cucumbers have a lower calorie density because they have a higher fiber and water content. The calories in the raisins are more "concentrated."
And that’s the secret to getting enough calories to gain weight: choose calorie-concentrated foods.
If you learn which foods are nutrition dense and calorie dense, you can use this information to help you gain lean weight more easily than ever before.
Low-Calorie Foods
Fibrous carbohydrates and vegetables such as lettuce, asparagus, cucumber and broccoli have very low calorie densities because your body can’t absorb the caloric content of fiber. That makes veggies an excellent choice when you want to lose body fat. Before competitions, bodybuilders usually reduce or remove high calorie simple sugars and starches from their diets and replace them with fibrous carbohydrates. (Goodbye bagels and pasta, hello broccoli and asparagus!)
On the other side of the coin, the low calorie density of most vegetables is the very reason that they don’t help you gain weight. Think about it; you would have to eat a wheelbarrow full of lettuce, cucumbers or spinach before you consumed enough calories to make the scale budge at all! It’s wise to always include vegetables in your diet (because they’re good for you), but you won’t get enough calories to gain weight from veggies alone; you have to eat lots of high density foods or you’ll be fighting an uphill battle.
Calorie-Dense Carbs
So now let’s look at some "calorie-dense" foods that can help you pack on the pounds:
Simple carbohydrates such as fruit have higher calorie densities than vegetables because simple carbs are more concentrated and have less fiber. Fruit juice is even more concentrated than the fruit itself. A medium sized orange contains about 60 calories. A glass of orange juice has about 160 calories. Fruit and fruit juice, therefore, make great additions to a weight-gaining program.
Taken to the extreme, concentrating and refining carbohydrates results in empty calorie products like white sugar and white bread. Although these are calorie dense foods, they have little or no nutritional value. Don’t add nutritionally void foods to your diet just for the sake of more calories - it’s the quality and nutritional value of the calories you want, not just the quantity. You should look for foods that are high in calories that are unrefined and as close to their natural form as possible (the way they came out of the ground).
Complex carbohydrates (starches) such as whole grains, pasta, cereals, beans, yams, potatoes and rice also have higher calorie densities than fibrous carbs. A typical restaurant sized serving of pasta contains 800-1000 calories. Obviously, pasta and other complex carbohydrates are great foods for gaining weight.
Correct Use of Fats
Ok, now that you know what carbs to eat, let’s talk about fat. Fat can also have a major impact on the calorie content of foods. Fats have more than twice as many calories per gram than carbohydrates or protein (9 calories per gram vs. 4 calories per gram), so foods that are 100% fat have the most calories per volume. Olive oil, which is pure fat, contains 1920 calories per cup. Any food that has a lot of fat in it will have a high calorie density. Peanut butter, for example, has 1600 calories per cup; Cashews have 780 calories per cup.
I’m not suggesting that you start devouring French fries, cheeseburgers and sausage every day for the sake of gaining weight - if you do, you’ll gain weight all right - right on your belly or backside! Your diet should always be low in fat (15-25% of your total calories), but not all fats are bad. It’s the saturated fats like fried foods, butter and tropical oils that you should avoid.
In small amounts, unsaturated, "healthy" fats are not only good for you, but they can help you gain weight more quickly than if you didn’t eat any fat at all. Just one tablespoon of flaxseed oil and two tablespoons of peanut butter would add nearly 500 calories to your daily diet and you’d hardly notice that any extra food was added.
Protein - The Muscle Builder
Protein foods that contain some fat will also be higher in calories. 4 oz of Chinook salmon has 262 calories and 15 grams of (good) fat; 4 oz of Haddock has 137 calories and only 1 gram of fat. Because of the higher calories and the essential fatty acids (good fats), cold water fish like Salmon are another great addition to a weight gain program.
The best proteins for gaining muscle are the lean ones like chicken, lean beef, egg whites, turkey and fish. Lean cuts of red meat like round or flank steak are excellent for gaining weight. Avoid fatty cuts of beef, as well as pork, sausage, bacon and whole milk products because they contain large amounts of artery-clogging, unhealthy saturated fat.

Supplements - Are They Useful?
I’m a huge believer in always choosing whole foods over supplements whenever possible. However, it’s not easy to eat whole foods 5 or 6 times per day if you have a busy schedule. If you have a hard time getting enough calories from food, then you should consider using a weight gain or meal replacement product because drinking your calories is a lot easier than eating them.
Meal replacements are usually powdered products that you mix with water, milk or juice. You can also increase the calories further by adding peanut butter, flax oil, fruit or your other favorite ingredient and mixing up the whole concoction in a blender.
Don’t just blindly follow the instructions on the container. One thing that most people don’t realize is that you need to customize your supplement intake to your exact calorie needs. Just because the package says there are "1000 calories per serving" doesn’t mean that’s how many you need. Adjust the serving size to fit your own diet.
For example, if you need 3000 calories to gain weight, that breaks down into five 600-calorie meals or six 500-calorie meals. There’s no need to shovel down 1000 calories at a time just because the label says so - that’s only going to make you fat.
Meal Replacement Products
Some products were designed as meal replacements for fat loss programs. These usually come in individual serving packets, they have about 280-300 calories per serving and they contain more protein than carbohydrates; this way, they fit into the guidelines of a low carbohydrate, high protein, fat burning diet. These products are not as cost-effective when you’re trying to gain weight. 300 calories is not enough for mass-building meal. If you decide to use this type of product for weight gain, you’ll need to mix it with a calorie containing liquid like juice or skim milk to bring the calories up to 500-700 (or whatever your diet calls for).
When you want to gain muscle, you’d be better off choosing a product that was specifically designed for that purpose. These "weight gainers" are much more concentrated in calories and contain more carbohydrates.
Using mostly carbs (sugars) and skimping on the protein is a dirty trick that supplement companies use to make a product cheap to manufacture. Read the labels carefully and avoid any product that is mostly sugar with very little protein. A good product will have approximately one part protein for every two parts of carbohydrates and small amounts of fat. For example, a drink mix with 40 grams of protein, 80 grams of carbs, and 2 grams of fat would provide almost 500 calories. If you wanted even more calories, you could mix the powder in skim milk or juice instead of water.
7 Steps to Gain Weight
So, let’s summarize your strategy for quickly and easily adding more calories to your diet:
Continue to eat the same healthy foods you always eat, but simply eat more of them.
Choose foods with a higher calorie density. You could eat broccoli and salad until your face hurts from chewing so much, but you still won’t get enough calories.
Eat plenty of starchy carbohydrates including whole grains & cereals, pasta, potatoes, yams, beans, rice and oatmeal.
Don’t be afraid of adding a little bit of fat. Keep your diet low in fat overall, but add in some of the healthy "good" fats (such as flax oil, olive oil, or a couple tablespoons of peanut butter) and you’ll gain weight more quickly.
Just because you’re trying to gain weight doesn’t mean you have a license to eat anything you want. Go for nutritional value as well as calorie density; avoid saturated fats, sugar and processed junk foods.
If you can’t seem to get enough calories from food, then a meal replacement or weight gainer supplement can make your life a lot easier. Adjust the serving size to fit your calorie needs and make sure the product has a good protein to carb ratio.
Don’t be afraid to drink a lot of your calories in the form of low fat/skim milk, juice or supplements/shakes.

Very Low Calorie Diets

2008-07-04T09:40:00.000-07:00

A Very Low Calorie Diet is a diet where normal meals are replaced with drinks, soups, or bars. The typical daily calorie intake is on or under the 800 mark - however the aim is to be as nutritionally balanced as possible.

Prescription Only

A Very Low Calorie Diet is normally only used privately and in the medical profession to bring about rapid weight loss in the dangerously overweight person. These diets should be undertaken only under medical supervision. They are typically a high fat, high protein diet that will bring about Ketosis.

The diet is only undertaken for a short period of time (a few weeks). In some situations, the meal replacements may only be used for two meals a day - therefore bringing about slower but more manageable weight loss.

A Very Low Calorie Diet

Medifast
This has been used by (apparently) over 1 million people, and is endorsed by John Hopkins University. It’s a meal replacement plan around the 800-1000 calories mark (which puts it outside the strict definition of a VLCD). It will put the body into a mild state of ketosis.

Optifast
Available at hundreds of clinics in the US and Canada. However many find it difficult to complete the program

The Cambridge Diet
Used in the UK, this diet has an even lower daily calorie level (400-600) and is a high protein, low fat, low carb diet.

Also See: Very Low Calorie Diets Products

Zone Diet

2008-07-02T20:05:00.000-07:00

The Zone Diet was created by Dr. Barry Sears. At the heart of the Zone Diet is its nutrient ratios. The Zone Diet follows a formula of 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fats (sometimes called 40:30:30). This must be followed at every meal. Considered by some to be the perfect diet.
The biggest criticism of the diet is that it is too complex to follow. However the Zone has gathered a substantial following - some of it due to celebrity endorsement.
If you’re going to follow the Zone diet you need to read The Zone : Revolutionary Life Plan to Put Your Body in Total Balance for Permanent Weight Loss by Barry Sears. There are websites that offer a significant amount of support for the Zone Diet (some even deliver meals).

40 30 30
The Zone Diet plan is all about ‘meal ratios’. It can be considered ‘low carb’, due to the fact that the average person consumes about 50-60% carbohydrates in their diet. The good thing about the Zone diet is that it encourages a combination of all the nutrients in each meal - and it stresses the risks of processed carbohydrates (white pastas and breads etc).

Zone Diet in Detail
A closer look at the Zone Diet shows that it is a low(er) carbohydrate diet - with a low calorie count - at times possibly too low. Exercise is not a part of the formula (but always recommended). It does seem complex requiring dedication and discipline. It is also a diet that may be difficult to work around eating with family and friends.
The Zone diet also has assisted many in improving general health (not just weight loss). Due to the levels of proteins, it is possible to gain muscle on this diet (but only with the right weights and exercise training). However be warned that the calorie recommendations may be too low for an active person.
The Zone is complex and has a substantial list of "forbidden" foods - however there are a number of web sites with programs that have substantially simplified the Zone. At its basic principles it is a good program and would be a great improvement for anyone who currently has a typical western diet.

See MoreZone Diet - Official Site.

Fad Diets

2008-06-20T17:00:00.000-07:00

The phrase "fad diets" typically refers to diets that promote a restricted eating-plan which is unhealthy and/or lacking in sufficient calories. Certain liquid-only diets (fasts) are promoted as healthful diets but in reality are merely fad diets. Examples of fad diets the Atkins, Cabbage Soup Diet, Negative Calorie Diet, Low Fat diet, Low Carb diet, 3 Day diet, Zone Diet, South Beach Diet.

Other Fad Diet Contenders
Grapefruit diet, Hollywood diet, Beverly Hills Diet, FatLoss4Idiots, Apple Cider Vinegar Diet.

Do Fad Diets Work?

Depends what you mean by "work." Any very-low-calorie diet will cause weight loss in most people. Since most fad diets are very low in calories they typically cause quite fast weight loss. However, quick weight loss may not be healthy and - in most cases - is not fat loss. It is usually mostly water-loss which is quickly regained when the dieter resumes normal eating.

Fad Diets Are Short Term Diet Plans

Most fad diets are typically short-term diet plans. Not only are they low in calories but their menus are likely to be monotonous and lacking in adequate nutrition. Some fad diets are designed to last no more than a few days - as if a 2 or 3 day diet program is likely to help solve a weight problem!!

Fad Diets With "Special" Fat-Burning or "Negative Calorie" Foods

Some fad diets claim to contain special "fat-burning" or "negative calorie" diet foods. Unfortunately, there is no clinical evidence that foods have these special properties.

Fad Diets Can Cause Weight Cycling

Fad dieting can sometimes lead to weight-cycling or yo-yo dieting - that is, weight loss, followed by regain, followed by weight loss then regain etc. New research suggests that such weight cycling may lead to obesity.

Conclusion: Avoid Fad Diets

Avoid fad diets and fad dieting. Instead, eat a balanced diet that includes foods from ALL food groups. Eating a balanced calorie-controlled diet is not only more appealing but also more likely to help you develop the sort of good eating habits that lead to permanent weight loss.

Scarsdale Diet

2008-06-20T16:39:00.000-07:00

The Scarsdale Diet was a popular book written in the 1970s. Dr Herman Tarnower ran a clinic in the town of Scarsdale, and (like so many other doctor-designed plans) created the diet for overweight patients.

The book has always been a huge seller, and is still famous today.

Low Fat, High Protein

The Scarsdale Diet has a peculiar nutrient ratio - the only diet exactly like this. It contains 43% protein, 22.5% fat, and 34.5% carbohydrate.

Dr Tarnower claims this level of diet brings about the process of ketosis. Indeed the diet is low calorie (about 1000 per day), and has very strict rules during the first two weeks. After the first phase, the calorie limit is lifted a little (the "keep-trim" program).

The supposed weight loss is 20 pounds (9kg) in just 14 days.

Diet Program Plan
Drink at least 4 glasses of water or diet soda per day.
You can add the following to your foods:
herbs
salt
pepper
lemon
vinegar
Worcestershire
soy sauce
mustard & ketchup

____________________________________________________
DAY 1
BREAKFAST
coffee or tea with sugar substitute & 1/2 grapefruit

LUNCH
any amount of lean beef, chicken or fish + tomato salad + coffee or tea

DINNER
broiled fish + tomato and lettuce salad + grapefruit or melon

DAY 2
BREAKFAST
coffee or tea with sugar substitute & 1/2 grapefruit

LUNCH
any amount of fruit salad + coffee

DINNER
hamburger (without bread) and all the cooked vegetables you desire

DAY 3
BREAKFAST
coffee or tea with sugar substitute & 1/2 grapefruit

LUNCH
tuna salad + grapefruit or melon

DINNER
2 lean pork chops + mixed green salad + coffee

DAY 4
BREAKFAST

coffee or tea with sugar substitute & 1/2 grapefruit

LUNCH
2 eggs + cottage cheese + 3 oz. squash + 1 toast + coffee

DINNER
chicken ( grilled or broiled w/o skin ) + spinach or green pepper + coffee

DAY 5
BREAKFAST
coffee or tea with sugar substitute & 1/2 grapefruit

LUNCH
all the dry cheese you want + spinach + 1 toast

DINNER
broiled fish + cooked veggies or green salad + 1 toast

DAY 6
BREAKFAST
coffee or tea with sugar substitute & 1/2 grapefruit

LUNCH
fruit salad (as much as you want) + 1 coffee

DINNER
broiled chicken w/o skin + tomato and lettuce salad + grapefruit or melon + coffee

DAY 7
BREAKFAST
coffee or tea with sugar substitute & 1/2 grapefruit

LUNCH
cold or hot chicken + tomato & lettuce salad + grapefruit or melon + coffee

DINNER
lean beef + mixed salad + coffee

Sacred Heart Diet

2008-06-20T16:33:00.000-07:00

Sacred Heart Diet Plan

Drink at least 4 glasses of water or diet soda per day.
You can add the following to your foods:
- herbs
- salt
- pepper
- lemon
- vinegar
- Worcestershire
- soy sauce
- mustard & ketchup

DAY 1
BREAKFAST
coffee or tea with sugar substitute & 1/2 grapefruit

LUNCH
any amount of lean beef, chicken or fish + tomato salad + coffee or tea

DINNER
broiled fish + tomato and lettuce salad + grapefruit or melon

DAY 2
BREAKFAST

coffee or tea with sugar substitute & 1/2 grapefruit

LUNCH
any amount of fruit salad + coffee

DINNER
hamburger (without bread) and all the cooked vegetables you desire

DAY 3
BREAKFAST
coffee or tea with sugar substitute & 1/2 grapefruit

LUNCH
tuna salad + grapefruit or melon

DINNER
2 lean pork chops + mixed green salad + coffee

DAY 4
BREAKFAST

coffee or tea with sugar substitute & 1/2 grapefruit

LUNCH
2 eggs + cottage cheese + 3 oz. squash + 1 toast + coffee

DINNER
chicken ( grilled or broiled w/o skin ) + spinach or green pepper + coffee

DAY 5
BREAKFAST
coffee or tea with sugar substitute & 1/2 grapefruit

LUNCH
all the dry cheese you want + spinach + 1 toast

DINNER
broiled fish + cooked veggies or green salad + 1 toast

DAY 6
BREAKFAST
coffee or tea with sugar substitute & 1/2 grapefruit

LUNCH
fruit salad (as much as you want) + 1 coffee

DINNER
broiled chicken w/o skin + tomato and lettuce salad + grapefruit or melon + coffee

DAY 7
BREAKFAST
coffee or tea with sugar substitute & 1/2 grapefruit

LUNCH
cold or hot chicken + tomato & lettuce salad + grapefruit or melon + coffee

DINNER
lean beef + mixed salad + coffee

Sacred Heart Diet

2008-06-20T16:18:00.000-07:00

This 7-day eating plan, the Sacred Heart Diet can be used as often as you like. If correctly followed, it will clean out your system of impurities and give you a feeling of well-being. After only 7 days of this process, you will begin to feel lighter by at least 10 pounds and possibly 17 pounds, and experience an abundance of energy.

SOUP:

1 or 2 cans of stewed tomatoes
2 Green Peppers
2 cans green beans
1 pkg. Lipton Soup mix (chicken noodle)
2 lbs. Carrots
3 plus large green onions
1 bunch of celery
1 large can of beef broth (no fat)

Season with salt, parsley, pepper curry, if desired, or bouillon, hot or Worcestershire sauce. Cut veggies in small to medium pieces. Cover with water. Boil fast for 10 minutes. Reduce to simmer and continue to cook until veggies are tender. This soup can be eaten anytime you are hungry during the week. Eat as much as you want, whenever you want. This soup will not add calories. The more you eat, the more you will lose. You may want to fill a thermos in the morning if you will be away during the day. DRINKS:

Skim milk
Unsweetened juices
Cranberry juice
Water, water, water
Tea (also herbal)
Coffee

DAY 1: Any fruit (except bananas). Cantaloupes and watermelon are lower in calories than most other fruits. Eat only soup and fruit today.
DAY T2: All vegetables. Eat until you are stuffed with fresh raw, cooked or canned veggies. Try to eat green leafy veggies and stay away from dry beans, peas or corn. Eat veggies along with the soup. At dinnertime tonight reward yourself with a big baked potato and butter. Don't eat any fruits through today.
DAY 3: Eat all the soup, fruit and veggies you want. Do not have a baked potato. If you have eaten as above for three days and not cheated, you should find that you have lost 5-7 pounds.
DAY 4: Bananas and skim milk: Eat at least 3 bananas and drink as much milk as you can today, along with the soup. Bananas are high in calories and carbohydrates, as is the milk but on this particular day, your body will need the potassium and carbs. Proteins and calcium to lessen the cravings for sweets.
DAY 5: Beef and tomatoes: you may have 10 to 20 ounces of beef and a can of tomatoes, or as many as 6 tomatoes on this day. Eat the soup at least once today.
DAY 6: Beef and veggies, eat to your heart's content of the beef and veggies today. You can even have 2-3 steaks if you like with green leafy veggies but no baked potato. Be sure to eat the soup at least once today.
DAY 7: Brown rice, unsweetened fruit juice and veggies, again, be sure to stuff yourself and eat the soup. You can add cooked veggies to your rice if you wish.

By the end of the 7th day, if you follow this diet program, you should have lost 9 to 16 pounds. If you have lost more than 16 pounds, stay off the diet for two days before resuming the diet again.

This diet is quick. The secret lies within the principle that you will burn more calories than you take in. It will flush your system of impurities and give you a feeling of well-being. This diet does not lend itself to drinking any alcoholic beverages at any time. Because of the fat build-up in your system. Go off the diet at least 14 hours before any intake of alcohol.

Due to the variety of digestive systems in individuals, this diet will affect everyone differently. After day three, you will have more energy than when you began, if you do not cheat. After being on the diet for several days, you will find that your bowel movements have changed. Eat a cup of bran or fiber. Although you can have black coffee with this diet, you may find that you don't need caffeine after the third day.

The basic fat burning soup can be eaten anytime you feel hungry during the seven days. Eat as much as you wish. Remember the more you eat, the more you will lose. You can eat broiled, boiled or baked chicken instead of the beef. Absolutely no skin on the chicken. If you prefer, you can substitute broiled fish for the beef on only one of the beef days. You need the high protein in the beef for the other days.

Continue on the diet as long as you wish and feel the difference both mentally and physically.

Do not bread, alcohol, carbonated drinks (including diet drinks). Remember, absolutely no fried foods.
Do drink plenty - at least 6 to 8 glasses - of water a day, as well as any combination of the following beverages: black coffee, unsweetened fruit drinks, cranberry juice and skim milk.

This diet comes from the Sacred Heart Memorial Hospital that is used for overweight heart patients in order to lose weight rapidly, usually prior to surgery.

EXERCISE

There are no specific exercise recommendations for The Sacred Heart Diet other than to follow your usual exercise routine by getting in some form of exercise on most days of the week.

Rice Diet

2008-06-20T16:16:00.000-07:00

The Rice Diet is a program specializes in the prevention, treatment and reversal of obesity, hypertension, diabetes and congestive heart failure. The diet consists of fruits, grains, vegetables, beans, and olive oil with small amounts of non-fat dairy and seafood (& lean meats), which is what patients are directed to eat when they return home both for continued weight loss and maintenance. On completion of the program, resources are available for participants to continue with a healthy lifestyle, and to maintain the improved health gained while on the residential program. It is crucial that the rice be brown rice. White rice has the fiber and nutrients stripped from it vitamins are often put back in but the fiber is lost. Part of what makes the diet work is the fiber in the brown rice.

Raw Food Diet

2008-06-20T16:02:00.000-07:00

What is the Raw Food Diet?

The raw food diet is a diet based on unprocessed and uncooked plant foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, nuts, dried fruit, and seaweed.

Heating food above 116 degrees F is believed to destroy enzymes in food that can assist in the digestion and absorption of food. Cooking is also thought to diminish the nutritional value and "life force" of food.

Typically, at least 75% of the diet must be living or raw.

What are the Benefits of the Raw Food Diet?

Proponents of the raw food diet believe it has numerous health benefits, including:

Increased energy
Improved skin appearance
Better digestion
Weight loss
Reduced risk of heart disease

The raw food diet contains fewer trans fats and saturated fat than the typical Western diet. It is also low in sodium and high in potassium, magnesium, folate, fiber and health-promoting plant chemicals called phytochemicals.

These properties are associated with a reduced risk of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. For example, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that consumption of a raw food diet lowered plasma total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations.

What are the Guidelines of the Raw Food Diet?

1. What can I eat?

Unprocessed, preferably organic, whole foods such as:

Fresh fruits and vegetables
Nuts
Seeds
Beans
Grains
Legumes
Dried fruit
Seaweed
Unprocessed organic or natural foods
Freshly juiced fruit and vegetables
Purified water
Young coconut milk

At least 75% of food consumed should not be heated over 116 degrees F.

2. What cooking techniques are used?

Specific cooking techniques make foods more digestible and add variety to the diet, including:

Sprouting seeds, grains, and beans
Juicing fruit and vegetables
Soaking nuts and dried fruit
Blending
Dehydrating food

3. What equipment can I use?

A dehydrator, a piece of equipment that blows air through food at a temperature of less than 116 degrees F.
A good-quality juice extractor for juicing fruit and vegetables
A blender, food processor, or chopper to save time
Large glass containers to soak and sprout seeds, grains, and beans
Mason jars for storing sprouts and other food

Side Effects

Some people experience a detoxification reaction when they start the raw food diet, especially if their previous diet was rich in meat, sugar, and caffeine. Mild headaches, nausea, and cravings can occur but usually last for several days.

Precautions

The raw food diet may not be appropriate for certain people, such as:

Children
Pregnant or nursing women
People with anemia
People at risk for osteoporosis - A Washington University study found that people following a raw food diet had lower bone mass. Bone turnover rates, however, were similar to the group that ate a standard American diet.

Considerable time, energy, and commitment is needed to be healthy on the raw food diet. Many of the foods are made from scratch. Some ingredients may be hard to find, such as Rejuvelac (the fermented liquid drained from sprouted grains), sprouted flour, date sugar, young coconut milk, carob powder and Celtic sea salt.

People must be aware that certain nutritional deficiencies can occur on the raw food diet, including:

Calcium
Iron
B12 – The Journal of Nutrition study found that a raw food diet increased levels of homocysteine due to vitamin B-12 deficiency.
Protein
Calories

Critics of the raw food diet say while it’s true that some enzymes are inactivated when food is heated, it doesn’t matter because the body uses its own enzymes for digestion. In addition, cooking makes certain phytochemicals easier to absorb, such as beta-carotene in carrots.

Another critique is that the human body has changed in response to eating cooked foods. Some of these changes are that are jaws and teeth have become smaller, our stomachs have shrunk, and our small intestines have grown longer, lengthening the digestive surface area.

According to other alternative diet theories, such as macrobiotics, Ayurveda, and traditional Chinese medicine, a raw-only diet may not be appropriate for people living in colder climates or for people with certain constitutional types.

_{Sources:
Fontana L, Shew JL, Holloszy JO, Villareal DT. Low bone mass in subjects on a long-term raw vegetarian diet. Arch Intern Med. 2005 Mar 28;165(6):684-9.

Koebnick C, Garcia AL, Dagnelie PC, Strassner C, Lindemans J, Katz N, Leitzmann C, Hoffmann I. Long-term consumption of a raw food diet is associated with favorable serum LDL cholesterol and triglycerides but also with elevated plasma homocysteine and low serum HDL cholesterol in humans. J Nutr. 2005 Oct;135(10):2372-8.

"The Living and Raw Foods F.A.Q." 1998. Living and Raw Foods. 31 03 2006.}

Protein Power Diet

2008-06-20T15:52:00.000-07:00

The plan begins with calculating protein needs of a person - determined to be 0.6 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass for a moderately active person (more for persons who are more active and less for those who are less active). Then, it is followed by calculating lean body mass using standardized charts that use height, hip and abdomen measurements in women and weight, wrist and waist measurements in men.

Dieters are advised to obtain the minimum amounts of protein based on the above calculations, but are told they can eat more if they are hungry. Carbohydrates are limited to 30 or 50 grams daily, divided throughout the day.

Scientific Analysis

The main opposition to the Protein Power diet plan is the calculation of protein needs. In research on protein requirements, no valid evidence was found to consider activity level as a basis for protein intake. In the absence of glucose the muscles use fat for energy, and do not need more or less protein for activity. When protein is "broken down" to provide fuel, the actual molecules are conserved while the bonds between them are broken. To restore the protein molecules only energy is required to reform the chemical bonds.

An additional consideration is that a person's protein requirements depend on what other nutrients are consumed as energy sources. When carbohydrates are restricted in the diet, more protein is needed to be converted to glucose as fuel for the brain.

