The race to fitness is on and a lot of people are getting in on the act. Some people do it in order to have a sexy body, some people just do it because they are ashamed of their body, while others do it just to remain fit and healthy. As such, there are many fitness programs available on the Internet, in gyms, spas and fitness centres all over the world. Some are too expensive - so expensive that you will lose weight just by trying to earn the money needed to pursue these fitness programs.
You may not need to go to the gymnasium, the spa or any fitness centre and spend much just to slim down and get that desired beautiful body. There are so many books in the bookstores] offering weight loss programs which are convenient and free. However, the books are not cheap though. These diet plans are gaining immense popularity due to their publicity, testimonials and reviews and you might be confused as to exactly which one to follow. So before you pick which weight loss plan to follow, try checking out the following summaries of the most popular diet programs out today.
Atkins’ New Diet Revolution by Dr. Atkins: This diet plan promotes a high protein diet with a restricted carbohydrate consumption. You can eat loads of vegetables and meat, but must not eat bread, rice or pasta. You are not restricted with your fat consumption so it is OK to pour on the (right) salad dressing and freely spread on the butter. However, during the diet, some people may find themselves lacking fibre and high on fat and cholesterol. Grains and fruits are also severely restricted.
The Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet by Drs. Heller. This diet plan also recommends following a low carbohydrate diet. It recommends eating mostly meats, vegetables and fruit, dairy and grain products. however, advises against taking in too many carbohydrates. So-called “Reward Meals” can be quite high in fats and saturated fats.
Choose to Lose: by Dr. Goor. It recommends restricting your fat intake. You are given a “fat” budget but you are given freedom on how to use it. It does not pressure people to regulate their carbohydrate intake. Eating meat and poultry as well as low-fat dairy and seafood is no problem. You may also consume vegetables, fruits, cereals, bread and pasta. This weight loss plan is fairly healthy, because it advises correct amounts of fruits and vegetables and saturated fats. Watch your triglyceride levels though. If they are high, trim down on the carbohydrates and eat more unsaturated fats.
The DASH Diet. Recommends eating a moderate amount of fat and protein but lots of carbohydrates. It was primarily designed to lower blood pressure. The diet plan follows the pyramid food guide and encourages a high intake of whole wheat grains and fruit and vegetables and low-fat dairy. Some dieters think it advocates too much consumption to produce significant weight loss.
Eat More, Weigh Less: by Dr. Ornish. Primarily vegetarian fare and strictly low-fat. Warns to watch out for non-fat dairy and egg whites. This diet plan is poor in calcium and restricts the consumption of healthy foods like seafood and lean poultry.
Eat Right for Your Type: This diet is quite unusual because it centres its advice on your blood group. For example, it recommends lots of meat for people with the blood type O. However, diet programs for some blood types are nutritionally imbalanced and too low in calories. However, just for the record, there is no evidence that blood type can affect dietary needs.
The Pritkin Principle: It focuses on cutting back on the amount of calories by eating ‘wet’ foods that make you feel full. It recommends eating vegetables, fruits, oatmeal, pasta, soups, salads and low-fat dairy, which it says is OK, although it also restricts protein sources to lean meat, seafood and poultry. It is healthy because it provides low amounts of saturated fats and high amounts of vegetables and fruits. However, it is low on calcium and restricts lean protein sources.
Volumetrics: It provides for eating fewer calories. It recommends the same foods as Pritkin but restricts fatty or dry foods like popcorn, pretzels and crackers. This diet is fairly healthy given the high volume of fruit and vegetables as well as being low in calories and saturated fats.
The Zone: It is moderately low on carbohydrates but fairly high on proteins. It encourages low-fat protein foods like fish and chicken plus vegetables, fruits and grains. It is also healthy but short on grains and calcium.
Weight Watchers: They recommend high carbohydrate meals, but are moderate on fats and proteins. A fairly healthy diet program and very flexible too. It allows the dieter to devise his own meals rather than offering recipes, although there are Weight Watchers’ TV dinners in the shops.
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