Group classes and online
diets can be found at:
http://www.ediets.com
http://www.rosemary-conley.co.uk
http://www.weightwatchers.co.uk
Courses using NLP
http://www.paulmckenna.com
(approximately £300, group session, 1 day)
http://www.weightloss.uk.net
(£750, six months, 12 sessions with one to one support).
The Cabbage Diet
A typical example of “magical” food diets, the cabbage-soup diet
is based on the belief that cabbage has “miraculous” fat-burning
properties. Cabbage certainly contains an important source of
fibre.
No authority claims to be the originator of the cabbage-soup
diet.
While there is no official version of the diet, all variants
rely on large quantities of cabbage soup and very little else.
Based on a simple seven-day diet, the cabbage-soup diet is very
restrictive. It is a low-fat, high-fibre diet which results in
rapid weight loss.
Advantages
·
Rapid weight loss
·
You may eat as much as you like of the permitted foods
Disadvantages
·
Rapid weight loss is unhealthy
·
The cabbage diet is very restrictive, and can be frustrating.
The permitted foods are quite imbalanced. Recommendation: do not
go over the seven diet days.
·
The diet may lead to weakness and loss of concentration.
Conclusion
For moderate dieters, immediate results may appear rapidly. The
cabbage soup diet is not recommended for people suffering from
any kind of illness.
Read: The
New Cabbage Soup Diet by Margaret Danbrotorg.uk/winterwalks
The Grapefruit
diet
The grapefruit diet is another fad diet, based on the
fat-burning properties of grapefruit, although there is no hard
evidence of that.
But its success is based not only on the special properties of
the fruit but on a near-starvation method.
Advantages
Adding grapefruit to every meal is beneficial, as grapefruit is
full of vitamin C. Pink grapefruits also contain beta-carotene.
The grapefruit diet works in the sense that a great deal of
weight is lost, but this is mainly due to calorie restriction.
Disadvantages
This is a very restrictive, frustrating diet. Its lack of
variety deprives the body of calcium, iron and vitamins. Besides
being monotonous, it is also unhealthy.
It is based on momentary results. Regaining weight usually
follows.
Conclusion
Depriving the body of essential minerals, the diet lasts for too
long and can affect health. It is not recommended for people
suffering from any illness. The grapefruit diet might be a basis
for the changing of eating habits. It might eventually lead
towards a healthier diet. But it should be resorted to only as
temporary solution, only after you have tried everything else.
The 3 day Diet
The headlong rush for spectacular results generates all sorts of
elaborate diets, each with extraordinary claims. The 3 day diet,
one of the most unrealistic of all, promises unbelievable
results in three days. To permanently lose 10 lbs in three days
is outside the realms of possibility.
The 3 day diet, literally based on starvation, drastically cuts
calories to subsistence level. The food pattern is similar on
all three days: fruit (grapefruit or apple or banana),
vegetables (beets or green beans or broccoli, or cabbage or
cauliflower or carrots), a little toast, a little peanut butter
(on the first day only), saltine crackers, eggs, meat and some
vanilla ice-cream.
Weight is lost naturally, mainly through water loss, as first
happens with any diet. It is unnecessary to say that weight will
climb back at least at the same speed as it fell.
Advantages
You may very well lose up to 10 lbs in three days.
Disadvantages
The diet has short-term results. It is based on unhealthy
deprival. Weight loss mainly results in the loss of body fluids.
The weight lost is very likely to be regained very quickly.
Conclusion
The 3 day diet is an illustration of artificial weight loss. It
is certainly not to be recommended. People suffering from health
problems should especially avoid the 3 day diet. The diet has no
scientific foundation. There is no guarantee that, after three
days of deprival, you will lose the 10 lbs promised.
The Scarsdale Diet
Dr. Herman Tarnower designed the Scarsdale diet in the 1970s as
a nutrient re-balancing diet. The diet consists of 43 percent
protein, 22.5 percent fat and 34.5 percent carbohydrates. But
weight loss is mainly the result of drastic calorie reduction.
The diet promises a loss of at least one pound a day
The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet by Herman Tarnower
Advantages
Weight loss often occurs rapidly. There is no limit to portion
sizes.
Disadvantages
The diet is frustrating and allows too low a number of calories.
It is unhealthy because of the strict food limitations, the lack
of many vitamins, a protein intake which is too high, and a carb
intake which is too low.
Because of the rapid weight loss, which is mostly water, there
is the danger of rapid weight gain at the end of the diet.
It encourages herbal-appetite suppressants which are hazardous
for health when used in conjunction with stimulants such as
caffeine, especially for people with heart disease or high blood
pressure.
Conclusion
As long as it does not exceed a fortnight, the diet can be the
beginning of an improved way of eating aiming to maintain a
healthy body weight. The fortnight time limit is essential to be
observed because of the diet's very restrictive character which
may result in unhealthy effects if prolonged. However, appetite
suppressants should really be avoided.