Based on scientific studies, Protein Power's carbohydrate levels of 30 or 50 grams daily are not high enough to prevent ongoing ketosis for most persons, especially those who have minimal weight to lose, or are on a maintenance diet.

90 grams of carbohydrate daily is sufficient to inhibit ketosis in patients on a low carbohydrate diet. There is a legitimate concern that ongoing ketosis may produce some hazards in the long term. Using the Protein Power diet for a limited time for weight loss should not cause any major problems, however, its design is not adequate for long-term use.

Prostate Health Diet

2008-06-20T15:48:00.000-07:00

There are sixteen different supplements that you can add to your prostate health diet. But let start with the ones you should start using right away. The first one you should start using is beta-sitosterol.

Beta-sitosterol

Beta-sitosterol is the main active ingredient in the herbs saw palmetto and pygeum. Both of these herbs do not have enough beta-sitosterol to be of real value in giving you prostate health. Now, beta-sitosterol, which can be obtained from sugar cane pulp, can be purchased in capsule doses of 300 - 600 mg, which gives you an effective dose to eliminate your enlarged prostate. Pygeum can only provide around 30 mg and you need upwards of 600 mg daily.

Go to the Internet to find a good beta - sitosterol price and quantity.

Flax Seed or Fish Oil

The nutrient to use for the best prostate health diet is flaxseed oil. Flax seed oil contains more omega-3 than omega-6 and so it makes it a good source of omega-3. The more omega-6 use, from olive oil and other vegetables oils, the more prone you will be to prostate cancer. This is not the case with omega-3 oil and this has been verified through clinical studies.

Omega-3 protects the prostates cells and has anti-inflammatory properties. Using fish oil can also be a better choice than flax seed oil since your body digests it better.

Use 1 - 2 grams of flax seed or fish oil per day.

Soy Isoflavones

Soy Isoflavones have been shown in clinical studies to have good effects on your prostate and should be added to your prostate health diet. These isoflavones are flavones and contain no photoestrogen so the have no estrogen effects in the body.

The active ingredients in the isoflavones are genestein and daidzein. Buy a brand that has up to 40 mg of isoflavones Use this quantity daily.

Ionic Minerals

The prostate needs minerals. Adding these to your prostate health diet is critical. You cannot have good prostate health without plenty of minerals and your regular diet cannot supply what you need.

Use the Ionic Minerals, which are liquids, but not the colloidal minerals. Ionic Minerals are absorbed immediately into your blood stream soon after they enter your mouth.

In addition to these ionic minerals, you need to make sure you get plenty of zinc and selenium. The prostate has more zinc than any other part of the body. So take 15 - 20 mg per day and not to exceed 40 mg.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is another critical vitamin that you want to make sure you get plenty of. If you are out in the sun a lot, then you will not need to supplement with this vitamin. Otherwise, use up to 800 IU of this vitamin.

Vitamin E

This is the next most important Vitamin you should supplement with. Use up to 400 mg per day of the natural mixed tocopherols. Clinical studies have shown that vitamin E can reduce and suppress prostate cancer cells.

There you have it. Use, beta sitosterol, isoflavones, minerals, vitamin D, and vitamin E in your prostate health diet and see improvements in your prostate symptoms and health.

Source: http://www.healthguidance.org/authors/42/Rudy-Silva

Pritikin Diet

2008-06-20T15:44:00.000-07:00

Most of us don't make the drastic dietary changes until we learn of our poor health. Nathan Pritikin did the same in the ‘50s after learning he had heart disease. He quickly created a low-fat, high-fiber diet regimen accompanied with exercise that proved advantageous with clean medical reports thereafter. Based on his success, Pritikin introduced his Pritikin Diet, as well as created the Pritikin Longevity Center as a resource for other suffering similar health problems.

The Pritikin Diet requires serious commitment as it is nearly a wholly vegetarian program that is low in cholesterol, nearly void of fat and high in fiber. The Pritikin Diet recommends considerable amounts of whole grain and vegetables. You'll have about six meals each day with limited serving sizes. There are absolutely no processed grains like white bread or instant rice.

The Pritikin Diet is primarily a vegetarian, all-natural diet program.

EXERCISE

Exercise is an important component of the Pritikin Diet as you will walk no less than 45 minutes daily.

PRO

- The Pritikin Diet is popular amongst those looking to decrease their risk of common illnesses. Pritikin also brings weight loss, which is not a stated reason for following the diet.

- Diets following the principles of the Pritikin Diet have substantial research to support the long-term health benefits.

CON

- Since fat makes you feel full, the extremely low fat content of this diet will make you feel hungry.

EXPENSE

Cost of the book, The Pritikin Weight Loss Breakthrough: 5 Easy Steps to Outsmart Your Fat Instinct.

CONCLUSION

Pritikin may be a tough challenge, since people may be challenged with feelings of hunger. You will probably lose weight, but if you are a meat lover, you will find little solace with Pritikin.

common misspellings: Pritkin Diet, Prikin Diet, Pritiken Diet

Pregnancy Diet

2008-06-20T15:36:00.000-07:00

During Pregnancy, extra nutrients (and extra food) is required to ensure the health of the expectant mother, and the unborn baby.

Pregnancy Nutrition - What’s Required

Extra Protein
Lean meat, poultry, legumes, fish, low-fat dairy.
Extra vitamin B1
Peanuts, whole grains, yeast extract, sunflower seeds.
Extra vitamin B2
Yeast extract, some dairy.
Extra folic acid (or folate)
Sweet corn, broccoli, asparagus, yeast extract, legumes .
Extra vitamin C
Fresh fruit - particularly citrus, kiwi, berries, capsicums.
Extra calcium
Dairy, fish, leafy greens, soy products.
Extra iron (during last 6 months of pregnancy)
Dark-green leafy vegetables, red and other meats, legumes, whole grains.

Foods to Avoid

Raw or lightly cooked eggs
May contain Salmonella
Pre packed/deli salads and meats
May contain bacteria such as Listeria.
Soft cheeses such as brie, camembert, blue-vein cheeses.
Mat also contain Listeria
Coffee
No more than 300mg per day (e.g. 4 cups of instant coffee).
Liver (and liver paté)
High amounts of Vitamin A that can be toxic
Alcohol
Avoid completely.
Code liver oil and supplements
High amounts of Vitamin A.

Weight Gain

Weight gain during pregnancy should be about 4.4 pounds (2kg) per month. Extra caloric increase should be in the region of 160-170 extra calories per day.

Fiber intake should also be monitored. In later stages of pregnancy, constipation can become a problem. Drink plenty of water, and obtain fiber from fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.

Cravings During Pregnancy

It is quite common to crave unusual foods during pregnancy. While there does not seem to be established scientific evidence that your body requires these foods - it is good to listen to your body.

Craving highly sugary, fatty, or salty foods happens to anyone at the best of times - but does not mean we need more of these in our diet!

Personality Type Diet

2008-06-20T15:35:00.000-07:00

Dr Robert Kushner is a renowned expert in the field of nutrition and obesity. His Personality Type diet is an innovative approach to weight loss - based on food and behavior. Successful trials were undertaken at the Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s Wellness Institute in Chicago, IL, and the diet has received many endorsements (including the respected Mayo Clinic).

Determining Your Personality Type

Dr. Kushner remodeled his book into an on-line questionnaire. The survey consists of over 70 questions about your eating habits. The survey results indicate an eating pattern - many of which Dr. Kushner has named (hearty portioner, fruitless feaster, nighttime nibbler, and many more). The program will also determine your exercise personality and coping personality. It is these three elements combined that will contribute to a successful weight loss program.

By combining the results of all three personalities, the Personality Type Diet will craft a program based around your current habits. Weight loss is as much about altering behavior and habits as it is finding a good diet plan.

Crafting a Diet Plan

The Personality Diet creates meal plans using a large selection of healthy foods - as well as fast food options. It is not a restrictive diet but something that includes a good balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. There are 3 main meals and 2 snacks included in the menus.

Portions and quantities are determined by your own statistics.

Sample Meal Plan

Breakfast (248 calories)

2 whole grain toaster style waffles
2 tbsp reduced-calorie syrup
2 tsp light margarine
2 slices turkey bacon
1 small banana or ½ large
8 oz water

Snack (260 calories)

10 baby carrots
½ red bell pepper, sliced
2 celery stalks
4 tbsp hummus
3 Ry-Krisp crackers
8 oz water

Lunch (338 calories - Wendy’s Fast Food)

Wendy’s Grilled Chicken Sandwich
1 small diet soda
1 small peach (pack with you)
16 oz water

Snack (88 calories)

1 cinnamon graham cracker sheet spread with 1 tbsp light cream cheese & topped with ½ C sliced strawberries
8 oz water

Dinner - Salmon and Roasted Vegetables (431 calories)

6 oz baked salmon with fresh squeezed lemon and chopped dill
16 oz water

Directions:

Squeeze ½ lemon over salmon and sprinkle with fresh dill. Cook salmon in aluminum foil at 350 degrees until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 15 minutes.

Roasted Veggies:

Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place 5 spears of asparagus, 1 sliced yellow squash & 1 minced garlic clove in the dish and drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil. Bake with salmon, putting veggies in first for about 25-30 minutes or until easily pierced with a knife.

Social Networking

An interesting aspect of the Personality Diet on-line is the social networking component. The program allows matching of "diet buddies" - whereby people of a similar personality can connect with each other.

This process is a very effective part of the program that will aid in motivation and support.

Conclusion

The Personality Type Diet is a superior weight loss diet, proven in Dr. Kushner’s weight loss clinic, and now with tens of thousands of subscribers.

See More

Personality Type Diet - Diet.com - Official Site.

Perricone Diet

2008-06-20T15:34:00.000-07:00

The Perricone Prescription is an ‘anti-wrinkle’ diet.

US skin care expert and dermatologist Dr. Nicholas Perricone wrote his book The Perricone Prescription after concluding that certain foods cause inflammation and water retention. This can lead to premature aging, obesity, and other health issues.

The basis of the diet is a 28 day program. The program aims to reduce saturated fats, refined sugars, and other high glycemic carbohydrates.

3 Day Nutritional Facelift

As a trial run, Perricone provides a meal plan for 3 days. Many report feeling results after only 3 short days - anything from “feeling more energized”, “losing that puffiness around the face”, “eyes no longer bloodshot”.

The following menu should be followed for 3 days. Protein should be eaten first. Note that the salmon should be wild, or at the least organic.

Wake Up
8 to 12 ounces spring water

Breakfast
3 egg whites and 1 whole egg and/or a 4- to 6-ounce piece of broiled salmon
1/2 cup cooked oatmeal (not instant)
4 oz cantaloupe OR 1/4 cup fresh berries
8 to 12 ounces spring water minimum, (more if desired)

Lunch
4 to 6 ounces grilled salmon or tuna packed in spring water
2 cups romaine lettuce
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste
4 oz cantaloupe OR 1/4 cup fresh berries
8 to 12 ounces spring water minimum, (more if desired)

Mid-afternoon snack
2 ounces low-salt, sliced chicken breast OR 6 oz plain yogurt.
4 raw, unsalted hazelnuts
1/2 green apple
8 to 12 ounces spring water minimum, (more if desired)

Dinner
4 to 6 ounces grilled salmon
2 cups romaine lettuce
1 tablespoon olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste
1 cup steamed asparagus, broccoli, or spinach dressed with a little olive oil
4 oz cantaloupe OR 1/4 cup fresh berries
8 to 12 ounces spring water minimum, (more if desired)

Before-bedtime snack
2 ounces low-fat low-salt turkey/chicken breast OR 6 oz plain yogurt.
1/2 pear or green apple
3 or 4 almonds or olives
8 to 12 ounces of spring water

Perricone Diet - Is it Good?

Dr. Perricone’s Prescription is good. It is particularly good for women, who have been living with inadequate nutrition for some time. Bringing back lean protein into the diet immediately increases metabolism, cell rejuvenation, and a number of other benefits.

There are numerous positive reports from users of this diet, and despite not being a weight-loss diet, - weight loss has occurred in a number of people.

There are a few criticisms however - getting hold of ‘wild’ salmon could get expensive (the argument here is that most farmed salmon may contain antibiotics and other chemicals.

The book also makes extensive references to other topical treatments that Dr. Perricone provides - not surprisingly these are expensive. However - the Perricone Prescription is far more than one long advertisement — the diet and advice is sound, and should have a positive impact on your health as well as your skin.

Peanut Butter Diet

2008-06-20T15:32:00.000-07:00

The Peanut Butter Diet is a book written by Holly McCord - a senior writer for the US health magazine Prevention. Prevention is published by Rodale. Quite simply, this is fad dieting at its finest (or silliest). Essentially the diet is nothing more than an average low calorie diet with some peanut butter in the meal plans and recipes.

It is an overt attempt to gain popularity and notoriety by focusing on a single food that has traditionally been seen as "bad".

Peanut Butter for Weight Loss

Like most fats and oils, nuts have been derided during the recent prevalence of low fat diets. However this is unfounded as nuts are good sources of mono-unsaturated fats, proteins, and other essential micro nutrients such as vitamin E.

Like all fats they are higher in calories (9 calories per gram), and need to be eaten in moderation. There is no reason why nuts should be completely eliminated from a weight loss diet. This is what the Peanut Butter diet is cashing in on.

Generally any diet that espouses the benefits of a single food over all others is in danger of becoming unbalanced. The Peanut Butter diet is a little deceptive as it gives the impression that peanuts are the answer to weight loss.

Peanut Butters - Not All Created Equal

It needs to be said that there are many different qualities of peanut butter available in retail outlets. Some have sugar and sodium (salt) added, and other oils and preservatives. As a general rule of thumb, the more processed a food is, the lower the nutritional quality is.

Natural peanut butter - with few additives is the best bet. Healthy fats have a place in our diet - but like most things - within moderation.

Osteoporosis Diet

2008-06-20T15:30:00.000-07:00

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis (‘porous bones’) is a disease causing bones to become fragile and more likely to break. Without prevention or treatment, osteoporosis can progress painlessly until a bone breaks or fractures. Any bones can be affected, but fractures occur typically in the hip and spine (these are of special concern), and the wrist.

A hip fracture impairs a person’s ability to walk without assistance, and without appropriate treatment results in longterm or permanent disability, even death. Hip fractures almost certainly require hospitalization for major surgery, while spinal or vertebral fractures are likely to cause intense back pain, loss of height, and deformity.

Why do the bones become vulnerable?

Skeletal bones have a thick outer shell, and a strong inner mesh of collagen (protein), calcium salts and other minerals. The interior has a honeycomb-like appearance, the spaces within the bone holding blood vessels and bone marrow. Bone is alive, and it changes constantly. Up to age 30, bones increase in density. During a person’s lifetime bone is continually renewed in a process called ‘bone turnover’ as old, worn out bone is lost (broken down by cells called osteoclasts) and replaced (by bone building cells called osteoblasts).

After age 30, regular exercise and correct diet will help to maintain bone mass. However, over time, especially as the population lives longer, cumulative bone loss causes the holes between bone to enlarge, making the bones more ‘porous’ and therefore fragile - hence ‘osteoporosis’. There are other causative factors as well (see below). This Osteoporosis usually affects the whole skeleton, although the most vulnerable bones are the weight- and impact-bearing hip and spine (and to a lesser degree the wrist).

Who is at risk?

Statistically, women are four times as likely to develop Osteoporosis than men in America, where millions of aging adults are at risk. In Britain, where it is estimated that 3 million people suffer from Osteoporosis, 1 of every 2 women and 1 in 5 men will suffer a fracture after the age of 50 - there are a quarter of a million fractures each year (one every 3 minutes!), half being spinal fractures, almost a fourth hip fractures, and a fifth wrist fractures.

Apart from the cumulative bone-loss problem, other factors increasing the risk of developing Osteoporosis are:

Women	Men
a lack of oestrogen due to early menopause (before age 45) early hysterectomy (before age 45), particularly with removal of both ovaries (oophorectomy) missing periods for six months or more (excluding pregnancy) due to excessive exercise or dieting	low levels of the male hormone, testosterone (hypogonadism)
Men and Women
long-term use of corticosteroid tablets in high doseage (such as for arthritis and asthma) history of osteoporosis in immediate family (mother or father), particularly of hip fracture in mother other medical conditions (Cushing’s syndrome, liver and thyroid problems) malabsorption problems (coeliac disease, Crohn’s disease, gastric surgery) long-term immobility, heavy drinking of alcohol, smoking

What can be done to prevent or delay the onset of Osteoporosis?

Although there are treatments for osteoporosis once the ailment has developed (eg, healthy habits and the taking of calcium supplements can slow the process), there is currently no cure. A healthy lifestyle maintained from before age 30 is the best defense against the onset of osteoporosis. It has been shown that exercising while still a teenager increases bone mass, greatly reducing the risk of osteoporosis in adulthood. So in your healthy lifestyle you should:

Ensure you eat a balanced diet and indulge in outdoor exercise/recreation which provides the recommended daily levels of calcium (1000 to 1200 mg; probably the lesser amount for a woman on Hormone Replacement Therapy) and vitamin D (400 to 800 IU or International Units). See notes below on calcium and vitamins.
Perform regular weight-bearing exercise

Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption

Also be informed about bone health
issues, undertake bone density tests as you grow older, and take medication when appropriate.

Calcium is a mineral fundamental to good bone structure. The mineral salts of bone are estimated to contain 99% of the calcium in the body; also 85% of
the phosphorus and 40 - 60% of the sodium and magnesium. Calcium is present in many foods as natural compounds; calcium-fortified foods and calcium supplements can be used also. Calcium absorption requires other vitamins and minerals to be present in the diet, specifically magnesium, Vitamin A and Vitamin D. Calcium retention needs Vitamin B6 and Vitamin K.

Vitamin D is available normally in a balanced diet (such as egg yolks, saltwater fish, liver and fortified dairy products) and is produced by absorption of sunlight through the skin.

Vitamin C is required in sufficient amounts for Collagen production.

Osteoporosis Diet

The best source of all the nutrients you need is in a sensible balanced diet with plenty of fruit, vegetables, beans, yogurt, bread and potatoes, plus smaller amounts of very lean meat, low-fat cheese and oily fish (especially sardines), plus at least 1/2 a pint or about 250ml of low-fat milk per day. Best calcium sources are dairy products (milk, cheese and yogurt), green leafy vegetables, baked beans, bony fish and dried fruit. Reduce consumption of red meat, chocolate and caffeine, and be aware that excessive Vitamin A intake as retinol (in fish and dairy products) may be a factor in increased risk of broken bones (not yet proven), however Vitamin A as carotene in vegetables is not a problem.

Take regular exercise, outdoors preferrably, (such as running, skipping, aerobics, tennis, or brisk walking), at least three times a week for at least 20 minutes.

Osteoporosis Diet Plan

Day 1	Day 2
Breakfast 1 cup oatmeal 0.5 cup or 120ml fat-free milk 5 dried, chopped apricots 1 tbsp chopped nuts 0.5 cup or 120ml orange juice (calcium-fortified) Method: Top cooked oatmeal with apricots and nuts.	Breakfast 1 sesame bagel 2 tbsp fat-reduced cream cheese 0.5 cup grapes 0.5 cup or 120ml orange juice (calcium-fortified)
Lunch 0.5 cup fat-reduced cottage cheese 0.25 cup orange segments 0.25 cup grapes 1 tbsp sesame seeds 4 cherry or grape tomatoes 2 cups mixed salad leaves 3 Ryvita biscuits Method: Mix the cheese, orange and grapes together, place on top of salad leaves in a bowl, and sprinkle with the seeds. Serve with the tomatoes and Ryvita.	Lunch 1 cup lentil soup 6″ or 15cm French bread 0.5 cup fat-free yogurt 1 apple
Dinner 4 oz or about 115 gm skinless, boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced 1 clove minced garlic 1 tsp oil 0.5 cup tomato sauce 0.5 cup broccoli florets 1 cup spinach 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese 1 oz or about 30 gm (dry weight) pasta Method: Cook garlic for 2 minutes in the oil heated in a non-stick skillet. Add and stir-fry the chicken for 2-3 minutes, then add the tomato sauce and broccoli, and cook for 5 minutes. Serve over cooked pasta, topped with Parmesan, and with spinach.	Dinner 4 oz or about 115 gm canned sardines, drained 2 cups mixed salad leaves 1 tbsp fat-free dressing 1 large sliced tomato 8 oz or about 230 gm baked potato 1 tbsp shredded cheese Method: Top the split baked potato with cheese, and serve with sardines and mixed, dressed salad.
Snacks:Choose from - Small handful pumpkin seeds, soy nuts or other nuts Apple Dried figs (2) or apricots (4)

Ornish Diet

2008-06-20T15:27:00.000-07:00

While many weight loss diets are low-fat, some fall into the category of being very low fat (where only 10-20% of the calories come from fats).

Dr Dean Ornish wrote a book called Eat More, Weigh Less. The diet he prescribed is basically vegetarian.

Dean Ornish’s Diet Outline

Meat, poultry, and fish aren’t recommended. The only dairy allowed is fat-free yogurt, milk, fat free cheeses, and egg whites.

Foods not allowed are; all fats, oils, nuts, seeds, avocados, refined carbohydrates (including sugar, white rice, and white flour).

Other than these ‘banned’ foods, the diet allows you to eat all you want without any weighting or measuring. What’s left is predominantly fruit and vegetables, and grains.

Sample Meal Plan

Breakfast
Whole grain cereal with fat-free yogurt
orange juice

Lunch
Baked potatoes stuffed with fat-free cheese and spinach
Broccoli
Potato salad with fat-free dressing
Green salad and fresh fruit

Dinner
Bread with tomatoes and capers
Wholemeal pasta with vegetables
Peaches in wine

Drinks
Water, tea, coffee, skim milk, juices.

Too Restrictive?

All extreme or restrictive diets are difficult to follow. They also run the risk of depriving the body essential nutrients and minerals. Restricting fish, nuts, and seeds immediately cuts of any source of Essential Fatty Acids such as Omega-3.

It is good to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, but current research into nutrition and causes of obesity is beginning to show us that cutting out all fat is not necessarily the way to go.

OPTIFAST Diet

2008-06-20T15:25:00.000-07:00

Purpose of the OPTIFAST Program

OPTIFAST® therapy is a comprehensive approach to treating obesity, and is available at hundreds of hospitals and clinics in the U.S.A. and Canada.

More recently the program has been sold around the world (including New Zealand and Australia) via pharmacies.

The program, produced by Novartis Medical Nutrition Corporation, is designed for obese people - those overweight by 50 pounds or more (about 22Kg), or having a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30. Overweight individuals (those with a BMI of 25 to 30) who experience medical problems caused by their weight may also benefit from the program.

Check your BMI to see if you fit the criteria.

The Optifast Program

The OPTIFAST® program utilizes the expertise of physicians, registered dietitians, and trained counselors with a high quality, calorie controlled liquid nutritional formula. OPTIFAST uses a Weight Management Learning System curriculum to accomplish individual weight management goals. The OPTIFAST program was the first of its kind when developed in 1974, and now has long-term experience and documented success, with more than a million people treated to date. It is based on well-researched treatment approaches, and provides lifestyle education, personalized support, and portion controlled formulas to develop and maintain a healthy new weight and lifestyle.

The program comprises:

Initial medical and lifestyle evaluation, then ongoing medical monitoring of health while losing weight.
Counselling to develop the lifestyle, nutrition, and activity to manage your new weight long term.
A formula-based, predominantly liquid diet for active weight loss, followed by a gradual resumption of healthier, self-prepared foods.
Planned and maintainable regular physical activity.

The program is commonly offered as a 26-week plan, including 12 weeks or more of complete meal replacement, up to 6 weeks of transition to solid food, concluding with a regular diet to be maintained thereafter, and features up to 20 weeks of nutrition and behavioral counseling.

OPTIFAST requires close medical supervision during the first 18 weeks, so it includes weekly medical visits and group counseling.

Conclusion

Many participants in the program and its variations testify to its success, although it appears to require a great deal of tenacity to ’stick with it’, and by some accounts can produce some uncomfortable side-effects, possibly due to the nature of the liquid diet regimen. However, even a morbidly obese person unable to exercise, can still lose weight because of the low calorie intake in the prescribed liquid ’shakes’.

Based on published surveys of participants and on anecdotal evidence, one may conclude that a proportion of those who enter the program do not complete it, and that not all who achieve their initial weight-loss objective succeed in maintaining it subsequent to the program’s completion.

Nutrisystem Diet

2008-06-20T15:24:00.000-07:00

Nutrisystem is a portion-controlled diet plan from online weight loss company Nutrisystem. Nutrisystem began in a similar way to Jenny Craig (with bricks-and-mortar weight loss centers), but a few years ago they became internet-only (sometimes incorrectly called nutra system)

Diet Options

The Nutrisystem Nourish program is based on the Glycemic Index. Carbohydrates on the diet are generally low glycemic. A typical day would include 3 meals and 2 snacks. The food is available directly from NutriSystem (via their web site), who ship the food directly to the customer. There are options for men, women, and vegetarians.

The idea is to restrict the diet to accurate portions based around the persons required calorie count. Food can selected from a pre-made menu, or you can select individual food items. The typical meal plan cycle is 28 days.

Like most packaged weight loss programs, they are useful for short term controlled weight loss. However many people will not continuing buying foods like this for the rest of their life, and will have to ‘wean off’ the program.

However, considering that a significant contributor to obesity is growing portion size, Nutrisystem can be very helpful for some people.

Nutrisystem have a current offer of one weeks free food (with an online order)

NutriSystem Program

The NutriSystem program does provide more than a diet. A weight loss counselor is available via online chat (there is apparently no charge for this service). They also provide more information regarding exercise and building a healthy mind.

Foods on the Diet

Here is a sampling of foods on the Nutrisystem diet.

BREAKFASTS

Oatmeal
Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
NutriCinnamon Squares Cereal
NutriCoconut O’s Cereal
NutriFrosted Crunch Cereal
NutriFlakes Cereal - 40% Bran Cereal
Lowfat Granola Cereal
Frosted Oats Cereal
Mini Frosted Shredded Wheat Cereal
Lemon Poppyseed Muffin
Banana Spice Muffin
Blueberry Bran Muffin
Chocolate Chip Granola Bar
Apple Granola Bar
Cranberry Granola Bar
Scrambled Eggs - Smoke Flavor
Scrambled Eggs with Cheddar Cheese
Scrambled Eggs with Peppers and Mushrooms

DESSERTS / SNACKS

Vanilla Pudding
Chocolate Pudding
Almond Pistachio Biscotti
Amaretto Coffee - Unsweetened, Decaffeinated
Apple Cinnamon Soy Chips
Chocolate Peanut Butter Dessert Bar
Blueberry Lemon Dessert Bar
Cappuccino Coffee - Unsweetened, Decaffeinated
Chocolate Macadamia Nut Biscotti
BBQ Soy Chips
Hot Cocoa
Chocolate Shake
White Cheddar Soy Chips
Mint Hot Cocoa
Mocha Shake
Chocolate Mochaccino Dessert Bar
NutriCrunch Chocolates
Sour Cream and Onion Soy Chips

Criticisms

As with many packaged food diets, some will not enjoy the taste of the NutriSystem food products. There have also been stories of some foods being substituted by NutriSystem at peak times (such as the new year) - this could be an issue if you have a food allergy.

See More

Nutrisystem Diet - Official Site.

No Flour, No Sugar Diet

2008-06-20T15:20:00.000-07:00

The No Flour, No Sugar Diet is a weight-loss program developed by medical practitioner and health columnist Dr Peter Gott. His best-selling book of the same name shows how to reduce calories in your diet by eliminating flour-based and added-sugar foods.

Basics of the Diet

Foods containing added sugar and refined flour are nutrient-poor, unlike foods containing whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes which are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber. The No Flour, No Sugar Diet reduces the so-called ‘empty’ calories of refined carbohydrate-based foods, also frequently high in fat (such as pizza and donuts).

The No Flour, No Sugar lifestyle encourages selection of foods without significant sugar and refined flour content, based on interpretation of food labels. Exercise is also mentioned (half an hour a day). No counting of calories is suggested, however the book does list foods to major on and foods to avoid.

Sample Meal Plans

The No Flour, No Sugar Diet book includes meal plans for 14 days, and no less than 75 pages of recipes (in a 186-page book!). Here are a few examples from the Meal Plans section:

Breakfast: Omelet muffin, sliced fresh strawberries
Morning Snack: Diced cantaloupe
Lunch: Greek salad
Afternoon: No-sugar-added yogurt
Dinner: Chicken breasts in Rosemary-Dijon sauce, spinach salad with tomato vinaigrette, steamed brown rice

Breakfast: Whole-grain cereal (with no flour or added sugar), nonfat milk, fresh peach
Morning Snack: Diced pineapple
Lunch: Green salad with water-packed tuna, sliced tomato, shredded carrot, and no-sugar-added vinaigrette
Afternoon: Spiced Edamame (Soy beans in the pod)
Dinner: Meatballs in tomoto sauce and baked polenta with fresh corn

Breakfast: Basic Crepe filled with sliced lean ham and reduced-fat cheese; sliced apple
Morning Snack: 1 stalk celery fille with reduced-fat, no-sugar-added peanut butter
Lunch: Taco salad with spiced prawns
Afternoon: Spiced Edamame
Dinner: Curry yogurt chicken, steamed or sauteed zucchini, steamed brown rice

Conclusion

Most people who eliminate from their diet foods containing refined flour and sugar will lose weight. A No Flour, No Sugar Diet works, especially if part of a healthy lifestyle.

Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Diet by Peter H Gott. 186 pages, available at Amazon.

Negative Calorie Diet

2008-06-20T15:19:00.000-07:00

The concept of a food with negative calories seems like a joke. Many fad diets are about foods with ‘magical’ properties, and many offer only very temporary weight loss solutions - and who can maintain a monotonous diet of only one or two foods?

There are no foods with a negative calorie value. However it can be possible to obtain a ‘negative’ calorie effect.

Negative Calorie Effect

Fibrous complex carbohydrates are generally good for us. The American Heart Association recommends that 55% of our daily calories should come from complex carbohydrates. Fiber (in the correct amounts) is good for the digestive process, helping food to be processed and eliminated efficiently (it keeps us running smoothly!) - and can prevent gastro-intestinal ailments.

What is a fibrous complex carbohydrate? Green vegetables.

Green vegetables are low in calories. You can eat a lot of them without getting fat - yet at the same time the fibrous content can ‘fill you up’. There are some green vegetables in particular that are very low in calories.

Every food requires some energy in order to digest it (called the thermic effect of food). Some green vegetables may actually have some of their calories burnt up just to digest them. This is the "negative calorie" process.

Example Green Vegetables

Asparagus
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Zucchini (courgette)

Proponents of the Negative Calorie Diet suggest that eating a stick of celery (5 calories) will burn up 95 calories.

This is pure speculation and lacks scientific basis.

Weight Loss From Negative Calorie Diet

It is likely that all weight loss on the Negative Calorie Diet comes simply from consuming low calories. It is very unlikely that any diet consisting of a certain group of foods will have any ‘magical’ properties.

Fibrous vegetables are filling, very nutritious yet low in calories - any diet consisting of large portions of vegetables will aid in weight loss.

See More

Negative Calorie Diet - Official Site.

Neanderthin

2008-06-20T15:17:00.001-07:00

Neanderthin: Eat Like a Caveman to Achieve a Lean, Strong, Healthy Body is a book written by Ray Audette (see the book here). The author suffered from diabetes (at age 33), and had endured a battle with rheumatoid arthritis for 12 years. His research led him to Paleolithic nutrition - natural diet based on what Stone Age people ate prior to the development of agrarian societies.

The simple explanation of the diet, is that only food which is edible in its raw state AND which was available in the Paleolithic age should be eaten. There is no need to refrain from cooking or other forms of food-preparation when following the Neanderthin Plan.

Neanderthin diet plan

Neanderthin has been called a low-carb diet by some. Grains (oats, barley, wheat, rye, etc) are completely out - as are all refined carbohydrates and sugars. This is a big list of ‘forbidden’ food and includes breads, pasta, rice, and even beans. Dairy is also not allowed (obviously a product of agricultural society). Fruit and vegetables are allowed, along with honey (in small amounts).

It is essentially a similar diet to what the hunter-gatherer would eat. Nuts, eggs, fish, and seafood, along with a high amount of meat. Obviously the meat must be cooked for health purposes.

There is no calorie counting or portion control here - you eat until satiation.

Paleolithic Diets

There has been considerable amount of research and study into eating habits in relation to disease. History shows an interesting record of this, and many conclusions have been drawn. The success of the Neanderthin diet, and other Paleo-diets may have more to do with removing refined foods from the diet - rather than a premise of "eating what the caveman ate".

There are a number of idiosyncrasies in Neanderthin - such as forbidding peanuts - which completely qualify as a raw food.

The sad thing is, is that in modern society healthy (fruits and vegetables) are so expensive compared to their processed counterparts. Nutritionally-challenged breads are so cheap to buy that it’s no surprise that it is a staple of our modern diet.

Resources

PaleoFood - Extensive collection of recipes.
www.neanderthin.com - Official site of the Neanderthin diet.

Mediterranean Diet

2008-06-20T15:12:00.000-07:00

Mediterranean Diet is a style of eating based on the Southern Mediterranean region (i.e. Spain, Greece, and Italy). This kind of diet consists of a lot of vegetables and fruit, salads dressed with olive oil, fish, bread, pasta, and other grains. The diet contains only small amounts of fish and poultry, and red meat is rarely eaten. The diet also contains low to moderate quantities of wine, and some eggs. In recent years the Sonoma Diet has taken the principles of Mediterranean eating and packaged them up into a very popular diet.

Mediterranean Diet - Healthy Eating

A Mediterranean Diet is in line with healthy eating practices. Olive oil is not a magic weight loss solution, but it is the predominant oil of the Southern Mediterranean. Good quality Olive oil is a good source of mono-unsaturated fat. Portion size should be watched carefully if you are aiming for weight loss, particularly with higher calorie foods such as oils. Wine (typically red wine) is consumed as part of a mediterranean diet - a glass a day with a meal is the norm.

Why is it Popular?

The peoples of the Southern Mediterranean area have a lower incidence of heart disease than in the West. This could be attributed to the lower levels of saturated fat in their diet.

See More

Mediterranean Diet - Official Site

Medifast - Diet Review

2008-06-20T15:10:00.000-07:00

Medifast is a low calorie diet that will bring about rapid weight loss - in the region of 2-5 pounds per week. The diet is undertaken by purchasing meal replacement products from Medifast that will provide an optimal calorie and nutrient amount for both men and women.

The 5 and 1 Plan

This Medifast plan is made up of 5 meal replacements per day (generally shakes, but there are also bars, soups, oatmeal, and puddings). In addition to the meal replacements - 1 meal per day is a “lean and green” meal - a small portion of lean meat, and generally up to 2 cups of salad or vegetables. You eat every 2-3 hours, and must drink a minimum of 64oz of fluid (water) per day.

Caloric intake is between 800-1000 calories per day. Medifast recommend having supervision from a physician - however you can order the food without this.

While there are 70 different pre-packaged foods, the most popular items are the shakes - made up of differing proportions of protein. Medifast has optimized vitamins and minerals to ensure there will be no deficiencies while reducing calories.

Medifast are currently offering 1 week’s free food with purchase. Offer ends soon. Click here for special offer .

Maintenance Plan

Once the desired weight is reached, the Medifast plan involves a gradual transition back to ‘normal’ meals over a period of about 16 days. Beyond this, Medifast recommend 1-3 Medifast meals daily and a moderately intense exercise routine (e.g. 30-45 minutes 5 days per week). This is essential to keep the weight off.

Successful Weight Loss?

Medifast is one of the more successful and balanced low-calorie diets - it has been trialled successfully at John Hopkins Weight Management Center, among other places.

There are numerous success stories from overweight people who have successfully used Medifast to drop their weight down to manageable levels.

This weight loss program is generally only used by the very overweight (BMI >= 30). It will only suit some people, and beware of slowing your metabolism leading to subsequent weight gain.

See More

Medifast - Diet Review - Official Site.

Mayo Clinic Plan

2008-06-20T15:04:00.000-07:00

The Mayo Clinic Plan is a great diet, designed by medical professionals from a reputable health institute. The Mayo Clinic Plan (book available from Amazon) promotes a nutritious diet of fruit and vegetables with starchy carbs and then proteins and dairy, and is based on the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid.

With the Mayo Clinic plan you eat practically unlimited amounts of vegetables and fruit, plus whole-grain foods, lean protein and heart-healthy fats. The objective is to eat foods containing a small number of calories in large amounts, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, poultry, fish and whole grains. Also on the menu are low-fat dairy and unsaturated fats (especially from nuts and olive and canola oils). This is not a restrictive diet plan, so carries its own incentive to stick with it long-term.

The result is a balanced, nutritious diet to achieve a healthy weight. The Mayo Clinic claims that the plan can help reduce your risk for heart disease (by lowering high blood pressure and cholesterol), cancer and Type 2 diabetes.

Mayo Clinic Diet Plan

Internet site eDiets.com®, which claims to be the web’s authority in diet, fitness and motivation, working in partnership with The Mayo Clinic, appears to be the sole agency to offer the plan via the Internet (beginning December 2005) as the basis for a comprehensive program to manage and maintain your weight.

This program uses the Mayo Clinic Plan as its foundation, and additionally offers:

Personalized menus each week
Ingredients shopping lists
Options to match meal plans and lifestyles
Daily serving recommendations
Results charts and reports
Weight-loss do’s and don’ts
Dining-out tips

Sample Meals

A sample meal might include:

Pancakes with syrup and strawberries
Dilled Pasta Salad with Spring Vegetables
Rosemary Lemon Chicken
Fresh Apricots

Here’s a 3 day sample meal plan.

Day 1	Day 2	Day 3
*Breakfast* Oatmeal 1 cup nonfat, skim milk 1 slice whole wheat bread 1 1/4 cups sliced fresh strawberries	*Breakfast* 2 pancakes, from mix (4” diameter) 1 1/2 tbsp. maple syrup 1 tsp margarine 1 cup nonfat, skim milk 3/4 cup fresh blueberries 1 cup honeydew melon	*Breakfast* Poached Egg with toast and orange juice 2 slices whole wheat bread 1 tsp margarine 1 cup orange juice, calcium-fortified
*Lunch* Southwestern Salad 1/2 whole-wheat, approximately 6” (2 oz.) pita bread 1 cup nonfat, skim milk	*Lunch* Dilled Pasta Salad with Spring Vegetables 1 small apple 1 cup nonfat, skim milk	*Lunch* Tuna Salad Pita 1 bell pepper 1 small apple
*Dinner* Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce 1 slice whole wheat bread 5 baby carrots 1 cup nonfat, skim milk 1 cup cantaloupe	*Dinner* Rosemary Lemon Chicken with Sweet Green Beans and Brown Rice with Green Onions 1 cup nonfat, skim milk 6 tomato slices 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar 1 cup cantaloupe	*Dinner* Tomato-Basil Pita Pizza with salad and cantaloupe 2 cups lettuce, romaine or lettuce of choice 1 cup chopped or sliced cucumber 2 Tbsp. dressing, Italian low fat 1 cup cantaloupe 1 cup nonfat, skim milk
*Snack* 7 whole almonds 1 cup red or green grapes	*Snack* 1 small pear 3/4 cup fresh blueberries	*Snack* Vegetable juice 1 medium banana 1/2 cup canned vegetable juice 6 Whole Wheat crackers

Summary

The program altogether appears to be comprehensive and effective in its goals. It should appeal to many looking for a long-term lifestyle in which a healthy weight can be achieved and maintained without causing undue stress - in fact, it promotes a healthier life overall.

Mayo Clinic Diet

2008-06-20T15:01:00.000-07:00

The Mayo Clinic Diet continues to cause considerable confusion. This is not an "official" Mayo Clinic Diet. The Mayo Clinic health center (based in Rochester, USA) categorically states that it had never endorsed any diet plan until December 2005, when it was announced that the official Mayo Clinic Plan was available via the Internet.

The clinic does however provide a number of guidelines for healthy eating - including the new Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid (aka Mayo Clinic Food Pyramid).

What is the unofficial "Mayo Clinic Diet"?

What was supposedly the Mayo Clinic Diet is a fad or crash diet. It is based around grapefruit, lots of salad and protein, and little carbohydrates. Weight loss was supposed to be in the region of 50-55 pounds in 10 weeks.

Mayo Clinic Diet - Meal Plan

12 days on - 2 days off

Breakfast
1/2 Grapefruit or 4 oz. Grapefruit Juice (unsweetened)
2 Eggs (any style)
2 Slices Bacon

Lunch
1/2 Grapefruit or 4 oz. Grapefruit Juice (unsweetened)
Meat (any style, any amount)
Salad (any kind of dressing)

Dinner
1/2 Grapefruit or 4 oz. Grapefruit Juice (unsweetened)
Meat (any style, any amount) (fish may be substituted for meat)
Vegetables (any green, yellow, or red vegetables cooked in butter or any seasoning)

Bed Time Snack

1 glass tomato juice or 1 glass Skim milk

Vegetables Allowed
Red onions, green onions, bell peppers, radishes, cucumbers, broccoli, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, peas.

Vegetables to Avoid
White onions, potatoes, celery.

Instructions

At any meal you may eat until you are full - until you can’t eat any more.
Don’t eliminate anything from the diet, especially don’t skip bacon at breakfast or omit salads. It is the combination of foods that burn fat.
The grapefruit is important because it acts as a catalyst that starts the burning process.
Cut down on caffeine - it affects the insulin balance that hinders the burning process. Try to limit to 1 cup per meal at mealtime.
Don’t eat between meals. If you eat the combination of food suggested you will not be hungry.
Note that the diet completely eliminates sugar and starches, which are lipids and form fat. Fat doesn’t form fat; it helps burn it. You can fry food in butter and use butter generously on vegetables.
Do not eat desserts, bread, and white vegetables or sweet potatoes. You may double or triple helpings of meat, salad, or vegetables. Eat until you are stuffed. The more you eat of the proper combination of food, the more you lose.

Martha’s Vineyard Detox Diet

2008-06-20T15:00:00.000-07:00

The Martha’s Vineyard Detox Diet is the creation of Roni DeLuz who is the founder and director of the Martha’s Vineyard Holistic Retreat.

DeLuz states that the program was originally designed with the purpose of cleansing and nourishing the body. Claims made for the health benefits of the diet are that it will cleanse the digestive system, boost immunity, reduce cellulite and enhance mental clarity. It also helps to change the way people think about food and to foster a new healthy lifestyle which can help with maintaining weight loss if these good habits are kept up.

The substantial weight loss that occurs on the program DeLuz says is a bonus. However this is certainly the major attraction of the program to many dieters with promised results of 21 pounds in 21 days holding great appeal for those who are looking for fast results.

Diet Basics

The diet is centered on liquids such as fresh vegetable juices, live green drinks, berry drinks, herb tea and puréed vegetable soups.

Permitted vegetables for soups include garlic, beans, carrots, cucumbers, celery, collard greens, kale, beets, sweet potatoes, summer squashes, most green vegetables, tomatoes, and purple cabbage.

In addition there are several required nutritional supplements such as vitamins, digestive enzymes and aloe vera.

These are the only foods to be consumed for the entire 21 day program. The plan provides a daily intake of approximately 1000 calories. Caffeine and alcohol must be strictly avoided.

After 21 days dieters are encouraged to go off the detox diet carefully beginning with adding protein powder, soy milk, yogurt and salmon followed by gradually adding other nutritious foods.

Sample Diet Plan

Breakfast

Antioxidant berry drink, herbal cleansing formula, eight ounces of herb tea and eight ounces of water

Mid morning

Eight ounces of water and eight ounces of hot or iced herb tea

Lunch

One cup of fresh vegetable juice or a green drink, eight ounces of water, herbal cleansing formula and an enzyme capsule

Early afternoon

Eight ounces of water and eight ounces of hot or iced herb tea

Late afternoon

Antioxidant or berry drink

Dinner

Cleansing soup, one cup of broth, one cup of herb tea, herbal cleansing formula, eight ounces of water and an enzyme capsule

Early evening

Eight ounces of water or herb tea

Bedtime

Aloe vera supplement

Exercise Recommendations

Dieters are advised to walk one mile a day in a quiet relaxed setting or to bounce on a mini trampoline for 20 minutes to help to stimulate the lymphatic system.

Additional Recommendations

Colonics, coffee enemas, saunas and lymphatic massage are recommended to help with eliminating toxins.

Costs and Expenses

The book costs $24.95 US however it is a requirement of the program to purchase nutritional supplements from the website which costs $199 plus $14.95 shipping and handling for the 21 day program.

A juicer is also essential for the program and these can range in cost from $35-$500.

Pros

May be beneficial for people at beginning of a lifestyle change as the dramatic change in routine can help to break unhealthy habits and to increase awareness about food quality in the diet.
Rapid weight loss can be good psychological incentive for many dieters to continue with a weight loss program.
High fruit and vegetable intake with an average of 22 serves daily.

Cons

Only 20 grams of protein per day which is well below recommended daily intakes. Also lacking in essential fats and fiber.
Withdrawal from coffee, sugar and alcohol can cause symptoms such as headaches which may make it may be difficult to continue with working and other normal daily routines.
Socially disruptive as it is impossible to eat out for the entire 21 days unless bringing your own beverages.
Requirement to purchase nutritional supplements as well as a juicer makes this a very expensive program compared to many other diets.

Conclusions

Although dieters are almost guaranteed to lose large amounts of weight on this program it is likely that the majority of this will be muscle rather than fat loss. This in effect sets dieters up to regain weight when a normal diet is resumed due to a reduction in the metabolism.

Current nutritional models in regard to detoxification diets are that such extreme approaches are unnecessary and may do more harm than good in many cases. If you want to cleanse the body and lose weight the best approach is considered to be a highly nutritious balanced diet.

Maker’s Diet

2008-06-20T14:56:00.000-07:00

The Maker’s Diet is based on Biblical principles, and addresses not only nutrition, but focuses on the four pillars of health; physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional. The Makers Diet was written by Jordan Rubin - who suffered considerable health problems (Crohns disease). He was able to reverse the symptoms by incorporating a whole foods diet regimen - and a faith in the Maker Himself.

Maker’s Diet - Nutrition

The nutritional aspect of the diet is based on ancient Jewish dietary laws. Pork and bacon are to be avoided, as are fish without fins or scales (i.e. shellfish). Food in it’s most pure and natural form is to be eaten.

There are also a considerable list of ‘required’ supplements on the list.

More Than A Diet

The Makers Diet is a holistic 40 day program that encompasses many aspects - not just healthy eating. The daily regimens include prayer and exercise, as well as meal plans.

To quote the diet:

Eliminate your consumption of processed foods and chemicals in Phase 1. This will likely cause a reaction similar to detoxification, but this is expected and healthy. INCREASE YOUR WATER INTAKE AND REST AS OFTEN AS YOUR BODY NEEDS.
Remember that if you stray, you’re always only one meal away from regaining success. MINIMIZE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAILURE BY AVOIDING SITUATIONS WHERE YOU CANNOT FOLLOW THE DIET.
DON’T EAT WHEN YOU’RE ANGRY, SAD, SCARED or ANXIOUS. These emotions shut down digestion and depress your immune system.
GET OUT IN THE SUN. Exposure to sunlight is very beneficial to your health, and can aid in balancing hormones, enhancing mood and building strong bones.

There appears to be no scientific basis for some of the medical claims of the diet. However a diet richer in unprocessed foods is certain to have some benefits.

Supplements - Buyer Beware

The Maker’s Diet also has a line of supplements - under the brand name "Garden of Life". Beware of these - in 2004 the FDA ordered the company to "stop making unsubstantiated claims for it’s products" (reference). Author Jordan Rubin’s credentials have also been questioned.

However despite this there are many positive comments from adherents to the diet.

Feedback

"I have followed the Maker’s Diet for going on three months now because I had some very serious digestive problems and am now feeling great, plus in the process have lost 12 pounds. I could have gone to the doctor and got a prescription for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, but decided I would spend my money on healthy foods. I am so glad that I chose this path" - Jeri

References

The Maker’s Diet by Jordan Rubin - 4 star review at Amazon.

See More

Maker’s Diet - Official Site.

Macrobiotic Diet

2008-06-20T14:50:00.000-07:00

The Macrobiotic Diet is part of the Far Eastern philosophy of Macrobiotics (literally "Great Life"). Despite a reputation of being nothing but brown rice, there is more to the Macrobiotic Diet than just brown rice. The food guidelines have been evolving over a number of years.

Macrobiotic Food

The basic diet is essentially:

50% whole grains
25% seasonal vegetables, cooked or raw.
10% protein foods - such as fish or legumes.
5% sea vegetables
5% soups
5% fruit, nuts, or seeds.

Food should be organically grown and eaten fresh. The Macrobiotic lifestyle also governs how food should be prepared. No microwave should be used - rice must be cooked in a pressure cooker. Food should be eaten and chewed slowly, in a relaxed manner.

What’s not allowed?

Sugars, spices, alcohol, eggs, meat, and cheese. This has everything to do with the extreme yin and yang properties.

What’s good about the Macrobiotic Diet?

The macrobiotic diet is high in natural, unprocessed foods, complex carbohydrates, and vegetables. It is low in saturated fats, whilst providing the essential fats. It could be considered a weight loss diet, due to these factors, and the potential lower calorie count. However Macrobiotics is more of a way of life, than just another weight loss fad.

There are a number of claims made about the healing properties of the macrobiotic diet. Conditions such as cancer and heart disease have apparently been aided by this diet. However some claims are unsubstantiated.

Negatives

The macrobiotic diet can be fairly strict. Where a diet is strict there is a potential for nutritional deficiencies - particularly calcium and iron.

Lunch Box Diet

2008-06-19T23:46:00.000-07:00

Background

The Lunch Box Diet was created by Simon Lovell, a personal trainer, and is based on the diet that he claims he has used with great success with his clients. It has recently been featured in Elle magazine which described the diet as “set to become the biggest slimming craze of 2008″.

It is available as a 10 page E-Book at the cost of £9.95 (approximately USD21).

Lunch Box Diet Basics

The Lunch Box Diet is based around the concept of filling a lunch box with healthy foods and grazing on the contents during the day. Simon recommends snacking every hour or so, only until satisfied, and never eating until full. Breakfast and dinner are taken as normal however some general suggestions are given for healthy meals.

Simon claims that by eating food in smaller portion sizes the stomach will gradually become smaller so that you will be less likely to overeat at dinner.

Recommended Foods

The focus of the diet is on the lunch box which should include around 60% vegetables, 30% protein and 10% salad dressing / condiments.

Top recommended foods include - Broccoli, Spinach, Avocado, Chili Pepper, Sugarsnap Peas, Zucchini, Asparagus, Beetroot. Chicken or turkey breast, cod fish and balsamic vinegar. The book provides a more comprehensive list of food choices.

Foods that are high in carbohydrates such as brown rice, wholegrain breads and pasta are only recommended for people who have a physically active lifestyle.

Fruit is also recommended in moderation (a few pieces daily).

Examples are given in the book of how to construct the lunch box however there are no precise recommendations for portion sizes or calorie measurement.

Pros

This is a great diet for people who don’t like counting calories, meal planning and preparation or complicated plans.
Good for people who like snacking.
The diet plan is very flexible, allows for much personal choice and is easily adapted to suit individual needs.
The lunch box is high in low glycemic index foods which will help to keep energy levels stable during the most demanding part of the day.
It would also produce benefits for health for those that are in the habit of skipping lunch or eating convenience food while at work. This is the time of day when stress may impact on choices negatively and unhealthy foods are often selected for a quick energy boost.

Cons

Expensive for the size of the book and information provided.
No guidance in regard to portion control.
Calorie intake could easily become excessive especially if food intake at breakfast and dinner is not controlled.

Conclusion

On the whole this diet could be suitable for people who are just getting started with dieting and don’t want anything too complicated. It would be a good introduction to learn how to create healthy balanced meals and to increase vegetable intake.

However dieters who prefer a more detailed and specific plans will probably be disappointed and for a comparable of money it is possible to choose from the wide selection of in depth diet and nutrition books on the market.

See More

Lunch Box Diet - Official Site.

Low-Sodium Diet

2008-06-19T23:44:00.002-07:00

A Low Sodium (or Low Salt) Diet aims to reduce the daily intake of sodium or salt. The daily recommended intake of sodium is 2.4 grams (2,400 milligrams) per day. Most people in Western countries eat far more than this. This amount of sodium is equal to a teaspoon of table salt per day.

The DASH diet is a popular implementation of a low-sodium diet.

High-Blood Pressure

Many studies have found that a reduction of sodium can lead to a lower blood pressure. In fact, a level of 1,500 mg has been found to have the best affect on this with high blood pressure (or hypertension).

Many foods contain ‘hidden’ quantities of sodium, so it pays to read the food label. It is a government requirement to list sodium quantities.

Tips for Reducing Sodium

Buy fresh, plain frozen, or canned “with no salt added” vegetables.
Use fresh poultry, fish, and lean meat, rather than canned or processed types.
Use herbs, spices, and salt-free seasoning blends in cooking and at the table.
Cook rice, pasta, and hot cereals without salt. Cut back on instant or flavored rice, pasta, and cereal mixes, which usually have added salt.
Choose “convenience” foods that are lower in sodium. Cut back on frozen dinners, pizza, packaged mixes, canned soups or broths, and salad dressings — these often have a lot of sodium.
Rinse canned foods, such as tuna, to remove some sodium.
When available, buy low- or reduced-sodium, or no-salt-added versions of foods.
Choose ready-to-eat breakfast cereals that are lower in sodium.