The South Beach Diet
The cardiologist Dr. Arthur Agatston designed the South Beach
Diet. As the doctor declares, the diet was conceived purely on
medical grounds. It had as its purpose the adjustment of levels
of cholesterol and insulin, and improving the health condition
of people suffering from diabetes and coronary disease.
Subsequently it has been proven to have weight loss effects, it
is said.
The South Beach diet aims to train the dieter to control the
level and the quality of the carbohydrate intake, as well as the
level and quality of the fat intake. It does so from the
perspective of the GI of foods (being also a GI diet), based on
the fact that the highest glycemic index is that of the foods
high in simple carbohydrates, which break down quickly during
digestion.
Besides offering directions for dieting and guidance through
basic nutritional facts, South Beach diet books are a valuable
source of gourmet diet recipes.
Advantages
The diet emphasises the benefits of unsaturated fat and complex
carbohydrate consumption.
Disadvantages
During Phase One (and partially Phase Two), the diet is quite
restrictive. Dieters are deprived of essential minerals and
vitamins. Phase One is based on a high protein intake, which can
lead to health problems. It is not recommended for people with
kidney problems.
Conclusion
During South Beach Diet Phase Three we can speak of a healthy
diet, with the role of weight maintenance.
Read The South Beach Diet Cookbook by Arthur Agatston
The Atkins Diet
Dr. Atkins' theory is based on the fact that sugars and refined
carbohydrates increase insulin levels, facilitating fat storage.
Depriving the body of carbohydrates results in stored fat
burning as energy. This induces the state of Benign Dietary
Ketosis (BDK). Although it constitutes a supplementary strain
for the kidneys, ketosis is seen as a target in the Atkins diet.
For him it is a necessary state for losing weight, as it
triggers appetite loss.
The Atkins diet plan consists of four phases: Induction, Ongoing
weight loss, Premaintenance, and Maintenance.
Advantages
The diet might be effective for weight loss.
Disadvantages
The diet contains far too much saturated fat and protein than
the normal amounts for a healthy diet, and too little vitamin
and fiber. It increases the risk of kidney stones, coronary
disease, osteoporosis and cancer.
Conclusion
It seems that the dangers to health surpass the benefits of
weight-loss. The diet is most likely to have negative effects on
the state of health and is not advisable for people who are ill.
The Zone Diet
The Zone diet was designed and promoted as a weight-loss diet
which claimed to prevent cancer, heart disease and diabetes and,
at the same time, promised optimal physical and mental
performance.
Dr. Sears intended to offer a solution for both weight and
health problems. His eating theory is based on balancing the
blood levels of
insulin and
glucagon so
as to induce the production of “good”
eicosanoids.
Advantages
The
Zone Diet
 helps you lose
weight and change your eating habits. It promotes healthy
eating. The foods suggested are of the "good" kind. The only
issue is proportionality.
Disadvantages
Restricting carbs might result in a lack of dietary fiber.
Restricting calories does not recommend the Zone diet to people
who have increased calorie needs.
Conclusion
The Zone Diet follows the low-carb trend. Like other, similar,
diets, it has not been proven to be long-term effective. Nor
have the scientific theories on which the diet is based been
proven to be 100% true. Besides, although recommending good
principles of eating, the protein ratio might be too high for a
healthy diet. In the long run, it may cause osteoporosis,
cardiovascular and kidney problems. Some food restrictions might
deprive the body of essential vitamins and minerals.
Read: The Zone by Barry Sears
Low Calories Diet
Low calorie diets lose ground because they are rather hard to
follow and they need constant calorie counting. Nor do they
promise spectacular results based on miracle products.
Nonetheless, it seems that eating less is the healthiest way of
losing weight.
It has been established that, in average, men need around 2,200
calories a day while the daily requirement for women is around
1,800 calories a day. Low-calorie diets restrict the calorie
intake to around 1,000 calories a day. There are also very
low-calorie diets that recommend 800 calories a day or even
less. These diets permit slight adjustment for special needs,
for example when a person is exercising regularly or leading a
very active life, or when you do not need to get rid of too much
weight in a very short time. For example, take into account the
fact that one pound is the equivalent of 3,500 calories. You can
shed one pound in a week by cutting out 500 calories daily.
Diets of this kind are certainly not recommended for old people,
for pregnant or breastfeeding women, or for children and
adolescents.
Advantages
When used moderately, without trying to restrict a great amount
of calories at once, low-calorie diets are among the healthiest
ways of losing weight. You have the choice of a great variety of
foods, permitting the intake of essential nutrients.
Disadvantages
Diets of this kind can lead to temporary weakness. If used to
rapidly lose a great deal of weight, they might have short-term
results and be followed by rapid weight regain. They are not
easy to follow. Permanently watching and counting calories can
become frustrating.