Preparing Low Sodium Food

Add less salt at the table and in cooking. Reduce the amount a little each day until none is used. Try spices and herbs instead.
Cook with low-salt ingredients. Remove salt from recipes whenever possible. Rice, pasta, and hot cereals can be cooked with little or no salt.
Use fewer sauces, mixes, and “instant” products this includes flavored rices, pasta, and cereal, which usually have salt added.
Rinse salt from canned foods.
Limit smoked, cured, or processed beef, pork, or poultry.

Low-Protein Diets

2008-06-19T23:44:00.001-07:00

A low-protein diet is any diet in which the protein intake is reduced. Anyone diagnosed with kidney or liver disease may be prescribed a low-protein diet. In any case, a diet which is especially low in protein should only be undertaken under medical direction.

Why is a low protein diet necessary?

Protein is needed, but can cause problems for diseased organs

Protein is necessary for a healthy body. When protein is metabolized by the liver and digested, urea is produced as a waste product. If the liver is diseased, then food metabolism is compromised. If the kidneys, which are responsible for excretion of urea, are not functioning properly (renal failure), or if high levels of protein are continually present in the diet, urea builds up in the bloodstream causing loss of appetite and fatigue. A low-protein diet will reduce the workload on these organs.

It is usually the case that serious liver and kidney disease are accompanied by the need to limit salt or sodium intake due to high blood pressure or fluid retention. Table salt (the primary source of sodium in the diet) should therefore be limited, along with other foods with a high sodium content, as an additional feature of the low-protein diet.

Too much protein can worsen your health

It is generally accepted that a healthy person needs 40-60 grams of protein each day to remain in good health. However, it has been reported that the amount of protein typically consumed by people in affluent societies (American diet typically comprises 12-15% protein) may overtax the kidneys - to the extent that up to 30% of kidney function may be lost by the time someone is in their eighties. High-protein diets for weight loss often recommend 30% or more protein in the daily diet, and in prolonged use can cause serious metabolic changes leading to bone loss and kidney stones!

Reduced protein intake can improve your health

Low protein diets (4-8% protein) are used routinely to treat patients with liver disease, kidney (renal) failure, and disorders involving the urea cycle, the metabolism, and amino acids.

How is a low-protein diet achieved?

Reduce amount of protein

Some of each type of protein should still be consumed each day from the two main sources:

Animal products (fish, poultry, eggs, meat, dairy products) - considered high quality or complete protein.
Vegetable products (breads, cereals, rice, pasta, dried beans) - considered low quality or incomplete protein.

To reduce the amount of protein consumed, protein foods in recipes can be ’stretched’ (to consume less) or reduced as against more of the low- or non-protein foods (less in proportion), making a smaller amount seem just as satisfying.

Sandwiches	Use thinly sliced meats. Fill with salad items like lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, cucumber, chopped celery, apple, parsley or water chestnuts.
Soups	Use lower protein foods (milk substitutes for cream soups, or rice or pasta) to make soups as filling but with less protein.
Main Dishes	Make the main dish of vegetables and grains, and treat meat as the side dish to your meal. Use small pieces of meat and more vegetables in kebabs. Make fried rice with vegetables and use less meat or shrimp. For salads use crisp, fresh vegetables and only a few small strips of meat and egg. For casseroles, reduce the amount of meat and increase the starch, pasta or rice. In recipes using soup, use a low sodium mix. Use low-protein pastas and breads in the diet. For cheeses, use smaller amounts of stronger-tasting cheeses (sharp cheddar, parmesan or romano) for plenty of flavor.

Boost calories to compensate

Decreasing protein in the diet may also mean a reduction in calories. To compensate so as to maintain a healthy weight, increase calories by substituting or adding certain ingredients with minimal protein content, such as:

Increase heart-healthy fats like polyunsaturated vegetable oils (corn, cottonseed, safflower, soybean or sunflower oils), olive oil, mayonnaise-type salad dressings.
Use candy and sweeteners (hard candy, gum drops, jelly beans, marshmallows, honey, jam and jelly - even sugar (diabetics need medical advice).
Use canned fruits in heavy syrup.

Sample low protein menu

Breakfast	Cheerios cereal or equivalent ¾ cup non-dairy creamer ½ cup ½ medium banana orange juice ½ cup
Snack	1 cherry fruit roll up
Lunch	2 slices white bread turkey breast 1 oz/28 g lettuce tomato ½ cup green beans ½ cup mayonnaise 3 tsp 1 medium apple fruit punch 4 fl oz/118 ml
Snack	1 popsicle
Dinner	lean hamburger 2 oz/56 g white rice ½ cup broccoli ¼ cup cauliflower ¼ cup tossed salad with 2 Tbsp ranch dressing pineapple ½ cup
Snack	gum drops 1 oz/28 g

Sample low protein menu contains

Protein: 39 gm
Calories: 1476
Fat: 48 gm
Carbohydrates: 237 gm
Sodium: 1270 mg
Potassium: 2282 mg

Low Glycemic Index Diets

2008-06-19T23:41:00.000-07:00

The Glycemic Index (GI) was originally devised to help diabetics. The index is a ranking of carbohydrate foods which measures the rate at which the blood glucose (or blood sugar) levels rise when a particular food is eaten.

Pure glucose has a rating of 100 - so there nearer a food is to 100, the higher it’s GI rating is. This indicates how quickly the food is converted to blood sugar, and, how quickly the blood sugar levels will drop. Foods with a low GI rating will be absorbed more slowly, helping to keep blood sugar levels constant.

Popular Low Glycemic Diets

Glycemic Impact Diet	A newer diet implemented by eDiets - takes the best of the Zone and South Beach Diet. Very good diet.
Glycemic Load Diet	Glycemic Index corrected for serving size is the Glycemic Load - the diet aims to produce healthy weight by maintaining a daily load under 500.
South Beach Diet	Carb choices are based around low-glycemic foods - although the diet begins with a very low carbohydrate phase.
NutriSystem	This portion-controlled program is based around low-glycemic foods.
Sugar Solution	From Prevention magazine - a diet to correct blood sugar imbalances.

A number of books have been written about the GI - with one of the biggest selling being The New Glucose Revolution. Rick Gallop’s The GI Diet is also very popular.

Typical GI Diet

A typical low glycemic index diet is low in fat and high in carbohydrates — but specifically low-GI carbs. Often a simple change from high GI carbs, to low GI carbs may being about weight loss. It may also give the feeling of more energy, due to less blood sugar / insulin spikes during the day.

Breakfast
Oatmeal with raisins and skim milk.
Orange juice.

Lunch
Vegetable soup with sourdough bread.
Plums.

Dinner
Lean beef bolognese on wholemeal pasta.
Green salad.
Low-fat yogurt.

Drinks
Water, tea (skim milk), herbal teas.

What About Glycemic Load?

Glycemic Index alone does not provide enough information about the glycemic affect of a food. For example; carrots have a high GI, but you would have to eat boxes and boxes of them to have any pronounced affect on blood sugar. This is because the amount of carbohydrate in carrot is very small.

To calculate glycemic load (GL): Simply multiply the GI by the amount of carbohydrate and divide by 100.

For example; an 80g serve of carrot with a GI of 92 has 4.2g per serve. 92 X 4.2 / 100 = 3.9

Low Carb Diets

2008-06-19T23:40:00.000-07:00

Due to extensive publicity, low carb diets have become increasingly popular. However there is considerable ambiguity over exactly what is low carbohydrate. Many companies have seen low carb popularity as a brand to be exploited.

Low Carb - A Definition

All food is made up of three primary macro nutrients - carbohydrates (or sugars), proteins, and fats. Low carb implies that the percentage of carbohydrate (by calorie) is low - but lower than what?

High Carb 50-70% (USDA Food Pyramid)
Moderate Carb 40-50%
Low Carb 25-39%
Very Low Carb 0-25%

However it is common to find that any diet less than 50-60% carb ratio is called a low carb diet. Depending on one’s sensitivity to carbohydrates, a moderate carb ratio may be better than a high carb ratio.

By definition, the lower the carb ratio - the higher the fat and protein ratio. Generally speaking a low carb diet will also tend to be a high protein diet.

Low Carb Diets

The following diets are generally all ‘lumped’ together under the definition of ‘low-carb’. However they actually are made up of little or no carbs - to some that are moderate carb.

Ketogenic diet	A diet that is high in fat with moderate protein and virtually no carbohydrate. This diet will put the body in a state of ketosis, where ketones rather than glucose are used for energy.
Atkins	Atkins is a ketogenic diet for weight loss.
Sugar Busters	More like a moderate carb diet with a ratio of 30-40% carbs - but with a fairly low daily calorie intake.
Hampton’s Diet	Quite similar to Atkins, but with an emphasis on healthier fats - specifically macadamia nut oil.
Neanderthin	Considered to be low-carb - as all grains are to be avoided.
Carbohydrate Addicts	This diet is unusual in that 2 meals have no carbohydrate, and then a 3rd meal is made up of about 1/3 carbohydrates. Very much a low-carb diet - but not low enough for ketosis.
Rosedale Diet	Rosedale places emphasis on more fats and no starchy carbs.
Protein Power	This diet could also be considered low to moderate carb - with a similar ratio to the Zone Diet.
South Beach Diet	The South Beach Diet has an induction phase that is very low carb, but beyond this the diet is not really low carb at all. Effort is made to consume only low GI (Glycemic Index) and un-refined carbohydrates.
Zone Diet	Dr. Sears Zone Perfect diet has a ratio of about 40% carbohydrates (moderate). However many refer to it as a ‘low-carb diet’.
Fat Flush	This detox diet is not usually referred to as a low-carb diet - but it has about the same macro-nutrient ratios as the Zone (about 40% carb).
Anne Collins Low Carb Diet	28-day plan in 2 phases: Phase 1 (14-days) average of 30g carbs per day- Phase 2 (14-days) average of 55g carbs per day.

Other Low or Reduced Carb Diets

Schwarzbein Principle
Leptin diets
Your Fat Can Make You Thin
Specific Carbohydrate Diet
Eat Fat, Get Thin
Go-Diet
Insulin Resistance Diet
Life Without Bread

The Low Carb Industry

The surging popularity of low carb diets caused an entire food industry to appear seemingly overnight. An entire line of foods now bear the catchy name “low carb”. What’s unfortunate is that a lot of these foods are very processed, and are not rich in nutritional quality. Clever marketing has come to the fore, with terms like “Smart Carbs” and “Net Carbs” appearing on many products.

The craze began to decline towards the end of 2004.

Liver Cleansing Diet

2008-06-19T23:39:00.000-07:00

The Liver Cleansing Diet by Dr. Sandra Cabot, was one of the first detox books written. After release it quickly became a huge bestseller.

After seeing numerous overweight patients, many with sluggish metabolisms, Dr Cabot decided that liver function was impaired - due to poor diet and nutrition. Dr Cabot claimed that improving liver function led to weight loss. After 2 years of working successfully with 1540 patients she professes a 100% success rate.

Liver Cleanse - Cure for all ills?

The following symptoms could benefit from a liver cleanse:

Abdominal bloating
Obesity
Poor digestion
Frequent fatigue
Headaches
Unpleasant moods
Bad breath and coated tongue
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Sluggish metabolism
Overburdened immune system
Excessive body heat
High cholesterol
Gall bladder disease
Fatty liver
Allergies
High blood pressure
Sugar cravings
Intolerance to alcohol
Excess alcohol intake
Inability to lose weight

Dr Cabot seems to attribute poor liver function to a vast range of symptoms, some of which could be diagnosed by any number of conditions.

Liver Cleansing in Brief

The diet is strict, with all vegetables to be eaten raw.
Recipes are included.
Supplements are recommended.

The premise of this diet is good, but it seems to be too simplistic to blame a single organ for most people’s weight and health issues. Detox diets are useful, but don’t necessary aid or teach you in forming lifelong good eating habits. There is also a lack of scientific evidence proving that detoxifying diets are as effective as they are claimed.

If you have to continually ‘reach’ for a detox diet, then something in your everyday nutrition and lifestyle is not right.

Liquid Diets and Juice Fasting

2008-06-19T23:38:00.000-07:00

Liquid Diets (or Juice Fasting) are used for a number of reasons - including detox and weight loss. However for weight loss, generally only fluid is lost - not fat.

A liquid diet consists of juices replacing every meal. Nutritionally this will provide virtually no protein or fat, and few calories. However vegetable and fruit juices will be rich in vitamins and minerals and cancer-fighting phytochemicals.

Liquid Diet for Weight Loss?

A Juice Fast should not be used as a weight loss technique. It is better to eat the fruit and vegetables whole - and therefore gain the fiber, and the increased metabolism resulting from digesting the whole food.

There are medically supervised liquid diets (such as Medifast and OPTIFAST) which are used for weight loss. Generally these (expensive) programs will cause quick weight loss - but they are not sustainable as a lifestyle.

Juice Diet Benefits

It may be beneficial to include vegetable and fruit juices in your diet - but not as a complete replacement of solid food. A number of people use a tonic or juice supplement in their diet to provide essential vitamins and minerals. Others claim there are detox benefits to be had from a juice fast. However you should not go beyond a one day juice fast without first consulting your doctor.

Meal Replacement Products

Meal Replacement Products (or MRP’s) are a general term describing products that have a full range of nutrients in them. Most of these are in powder form and when mixed with water or milk provide a liquid-based meal. These are often used by body builders or those looking to gain weight - they help provide macro nutrients in a convenient form, and are sometimes a lot easier than chewing your weight through lots of calories.

Lindora

2008-06-19T23:31:00.000-07:00

Lindora is a weight loss program that was initiated in the 1970s by Dr Marshal Stamper. More recently they have introduced an online version (Lean for Life online), and also a phone-based version of the program.

Currently most bricks-and-mortar clinics are based in Southern California, US.

Lindora - low calorie, very low carb

The Lean for Life program is essentially a high-protein, very low carb diet based on the process of ketosis. This program is medically-supervised and includes a number of other factors such as addressing psychological issues and eating ‘triggers’.

The program is separated into different phases - this is so that your body can stay in the ketosis state. The program ends with a 2 week ‘metabolic adjustment’ phase - to get the body back out of ketosis, and back to relatively ‘normal’ eating.

The 45 day program claims that you can use ‘food you can find in any grocer store’ - yet they do have a substantial online shop section that has many items of food for sale.

The meal plans include 3 meals per day plus 3 protein-based snacks.

Is Lindora suitable for everyone?

Most weight loss programs like this are suitable only for a certain small niche of people. Maintaining a successful healthy lifestyle is more than a 10 week program, and while helping many to lose the initial weight - it does not teach you lifelong habits about nutrition, fitness, and exercise.

It is far better to understand the nutrition that will work for your body - without starving any of your muscle mass. Lindora is low on calories - perhaps too low for some.

It is expensive. The clinic-based programs generally have an upfront fee of $1000. Food and vitamin injections will be extra on top of this. The 10 week online program is $249. This includes just 10 phone conversations with someone at the clinic.

These weight loss solutions are not cheap. However some people find that making a large financial commitment helps them to "stay with the program" and keep motivated.

Leptin Diet

2008-06-19T23:21:00.000-07:00

Leptin is a hormone that assists in regulating both appetite and metabolism. Leptin was only discovered in 1994 - therefore research is only very recent.

Leptin levels are generally proportional to body fat, as leptin is released by fat cells. It is thought that many obese people may have developed leptin resistance - whereby the body fails to respond to leptin signals. This begins a cycle where more leptin is produced.

Leptin Diets

The Rosedale diet by Dr. Ron Rosedale explores dietary solutions for correcting leptin imbalances.
The Fat Resistant Diet by Leo Galland is anti-inflammatory diet that also addresses leptin.
Mastering Leptin by Byron Richards (2004) also addresses leptin imbalances. The basic rules of the diet are explained here…

Information removed at the request of the publisher.

Leptin Diet Meal Plan

Breakfast

Whole grain or high fiber cereal 1 cup with soy milk
Berries 1/2 cup
Walnuts 1/4 cup
Whey protein powder 2 scoops in soy milk or mixed with cereal

Four free range eggs
Two pieces sprouted grain bread
Berries 1/2 cup
Walnuts 1/4 cup

Lunch or Dinner

Chicken breast or salmon or lean steak 6 - 8 oz
Whole grain high fiber pasta or slow cook brown rice or mixed vegetables 1 cup
Avocado large 1/2 or 1/4 cup nuts
Flax meal 1 tbsp mixed with pasta or rice or vegetables
Olive oil 1 tbsp mixed with pasta or rice or vegetables
Spices - ginger, cumin, turmeric
Berries or grapes 1/2 cup or apple

Low Fat and Very Low-Fat Diets

2008-06-17T15:05:00.000-07:00

For the last 20 years, health authorities have been saying that a low fat diet is best. Indeed many people have been able to gain some control over their weight by lowering their fat consumption. However there is much argument as to whether low fat is best.

More modern research is beginning to show that fat in our diet may not be the sole culprit for obesity problems in society, and that it is very important to differentiate between types of fat.

Low Fat - 20-30% of calories come from fats

Very Low Fat - 0-19% of calories come from fats.

Typical very low fat diets include;

Ornish Diet	Very low fat diet from Dr Dean Ornish.
Pritikin Diet	Very low fat, high carb diet.
Hip and Thigh Diet	Rosemary Conley’s very low fat diet was very popular during the early 1990s.
Scarsdale	Popular in the 1970s - this is a low fat, high protein diet.
F-Plan	Again, popular in the late 1980s - this plan emphasized high fiber.

Other low fat diets include;

The Lemonade Diet

2008-06-17T14:57:00.000-07:00

The Lemonade Diet is a short-term, cleansing diet that is similar to a juice fast in many ways. While you are following the diet (10 to 40 days), your sole source of energy and nutrients is a lemonade made with fresh-squeezed lemon juice, purified (non-fluoridated) water, grade-B maple syrup, and cayenne pepper. In addition, each morning, you drink a salt-water flush, and each evening you drink a laxative tea. The only other beverages allowed on the Lemonade Diet are pure (non-fluoridated) water and peppermint tea.
There is a strict regimen for ending the diet, beginning with fresh-squeezed citrus juices for approximately 36 hours, and then gradually moving to raw vegetables and fruits or to cooked vegetable soups over the course of three to five days after ending the regime.

The lemonade diet is a detoxification program written by the late Stanley Burroughs. The diet - called the "The Master Cleanser" was written in the 1940s and continues to be popular to this day. The current version was published in 1976 and is simply a 50 page booklet outlining the diet

The goal of the diet is to rest the digestive tract, cleanse the system of impurities, mobilize and eliminate toxins stored in various areas of the body, and burn excess fat stores.

Side Effects

The first few days of the program can be tough. Like any other fast-type diet, learning to get along without your normal amount of food is difficult. And, like any juice fast, learning to get along without solid food can be a tremendous challenge.

In addition, because this diet is a cleansing fast, there are "detox" symptoms that may occur, including headaches, nausea and vomiting, cravings, fatigue and irritability. Most of these symptoms are short-lived. On rare occasions, they may be so severe that the dieter has to end the diet early.

[edit]

Medical Considerations

Because it represents a tremendous change in eating habits, persons who wish to try it would be wise to discuss it with their physician first. In particular, individuals taking long-term medication that cannot be safely discontinued for the duration of the diet need to consult with their physician. The doctor may wish to monitor the dieter to ensure that the change in dietary habits does not alter the effects of the medication.

Persons who have followed the diet have reported changes in blood-pressure, blood-sugar / insulin levels, and depression, all of which required alteration of their normal dose of medication for these conditions.

Health Warnings

Persons following the Lemonade Diet should follow it exactly as written, and, ideally, under the supervision of their personal physician. Individuals should also be attuned to their body's signals that it is time to transition back to eating. The recommended 10 days is sufficient for most people; higher numbers of days would not be recommended unless the person were under a physician's care and had become accustomed to shorter-term fasts.

Drink at least the minimum amount of the lemonade each day; Burroughs and Glickman both state that one should drink 6 to 12 glasses of the lemonade per day. With 100 calories per 2 tablespoons of Grade B maple syrup, and 8 calories per 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 1 calories per 1/6 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, each drink provides approximately 109 calories. Thus, it would be important to drink 11 to 12 glasses per day to ensure that at least 1200 calories were consumed.

To guard against dehydration, water should also be taken throughout the cleanse. Many cleansers drink a glass of water between glasses of lemonade.

Persons who wish to follow this program more than once a year are advised to wait three to six months between stints; the longer the time on the diet, the longer one should wait to repeat it. Three months between 10-day stints is the minimum recommended interval.

Lactose Intolerance Diet

2008-06-17T14:48:00.002-07:00

Lactose is the natural sugar found in milk. This milk sugar is found in every kind of milk, whether from goats, cows, or from humans. As babies we have an enzyme called lactase, that will digest the lactose. However many people produce less and less of the enzyme as they grow into adulthood. The Lactose can no longer be properly digested, and remains in the intestine - encouraging the growth of bacterial colonies.

Symptoms include anything from stomach-ache, severe cramps, diarrhea, and flatulence. Severity of Lactose intolerance differs from person to person. For some, milk and dairy products must be eliminated completely, - for others they need only be restricted.

Lactose Free Diet - Foods to Avoid

The following foods contain the same amount of lactose as half a cup of milk:

Condensed milk (2 tablespoons)
Evaporated milk (1/4 cup)
Processed cheese (85 g)
Sour cream (1/2 cup)
Yogurt (1/2 cup)
Ice Cream (1/2 cup)

These foods contain small amounts of lactose, and can be tolerated by most people:

Butter
Cottage cheese
Cream cheese
Cheese (cheddar, swiss, etc)

There are some that experience symptoms from eating breads or breakfast cereals (which may contain a small amount of lactose). In this situation ingredient labels must be read very carefully - even foods like chocolate, and cordials can contain lactose as a sweetener).

Calcium Intake

One of the biggest issues with a reduced lactose, or lactose-free diet is maintaining adequate calcium levels. Fortunately dairy is not the only major source of available calcium.

Vegetables	Calcium Content	Lactose Content
Calcium-fortified orange juice, 1 cup	308-344 mg	0
Sardines, with edible bones, 3 oz.	270 mg	0
Salmon, canned, with edible bones, 3 oz.	205 mg	0
Soymilk, fortified, 1 cup	200 mg	0
Broccoli (raw), 1 cup	90 mg	0
Orange, 1 medium	50 mg	0
Pinto beans, 1/2 cup	40 mg	0
Tuna, canned, 3 oz.	10 mg	0
Lettuce greens, 1/2 cup	10 mg	0
Dairy Foods
Yogurt, plain, low-fat, 1 cup	415 mg	5g
Milk, reduced fat, 1 cup	295 mg	11g
Swiss cheese, 1 oz.	270 mg	1g
Ice cream, 1/2 cup	85 mg	6g
Cottage cheese, 1/2 cup	75 mg	2-3g

Lactose-Free Diet Guidelines

On completely lactose free diet, calcium supplements may be required. Many people also consume soy bean products - such as soy milk, and soy cheese. Lactase enzyme is available in tablet and liquid form, and when added to milk, allows the lactose to break down.

Most foods can be enjoyed on a Lactose-free diet; red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, mushrooms, fruit, vegetables, grains (rice, pasta, etc).

All processed foods (baked goods, cookies, desserts, etc) must be carefully checked.

See More

Lactose Intolerance Diet - Official Site.

LA Weight Loss

2008-06-17T14:48:00.001-07:00

LA Weight Loss is a center-based weight loss program with over 650 centers worldwide. While LA Weight Loss is based in the US, there are weight loss centers in both the UK and Canada.

Controversy

LA Weight Loss is one of the most controversial weight loss programs in the US - this is in part due to the sales tactics that are used at the centers. The cost of a personalized program at LA Weight Loss can go into the thousands - however they offer a number of different payment plans.

One of the most controversial issues are the nutrition bars that are part of the program. Many customers are pressured into buying these bars (in bulk) up front - and while a protein-based bar can be a good convenience food - it is most definitely not a requirement for a healthy weight loss diet.

LA Weight Loss Meal Plan

The basic meal plan is similar to that outlined below:

Consists of 2 PROTEIN SELECTIONS, 3 FRUIT
SELECTIONS, 3 VEGETABLE SELECTIONS, 2 STARCH SELECTIONS, 2 FAT SELECTIONS,
AND 2 PROTEIN SNACKS.

Selections are made from the following food groups:

PROTEINS
2 Servings Daily
The following foods must be measured to equal 4 ounces:
steak * beef * lean pork * liver * ground beef * lamb * veal * ground
turkey * crab * salmon * fresh tuna * swordfish *
1 % cottage cheese * canned tuna, low sodium *
OR
The following foods must be measured to equal 6 ounces:
chicken breast * turkey breast * codfish * flounder * shrimp * bluefish
* sole * scallops * whitefish * red snapper *
haddock * lobster * grouper * yellowtail * orange roughy * striped bass
* halibut *

Two eggs or egg substitutes may be eaten in place of one protein
1 ounce of low fat hard cheese may be eaten in place of one protein

FRUITS
3 Servings Daily
apple * lemon * orange * tangerine * peach * plum * kiwi * banana, (one
small) *
grapes * strawberry * cherries 12 medium * cantaloupe * watermelon *
cranberries * raspberries 1 cup *
blueberries ~ cup * grapefruit ~ medium * papaya 3~ cup * pineapple 3~
cup * prunes 3 medium * apricot 3 medium *

VEGETABLES
3 Servings Daily
celery 2 stalks * cucumbers ~ large * green peppers ~ large * radishes
12 medium * tomato 1 small *
One cup of the following equals 1 serving: asparagus * bean sprouts *
broccoli * cabbage * egg plant * mushrooms *
lettuce * green onions * string beans * wax beans * mustard greens *
spinach * kale * zucchini * squash * cauliflower *

STARCHES
2 Servings Daily
1 slice diet bread * 1 rice cake * ~ medium baked potato * ~ cup brown
or white rice *
You may substitute ~ cup of the following cereals daily for one starch:
Total * Special K * Bran Flakes * (not with raisins) Grape Nuts *
Shredded Wheat * Puffed Rice * Oat Flakes * or 1 packet instant oatmeal or
cream of wheat. 1/4 cup cup Skim milk is optional each day.

FATS
2 Servings Daily
one tablespoon diet margarine * one tablespoon diet mayonnaise * You
must use LOW fat, not fat free.

PROTEIN SNACKS
2 Servings Daily
These will generally be soy-protein based bars.

Counseling

Part of the LA Weight Loss strategy are the meetings with a counselor - however many question the credibility and credentials of these counselors - many of whom are well-trained in varying sales tactics. Weigh-ins can happen as much as 3 times per week, or as it suits - it often varies depending on the center.

See More

LA Weight Loss - Official Site

Ketogenic Diet

2008-06-17T14:43:00.000-07:00

A ketogenic diet is a diet high in fat and protein, and virtually no carbohydrate. This will force the body into a state of ketosis whereby ketones are used as a fuel source - rather than glucose.

Ketogenic diets have been used to treat epilepsy and for weight loss. Many body builders also use a ketogenic diet during their ‘cutting’ phase (attempting to burn as much fat as possible while retaining muscle mass). Ketogenic diets have gained some popularity due to the extensive media coverage of low/no carb diets such as Atkins.

Is a ketogenic diet healthy?

A ketogenic diet is suitable for some people - but most definitely not all. Depriving the body of carbohydrates can place significant strain on the body - particularly liver and kidney function. Many people will feel considerably fatigued during the first few weeks of ketosis - the body is trying to adapt to using ketones as a fuel source. Ketones are a byproduct of fat metabolism (fat burning).

There are many opposite schools of thought regarding the safety of a ketogenic diet - however the fact that many epilepsy sufferers have successfully been using ketosis for years - certainly gives the diet some credence.

However it must be done carefully. Many who start the diet stop it within a few days due to the fatigue and difficulty encountered.

Jenny Craig Diet

2008-06-17T14:42:00.000-07:00

The Jenny Craig program is based on developing a healthier relationship with food -- with an eye on good nutrition and reasonable portions -- and it encourages a more active lifestyle.

Also see: Jenny Craig Diet Products

Israeli Army Diet

2008-06-17T14:34:00.000-07:00

The Israeli Army Diet was a fad diet that was popular in the 1970s. It had no connection with the Israeli Army. It was probably suggested by the Israeli defense forces for new recruits.

The diet was recommended for eight days, during which only one type of food article was allowed on two consecutive days.

On the first and second days, only apples were allowed to be eaten. On third and fourth days, only cheese was allowed to be eaten. On the fifth and sixth days, only chicken could be consumed. On day seven and eight days, only salads could be eaten.

Black tea and coffee are allowed throughout the diet.

Disadvantages

The diet gradually lost its popularity because:

it was not nutritionally balanced in calories, proteins and other nutrients
the monotony was difficult to follow, especially since it was difficult to eat only cheese for two days
it led to weight loss in the short-term, but once a normal diet was resumed the lost weight was regained

Hollywood Diet

2008-06-17T14:33:00.000-07:00

The Hollywood 48 hour miracle diet claims that you will lose 10 pounds in 48 hours. This is a ‘fad’ diet and is not a sustainable weight loss technique. It is essentially a juice fast. However juice fasts and tonics can be very beneficial to your overall health.

An essential part of the Hollywood Miracle diet is a ‘miracle’ juice - a scientifically formulated blend of vitamins, fruits, minerals, antioxidants and essential oils, The purpose of the Hollywood Miracle formulation is to detoxify and cleanse your system, and to assist in restoration of biochemical and mineral balance.

Like most rapid weight loss - it can be a loss of water and toxins rather than fat. If you are looking for a quick and easy answer to weight loss - then this is not it - BUT if you are looking for a good tonic, detoxifying and cleansing routine then the Hollywood Juice may be helpful. Any weight loss is more of a side-effect.

Hollywood Diet Plan

The Hollywood Diet does not include any particular eating plan. It belongs in the category of ‘urban myth’. The diet has little to do with comprehensive nutrition.

See: Hollywood Diet Juice Products

Hip and Thigh Diet

2008-06-17T14:26:00.000-07:00

The Hip and Thigh Diet, created by Rosemary Conley, targets reduction in the hips and thighs. Specifically, Conley developed this diet plan in an attempt to provide a way for women to slim down two areas of their bodies that seem to be magnets for fat. A book dedicated to the Hip and Thigh Diet was published in 1980.

This diet targets the hips and thighs by requiring a low fat and low calorie intake in conjunction with exercises that promote thigh and hip reduction. It is intended to fulfill the needs of women who are looking to improve their body image and self esteem by slimming down and reshaping their hips and thighs.

Promoting a low fat and a low calorie intake throughout the course of several weeks or months, the Hip and Thigh Diet is designed to encourage healthier eating habits. Dieters are encouraged to select lean cuts of meat, chicken, fish, legumes, and vegetables while eliminating nuts, seeds, oils, butter, and all dairy products except low fat or fat free kinds.

Dieters must be willing to cut their fat intake drastically if they are to lose weight and notice any significant changes in the hip and thigh area. However, dieters are permitted three meals a day. Snacking is also permitted in controlled amounts as long as the foods are targeted from the suggested list of "acceptable" foods. Calorie counting is not required with this diet.

Since vegetables have a low fat content, dieters are encouraged to consume as many vegetables as they desire or can fit into their daily menu plans. Unfortunately, for individuals who have a strong liking for food products that have high fat content, the

Hip and Thigh Diet might be difficult to sustain on a long term basis.

Additionally, this particular diet plan might not produce the desired results since targeting the hips and thighs for reduction is difficult to achieve. However, dieters who follow the suggested dietary formula should experience some weight loss, especially since exercise is encouraged along with the fat restriction.

See: Hip and Thigh Diet Products

Hilton Head Metabolism Diet

2008-06-17T14:25:00.000-07:00

The Hilton Head Metabolism Diet derives from Dr. Peter M. Miller’s observation, and evidence from subsequent study, that a person’s metabolism burns 70% of all daily calories - the remainder is burned through physical activity. So the main problem in people who are overweight is their body’s failure to burn calories efficiently through metabolism. Metabolism is the action or the result of chemical processes occurring in living organisms and cells that are necessary to maintain life, breaking down some substances to yield energy for vital processes, and synthesizing other substances.

Dr. Miller is the author of the 1983 best-selling book "The Hilton Head Metabolism Diet" and its more recent follow-on book entitled "The New Hilton Head Metabolism Diet", and the founder in 1976 of the Hilton Head Health Institute on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Other related books include "The Hilton Head Over-35 Diet" and "The Hilton Head Diet for Children and Teenagers".

The Hilton Head Metabolism Diet

This program works by changing your body chemistry to burn fat naturally, so that even though you eat five times a day the weight will drop off. The program is in two (repeated) stages. The first stage comprises six weeks of weight reduction, and in the second two-week stage you follow a weight maintenance diet. This cycle is repeated until the ideal weight is achieved. In other words, 6 weeks to drop off pounds, 2 weeks to maintain that weight, then repeat this dietary ’stairstepping’ as long as necessary.

How the Hilton Head Diet operates

The weight reduction or low-calorie stage involves eating three meals a day plus two snacks (equivalent to no more than about 1,000 calories a day), in a well-structured, low-fat, high-carbohydrate plan. Weight loss through metabolic activity is quicker on several ‘minimeals’ a day than on one or two large meals. On weekends the metabolism can be boosted (and the diet varied) by adding 200 to 250 calories each day.

The maintenance stage (also low-fat, high-carb)bases calorie intake on individual needs as determined by the plan.

In the meal plans, all portions must be measured and nothing skipped, no salt is permitted, and multivitamin/mineral and calcium supplements may be recommended. Daily meal plans restrict calories from fat to under 20% of total, and fat consumption is no more than 15 to 20 g. Drink daily at least five 8-ounce or 250-ml glasses of water (or other noncaloric and noncaffeinated beverages).

Daily exercise is required (two 20-minute walks or equivalent, substituted two/three times a week by a 20-minute session of muscle-firming exercises).

Sample plan for weekday low-calorie meal

Breakfast	1 oat bran English muffin with 1 tbspn low-sugar jam or jelly ¾ cup skim milk or 1% fat 1 banana coffee or tea with sugar substitute
Lunch	Tuna salad sandwich (¼ cup tuna salad on 2 slices of low-calorie whole wheat bread, with lettuce and 2 slices of tomato) 6 raw baby carrot sticks choice of any noncaloric or low-calorie beverage
Snack	1 apple
Dinner	Pasta (1¼ cups of cooked pasta with ½ cup tomato sauce) Salad (small dinner salad with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and 1 tbspn low-fat dressing of choice) choice of any noncaloric or low-calorie beverage
Snack	4 cups air-popped popcorn (no butter or salt)

Conclusion

The structured plan of the Hilton Head Metabolism Diet suits many people, but may be too rigid or demanding for you personally, especially for a larger-framed man. If so, the daily calorie intake may be increased (eg use the boosted weekend plan all week, or increase portion sizes), requiring more weight-loss/maintenance cycles to achieve the objective.

High Protein Diets

2008-06-17T14:23:00.000-07:00

A high protein diet is a typical bodybuilders diet, however an increasing number of weight loss diets also recommend high levels of protein - in order to maintain/increase muscle tissue whilst burning fat.

High protein diets typically contain 1g of protein per 1 pound of body weight. Some high protein diets will recommend a percentage of total calorie intake (such as 30% or more).

Why More Protein?

Higher amounts of protein are required to build muscle mass.
Digestion of protein tends to require more energy (also known as the thermic affect of feeding).
Some believe that protein has a higher level of satiation.

Which Foods are High in Protein?

The following is a list of popular lean proteins (i.e. low in fat).

Chicken and Turkey
Fish (i.e. Tuna and Salmon) and other seafood
Cottage cheese and other low-fat dairy
Lean cuts of beef
Whey protein powder
Egg whites

Risks of a High Protein Diet

There is considerable difference of opinion surrounding high protein diets. Some nutritionists feel that diet too high in protein leads to renal (kidney) failure or stress. However there appears to be little evidence for this. High protein diets should be avoided if you already have kidney problems.

Other dietitians cite a dehydration risk with consuming large amounts of protein. Metabolizing protein does require a higher amount of water than carbohydrates or fats, so it’s important to consume a lot of water when on a high protein diet.

Popular High Protein Diets

There are popular weight loss diets that are higher in protein - such as;

However it is important to note that a typical high protein diet implies lean proteins

See: High Protein Diets Products

Hampton’s Diet

2008-06-17T14:17:00.000-07:00

The Hampton’s Diet is a low carb diet written by the former medical director of the Atkins Center - Dr Fred Pescatore.

Many are seeing the diet as a progression from the (often derided) Atkins Diet. There is also a striking similarity between Hampton’s Diet and the South Beach Diet.

It can seem jading to receive yet another diet book, adding to the confusion, but there does seem to be a healthier picture emerging with the Hampton’s Diet.

Hampton’s - Low Carb with a Fancy Oil

The Hampton’s Diet places a lot of emphasis on consuming the right kind of fats - specifically mono-unsaturated fats. Dr Pescatore has picked out Macadamia Nut oil (and it must be Australian as well!!) as being the best cooking oil to use (rather than olive oil). He devotes an entire chapter to oils and fats.

Macadamia Nut oil is expensive - but hey - so is most decent food. However, to pick out a single food as being the "magic" ingredient seems foolish.

Good Carbs and Organics

The Hampton’s Diet is all about quality carbs - the less processed the better. Where possible the food should be organic.

There is a controlled weight loss phase, but other than this - there don’t seem to be any severe restrictions (even moderate amounts of alcohol is allowed).

The diet bears resemblance to a Mediterranean diet (which the author goes into), and makes significant changes to the USDA Food Pyramid.

A "Good" Low Carb Diet?

If you’re trying a low carb diet, then the Hampton’s Diet seems to have the most sensible advice - particularly compared with Atkins. Whole foods, no processed foods, healthy fats… Atkins (and South Beach Diet) have resulted in a whole industry of processed low carb snack foods.

At last we are waking up to the fact that good health must go hand-in-hand with weight loss.

But to be honest, the book seems to be very opportunistic. It arrives right on the coat-tails of the South Beach Diet’s success, and right at a time when the success of (the now deceased) Robert Atkins is declining.

Is there a connection between the author and the sales of Macadamia Nut oil?

Sub-titles like "Diet secrets of the rich, famous, and thin" are absolute nonsense, and nothing more than a marketing gimmick.

Grapefruit Diet

2008-06-17T14:14:00.000-07:00

The Grapefruit Diet is a weight loss diet built solely around the humble grapefruit.

The idea that a single item of food has miraculous weight loss properties seems a farce. The grapefruit is a marvelous fruit - a natural simple carbohydrate high in fibre and vitamin C. But to use it as the sole foundation of a weight loss program is unwise. However recent research has discovered that the grapefruit has more to it than meets the eye.

A lot of the grapefruit diet plans that have been circulating are very low calorie diet plans (VLCD’s ) with a grapefruit thrown in. VLCD’s are not a good weight loss solution for many people. Most versions of the Grapefruit diet are identical to the Mayo Clinic Diet.

Grapefruit Diet - Meal Plan

Below is the outline of the fad diet - and it IS NOT RECOMMENDED. Note that there is also substantial evidence that grapefruit (unlike any other citrus fruit) can interfere with medication.

12 days on - 2 days off

Breakfast
1/2 Grapefruit or 4 oz. Grapefruit Juice (unsweetened)
2 Eggs (any style)
2 Slices Bacon

Lunch
1/2 Grapefruit or 4 oz. Grapefruit Juice (unsweetened)
Meat (any style, any amount)
Salad (any kind of dressing)

Bed Time Snack
1 glass tomato juice or 1 glass Skim milk

Vegetables Allowed
Red onions, green onions, bell peppers, radishes, cucumbers, broccoli, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, peas.

Vegetables to Avoid
White onions, potatoes, celery.

Instructions

At any meal you may eat until you are full - until you can’t eat any more.
Don’t eliminate anything from the diet, especially don’t skip bacon at breakfast or omit salads. It is the combination of foods that burn fat.
The grapefruit is important because it acts as a catalyst that starts the burning process.
Cut down on caffeine- it affects the insulin balance that hinders the burning process. Try to limit to 1 cup per meal at mealtime.
Don’t eat between meals. If you eat the combination of food suggested you will not be hungry.
Note that the diet completely eliminates sugar and starches, which are lipids and form fat. Fat doesn’t form fat; it helps burn it. You can fry food in butter and use butter generously on vegetables.
Do not eat desserts, bread, and white vegetables or sweet potatoes. You may double or triple helpings of meat, salad, or vegetables. Eat until you are stuffed. The more you eat of the proper combination of food, the more you lose.

Properties of the Grapefruit

The traditional grapefruit diet consists of a 7 or 21 day eating plan. 1/2 a grapefruit is consumed during breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Recently the Scripps clinic, based in San Diego carried out a clinical trial and discovered the following:

"The 12-week pilot study, led by Dr. Ken Fujioka, monitored weight and metabolic factors, such as insulin secretion, of the 100 men and women who participated in the Scripps Clinic “Grapefruit Diet” study. On average, participants who ate half a grapefruit with each meal lost 3.6 pounds, while those who drank a serving of grapefruit juice three times a day lost 3.3 pounds. However, many patients in the study lost more than 10 pounds….. The researchers speculate that the chemical properties of grapefruit reduce insulin levels and encourage weight loss."

By all means include grapefruit in your diet - it may give you an edge. But for serious and sustained weight loss - look elsewhere.

Also See: Grapefruit Diet Products

Glycemic Load Diet

2008-06-17T14:04:00.000-07:00

The Glycemic Load Diet

The Glycemic Load Diet, by Rob Thompson, MD is a refinement of earlier low-carbohydrate diets, and aims to reduce the glycemic load in the diet - the impact on blood glucose levels of a serving of a given food, as indentified in the Glycemic Index.

The increased consumption of starchy carbohydrates, particularly wheat, is held to blame for the obesity problem. Also, the claim is made that insulin resistance (said to be present in 22% of the population) would be less evident if starchy carbs like rice, potatoes and bread were reduced. Insulin regulates glucose consumption in the body, mainly the muscles. If these become insensitive to insulin (called insulin resistance) then weight-gain results. Refined carbs are the major source of glucose in the diet. For example, it is suggested that no more than a quarter-serving of these foods be consumed at one sitting, alongside cutting out drinks and juices with added sugar.

The Glycemic Load Diet also requires 30-40 minutes of walking every other day, with the objective of activating ’slow-twitch muscle’ to improve the insulin resistant condition.

Glycemic index/Glycemic load

The glycemic index measures the effect on blood glucose of a given amount of carbohydrate from a particular food source, in comparison to the same amount of carbohydrate in white bread as the standard (set at 100).

The glycemic load corrects that figure for serving size or amount consumed, and it this glycemic load which forms the basis of the Glycemic Load Diet. The advice given is that the total glycemic load in foods consumed each day should be under 500.

Examples of the glycemic load of common baked goods, breads and breakfast cereals.

This list is taken from the Glycemic Load Table in Dr. Thompson’s website as quoted in his book The Glycemic Load Diet.

As such it uses a different formula than other measures of Glycemic Load such as the University of Sydney.

Food Item	Description	Glycemic Index	Typical American Serving	Glycemic Load
White bread	30 grams-1/2″ slice	100	1-1/16oz	100
Baked Goods:
Oatmeal cookie	1 medium	77	1oz	102
Apple muffin-sugarless	2-1/2″ diameter	69	2-1/2oz	107
Cookie: average all types	1 medium size	84	1oz	114
Croissant	1 Medium size	96	1-1/2oz	127
Crumpet	1 Medium size	69	2oz	148
Bran muffin	2-1/2″ diameter	85	2oz	149
Pastry	Average serving	84	2oz	149
Chocolate cake	1 slice (4″X4″X1″)	54	3oz	154
Vanilla Wafers	4 wafers	110	1oz	159
Graham cracker	1 rectangle	106	1oz	159
Blueberry muffin	2-1/2″ diameter	84	2oz	169
Pita bread	1 medium size	82	2oz	189
Carrot cake	1 square (3″X3″X1-1/2″)	88	2oz	199
Carrot muffin	2-1/2″ diameter	88	2oz	199
Waffle	7″ diameter	109	2-1/2oz	203
Doughnut	1 Medium size	108	2oz	205
Cup Cake	2-1/2″ diameter	104	1-1/2oz	213
Angel food cake	1 slice (4′X4″X1″)	95	2oz	216
English Muffin	1 medium size	109	2oz	224
Pound Cake	1 slice (4″X4″X1″)	77	3oz	241
Corn muffin	2-1/2″ diameter	146	2oz	299
Pancake	5″ diameter	96	2-1/2oz	346
Breads and Rolls:
Tortilla (wheat)	1 medium size	43	1-3/8oz	64
Pizza crust	1 slice	43	3.5oz	70
Tortilla (corn)	1 medium size	74	1-1/4oz	87
White Bread	1 slice-1/2″ thick	100	1oz	107
Whole meal rye bread	3/8″ slice	97	2oz	114
Sourdough bread	3/8″ slice	77	1-1/2oz	114
Oat bran bread	3/8″ slice	68	1-1/2oz	128
Whole Wheat Bread	1 slice-1/2″ thick	101	1-1/2oz	129
Light rye bread	3/8″ slice	97	1-1/2oz	142
Banana Bread-sugarless	1 slice (4″X4″X1″)	79	3oz	170
80% whole-kernel oat bread	3/8″ slice	93	1-1/2oz	170
Pita bread	8″ diameter	82	2oz	189
Hamburger Bun	Top & bottom-5″diameter	87	2-1/2oz	213
80% whole-kernel wheat bread	3/8″ slice	74	2.25oz	213
French Bread	1 slice-1/2″ thick	136	2oz	284
Bagel	1 Medium size	103	3-1/3oz	340

Breakfast Cereals:
All Bran	1/2 cup	54	1oz	85
Muesli	1 cup	69	1oz	95
Special K	1cup	98	1oz	133
Cheerios	1 cup	106	1oz	142
Shredded Wheat	1 cup	107	1oz	142
Grapenuts	1 cup	102	1oz	142
Puffed Wheat	1 cup	105	1oz	151
Instant Oatmeal (cooked)	1 cup	94	8oz	154
Cream of Wheat-cooked	1 cup	94	8oz	154
Total	1 cup	109	1oz	161
Corn Flakes	1 cup	116	1oz	199
Rice Crispies	1 cup	117	1oz	208
Rice Chex	1 cup	127	1oz	218
Raisin Bran	1 cup	87	2oz	227

French Women Don’t Get Fat

2008-06-17T13:53:00.000-07:00

“French Women Don’t Get Fat” is based on the principle that by adopting the diet and lifestyle patterns of French women it is possible to maintain a healthy figure while avoiding the experience of deprivation that is common with most diets.

The author of the book, Mireille Guiliano, recommends eating for pleasure and to focus on the enjoyment of food. No foods are forbidden so long as the portions are kept small. She says that the biggest secret of French women is that they learn to eat with their heads and choose their indulgences wisely.

She emphasizes quality over quantity, eating slowly, savoring the unique flavors of each food and to stop eating when satisfied.

See more: French Diet

Feingold Diet

2008-06-17T13:50:00.000-07:00

The Feingold Diet derives from the program suggested in the book “Why Your Child is Hyperactive“, first published in the 1970s by Dr. Benjamin Feingold, a pediatrician and allergist. He went on to develop and promote his dietary approach to helping children with learning and behavior problems, since categorized as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

The Feingold Diet is based on the premise that allergic reactions or sensitivities to certain types of foods cause or contribute to ADD/ADHD symptoms, such as problems with:

Behavior (marked hyperactivity, impulsive and compulsive actions, emotional concerns)
Learning (short attention span, neuro-muscular difficulties, cognitive and perceptual disturbances)
Health (physical complaints and/or sleep problems)

The full Feingold Program

How it functions

The Feingold Program is more comprehensive than a simple diet, and operates in two stages. Stage 1 eliminates chemical compounds in particular food additives, and salicylate compounds in certain foods (and non-food items such as fragrances - hence the name Program rather than Diet). See below for a list of items for elimination. Stage 2 involves identifying which salicylates (if any) can be tolerated.

Does it work?

Many ADD/ADHD sufferers who follow the Feingold Program have experienced great improvements in focus and behavior. There is a considerable (recent) research to back this up (see more).

Studies in the early nineties show that around 75% of children improve on a diet that restricts additives.

What it does

The Feingold Program eliminates these additives and chemicals:

Synthetic coloring (are made from petroleum - crude oil)
Artificial flavoring (combinations of many natural and synthetic chemicals - eg imitation vanilla flavoring or “vanillin” might originate from the waste product of paper mills). There has been little research carried on these chemicals.
Artificial preservatives (BHA, BHT, and TBHQ, made from petroleum; also termed “anti-oxidants” because they prevent or delay the “oxidization” of fats in foods, which make them rancid)
Salicylates (a group of chemicals related to aspirin, which are a naturally occurring pesticide in particular food plants - see ‘Food sources of salicylates’ below; also manufactured and used in many products including medicines, perfumes and solvents). Only some are eliminated on the Feingold diet.
Artificial sweeteners (only aspartame is eliminated)
Other food additives considered undesirable (such as MSG, sodium benzoate, nitrites, sulfites) - these are not eliminated - but are noted in the food list.

Food Sources of Salicylates

Almonds, Apples, Apricots, Aspirin, Berries, Cherries, Cloves, Coffee, Cucumbers, Currants, Grapes, Nectarines, Oil of wintergreen, Oranges, Peaches, Peppers (bell & chilli), Pickles, Plums, Prunes, Raisins, Rose hips, Tangelos, Tangerines, Tea, Tomatoes

A Staged Dietary Plan

A less rigorous approach than the Feingold Program, given that many studies have shown the sensitivity of some children to dyes, is to start by eliminating only those foods (and vitamins, drugs, and toothpastes) that contain artificial colorings.

If initial dietary changes have little benefit (i.e. excluding only dyes), try the complete Feingold diet. It is important to use a diet diary or journal.

If that doesn’t help, the Feingold Association recommends eliminating:

corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, and corn sugar (in soft drinks and other sweetened foods)
MSG (monosodium glutamate) and HVP (hydrolyzed vegetable protein, which contains some glutamate)
sodium nitrite (in luncheon meats)
calcium propionate (in baked goods)

After several weeks, if the child’s behavior has improved, every few days restore one eliminated food or ingredient at a time. Repeat that two or three times if a problem occurs, to confirm that the food is really a culprit.

If the child’s behavior did not improve on the Feingold diet, try a “few-foods” diet, which involves more extensive restrictions (see Elimination diets). Studies show that some children are sensitive not just to food additives but also to such foods as:

wheat
eggs
milk and other dairy foods
chocolate
soybeans/tofu
corn products (including corn sugar and syrup)

Eliminate as many of those foods as possible, plus artificial colorings and other additives. Children can eat fresh meat and poultry, any vegetable (except corn and soybeans), fruits and fruit juices (but not citrus fruit/juice and not beverages normally consumed daily), rice, and oats.

Fat Smash Diet

2008-06-17T13:45:00.002-07:00

The Fat Smash Diet is set out in the book of the same name by Ian K. Smith, M.D.

The principle behind the name is that you achieve your weight-loss goals by smashing bad habits and misconceptions about diet. The diet follows a 90 day program in 4 phases - detox, foundation, construction, and the temple.

The Fat Smash Diet is also used by popular TV show Celebrity Fit Club.

Fat Smash Diet Program

The Fat Smash Diet lays out your plan over 90 days for developing healthy eating habits and a healthy lifestyle, to promote fat loss and maintain a healthy weight.

Phase 1 - Detox (9 days)

Diet is essentially vegetarian - mainly fruits and vegetables (raw or steamed/grilled) to absorb natural nutrients, vitamins and minerals in 4 or 5 small daily portions, 3 hours apart, with plenty of water - plus daily exercise (30 minutes cardiovascular exercise 5 days a week, or a walk after dinner for up to 25 minutes).

This phase rids the body of toxins and impurities, developing a good basis for the following phases.

Phase 2 - Foundation (3 weeks)

Additional foods are allowed from a given list (lean meat/seafood, selected cereals and extra dairy), and physical activity is increased by up to 15%. The eating regimen of phase 1 is maintained (strictly no meals to be skipped) including plenty of fruit and vegetables, and fried foods are a ‘no-no’.

This phase establishes good eating and exercise habits for a healthy ongoing lifestyle.

Phase 3 - Construction (4 weeks)

Yet more additional foods are allowed from a given list (such as pasta and bread), portion sizes may be increased maintaining plenty of fruit and vegetables as before, with at least 4 daily meals stipulated. 1 non-fruit dessert per day is permitted (1 scoop low fat ice cream or 2-3 cookies or graham crackers) and physical activity is again increased by up to 25%.

This phase builds the diet plan up from the earlier ‘toning-down’ phases.

Phase 4 - The Temple (remainder of the 90 days)

Most foods previously denied may now be included in limited quantities, and physical activity set at 1 hour for each of 5 days weekly.

This phase is to maintain the ‘temple’ of your body, in which your lifestyle achieves a balance for maintaining your desired body weight. If your goal weight has not been reached by the end of the 90 days, phase 1 may be repeated.

Fat Smash Diet Book

The Fat Smash Diet book by Dr. Ian K. Smith M.D. contains the program philosophy and details of each of the 4 phases of the program, plus 83 pages of recipes and menu ideas. The book has four appendices of useful information:

A body mass index chart for setting your weight goal.
The fiber content of common foods for increasing your dietary fiber intake.
Food nutrition label information.
Calorie expenditure charts for common exercise/physical activity programs.