Conclusion
Moderate calorie restraint will not have a negative effect on
health as long as the right nutrients are present to maintain
minimum health. But you may starve!
The Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet has been proven to be one of the
healthiest, most balanced diets in the world. It is based mostly
on vegetable products. The key elements are fish, olive oil and
wine in moderation.
There are many variants of the Mediterranean diet. Many
countries, after all, border the Mediterranean Sea.
Studies show that people who live around the Mediterranean have
a low incidence of heart disease and chronic disease and great
longevity. This accounts for the enormous popularity of the diet
·
It is rich in fruit and vegetables, especially leafy ones, and
often raw or minimally processed.
·
It contains many cereals and pasta, traditionally made from
whole grain.
·
There are plenty of beans, nuts and seeds.
·
Animal products are consumed in small amounts. Rather than dairy
and meat, especially red meat, poultry is to be preferred.
·
Up to four eggs a week may be eaten.
·
The diet is rich in fish and seafood, a great source of Omega-3
fatty acids.
·
Although high in fat(around 35% of the calorie intake), it is
low in saturated fat(7-8%). Instead, olive oil is preferred,
which increases the level of HDL cholesterol(good cholesterol).
·
Wine is consumed in moderation: one to two glasses a day at
meals.
The strongest point of the Mediterranean diet is its abundance
of antioxidants, fiber,
phytochemicals
and Omega-3 fatty acids.
Thus, the Mediterranean diet is primarily a healthy diet. It
posesses tradition and has been proven effective over time.
There is no specific diet plan for the Mediterranean diet. It
consists in eating a certain variety of foods in specific
amounts, that is a prevalence of products of vegetable origin —
vegetables, fruit, grains and seeds and sparing use of animal
products
Conclusion
Combining the Mediterranean diet with regular exercise seems to
be the healthiest lifestyle choice and the best solution for
weight loss, provided you eat within reasonable limits. That is,
just eat enough to satisfy hunger.
Read :
The Essential
Mediterranean Cookbook... by Wendy Stephen
Diet Aids
Besides being useless most of the time, diet aids can cause
health problems.
Diet aids range from
electronic devices,
such as muscle stimulators, to
appetite suppressants,
fat-burning
pills, diet
products such as milk shakes, juices, candy bars or any kind of
chemical patch or
dietary supplements.
The tremendous success of such unconvincing stories is easily
explained. Following a diet requires patience, willpower, time
and exercise in order to maintain the diet for long-time
results. People do not usually have all of these. Giving in to
the wish to see rapid results, or to the temptation of cheating
on a diet, most people will choose to “help” their body to rid
itself of the extra weight and waste a large amount of money.
Very few of these “helpers” are really helpful. Even worse, when
they do help, they tend to damage health.
The only harmless device is exercise equipment for the abdomen.
It will not help, but at least it will not hurt. You lose money
rather than weight. The truth about such devices is that they
are useless. The only effective exercises for the abdomen do not
involve equipment.
As far as electronic muscle stimulators are concerned, you will
waste money in the belief that you will look like a fashion
model. But those models owe their looks to a balanced diet and
regular hard exercise. Not once have they said they do not use
the products they promote. It has been proven that muscle
contractions produced by electronic muscle stimulators are
minor. Stimulators cannot noticeably improve your strength or
your looks. Besides, when used incorrectly, they can be
dangerous, causing burns or electrical shocks.
On the other hand, some facts about diet aids might make you
think twice before using them.
·
Many contain diuretics or laxatives and will cause major water
loss. They may enhance dehydration. The weight loss will return
rapidly.
·
The stimulants they contain will cause heart and blood vessels
to constrict and raise blood pressure and heart rate to
dangerous levels. This is especially true for those based on
alkaloid ephedra, a substance banned by the FDA in 2003 because
of its disastrous effects on health.
·
Diet pills can be addictive, as they contain phentermine, a
chemical equivalent of amphetamine.
·
Weight-loss patches have not been proven to actually help in
losing weight.
·
Pills that prevent fat absorption can cause intestinal
discomfort, cramps, diarrhea and flatulence.
·
They can also make people restless and cranky. Pills can be the
cause of insomnia, drowsiness depression.
Our Conclusion
The diet industry is huge and not least of all because we go on
a diet, come off it and go back on another diet. We buy book
after book in the hope that reading it will result in the
perfect body. The reality is that we all need to take
responsibility for what we eat and develop a healthy diet that
will remain with us, resulting in long term success, and
happiness.
The Meaningful Change programme will undoubtedly revolutionise
your approach to food, and will have a dramatic impact on your
life. You have nothing to lose by emailing us for a FREE
evaluation session today. Summer is around the corner……………..
Any of our Associates will be happy to talk to you about the
Programme, or alternatively, call Head Office on 0800 19 10 100.
Have a Happy
Healthy February!
The Meaningful
Change Team
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