Recommendation

The Fat Smash Diet program has a growing following, especially given the exposure through Dr. Smith’s involvement with the VH1 Celebrity Fit Club. Many testimonials are positive about the results achieved, and the relative simplicity of the approach to weigh loss as set out in the Fat Smash Diet.

This is a simple diet program, manageable and by all accounts helpful.

See more: Fat Smash Diet

Fat Flush Diet

2008-06-17T13:45:00.001-07:00

The Fat Flush Plan can be found in a book by Ann Louise Gittleman. Ann has previously written a number of books and articles about nutrition and detox diets.

Fat Flush - Detox and Weight Loss

The Fat Flush Plan is both a detox diet and a weight loss diet. The idea is to provide all the necessary ingredients to boost metabolism, reduce water retention, and promote fat loss.

The program has 3 phases:

Phase 1 - 2 weeks
This is a restrictive phase of between 1100-1200 calories per day. The intention here is to "lose bloat" - which refers to reducing water retention as well as some fat loss. In this phase you are not allowed to eat; margarine, alcohol, sugar, oils or fats (except flaxseed oil), grains, bread, cereal, starchy vegetables, dairy products. Even the herbs and spices are restricted to a small list.

Phase 2 - Ongoing
Here the calorie allowance is lifted - to 1200-1500 calories. The idea is to continue on with the program until the desired weight loss is achieved.

Phase 3 - The maintenance phase
Essentially a weight maintenance phase, with a caloric intake of 1500 calories or over. Some starchy carbs are gradually re-introduced, along with gluten-free grains, and some dairy.

Exercise
The program contains a significant exercise component. This can be anything from 20 to 40 minutes of exercise per day, depending on the phase. This is typically low-impact (walking). Strength training (lifting weights) is also on the list (twice a week). A sleep prescription of exactly 8 hours per night is also required.

Sample Meal Plan - Fat Flush Phase 1

Upon Waking
"Long Life" cocktail [psyllium husks in cran-water - see below]

Before Breakfast
8 oz hot water with lemon juice

Breakfast
Vegetable scramble - 2 scrambled eggs, with spinach, green peppers, scallions, and parsley.
8 oz glass of cran-water [diluted unsweetened cranberry juice]

Snack
1/2 Large grapefruit

20 minutes before lunch
8 oz glass of cran water

Lunch
4 ounces of salmon with lemon and garlic, warm asparagus, mixed-green salad with broccoli florets and cucumber, 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil, and one 8 oz glass of cran-water

Mid afternoon snack
2 8 oz glass cran-water

4pm Snack
1 apple

20 minutes before dinner
8 oz glass of cran water

Dinner
4 ounces of grilled lamb chop with pinch of cinnamon and dried mustard, sautéed kale in broth, baked summer squash with a touch of cloves, and 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil

Mid evening
"Long life" cocktail

Fat Flush Pros and Cons

The Up side
The Fat Flush program has all the elements of a good and healthy weight loss program. It isn’t hard to find success stories regarding this program (however the true test is always the test of time - is the fat loss sustained or temporary?).

Remember this diet is a detox or cleansing diet, thus the very restrictive phase one. Unless healthy eating patterns are applied to your lifestyle, any benefits gained will soon be lost.

The Down side
One criticism is that the calorie level in Phase 1 may be too low for some people (particularly men), and the lower calorie levels could have the affect of slowing down metabolism rather than speeding it up.

There is a significant exercise portion (which is a good thing) and fortunately the longer exercise is added during phase 3. However there is little chance the calorie levels of phase 1 (or 2) will support a strong exercise regimen.

This diet is like many other diet books - the one size fits all approach will never suit everyone. Eight hours a sleep a night may be excellent for some, but with 40 minutes brisk walking a day, plus 2 weights sessions per week, this sleep is simply not enough for some people.

Recommendations
This diet is a book and like all those hundreds of diet books sitting on the shelves, you need to be a fairly motivated and focused person. This is why many of the on-line diet programs have been successful - they offer community, personalized support, lots of on-line tools and menu generators etc, AND can personalize your diet for YOU.

How many times have you tried the "latest new diet"? Only to find yourself back where you started 6 months later. It’s good to have a buddy system.

NOTE: Many medical professionals question the validity of most detox diets as there is little empirical evidence to suggest that any detoxification occurs.

F-Plan Diet

2008-06-17T13:43:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: The F-Plan has been superseded by the F2 Diet (by the same author).

The F-Plan was originally published in 1987 by British author Audrey Eyton. It was the first high-fiber weight loss diet published.

High-Fiber

The diet is effectively a low-fat high-fiber diet. The theory is that a high intake of dietary fiber fills you up quickly, providing the bulk of food without the high calories. Most fiber content passes through the digestive system. In addition it was thought that by chewing high fiber foods, it was easier to detect the body’s satiety level.

F-Plan Diet Plan

The staples of the diet are complex carbs, such as whole grains, baked potatoes, and legumes, and lots of fruit and vegetables. Fiber content will obviously be higher than the Recommended Daily Intake of 25-30g. A typical daily calorie count for the diet would be around the 1250 mark.

Breakfast
Cereal/fruit mix (special recipe) with low fat milk
Piece of fresh fruit

Lunch
Nutty Coleslaw
Fresh fruit

Dinner
Skinless baked chicken
Baked potato
Mixed Salad

Cereal/fruit mix (special recipe) with low fat milk

Drinks
Calorie-free drinks, tea, and coffee with low fat milk.

F-Plan Summary

Weight loss will probably occur simply because of the low calories involved. High fiber diets also have some positive health aspects. However, because of the high carbohydrate content, many people may find fluid retention and bloating to be a problem.

F-Factor Diet

2008-06-17T13:36:00.000-07:00

The F-Factor diet is designed by Tanya Zuckerbrot, a dietitian, with 10 years of practical experience helping people to lose weight.

The creator of the diet claims that not only will the diet promote weight loss but it will also improve the appearance of skin and hair, boost energy levels, as well as reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, colon and breast cancer.

General diet guidelines are similar to the ‘Zone Diet’.

Diet Basics

The F-factor diet is based around increasing the intake of high fiber foods. Fiber helps to promote the feeling of fullness and to reduce appetite. Fiber also controls blood sugar balance which helps to maintain high energy levels.

Recommended High Fiber Foods:

Fiber One Cereal
Fiber Crackers
Fruit (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, pear, apple)
Vegetables (salad greens, broccoli, asparagus, sweet potato, cabbage)
Whole Grains (brown rice, whole wheat bread)
Beans and Legumes (garbanzos, black beans, lentils, pinto beans)
Nuts (peanut butter, almond, pistachio, walnut)

Support

4 weeks of menu plans are available at http://www.ffactordiet.com/

Meal plans are set at approximately 1100 calories per day.

The book includes 75 recipes as well as guidelines for making suitable food choices when eating out.

Expense

The cost of the book is $24.95 USD.

Pros

The diet emphasizes adding healthy foods to the diet rather than eliminating foods.
Contains a good balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats and does not eliminate entire food groups.
High nutrient content due to the emphasis on fruits, vegetables and unprocessed foods.
Good for those who feel hungry when dieting because the high fiber content reduces appetite while still allowing for a reduction in calories.
Beneficial for those with a high risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Cons

Serving sizes of outlined meal plans are very small. Calorie content may need to be increased for those with higher calorie requirements.
The first two weeks of the diet requires a specific brand of crackers with no allowance made for suitable alternatives.
Diet will need to be adjusted for those who are allergic or intolerant to wheat as fiber one and fiber crackers are listed as a requirement of this diet.
Inadequate guidance for monitoring fat intake and the types of fats in the diet.

Conclusion

Overall this is a sound eating plan based on solid nutritional principles however the calorie content will need to be increased if the diet is to be continued for more than a few weeks. Those who have a physically active lifestyle will also need to increase the calorie and carbohydrate content of the diet in order to support higher activity levels.

This is a diet that can be continued as a healthy eating plan at a higher calorie level and is especially suitable for those with a high risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

eDiets

2008-06-17T13:31:00.000-07:00

eDiets is the largest online weight loss program. They have built such a large brand, that many people even think the name "e diets" is a generic term for online weight loss. Founded in 1996, they now boast over 1.3 million members. They have consistently won awards and recommendations from such prestigious publications as Time magazine, and Forbes Best of the Web.

eDiets are a subscription-based service, where the user pays quarterly. For the price you receive a number of services; customized diet and meal plans, shopping list, recipes (for whatever is on your meal plan), email assistance, and access to online tools and calculators.

They recently changed their subscription structure, and access to their award-winning community and support groups is a separately billed feature (called eDiets Solutions).

eDiets Nutrition and Diet Plans

eDiets offer a bewildering array of diet plans. They began with their own plan, simply called eDiets Weight Loss Diet - essentially a calorie-controlled nutritionally balanced plan.

Over the past few years they have added a number of plans (subject to change), and are always adding more. Here is a sampling of the diets that they may offer;

Glycemic Impact Diet
Mediterranean Diet
Atkins Nutritional Approach
eDiets.com Weight Loss Plan
Bill Phillips’ Eating For Life
Slim-Fast Optima Diet
The Perricone Nutritional Face-lift
Living with Type 2 Diabetes Diet
Heart Smart Diet (based off the AHA plan)
Low Sugar
Low Sodium
High Fiber
Lactose Free
Low-Fat
Healthy Soy
Vegetarian
Cholesterol Lowering

The number of plans is overwhelming, but if you are simply looking to lose weight, then eDiets have a Diet Needs Analysis survey. This asks a number of questions, and will then come up with the best choices for weight loss.

Within these plans you are allowed to change individual food items (for example, if you were allergic to nuts). You are also allowed to change plans at anytime.

Successful Weight Loss?

eDiets has built an enormous brand based on successful weight loss. There are many success stories. They do advertise extensively, and have a huge opt-in newsletter that they make heavy use of.

The combination of nutrition and food choices make them a good choice if you need help organizing your eating plans.

See More

eDiets - Official Site.

Duke Diet

2008-06-17T13:28:00.000-07:00

The Duke Diet

The Duke Diet is available as a publication, and also online (see below). The program is operated by the world-renowned Duke Diet and Fitness Center at Duke University, and is based on a weight-loss plan made up of four components: Nutrition, Fitness, Behavioral Health, and Medical Expertise.

The Duke Diet is about losing weight and gaining health, and follows a four-week step-by-step program that allows you to

Choose from two eating plans (traditional Duke Diet or the Low-Carbohydrate Diet).
Eat your choice of foods from six food groups (portions are balanced for safe and lasting fat-loss).
Select from daily menus and recipes (program contains 4 weeks of meal plans and recipes).
Establish the right fitness & exercise plan.
Identify barriers to lasting weight loss.

On-line Features

A number of features are offered with the on-line program including: Behavioral Health Assessments, a large collection of recipes + tools, food log, lifestyle journal, custom fitness plan, and exercise video library.

Testimonial

“In the five years that I’ve been following the DFC program, I’ve lost a total of 90 pounds so far. I’ve gone from a size 20 down to a 10! Plus I have lower blood pressure; it’s at a very healthy level now.

The great thing about the DFC is how much you learn. They tell you everything you need to know, from how your metabolism works to what your goal weight should be to how many calories you should be eating. The knowledge DFC gave me — especially about nutrition — has really helped me continue to lose weight and keep it off. I didn’t know anything about what I was putting into my body before the program. Now I’m aware of what I’m eating. I ask for dressings and sauces on the side, and I’ve eliminated fried and creamy foods.” - Laura P.

Resources

The Duke Diet: The World-Renowned Program for Healthy and Lasting Weight Loss by Howard J. Eisenson MD, and Martin Phd Binks PHD.

See More

Duke Diet - Official Site.

Don’t Go Hungry Diet

2008-06-17T13:20:00.000-07:00

Background

The Don’t Go Hungry Diet is the creation of Australian molecular scientist and weight loss researcher Dr.Amanda Sainsbury-Salis.

Like many young women Dr. Amanda began dieting in her teens even though she was at a normal weight. After many years of struggling with yo-yo dieting she realized that she had ‘dieted herself fat’. She entered into a career in medical research so that she could find an answer to her own difficulties in managing her weight and set out to discover the reason why diets don’t work as a long term solution to weight loss.

Dr. Amanda explains that the key to successful dieting is to understand and work with the body rather than trying to fight it. She goes on to describe how dieting triggers chemical and hormonal changes in the body, labeled as the ‘Famine Reaction’, which make it extremely difficult to continue to burn fat.

Dr. Amanda tells us that by eating mostly nutritious foods in amounts to satisfy our hunger we can turn off the ‘Famine Reaction’ and reset our metabolism so that we can continue to lose weight. She also explains that eating this way won’t lead to excessive weight gain because our bodies also have another mechanism which she calls the ‘Fat Brake’ that makes it really hard to get fat so long as we learn how to tune into the messages it sends us about eating.

Diet Basics

Dr. Amanda does not offer a precisely structured diet plan but instead encourages dieters to rediscover the awareness of the body’s requirements for nourishment.

There may be short period of lower calorie eating but whenever the ‘Famine Reaction’ sets in, which can be indicated by an increase of hunger or cravings for rich foods, dieters are advised to eat to their satisfaction whichever foods they desire but without overeating.

She tells dieters that it may take some time to find balance but by continuing to supply the body with nutritious fuel it will respond by sending us clear messages about what foods are necessary and in what amounts in order to produce optimal health and weight control.

Recommended Foods

Although there are no foods that are off limits Dr. Amanda does advise making healthy choices as much as possible and to always include fruit or vegetables in each meal.

She also recommends choosing low glycemic index foods such as whole grains, nuts and legumes so as to assist with our ability to eat to satisfaction while regulating appetite and boosting long term energy levels.

Dr. Amanda also states that eating a wide variety of foods with different flavors is important as this will help reduce cravings for sweets.

Sample Diet Plan

Although dieters are encouraged to eat in accordance with their own instincts and desires Dr. Amanda does offer some guidelines for creating meal plans. A sample menu may be similar to the one outlined below and is based on low glycemic index foods.

Breakfast

Muesli with fresh fruit and yogurt

Lunch

Hummus with a large salad and bread or crackers

Snack

Raw vegetables with a boiled egg or cheese

Dinner

Spinach and Turkey Risotto

Dessert

Crème Caramel

Exercise Recommendations

Dr. Amanda advises to become as active as possible and especially recommends walking as a good form of exercise. She says that medical research proves that in order to lose weight and maintain the loss we need 8 to 12 thousand steps per day.

Costs and Expenses

The only real expense is the cost of the book at $34.95 Australian dollars; however Dr.Amanda also offers personal consultations and online coaching programs which are $395 Australian dollars for a 3 month program.

Personal Journals and Pedometers are also available to purchase from Dr. Amanda’s website.

Pros

No deprivation.
No calorie counting or weighing.
May help chronic yo-yo dieters and binge eaters break out of this cycle.
Supported by scientific research.

Cons

May not appeal to dieters who like the security of a specific plan and calorie counting.
Relatively new and lacking in online support.

Conclusions

Dr. Amanda provides a very refreshing new approach to dieting and weight loss that is supported by the latest in scientific research.

Although her diet is based on scientific theories she presents her ideas in a way that is easy to understand and offers real solutions for those that have been struggling with conventional weight loss diets without being able to achieve their goals.

Dr Seigal’s Cookie Diet

2008-06-17T13:15:00.000-07:00

Eat cookies all day and lose weight? It sounds crazy, but apparently Dr. Seigals Cookie Diet has helped more than ½ a million people lose weight since 1975.

Dr. Seigal created his cookie diet based on the realization that when dieters are able to deal with their cravings with something healthy they are more likely to stick with the program. He concluded that hunger was the main reason people failed on diets.

He originally created the cookies for patients of his Miami medical practice. For years they were only available to his patients but now they can be ordered online via his website.

Diet Basics

Dr. Seigal states that his cookies are scientifically designed to help to control appetite and reduce hunger. Each cookie contains 90 calories and contains low glycemic index ingredients such as whole wheat flour, bran and oats. However the main reason he says they work is due to a secret blend of amino acid proteins.

There is actually some scientific basis to this as proteins have been found to have a greater effect on appetite reduction than carbohydrates and fat in the diet.

Dr. Seigals cookies can be used with any other diet. They are recommended as a healthier alternative to other snacks or to reduce hunger when following any diet while under a doctor’s supervision.

Most dieters report that the cookies are edible but not the tastiest. Even Dr. Seigel’s website states that ‘we wouldn’t call them delicious’. They say delicious cookies make people fat and there certainly is some logic to this as dieters are less likely to overindulge in average tasting cookies.

The cookies are available in 5 flavors including: Chocolate, Oatmeal Raisin, Coconut, Banana and Blueberry.

Sample Diet Plan

Dr Seigal advises his patients to eat six cookies throughout the day whenever hungry. The cookies are the only foods eaten all day and then the patients are ‘rewarded’ with dinner.
He recommends a high protein dinner containing up to 6 oz of either chicken, turkey, fish and other seafood with one cup of vegetables. Red meat is not recommended because of its high fat content.
Total calorie intake averages around 800 calories per day. Dr Seigel says this gives fast results and increases motivation to stay on program.
Once you’ve reached your target weight you can continue the cookies during the day but just increase the calories in the evening meal so as to maintain the weight loss.
He does emphasize that this diet plan should only be undertaken with the agreement from a doctor and under medical supervision.

Costs and Expenses

Cookies are packed in boxes containing 42 cookies packed in 7 daily bags which will last for one week if the diet is followed according to the instructions above. The price is $56 US plus shipping and handling.

Pros

Good for dieters that crave sweets.
Reduces hunger and helps to control portions and calories.
Can produce rapid results.

Cons

Must be undertaken under medical supervision.
Nutritionally inadequate and lacking in protective nutrients from fresh unprocessed foods. Contains no fruit and only 1 cup of vegetables per day. Impossible to obtain minimum requirements for many nutrients including fiber.
Calorie levels are well below that recommended for safe and effective weight loss.
Low dietary carbohydrates are likely to cause fatigue.
Lacking in variety and may produce dietary boredom.
No exercise or lifestyle advice.
Weight loss is likely to be regained easily when normal diet is resumed.

Conclusions

While there is no doubt that such severe calorie restriction will produce results for most dieters, experience has shown that around 95% of dieters will regain the weight lost with such extreme methods.

Such a rapid loss of weight is associated with many health risks and the calorie content is so low that it is impossible to meet daily minimum requirements for most nutrients.

References

Batterham RL et al. (2006). Critical role for peptide YY in protein-mediated satiation and body-weight regulation: Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, University College London, WC1E 6JJ, United Kingdom.

See More

Dr Seigal’s Cookie Diet - Official Site.
Dr Seigal’s Cookie Diet Products

Dorm Room Diet

2008-06-17T13:13:00.000-07:00

Background

The Dorm Room Diet is a guide to help college students avoid the dreaded ‘Freshmen 15′ by learning healthy eating habits and avoiding the common pitfalls and challenges associated with college life - such as late night studying and parties.

It was written by Daphne Oz, who is the daughter of Lisa and Dr. Mehmet Oz, co-authors of the bestselling books, You: The Owner’s Manual, You: The Smart Patient, and You: On a Diet.

Daphne gained weight during her teenage years and lost 30 pounds after she started college and has written about her experiences and success in changing her lifestyle.

Diet Basics

The Dorm Room Diet is not a specific diet plan but more of a healthy diet and lifestyle guide that is targeted at young women who are starting college. It advocates sensible principles of eating, exercise and the use of nutritional supplements.

The Program includes 8 Steps:

Get Inspired
Get Informed: The Fresh 15
Get Started: Healthy Eating 101
Get a Grip: Where and How to Eat Responsibly at College
Get Prepared: The Five Danger Zones and How to Survive Them
Get Moving: The Exercise Factor
Get Your Vitamins: Everything You Need to Know About Supplements
Get Recharged: A More Relaxed, More Effective You

The rules of the plan are simple:

Always eat breakfast
Drink half your body weight in ounces of water daily, including one glass before every meal.
Eat something every three hours (three meals and two snacks of fruit or veggies).
Don’t eat anything at least two hours before bed.
Be prepared for study sessions with healthy snacks.
When craving unhealthy foods count to your age before you “cheat.”

The book includes many practical tips and food suggestions with an emphasis on eating for health. General recommendations include avoiding sugary cereals and fried food, creamy sauces, full fat dairy products and sodas. Her approach is not overly restrictive and allows treats in moderation.

Recommended Foods

Daphne suggests keeping a supply of fruit and vegetables on hand for snacks and preparing for late night study sessions with healthy fuel sources like apples, pears, rice cakes and soy crisps. She also recommends eating a handful of semisweet choc chips to cope with fatigue during long study sessions which is about 100 calories and contains less sugar than milk chocolate.

If craving something sweet at night Daphne advises to have sparkling water with fruit juice before eating anything because, as she says, the bubbles fill you up without making you feel bloated and this can avoid intake of excess calories before bed.

She also suggests eating grapefruit because it is a natural appetite suppressant.

Exercise Recommendations

Daphne advises college students to utilize the college gym at least 3 days a week with a combination of cardio and resistance exercises and also offers advice for exercising in a small space such as a dorm room.

She has also combined with Celebrity trainer Joel Harper to create a 20 minute workout DVD that is sold separately to the book.

Costs and Expenses

The book costs $16.95 US

Pros

Especially suitable for young female college students as deals with the issues surrounding this group that may impact on the ability to make healthy food choices.

Helps to increase awareness about emotional triggers of overeating and the reasons for being motivated to undertake a healthier lifestyle.

Practical advice that is easy to follow with a good variety of food recommendations.

Cons

May not be as beneficial for those that don’t fit into the target audience.

May be difficult for those on a collage budget to stick with the food and supplement recommendations

Conclusions

Daphne writes in an easy to read style and many readers will relate to her personal experience and success with losing weight.

The book’s strongest point is the emphasis placed on adjusting to the specific challenges of collage life. It is a balanced approach that helps college students to become more aware of their relationship to food and gives practical and easy to follow advice on how to stay healthy and avoid gaining weight during this transition.

See more: Dorm Room Diet Products

Diverticulitis

2008-06-17T13:12:00.000-07:00

Diverticulosis is a condition in which the inner lining layer of the large intestine or colon bulges out
(herniates) through the outer, muscular layer. These ‘outpouchings’ are called diverticula.

Diverticulitis is the term for inflammation and infection in one or more diverticula.

A person having diverticulosis (the condition), and perhaps diverticulitis (the inflammation) as well, is said to
have diverticular disease.

Diverticulosis Symptoms, Causes and Management

Diverticula occur in a colon weakened by age, when increased pressure inside the colon (usually due to constipation) causes little pea-shaped pouches of weakness in the intestine wall. The chance of developing diverticula increases with age, so that by age 50 between 20 and 50 percent of all people will have some diverticula, and by age 90 virtually everyone will.

Treatment

This diverticulosis is usually symptom-free, so that most people do not realize they have it. However, a few people will experience spasms and pain. Relieving the constipation, primarily by increasing fiber in the diet, can reduce the problems associated with diverticulosis. If cramps, bloating, and constipation are problems, the doctor may prescribe a short course of pain medication. However, many medications cause the colon to empty, an undesirable side effect for people with diverticulosis.

Diverticulitis Symptoms, Causes and Management

A person with diverticulosis may get diverticulitis when waste matter and bacteria are trapped in a pouch (diverticula). This blockage interferes with the blood supply to the area, and infection sets in. The tissue then becomes inflamed or infected, and in severe cases may even rupture. An attack of diverticulitis can result in fever, pain and tenderness around the left side of the lower abdomen.

The infection and irritation of nearby tissues within the abdomen may cause the abdominal muscles to spasm. About 25 percent of all patients with diverticulitis will have some rectal bleeding, although this rarely becomes severe. Diverticulitis is three times more likely to occur in the left side of the large intestine, and men are three times as likely as women to suffer with diverticulitis.

Treatment

Treatment for diverticulitis focuses on clearing up the infection and inflammation with antibiotics, resting the colon with a liquid diet plus a pain reliever or a drug such as propantheline (Pro-Banthine) to control muscle spasms, and preventing or minimizing complications. Acute or repeated attacks with severe pain or severe infection may be serious enough to require a hospital stay and possibly surgery.

High Fiber Diet Recommendations

High Fiber Diet for Diverticular Disease

This diverticulitis diet is a high fiber diet for managing diverticulosis, and for reducing effects of diverticulitis. The increased fiber (the American Dietetic Association recommends 20 to 35 grams daily, including 6-8 grams of soluble fiber) in this diverticulitis diet plan produces more bulk in the stool, reducing pressure in the colon and assisting the more regular and complete elimination of waste, thereby preventing the formation of further diverticula.

Build up consumption of fiber in your diet gradually - rapid fiber increase may result in gas, cramping, bloating, or diarrhea. There are other benefits in having different kinds of fiber in a balanced diverticulitis diet: it helps to protect against cancer of the colon and rectum, and assists in preventing heart disease and a number of other health problems. Foods containing fiber also tend to comprise nutrients like vitamins A, C, and E and selenium, useful in fighting cancer.

Increase Fluid and Fiber

Anyone with diverticulitis who increases their fiber intake under this diverticulitis diet plan, should drink at least 1.5 liters (3 pints) daily. Insoluble fiber needs fluid to form stools that are easily passed. Medical advice may be to take a fiber product or supplement such as Metamucil daily (for soluble fiber from psyllium), and to use a cholesterol-lowering spread or margarine containing plant sterols. Fiber supplements provide about 2 to 3.5 grams of fiber per tablespoon, which is mixed with a quarter liter (8 ounces) of water before consuming.

Should Seeds Be Eaten?

Until recently, many doctors suggested avoiding foods with small seeds because it was believed that particles could lodge in the diverticula and cause inflammation. However, this is now a controversial point and no evidence supports this recommendation. So the seeds in tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, strawberries and raspberries, as well as poppy seeds, which are part of your diverticulitis diet, are generally considered harmless.

Diverticulitis Diet Guidelines

Foods to Eat

Breads and grains (6-11 servings daily)
Bread, pastas, pizzas, pancakes, muffins, bagels, pita bread (use whole-grain, whole-wheat flours, and
add 2-3 tsp of unprocessed wheat bran to, or substitute oat bran for one third of all-purpose flour in homemade
breads, muffins and other baked goods)
Whole-wheat, whole-grain and bran cereal products
Buckwheat and stone-ground cornmeal
Rye bread
Whole wheat crackers or crisp breads
Oatmeal, oat bran, or grits
Barley, dry
Wheat germ
Whole wheat pasta
Brown rice

Eat raw or dried fruits and raw vegetables if possible - chopping, peeling, cooking, pureeing, juicing, and processing
fruit and vegetables may reduce fiber content.

Vegetables (3-5 servings daily)

All vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, greens (such as beet greens, kale,
collards, Swiss chard and turnip greens), green beans, green pepper, onions, peas, potatoes with skin, Romaine,
snow peas, green snap beans, pole beans, broad beans, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, turnips.

Fruit (2-4 servings daily)

All fruits such as apple, apricot, banana, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, dates, fig, grapefruit, nectarine,
orange, peach, pear, pineapple, prune.

Milk/dairy (2-3 servings daily)

Increase fiber in yogurt or cottage cheese by adding fresh fruit, whole grain or bran cereals.

Meat/meat substitutes (2-3 servings or total of about 180 gm or 6 oz daily)

All beans and peas such as aduki, baked beans, black beans, fava, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans,
pinto beans and split peas.
Smooth peanut butter and other smooth nut butters.
All meat (increase fiber in meat dishes like meatloaf, casseroles, by adding 2-3 tsp of unprocessed wheat bran
or pinto beans, kidney beans, black-eyed peas, or oatmeal), poultry, fish, and eggs

Fats and snacks

Whole-wheat pretzels, baked tortilla corn chips or trail mix made with dried fruits.
Cakes, breads, and cookies made with oatmeal or fruit.
Bean dip

Foods to Avoid

Any hard or difficult-to-digest foods, such as nuts, corn, popcorn hulls, and sunflower, pumpkin, caraway, and sesame seeds

Diuretic Diet

2008-06-17T13:09:00.000-07:00

Diuretic foods or supplements having nothing to do with lowering body fat, but will help the body to release fluid. There are certain herbs and foods that are natural diuretics. Including these foods in your diet can assist in alleviating fluid retention.

NOTE: Diuretic supplements should no be taken for more than a few days. Important minerals and nutrients can also be flushed out with the fluids. A better answer is to maintain good diet and plenty of exercise.

Diuretic Foods and Drugs

People who suffer from kidney or liver disorders, heart disease, or hypertension are sometimes prescribed diuretic drugs. Note that this is prescription-only.

The following foods and herbs are know to have diuretic properties:

Celery seed (and plant)
Parsley
Dandelion
Juniper berries
Asparagus
Artichoke
Melon
Watercress

Other foods (common in the Western diet) also have a diuretic effect:

Coffee
Tea
Coke
Excessive animal-based protein

Diuretic Diet Plans

A diuretic diet plan can help to alleviate symptoms of PMS - such as bloating and headaches.

Aim to eat small amounts of starchy carbohydrates (such as breads, rice, etc).
Avoid salt and salty food products.
Drink plenty of water and herbal teas.
See herbs above.
Avoid sugary foods.
Eat fruit and vegetables.

Sample Menu

Breakfast
Low fat natural yogurt with fresh fruit

Lunch
Asparagus soup
Slice of whole grain bread
Orange

Dinner
Serving of baked chicken (with garlic and lemon juice)
Steamed broccoli and carrot
Small Banana and slice of melon

Also See: Diuretic Diet

DietWatch

2008-06-17T13:07:00.000-07:00

DietWatch is an on-line diet and weight loss program. The program has a solid track records (over 6 years) and has one many awards for their innovative tools.

Many on-line programs offer quite a similar set of subscriber-only tools. The primary feature is a personalized meal plan - based on your preferences. Along with this comes extensive support groups, workout plans, journals, shopping lists, and recipes.

More recently DietWatch have introduced a 12 week course on emotional eating (Mastering Food). The course was created by psychologist Dr. Roger Gould.

Dietary Options

DietWatch.com allows the user to select from a number of different nutritional plans.

Balanced (typically around 50% carbohydrate, 30% fat, 20% protein)
Low Cholesterol (lower in saturated fat)
Vegetarian (includes eggs and milk)
Reduced Carb - a macronutrient ratio of 40% carbohydrates.

Macro-nutrient and micro-nutrients (such as sodium and calcium) are calculated based on you personal statistics.

What many users like about DietWatch is the powerful food and calorie database (one of the most comprehensive in the industry). This enables the user to track virtually every food you can think of.

DietWatch also take a very balanced and "un-faddish" approach to weight loss (based on the guidelines of nutritionist Jenny May).

On-line Diets - Worth It?

Nutrition for weight loss is often a very personal thing - what works for one may not work for another. However, nutrition is only part of the puzzle; dedication, consistency, planning and goal-setting all play their parts. This is where online programs offer enormous assistance. Like any program they require you commitment in order to receive results.

When choosing an on-line program - DietWatch is arguably one of the most superior products around.

Diets For Kids

2008-06-17T13:03:00.000-07:00

Diet and nutrition for kids is a challenge. Most children are bombarded with persuasive and attractive advertising from a very young age. Most foods advertised tend to be high in sugar or salt and are often sponsored by colorful cartoon characters.

Children need to be given a choice and must be allowed to eat little and often.

Major Food Groups

Fats

There is no need for children to eat low-fat products. Fats are a necessary component of anyone’s diet. The issue with fat is that of moderation due to the higher calorie content of fats. Some of the more important fats required in childhood development are Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats.

Sources of omega-3 are tuna, salmon, sesame seeds, nuts, sardines. (Note that nuts are not suitable for very young children due to a choking risk.

Sources of omega-6 are Avocado, sunflower seeds, corn, almonds.

Protein

Protein is essential but needs to be moderated in children so as not to overload the kidneys. Good protein sources include; Eggs, milk, cheese, unflavored yogurts, chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, fish, and even some grains such as oats and millet.

Carbohydrates

There is never any need to reduce carbohydrates in children and it should make up the biggest portion of their diets. Many children receive their carbohydrates from sugary juices, candies, processed breakfast foods, and many other snack foods.

Good carbohydrate choices include; Fruits, vegetables, bread, crackers, whole grain cereals, unsweetened muesli.

Weight Loss for Kids and Teenagers

Children who are overweight should never go on restrictive diets or even have foods restricted. Any approach should include the entire family and result in improving the diet of the parents as well as the children.

The program must address behavioral issues as well as nutritional issues.

PariPlan	A healthy program that addresses parenting skills, busy families, and money other aspects that encompass weight management.
Trim Kids (book)	A 12 week program suitable for children, pre-teens, and teenagers.
Slim Kids	A smaller program aimed specifically at children.

Meal Plan Ideas for Kids

Breakfasts

Low-sugar granola. Can be served with milk, chopped banana, or diluted fruit juice.
Cup of cornflakes with chopped apple and/or chopped nuts.
Scrambled eggs on toast, perhaps with plain yogurt and berries.
Oatmeal with raisins.
Baked beans on toast with a small glass of whole milk.

Lunches

Baked potato with tuna.
Shepherd’s pie and green vegetables.
Macaroni cheese and green vegetables.
Chicken and lentil soup.
Pasta with ham and peas.
Tuna sandwich

Dinners

Omelet with green beans.
Lamb with small new potatoes lightly roasted (not fried) in olive oil.
Tuna with pasta bows and vegetables.
Pita bread with chicken slices and sliced sweet red peppers.
Salmon fillet with mashed potato and ratatouille.
Chicken and mixed vegetable casserole.

Snacks

Cup of plain popcorn (home-made).
Fruit and unsalted mixed nuts.
Cream cheese on oatcakes and grapes.
Smoothie made of milk and red berries.
Unsweetened nut butter (almond is popular with children) on toast.
Sliced carrots and celery with avocado dip.
Fresh fruit salad with oat pancake.

See More

Diets For Kids Products

Diet Smart Plan

2008-06-17T12:59:00.000-07:00

The Diet Smart Plan (TDSP) is the creation of author Barry Sanders. The plan involves a series of small, healthy changes to a person’s diet that result in more significant benefits over a period of time rather than drastic measures to meet a expected deadline for weight loss goals.

A typical dieter has a goal of exiting the diet as soon as possible because in their mind, a diet is restrictive. If the diet was more in alignment with their normal diet, the dieter would not want to vacate the program as quickly and desired results would happen through consistency of healthy behaviors.

The Diet Smart Plan is based on the participants’ eating awareness. TDSP is calorie conscious but not concerned with more detailed nutritional aspects such as protein, carbohydrates, fats, points, or good fiber. Keeping the dieter focused on just a few simple aspects, the dieter is more likely to adopt those few healthy habits and make them behaviors rather than overwhelming them with multiple items that lead to frustration and eventually, failure.

Guidelines

TDSP has only three basic guidelines:

Participants are asked to stay under a daily caloric intake amount equal to 8 times their body weight to lose weight.
Once the dieter approaches their target weight, they increase this to 11 times their body weight (i.e. 11 x body weight in pounds). As in most successful diet plans, limiting calories are the key to weight loss. Having dieters focused on only this guideline promotes success.
Participants are asked to eat at least 5 times a day, preferably 6.

This guideline prevents overeating at any particular meal and speeds up digestion.
Participants are asked to weigh-in in the morning and in the evening.
Having a participant monitoring their weight more often keeps the program in their minds and promotes a cycle of success where good habits are rewarded by the participant seeing the result in the scale soon after.

Foods

The Diet Smart program categorizes food into 5 groups:The five food categories are

Free Foods
Most low-calorie vegetables which the dieter does not count against their daily calorie limit. Because many participants do not eat vegetables at all so this is motivation for them to eat as many as they can. It has been suggested that someone could eat more calories eating free foods and gain weight, but this in reality has not been the case since participants cannot eat the volume of vegetables to gain weight. Most participants did not eat a significant percentage of vegetables in their diet prior to TDSP. In the first few days of the program, many dieters turn to free foods to maintain a full feeling while trying to stay under their daily calorie count. When the dieter does not feel hungry and sees weight loss, the participant changes their perception of diets.
Basic Foods
Staples such as baked potatoes, rice, fruits, lean meats. Foods where calories count against the daily calorie limit but the dieter should try to eat as much as possible.
Single Portion Foods
Foods that are acceptable in reasonable portions such as spaghetti, ice cream, and steaks.
Modified Foods
Foods that have low-calorie options or can be prepared in lower calorie fashion such as cheeseburgers, fries, and milk.
Limited Foods
Foods that are not forbidden just should be limited to once a week such as Lasagna.

Sample Meal Plan

Based on a 200lb person.

Breakfast	Calories
Medium Banana	90
Oatmeal	100


Midmorning Snack
Granola Bar	100
Apple	60


Lunch
1/4 pd. Cheeseburger (lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard)	295
2 oz. potato chips	150
Side salad with raspberry vinaigrette	80


Mid-Afternoon Snack
Pepperidge Farm Goldfish (55 pieces)	140


Dinner
6 oz. Chicken tenderloins - grilled	180
1 cup green beans	40
medium baked potato with ultra low-calorie butter	195
carrots	25


After dinner snack
1/2 bag of popcorn	100


Total	1555

Calorie Counting

Prior to each meal or snack, participants “research”, or verify the calorie count of foods prior to consumption to ensure that the meal or snack fits within the daily limit providing for flexibility in many situations. After the meal is consumed, calories from items eaten including condiments and other extras to ensure all calories are counted (unless the food is a free food). TDSP is only concerned with the total from the meal, not details from individual items. The participant keeps a running total all day. At the end of the day, the slate is wiped clean and the participant starts again the next day at zero.

Exercise and Support

Exercise

Asking participants to wait to begin an exercise program rather than starting day helps participants readily adopt an exercise program later. Participants begin by focusing on weight loss for six weeks and then begin a regular weight loss program. The loss of weight helps participants exercise more easily and separates the concepts for easier adoption. Participants who did not have a regular exercise regime prior to TDSP are asked to wait until week six to begin a routine.

Support

The Diet Smart Plan works well through dual accountability. The participant commits to having a support team to help keep them on track. In return, the support team members commit to the participant not to tempt them when dining, being supportive, and being there through “thick and thin”.

Diabetic Diet

2008-06-17T12:55:00.000-07:00

Diabetes Mellitus is a condition where the body is unable to process glucose (a form of sugar).

The most prevalent form of Diabetes is Type II Diabetes which occurs mainly in adults. You are at risk from this form of diabetes if you have a generic predisposition to it (i.e. it’s in your family history), if you are overweight, and/or are aged over 40. In Type II Diabetes, the pancreas still creates insulin, but not enough, - or the insulin does not function correctly (insulin resistance). This form of Diabetes can be managed (to some degree) with the right diet and exercise, but also with diabetes pills and insulin.

Diet Plan for the Diabetic

A healthy eating plan for a Diabetic person is a traditional low fat diet. This diet would have a ration of 25-30% fats, 50-55% carbs, and 20% protein. This is the kind of diet that most governmental authorities recommend.

SAMPLE MEAL PLAN
Breakfast

1/2 Grapefruit, 1 medium bowl oatmeal topped with extra low-fat milk. 1 Tsp honey and 1 Tsp flax seeds.

Snack
1 kiwi fruit

Lunch
40g (uncooked) Basmati rice - cook and server with 4oz cooked chicken strips. 1 small orange, chopped cucumber, and 2 Tsp pine nuts, with oil-free French dressing.

Mid afternoon snack
2 dark rye crisp breads spread with yeast extract.

Dinner
4 oz salmon fillet topped with 1 1/2 Tsp olive oil blended with 1 garlic clove, grilled and server with 6ox potato mashed with seasoning. Serve with peas and spinach.
1 medium glass of dry white or red wine, or fruit juice.

Diabetic Guidelines

Drink plenty of water (to aid in kidney function).
Aim for slow but sustainable weight loss.
Eat little and often - this helps keep blood sugar levels even.
Don’t eat less than 25% fats, as essential fats will help to slow down absorption of the meal.
Try to eat plenty of fresh fruits, salads, and vegetables.

Also See: Diabetic Diet Products

Dash Eating Plan

2008-06-17T12:54:00.000-07:00

The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) was created to assist in lowering blood pressure. It can also prevent high blood pressure where people are susceptible to the condition. One of the primary aims is to reduce sodium (salt) intake. The diet offers two levels of sodium intake - 2400mg down to 1500mg.

Dash Eating Plan

While the basic Dash eating plan is 2000 calories, it does allow for calorie consumption levels of between 1,600 calories and 3,100 calories per day. This is allowed for by varying number of servings. It is a balanced high-fiber plan, with medium levels of proteins, and higher levels of whole carbohydrates.

The diet is high in the essential nutrients, calcium, magnesium, and potassium.

The complete and up-to-date Dash eating plan can be found on the US Government site http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/.

This contains a completely downloadable eating plan to follow.

Dash Plan Successes

The US NHLBI (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) sponsored a serious of clinical trials, and determined that the DASH diet was successful in bringing down high blood pressure. In fact, results would happen within as little as 2 weeks.

Also see: Dash Eating Plan

Cholesterol Diet

2008-06-17T12:53:00.000-07:00

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found among the lipids (fats) in the bloodstream and in all cells of the body. It helps to form cell membranes and some hormones, and performs other functions necessary in a healthy body. Cholesterol and other fats don’t dissolve in the blood, and are transported to and from cells by special carriers called lipoproteins. Those of significance are low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL).

LDL Cholesterol and HDL Cholesterol

LDL is the major cholesterol carrier in the blood. If too much LDL cholesterol circulates, it can gradually build up in the walls of the arteries feeding the heart and brain, forming plaque that can clog those arteries - a condition known as arteriosclerosis. A clot forming near this plaque could block the blood flow to part of the heart muscle causing a heart attack, or to part of the brain, causing a stroke.

A high level of LDL cholesterol (160 mg/dL and above) presents an increased risk of heart disease, so LDL cholesterol is called “bad” cholesterol. Lower levels of LDL cholesterol reflect a lower risk of heart disease. Anyone with heart disease, should aim for LDL cholesterol levels of less than 100 mg/dL.

About a third to a quarter of blood cholesterol is carried by HDL. It is thought that HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it’s passed from the body. Some experts believe HDL removes excess cholesterol from plaques, thus slowing their growth. So HDL cholesterol is known as “good” cholesterol because a high HDL level seems to protect against heart attack. Conversely, a low HDL level (less than 40 mg/dL) indicates a greater risk of heart attack and possibly stroke.

Cholesterol Lowering Diet

Cholesterol lowering diets aim to balance LDL and HDL cholesterol to reduce the risks. There are various low-fat diets and drug programs promoted to address this health area. A recently-devised diet regime which works as well as the drug program and much better than the low-fat diet options is the Portfolio Diet. This is based around soy products and soluble fiber, and was devised by a Canadian research team working with the Almond Board of California, Unilever Canada and Lublaw Brands. After one month, the Portfolio Diet can reportedly lower LDL (bad) cholesterol by an amazing 35 percent, yet HDL (good) cholesterol levels remain unchanged.

A separate study has shown that HDL levels can be boosted after 3 months of drinking 3 glasses of 27% pure cranberry juice daily, thereby reducing heart disease risks by 40 percent.

The Portfolio Diet is a cholesterol lowering diet using a low-fat vegetarian regimen relying heavily on oats, barley, legumes, okra, eggplant, raw almonds and the bulk-fiber laxative Metamucil three times a day. Every Portfolio Diet meal contains soy, often in the form of soy yogurt or soy milk, and is both tasty and filling. This particular cholesterol lowering diet appears to be a very safe, very effective diet.

Sample Meal Plan

Breakfast
Oat bran, fruit, soy mil.

Lunch

Vegetarian chili, oat bran bread, tomato.

Dinner
Vegetarian curry, soy burger, northern beans, barley, okra, eggplant, cauliflower, onions, red pepper.

Supplementation

Also take a fiber supplement and laxative (such as Metamucil) 3 times per day for soluble fiber from psyllium, and use a cholesterol-lowering spread or margarine containing plant sterols.

See more: Cholesterol Diet

Cheat To Lose Diet

2008-06-17T12:50:00.000-07:00

Cheat To Lose is a diet set out in a new book by Joel Marion. The Cheat To Lose approach gets more deeply into earlier dieting principles of aerobic and strength training and high-protein small and frequent meals.

What is the Cheat To Lose Diet?

Cheat to Lose aims to manipulate the level of the hormone leptin - this naturally falls when calorie intake drops as happens in most dieting regimes, thereby restricting the tendency for the body to keep burning fat, so weight loss slows or stops.

Marion’s objective is to increase the leptin level, and since Leptin supplements are not available, he claims that an increase of caloric intake boosts leptin and ‘tricks’ the body into resuming weight-loss - in fact suggests that a single day of overfeeding or ‘cheating’ restores leptin levels and the resumption of weight-loss activity.

This is the ‘cheat day’, when you can consume foods "you crave without feeling guilty" - or so says the book.

The 2 main phases suggested are:

The Priming Phase

One week of reduced carb, one week of Low Glycemic Load carbohydrates, one week of Higher Glycemic Load, and then a “cheat day” - as shown in the book:

	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Week 1	Low Carb	Low Carb	Low Carb	Low Carb	Low Carb	Low Carb	Low Carb
Week 2	Low GI/GL	Low GI/GL	Low GI/GL	Low GI/GL	Low GI/GL	Low GI/GL	Low GI/GL
Week 3	Higher GI/GL	Higher GI/GL	Higher GI/GL	Higher GI/GL	Higher GI/GL	Higher GI/GL	CHEAT day

The Core Phase

Each week begins with two low-carb days, followed by an increasing Glycemic Load on each of 4 days, finishing with a ‘cheat day’. The idea is to manipulate leptin levels in order to maximize fat loss.

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Low Carb	Low Carb	Low GI/GL	Low GI/GL	Higher GI/GL	Higher GI/GL	CHEAT day

Daily exercise is recommended, including suggested strength or resistance training, and the book includes ideas and tips, many medical references, suggested meal plans, and recipes. Some supplementation is recommended by the author.

Sample Meal Plans for the Cheat To Lose Diet (recipes in book)

Priming Phase Menu

Day 1: Low Carb

Breakfast
African Bobotiel
Snack - Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie

Lunch
Grilled Tuna Salad
Herbal tea

Snack
Fruit juice sweetened yogurt
Snack - Sliced fresh ham, mixed nuts

Dinner
Grilled salmon, mixed greens

Day 2: Low Carb

Breakfast
Tomato-Basil Omelet
Snack - 2 hard-boiled eggs, celery

Lunch
Bunless 95% lean cheeseburger, broccoli

Snack - Low-Carb Vanilla Protein Shake, 1 ounce Cheddar cheese

Dinner
Insalata Mista with Lemon-Garlic Chicken

Day 8: Low GI/GL

Breakfast

Raw Oatmeal with Dried Fruit
Snack - Berry Blast Protein Smoothie Lunch
Ground turkey and lentil soup, navel orange
Snack - Strawberry Parfait

Dinner
Asparagus-Stuffed Chicken

Day 9: Low GI/GL

Breakfast
Ham and egg white omelet (1 to 2 whole eggs, plus additional whites), oatmeal (plain rolled oats) topped with ground flaxseeds and strawberries
Snack - Protein Energy Bar

Lunch
Balsamic Chicken with Chickpea Puree
Snack - Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein cookies

Dinner
Grilled Lamb and Couscous Salad

Day 15: Higher GI/GL

Breakfast
Apple-Carrot Muffins (Chapter 13)
Snack
Peach Cobbler Parfait (Chapter 17)
Lunch
Chicken noodle soup
Snack
Metabolic Drive Protein Energy Bar
Dinner
Breaded Chicken with Rice (Chapter 15), spinach

Day 16: Higher GI/GL

Breakfast
Lumberjacks Breakfast (Chapter 13)

See More

Cheat To Lose Diet Products
Cheat To Lose Diet - Official Site.

Change One Diet

2008-06-17T12:44:00.000-07:00

The Change One Diet is a weight loss program from prolific publisher Reader’s Digest. The content is authored by some of their leading health and nutrition writers.

The plan originally appeared in the book Change One: Lose Weight Simply, Safely, and Forever: The Breakthrough 12-Week Eating Plan from Reader’s Digest, and received very favorable reviews (typically 5/5). Reader’s Digest have now come up with a complete on-line format containing all the advice from the book plus additional tools.

The name "Change One" comes from the idea that you make a single change to your lifestyle and diet each week.

Start out by altering breakfast habits, then lunch, then dinner and so on. Each week gradual changes are made towards a 12 week goal. There are no restricted food groups as such, and the diet is simply a balanced plan based on an "optimal" caloric intake for weight loss. It’s a refreshing break away from the "bad/naughty" foods point-of-view that causes so many dieters to binge or fail.

The Change One Method

The Change One plan can range in cost from $8.33 per month up to $14.95 per month. This depends on how long you sign up for. As far as costs go this seems reasonable, considering the amount of tools and support they provide.

Signing up for 12 months is by far the best option - the price is almost halved, and it proves you have made a long term commitment.

The idea of gradual change is appealing. This may give you more of a chance of sustaining the fat loss over the long term and keeping up with good eating habits. Too many weight loss programs require drastic changes to diet - which have an effect over the short term — but think to yourself — "can I imagine still eating like this 10 years from now?".

Cardio Free Diet

2008-06-17T12:42:00.000-07:00

Background

Personal trainer and author, Jim Karas, describes his controversial approach to fitness and weight loss in the Cardio Free Diet. Karas claims that cardio exercise is not only unnecessary but may actually be interfering with your weight loss goals.

Cardio exercise has long been touted as being essential for increasing calorie burning but Karas declares that cardio workouts burn far less calories that we expect and also increase appetite so that any potential benefits are lost. The result is that cardio causes weight gain by triggering us to increase our intake of food and to consume more calories that we would otherwise. Karas also claims that the body adapts to cardio exercise over time so that it is necessary to keep doing more and more cardio in order to get the same calorie burning effects.

In addition to this, Karas also declares that cardio may be very bad for long term health by impairing immunity and increasing inflammation in the body which may increase the risk of cancer and heart disease in later life.

Diet Basics

Although Karas states that it is possible to eat anything on his program he does actually give recommendations to either eliminate or severely limit the intake of refined carbohydrates, sodas, juices and salad dressings.

Dieters are advised to always eat breakfast and never skip meals. Karas recommends three meals per day along with three small snacks. He also advises to have a 100 calorie snack both before and after workouts. The rationale for this approach is to boost the metabolism and provide fuel for the muscles when it is needed.

In the initial stages of the diet women are recommended to commence with a calorie intake of 1200 and men 1500 calories per day. Once the target weight is reached Karas recommends gradually increasing up to 1500 calories a day for women and 1800 for men so as to prevent weight regain.

Recommended Foods

Dieters are instructed to eat dairy foods and take a calcium supplement daily because studies have shown a relationship between weight loss and calcium. (The validity of this has recently been brought into question).

High fiber carbohydrates are recommended to help control blood sugar balance and prevent cravings.

One glass of wine is allowed daily.

The book provides recipes which include:

Apple balsamic chicken
Dijon turkey
Feta vegetable omelets
Grilled tomato tuna

Exercise Recommendations

Karas recommends we all ditch the cardio and instead perform weight training and resistance exercises for 20 minutes, 3 times a week, while following a calorie controlled diet. Despite the ‘no cardio’ stance Karas does state that walking and light biking are acceptable.

Costs and Expenses

The book costs $23 US.

Pros

Speaks to those who have been doing a lot of cardio exercise but not seeing any results.
Weight training can help build lean muscle which boosts metabolism and promote an improved body shape.

Cons

Requires calorie counting and strict portion control.
Calorie recommendations are very low and it will be difficult to meet all nutritional needs on this plan.
Conflicts with many years of research supporting the positive health and weight loss benefits of cardio exercise.
20 minutes of exercise 3 times a week is unlikely to produce good results especially in intermediate or advanced exercisers.

Conclusions

Although Karas does provide some information about research on the effects of cardio on marathon runners it appears that most of his conclusions are related to his own personal experience and opinion. Karas’ main focus is on using weight training to boost metabolism however his diet program is fairly low calorie which will also tend to reduce metabolic rate over the longer term. Karas also fails to note that some forms of cardio exercise such as interval training have been shown to increase metabolism.

Furthermore many studies have shown that cardio reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer in addition to being one of the most reliable predictors of weight maintenance following a weight loss program.

The Cardio Free Diet may be of benefit to dieters who have been spending hours on the treadmill but not getting the desired results however the advice to abandon all forms of cardio exercise does appear extreme.

Also see: Cardio Free Diet

Carbohydrate Addicts Diet

2008-06-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

The Carbohydrate Addicts diet was written in 1993 by authors Rachel Heller MD, and Richard Heller MD. The success of the book has led to a number of follow-up books, many of which have been on bestseller lists.

The premise behind the Carbohydrate Addicts Diet (CAD) is that most overweight people are addicted to carbohydrates. The Hellers’ claim that most people fail to metabolize carbohydrates correctly, causing an imbalance of insulin levels. The elevated insulin levels cause a craving for food throughout the day.

Addiction to Carbohydrates?

Over the last few decades, refined sugars have played an increasing role in our diets. Authorities have esposed a low-fat diet - which has inadvertently lead to people eating far more carbohydrate than is necessary (given our generally sedentary lifestyles). It should be no surprise that many people have become accustomed to highly sweetened foods. Whether this qualifies as an addiction is up for debate.

Carbohydrate Addicts Eating Plan

At its foundation is a reduction of carbohydrate intake. The rules are strict, with the diet providing a long list of foods, that are on the "allowed" list. Anything not in this list must be avoided.

Each day is split into 2 main meals - 2 meals are made up of a protein source (fish, poultry, lean red meat) and fibrous vegetables. The 3rd meal is called the "reward" meal - this can be anything you want, but you should aim for a balance of 1/3 carbohydrate, 1/3 protein, and 1/3 fibrous (non-starchy vegetables). This reward meal must be consumed inside 1 hour.

The diet begins with a restricted 2 week phase, but then goes into a variety of eating plans - depending on whether you are maintaining or losing more weight.

Sensible or Not?

The book does start with a set of questions to determine whether you are a "Carbohydrate Addict". The questions will deteremine whether the diet is appropriate for you.

Research over the last 5 years has shown considerable health benefits arising from moderating carbohydrate intake. However many find such diets difficult to sustain over the long term - much of our social eating patterns are based around carbohydrate foods.

Many people have found success with this plan (as with many low-carbohydrate approaches). Proteins and fats often lead to a greater feeling of fullness - leading the dieter to consume less energy as compared with a high carbohydrate diet.

Generally, we do eat too much processed carbohydrate (white flours, bakery foods, white rice and pasta, etc). This must surely be a contributor to obesity problems - but does not mean that all carbs are the enemy.

Candida Diet

2008-06-17T12:39:00.000-07:00

Candida is a group of toxic yeast-like microorganisms (Candida albicans being the most common), that live among many other organisms in the human mouth, throat, intestines and genital/urinary tract. Under normal circumstances yeast live in 80% of the human population all the time with no harmful effects, as they are in balance with other bacteria.

Candidiasis

When the natural flora in the intestinal/digestive tract fail to control the candida yeast population, "overgrowth" occurs.
Overgrowth is uncontrolled multiplication of yeast cells, resulting in various symptoms commonly termed Candidiasis or just Candida.

Candidiasis affects a wide variety of organ systems. Common examples of candida infection are vaginitis; vulvar rash; oral thrush; conjunctivitis; athlete’s foot, ringworm, jock itch, diaper rash, muscle and joint pain, canker sores, sore throat, tingling sensations, kidney and bladder infections, infections of the nail, rectum, and other skin folds, effects in the gastrointestinal tract (constipation, diarrhea, colitis, abdominal pain, gas, distension, and heartburn), depression and even diabetes.

In immunocompetent persons (those whose immune system is functioning normally), any warm, moist part of the body exposed to the environment is susceptible to infection. This infection is mostly superficial, and proper treatment leads to full recovery.

In immunocompromised persons (those whose immune system has been impaired by disease or treatment), more serious systemic illnesses may occur.

Causes of Candida

Poor diet, an out-of-balance intestinal bacterial environment, and weakened immunity can all give rise to candida. Overuse of antibiotics destroys the natural flora in the intestines that keep the candida cells in check. Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, AIDS patients, infants, diabetics and others with weakened immune systems are more susceptible to an infection of candida (candidiasis). Corticosteroids and oral contraceptives also upset the balance of intestinal flora. Yeast cells mutate, requiring ever higher dosages of Nystatin (the anti-fungal drug), so that the yeast is
strengthened and the immune system further weakened.

Candida Diet Plan

Reversing candida

Detox
The first aim of your Candida cleanse is to cleanse the system of the toxic byproducts of Candida. Fasting, colon cleansing, wheatgrass, fresh vegetable juices, plenty of water, detox herbs, exercise, and anything else that extracts toxins.
Reduce the yeast population in your system
Candida treatment must bring yeast cells back into balance. Use anti-microbial herbs and phytochemicals in formulas from your natural or health food store that include a combination of these powerful herbs, 15 days on then 5 days off, repeating as long as needed. The 5 day break discourages mutating yeast from multiplying and developing immunity to the herbs.
Inoculate yourself with probiotics
Probiotic bacteria favorably alter the intestinal microflora balance, inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria, promote good digestion, boost immune function, and increase resistance to infection. People with flourishing intestinal colonies of beneficial bacteria are better equipped to fight the growth of disease-causing bacteria. Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, along with acidophilus (found in yogurt), maintain a healthy balance of intestinal flora by producing organic compounds (lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and acetic acid) that increase the acidity of the intestine and inhibit the reproduction of many harmful bacteria. Probiotic bacteria also produce substances called bacteriocins, which act as natural antibiotics to kill undesirable microorganisms.
Improve your diet
A diet to eliminate Candida is a long-term lifestyle - and in fact diet is your best defence against candida. Yeast loves sugar and simple carbohydrates; if you keep feeding yeast cells they will multiply, and even the best anti-microbial herbs won’t keep them in check. Eat a disciplined diet for at least 3 months, then When your symptoms disappear, you can expand your diet. But don’t revert to old habits, or the candida symptoms will quickly return.

Keeping Candida in Check

Foods to Avoid

Aged cheeses, alcohol, chocolate, dried fruits, fresh fruits, fermented foods, mushrooms, vinegar, glutenous foods (wheat, rye, oats, barley), all sugars, honeys and syrups (that includes any ‘ose’, like lactose, sucrose etc), and foods that contain yeast or mold (breads, muffins, cakes, baked goods, cheese, dried fruits, melons, peanuts - although nutritional and brewer’s yeasts are not harmful, as they do not colonize in the intestines).

Foods to Eat

Vegetables (including plenty of raw garlic), protein foods (beef, chicken, eggs, fish), live yogurt cultures (both dairy and non-dairy,) FOS*, whey, acidophilus, green algae’s (such as spirulina and chlorella), nuts, seeds and oils, and non-glutenous grains (like millet, rice, rice bran and oat bran).

___________________
* FOS, or Fructo-oligosaccharides, are nondigestible dietary fibers that help to keep the stomach and bowels healthy.
FOS are considered a "prebiotic" because they nourish the naturally present "friendly" bacteria (especially Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli) which help to ward off infection in the digestive system.

Supplements

Checkout combination products containing these herbs & supplements for natural defense against candida overgrowth:

Acidophilus
Arm mesia
Bentonite
Black walnut
Bifidobacterium
Caprylic acid
Cloves
Garlic
Goldenseal
Grapefruit seed extract
Oregano oil
Oregon grape
Pantethine
Pau d’Arco

Cambridge Diet

2008-06-17T12:36:00.000-07:00

The Cambridge Diet is based in the United Kingdom. It has it’s origins from the Cambridge University in the late 1970s. The Cambridge Diet was officially launched in 1984, but now has distributors worldwide.

The Diet Plan

The Cambridge Diet is a Very Low Calorie Diet and is made up of pre-packaged foods. The foods have been formulated to provide precise amounts of vitamins, nutrients and calories - and are available as sachets (shakes or soups), bars, or "brix".

The daily calorie levels start as low as 415-500 calories per day. After a period of time (a maximum of 4 weeks), the calorie levels are upped (first to 790, then to 1,000 calories per day).

It is essential that copious amounts of water are drunk during the diet to avoid dehydration.

A Risky Endeavor

The Cambridge Diet should be used only under the guidance of a medical practitioner In the UK, the diet is only available through accredited counselors and to people with a BMI above 25.

Despite research confirming the benefits of VLCD’s they should only be used under medical supervision. Exercise cannot be maintained (except for very low intensity exercise) during the diet, and additional fiber may be required to prevent constipation.

Be very careful with the Cambridge Diet.

Different Versions?

The Cambridge Diet is only available through distributors. The distributors in the USA provide slightly different formulations to those in the UK.

Cabbage Soup Diet

2008-06-17T12:32:00.000-07:00

The Cabbage Soup Diet is a 7 day meal plan, aimed at achieving fast weight loss. It is not a long-term weight loss solution, but is known to be effective over the short term. Apparently it originally came from a hospital (Sacred Hearts Hospital) to stimulate weight loss for surgery patients - but this cannot be verified.

Pros

Fast weight loss.
The change from some of our normally junky eating habits can be beneficial.
Vegetables from the Brassica family (such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower) have been found to aid in preventing cancer.
Many say they enjoy eating the soup.

Cons

Some complain that the Cabbage Soup a little too bland.
Be prepared for gas…
Requires will power.
Lacks good nutrition
High in salt.
Not a long-term answer.

Cabbage Soup Diet Plan

This diet is not recommended

Day 1
Homemade cabbage soup, plus any fruit, apart from bananas.

Day 2
Homemade cabbage soup, plus other vegetables, including a baked potato with butter for dinner (potatoes are off-limits on other days)

Day 3
Homemade cabbage soup, plus other fruits and vegetables.

Day 4
Homemade cabbage soup, plus anything up to 6 bananas and fat-free milk.

Day 5
Homemade cabbage soup, plus 6 tomatoes and up to 450 grams of meat or fish.

Day 6
Homemade cabbage soup, plus meat(beef) and vegetables.

Day 7
Homemade cabbage soup, plus brown rice, pure fruit juice, and vegetables.

No bread, carbonated beverages, or alcohol.

Cabbage Soup Recipe

6 large green onions
2 green peppers
1 or 2 cans of tomatoes (diced or whole)
1 bunch celery
1/2 head cabbage
1 package Onion Soup Mix
1 or 2 cubes bouillon (optional)
1 48 oz. can V8
Juice (optional)
Season to taste (salt, pepper, parsley, curry, garlic powder, etc).

Note: There are a number of variations to this recipe.

Summary

The biggest drawback of the Cabbage Soup diet plan is the sheer monotony of eating cabbage soup. However some diets (such as the negative calorie diet) basically look at the nutritional properties of the cabbage soup diet, and make it more interesting by combining other foods that have the same effect.

There are also serious concerns regarding the nutritional quality of this diet. On many days the diet is low in protein, calcium, and essential fatty acids. There also high levels of sodium or MSG (Monosodium Glutamate).

Weight loss will probably occur due to the low calorie intake.

British Heart Foundation Diet

2008-06-17T12:30:00.000-07:00

The British Heart Foundation Diet
is a poor fad diet that has been circulating for many years. Please note that the British Heart Foundation has nothing to do with this diet whatsoever.

The diet has circulated in the form of a one page sheet that claims you can lose 10 pounds in 3 days. The diet has been popular in the UK - but its exact origins are unknown.

British Heart Foundation Diet Plan

This diet is not recommended

Breakfast

5 ’snax’ biscuits (dry crackers)
1 slice of cheddar cheese
1 small apple
1 cup black tea/coffee/water

Lunch
1 boiled egg
1 slice of dry toast
1 cup black tea/coffee/water

Dinner
1 cup of tuna
1 cup of beetroot
1 cup of cauliflower
1/2 melon
1/2 cup of diet vanilla ice-cream
1 cup black tea/coffee/water

The British Heart Foundation diet is a very low calorie diet (approx. 700 calories per day), and is often only used for a few days. It is unsustainable. The meal plan should not be undertaken for any length of time without medical supervision.

Bread for Life

2008-06-17T12:29:00.000-07:00

Created by Israeli nutritionist, Olga Raz, the Bread for Life diet is based on the premise that eating generous amounts of bread every day will reduce cravings and help you lose 20 pounds in 8 weeks.

The theory behind the diet is that complex carbohydrates act to increase serotonin levels, which in turn results in a reduction in cravings for sweet foods and decreased appetite.

Serotonin is also the neurotransmitter involved in mood regulation and Raz states that the increase that is brought about by eating bread in large amounts daily will make you feel better and have more energy which in turn will increase motivation to stay with the diet.

Diet Basics / Recommended Foods

Bread

The foundation of the diet is bread; up to 12 slices of bread a day for women and 16 for women.

Raz does emphasize that this must be ‘light’ bread which contains 35-45 calories per slice. Heavier breads and those containing nuts and raisins may have up to 90 calories. These are not forbidden but not recommended for everyday use - and allowed as long as daily bread calorie quota maintained.

The importance of using whole grain bread is emphasized because of their low glycemic index which helps to keep blood glucose levels more stable.

It is permissible to exchange the bread servings for other types of complex carbohydrates such as oats, brown rice or pasta.

Sandwich Fillings

Foods that are not allowed include butter, margarine and sweet spreads but many other spreads are acceptable including mustard, peanut butter, hummus, tahini, avocado and sugar free jelly. Only one spread is allowed at a time and it must be spread very thin.

Other foods suggested as sandwich fillings include tuna, smoked salmon, chicken and turkey breast, tofu and low fat cheese.

Vegetables

Most vegetables are allowed in unlimited amounts and Raz suggests adding salad vegetables such as lettuce, tomato, carrot, cucumbers and sprouts to sandwiches or as an extra side salad. There is also the option of including a cup of steamed or stir fried vegetables or a bowl of vegetable soup with a meal.

Vegetables are recommended because they are high in fiber and low glycemic index which will help you feel full after a meal.

Fruit

Fruit is recommended only in moderation because Raz claims that its sugar content can raise blood glucose. Raz actually states that fruit is not a necessary part of a healthy diet.

However many fruits have a lower GI than bread and contain mostly fructose which does not have a major effect on blood glucose regulation. For example apples and pears have a GI of 38 whereas many whole wheat breads have a GI of up to 70.

Raz does however make the beneficial suggestion to avoid fruit juices which do have the potential to disrupt blood sugar due to their high glycemic index and sugar content.

Protein Foods

Meat, chicken or fish is permitted in 3 meals per week selected from low fat cuts and avoiding processed meats.

3-4 eggs per week are allowed.

Pros

Good for those who have failed on low carb diets in the past or those who don’t want to give up eating bread and other high carbohydrate foods.
Meal preparation is easy.
No calorie counting.
Recommended foods are inexpensive.

Cons

Many people don’t do well on high carbohydrate diets and it may actually trigger an increase in cravings in some people.
There is a very wide variation in the glycemic index of whole grain breads with many actually falling into the high range. The type of bread could have a big impact on the effect of the diet on insulin and serotonin balance.
This diet may not provide adequate protein for many people.

Conclusions

There is a scientific basis behind the idea that increasing carbs in the diet can reduce appetite by increasing serotonin levels however this relationship is not as simplistic as the author implies.

Although some people may find that increasing complex carbs in the diet reduces their cravings, experience shows that many people will not react favorably to this type of diet, and it may actually produce the opposite result.

Body For Life (Eating For Life)

2008-06-17T12:26:00.000-07:00

Bill Phillips’ Body for Life is an inspiring book that outlines a comprehensive diet and fitness program. The book continues to be a top seller worldwide, and has sparked a number of copy-cat programs.

Body for life is about losing fat and gaining muscle - and having a diet that doesn’t leave you feeling tired or fatigued.

The author Bill Phillips is inspired, passionate, motivational, and sincere regarding the program. He has recently added a new book Eating for Life - this primarily focuses on nutrition. This book has the basics of the Body for Life program along with a full color glossy cookbook full of meals and recipes that will fit the Body-for-Life style.

Body For Life Basics

The typical BFL diet consists of 5-6 meals per day. Portion size is emphasized rather than calorie counts. A typical meal might consist of one portion of protein, and one portion of carbohydrate. For one day each week you are allowed to ‘cheat’ and eat your favorite foods. The book provides lists of foods and sample meal plans - but you will need to plan carefully to follow the diet.

The exercise program is essential to Body for Life. This includes 20 minutes 3 times per week of aerobic exercise, and lifting weights for 3 times a week (45 minutes per session).

Transformation Possible?

Bill Phillips has brought different elements together and combined them into a single program. He has delivered these in a truly inspiring and motivational fashion. Body for Life has been the catalyst for thousands of people to finally get fit and healthy, and there is always a Body for Life challenge going on somewhere in the world.

Recommended Program

The Body for Life program is sensible in all aspects. It is not a very low calorie plan, and has a substantial exercise component. Yes you will need to restructure your life to follow this (maybe that’s why its called Body for Life!). You will need to have considerable motivation to succeed, be prepared to work hard, and fat loss would be in the region of 1-2 pounds per week (if you are currently overweight).

Despite the book being adorned with before and after photos of people becoming muscular, it takes a lot of discipline to not only lose fat but to build defined muscle mass.

Supplements

Following the diet (6 meals per day) can be difficult, and the author suggests (plugs?) supplements. This is not surprising as Bill Phillips was once the owner of EAS supplements (he subsequently sold the company on). EAS is reputed to be one of the superior supplement makers in the industry.

Protein shakes (such as Myoplex) certainly have their place (particularly in a regime with 3-6 meals per day). Shakes, bars, and Ready-to-Drinks are a convenient way to supply your body with the nutrients - but are never a replacement for real food.

Sample Meal Plan

This is a typical 1,700 calorie meal plan from the Eating For Life program.

BREAKFAST

3/4 cup scrambled Egg Beaters™

1 piece multi-grain toast with 1teaspoon natural peanut butter

1 small apple

1 small banana

SNACK

Myoplex Lite Ready-to-Drink

LUNCH

2 ounces of fresh deli cut turkey breast

1 tablespoon regular mayonnaise

2 slices of multi-grain bread

1 cup fresh baby carrots

1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese

MID-AFTERNOON SNACK

Myoplex Lite Nutrition Bar

DINNER

1 medium roasted, skinless chicken breast

1 cup lentil soup

2 celery sticks with non-fat cream cheese

Alternatives

Body for life is similar to - The Abs Diet, Burn the Fat - Feed the Muscle, and the 3 hour diet.

Recommendation:

Body For Life

Blood Type Diet

2008-06-17T12:24:00.000-07:00

A blood type diet is a nutrition plan based around your blood type. This kind of diet became popular with the release of Peter D’Adamo’s book Eat Right 4 Your Type. The book continues to be a bestseller. D’Adamo claims that the diet will not only bring about weight loss — but can assist with allergy and infection resistance, and will achieve overall good health.

What is a Blood Type Diet?

Most of the population has blood type O. Here the prescribed diet is low-carbohydrate, high in proteins (such as meat and fish), and low in dairy products. The author suggests specific foods to avoid; such as avocados, brazil nuts, and oranges. Type O should also engage in lots of exercise.

Blood Type A should avoid red meat, eat plenty of fish and vegetables, with a low dairy intake. Light exercise only.

Blood Type B should avoid chicken and bacon, eat plenty of meat and dairy, some fish, and plenty of fruit and vegetables.

Blood Type AB combines the A and B diets.

Is This Diet For Real?

The author claims that much of the recommendations are based on scientific evidence - but perhaps it is too early to make this claim. Metabolism and/or sugar/insulin sensitivity are probably key factors in deciding diet - not blood type. Two people can have very different metabolisms and have the same blood type. One could be sensitive to carbohydrates or sugar, whilst the other needs a high carbohydrate diet.

Weight loss and other health improvements may occur on this diet - not so much because of blood type combinations, but because of a healthier diet! The author encourages people to cut down on processed and refined foods. Good advice for anyone regardless of blood type.

The book also includes low calorie diets that will probably bring about weight loss in anyone (once again, regardless of blood type).

Sample Meal Plans for the Blood Type Diet

Type B Menu

Breakfast
Fluidizer cocktail
Rice bran cereal with banana and skim milk
Grape juice

Lunch
Sandwich - thin slice of cheese, thin slice of turkey breast, two slices of bread, mustard or mayonnaise
Green salad
Herbal tea

Snack
Fruit juice sweetened yogurt
Herbal tea

Dinner
Broiled Fish with steamed vegetables
Fresh fruit
Herbal tea or coffee

Type O Menu

Breakfast
2 slices toasted Ezekiel bread with butter
6 ounces vegetable juice
Banana
Herbal tea

Lunch
Organic Roast Beef, 6 ounces
Spinach Salad
Apple or pineapple slices
Water

Snack
1 slice of cake
Herbal tea

Dinner
Lamb and asparagus stew, steamed broccoli, sweet potato.
Mixed fresh fruit
Herbal tea (beer or wine allowed)

Type A Menu

Breakfast
Water with lemon
Oatmeal with soy milk and maple syrup
Grapefruit juice
Coffee or herbal tea

Lunch
Greek salad
Apple
1 slice sprouted wheat bread
Herbal tea

Snack
2 rice cakes with peanut butter
2 plums
Green tea or water

Dinner
Tofu Pesto Lasagna, Broccoli,
Frozen yogurt
Coffee or herbal tea (red wine if desired)

Type AB Menu

Breakfast
Water with lemon, 8 ounces diluted grapefruit juice, 2 slices Ezekiel bread, Yogurt-Herb Cheese, Coffee

Lunch
4 ounces sliced turkey breast, 2 slices rye bread
Caesar salad
2 plums
Herbal tea

Snack
Tofu Cheesecake
Iced herbal tea

Dinner
Tofu Omelet
Stir-fried vegetables
Mixed-fruit salad
Decaffeinated coffee (red wine if desired)

Banned Foods

Any diet containing a long list of banned foods can be difficult to follow. Eat Right 4 Your Type and the various blood type diets included encourage a predominantly meat and fish diet, while grains, potatoes, cereals, breads, pasta are not encouraged. Interestingly, certain vegetables and fruits are also banned.

See more:

Blood Type Diet

Bikini Boot Camp

2008-06-17T12:20:00.000-07:00

Background

Bikini Boot Camp was created by Melissa Perlman and Erica Gragg who are founders of the Amansala Spa in Mexico; a favorite wellbeing retreat of supermodels and celebrities including Sienna Miller, Cindy Crawford and Linda Evangelista.

The creators of the program say that you can lose 4 to 10 pounds and achieve the bikini body you want in two weeks. It is a comprehensive program including healthy eating, exercise, meditation and motivation techniques.

Although the term ‘boot camp’ creates visions of army style relentless workouts, Erica claims that the program won’t leave you feeling completely exhausted. The combination of healthy eating, exercise and addressing psychological aspects is designed to help energize you. The phrase ‘boot camp’ refers more to the attitude of self-discipline and resolve.

Bikini Boot Camp guides readers so that is possible to create the spa program experience in their own homes. In addition to recommendations for healthy eating, exercise and relaxation techniques readers are also provided with instructions for spa treatment rewards at the end of the day with recipes provided for facials, cleansing beauty treatments and herbal baths such as ‘Oatmeal Rose Skin Restoring Bath’ and ‘Cooling Cucumber & Honey Scalp Treatment’.

Diet Basics

The creators of Bikini Boot Camp don’t like to call their program a diet but instead regard it as a total lifestyle plan. Their philosophy is ‘moderation not deprivation’.

Although the program is designed as a two week intensive overhaul the idea is that the fast results achieved, combined with the changes in emotional and psychological outlook, will result in an increase in motivation that will lead to a permanent healthy lifestyle.

The program can be repeated to increase results. Book includes lifestyle plan to follow at the conclusion of the initial 2 week program.

Principles of the Program

Never skip breakfast as this meal is essential to keep metabolism working. Participants are advised to eat fruit with yogurt, granola and/or eggs.
Always eat when hungry. Choose snacks from the approved list and monitor portion sizes.
Eat slowly with awareness and chew food thoroughly to improve digestion so you get more nourishment out of your food.
Go easy on yourself. Failure should not be in your vocabulary. Realize that the process is ongoing and simply begin again at your next meal if you deviate from the plan.

Recommended Foods

Includes lean proteins like fish and chicken breast, high fiber carbohydrates such as whole grains, beans, fruit and vegetables as well as healthy fats.

Sample Diet Plan

The book contains 75 recipes and a 14 day meal plan that includes meals such as:

Blueberry Smoothie
Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Crushed Peanuts
Steamed Fish with Tomatoes, Peppers & Onions
Chicken Curry with Veggies on Whole Grain Couscous

Exercise Recommendations

The book outlines a complete fitness regime with detailed explanations and illustrations.

The exercise program includes:

Circuit training - 40 minutes each day ( to boost metabolism and tone muscles)
Core strengthening - 20 minutes every second day (to flatten the tummy and strengthen and support the back)
Yoga - 15 minutes a day (strengthen and elongates muscles, promotes relaxation and balance)
Walking - 60 minutes a day (gentle cardio to increase fat loss without straining joints)

Costs and Expenses

The cost of the book is $17.95 US.

Pros

Balanced approach with equal emphasis on diet, exercise and psychological factors.
Good for people who want to get a fresh start on a healthy lifestyle.
Nutritionally balanced meal suggestions.

Cons

Very demanding. Time required for exercise is at least 2 hours every day.
Meal preparation may also be time consuming.

Conclusions

It is unrealistic for dieters to expect to achieve their goals in two weeks especially given the wide range of weight that individuals may wish to lose. However if you can look beyond the claims that you will achieve your ideal body in two weeks this is actually a very balanced plan for longer term weight loss.

This is also a very demanding program in terms of the time investment for exercise and food preparation however those who dedicate themselves to this plan will most likely achieve good results in a relatively short time while also creating positive lifestyle changes that will benefit health.

List of Diets

Gain Weight Diet

Very Low Calorie Diets

Prescription Only

A Very Low Calorie Diet

Zone Diet

Fad Diets

Do Fad Diets Work?

Fad Diets Are Short Term Diet Plans

Fad Diets With "Special" Fat-Burning or "Negative Calorie" Foods

Fad Diets Can Cause Weight Cycling

Conclusion: Avoid Fad Diets

Scarsdale Diet

Low Fat, High Protein

Sacred Heart Diet

Sacred Heart Diet

Rice Diet

Raw Food Diet

What is the Raw Food Diet?

What are the Benefits of the Raw Food Diet?

What are the Guidelines of the Raw Food Diet?

Side Effects

Precautions

Protein Power Diet

Prostate Health Diet

Pritikin Diet

Pregnancy Diet

Pregnancy Nutrition - What’s Required

Foods to Avoid

Weight Gain

Cravings During Pregnancy

Personality Type Diet

Determining Your Personality Type

Crafting a Diet Plan

Sample Meal Plan

Social Networking

Conclusion

See More

Perricone Diet

3 Day Nutritional Facelift

Perricone Diet - Is it Good?

Peanut Butter Diet

Peanut Butter for Weight Loss

Peanut Butters - Not All Created Equal

Osteoporosis Diet

What is Osteoporosis?

Why do the bones become vulnerable?

Who is at risk?

What can be done to prevent or delay the onset of Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis Diet

Osteoporosis Diet Plan

See Also

Ornish Diet

Dean Ornish’s Diet Outline

Sample Meal Plan

Too Restrictive?

OPTIFAST Diet

Purpose of the OPTIFAST Program

The Optifast Program

Conclusion

See Also

Nutrisystem Diet

Diet Options

NutriSystem Program

Foods on the Diet

Criticisms

See More

No Flour, No Sugar Diet

Basics of the Diet

Sample Meal Plans

Conclusion

Negative Calorie Diet

Negative Calorie Effect

Example Green Vegetables

Weight Loss From Negative Calorie Diet

See More

Neanderthin

Neanderthin diet plan

Paleolithic Diets

Resources