Review of some popular weight loss diet plans
Alarming reports of the increasing population of obese people around the world fill the news. As a result, it is no surprise that weight loss techniques have become so popular. Data shows that Americans are spending billions of dollars in their attempts to lose weight. All kinds of weight loss diets, exercise plans, and pills are available on and off the shelf. With so many methods to choose from, people are at a loss to find the right options that will work for them.
Let’s have look at the most popular weight loss diets. Almost all of them use different combinations of:
Carbohydrates
Fats
Proteins
Most of these diets are based on established scientific facts. Over the years, they have been the subject of a lot of research, but conclusive evidence for or against them is still lacking. Some of the most popular weight loss diets are:
Atkins diet
Carbohydrate Addict’s diet
Pritikin diet
Protein Power Lifeplan
Sugar Busters
Zone diet
One by one, we’ll look at the scientific theories behind these diets. We’ll also look at their advantages and disadvantages.
Atkins Diet
The Atkins diet was developed by Robert C. Atkins. It’s a diet plan based on:
High protein
High fat
Low carbohydrates
It doesn’t restrict the use of eggs, cheese, and meat, but it does limit how many carbohydrates a person should eat. Sources of carbohydrates like milk, sugar, fruits, and vegetables are used sparingly.
Theory:
Physiologically, the intake of carbohydrates results in the production of insulin from the pancreas. This will make you feel hungry and lead to weight gain. As this diet cuts down on carbohydrates, your appetite is reduced. It’s assumed that the body will use stored fat in place of glucose from carbohydrates. This way, you burn fat and lose weight.
Advantages:
This diet is simple, easy to follow, and doesn’t have any meal plans. You won’t have to go through the hassle of sticking to any point system or counting calories. It’s a good option for people who like eating high-protein foods. People who have trouble with other low-fat and high-carbohydrate diets are good candidates for this diet plan.
Disadvantages:
Long term use of the diet is a topic of hot debate within the medical community. There’s a potential that it can have damaging effects on:
Kidney function
Cholesterol levels
Increased risk of heart disease
Osteoporosis
Cancer
For now, there are no conclusive studies that support the safety of this diet.
Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet
Developed by doctors Richard and Rachael Heller, this diet plan is based on low- carbohydrate eating. It consists of low-carbohydrate meals, along with one reward meal everyday. This reward meal will help to keep you from feeling “cheated” and is made up of a combination of carbohydrates, proteins, and vegetables. It must be finished within an hour.
Theory:
This diet is based on the idea that most overweight people are addicted to carbohydrates. This addiction creates a biological condition, which is a result of a hormonal imbalance. The more carbohydrates are eaten, the more insulin is produced, which is what triggers food cravings. The more food you ingest, the more fat you store. According to this plan, a low-carbohydrate diet will help reverse this abnormal biological condition, reducing both appetite and stored body fat.
Advantages:
It’s less restrictive than the Atkins diet.
It provides a comprehensive food list.
It encourages you to drink large quantities of water.
Disadvantages:
It’s possible that extensive use of a low-carbohydrate diet is probably related to:
Increased risk of colon cancer
Osteoporosis
Kidney function loss
Increased cholesterol levels
Increased risk of heart disease
Moreover, there are no conclusive studies that support the idea of “carbohydrate addiction.”
Pritikin Diet
This diet was initially created by Nathan Pritikin and was later revised by Robert Pritikin. It’s a low-fat and high-carbohydrate eating plan. In this diet, you are encouraged to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. High-fiber grains are also recommended and fats are restricted to 10% of your daily caloric intake.
Theory:
This diet plan is based on the theory that says eating low-fat and low-calorie plant-based foods helps you to lose weight. The revised Pritikin diet is based on the calorie density solution. It assumes that eating low-calorie foods six to seven times a day reduces your hunger and results in weight loss.
Advantages:
Though debatable, it’s been found that a low-fat diet plays a significant role in preventing heart disease and some cancers. Other advantages are:
This plan encourages you to eat balanced meals.
Meals can be customized to your personal needs and tastes.
It supports exercise and stress-reduction techniques.
Disadvantages:
Medical experts believe that if you limit your fat intake to 10%, your body may have difficulty in consuming all of the fatty acids found in the food. There might be practical problems for when you eat outside your home. Also, this diet may not satisfy your appetite.
Protein Power Lifeplan
This diet was created by doctors M. R. Eades and M. D. Eades. It’s a high-protein, high–fat, and low-carbohydrate plan. It lets you have plenty of cheese, meat, and eggs. Daily calorie needs are linked to protein requirements for certain activity levels.
Theory:
The theory behind this diet is that your body is designed to run on fats and proteins and does not need carbohydrates or processed food. You need to eat fewer carbohydrates so that your insulin levels stay down. This will help you to burn stored fat for energy requirements and help you to lose weight.
Advantages:
This diet plan encourages you to eat:
Healthier fats
Low-fat cheeses
It tells you to avoid fried foods.
Disadvantages:
This diet plan will limit your carbohydrate and calorie intake and leave you with a short supply of essential natural vitamins and minerals. It is possible that high-fat diets might lead to higher risk of:
Heart disease
Osteoporosis
Cancer
Kidney failure
Sugar Busters
This diet was created by H. Leighton (and his associates) and is based on a high- protein, high–fat, and low-carbohydrate eating plan. It recommends that you don’t eat refined sugar.
Theory:
It’s assumed that if you eat refined sugar, your blood sugar will rise quickly. This leads to the release of extra insulin, which can’t be used for the conversion of glucose into energy. This unused glucose is stored in your body as fat, making you gain weight. If you avoid refined sugar, you can burn the stored fat in your body and lose weight.
Advantages:
This diet plan provides clear guidelines on food.
Disadvantages:
Theories proposed by the author are misleading and without scientific proof.
Zone diet
This plan was created by Barry Sears. It combines high-protein, high–fat, and low-carbohydrate foods.
Theory:
This diet is based on the idea that the human body is genetically programmed to attain maximum efficiency if the food you eat has the right proportion of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. It suggests the following calorie division:
40% from carbohydrates
30% from proteins
30% from fats
Your body is said to be working in the “zone” if this ratio is achieved. This will give you maximum energy and help you to lose weight.
Advantages:
It supports balanced meals, rich in high-fiber fruits and vegetables. It’s also an easy plan to follow.
Disadvantages:
The “zone” theory is not supported by any scientific study.
Since it’s a low-calorie diet, it may not give you enough vitamins and minerals.
Aside from these diets, there are numerous other fad diets that are devoid of basic nutrients and could have disastrous effects on your body.
Basically, weight loss can be simple if you choose a diet plan that suits your lifestyle. Take care of your necessary nutritional intake. Don’t ignore exercise. Last (but not least!) if there is a medical problem, address it right away.
If you find it difficult to choose an appropriate diet plan for yourself, don’t hesitate to consult a professional.
Alarming reports of the increasing population of obese people around the world fill the news. As a result, it is no surprise that weight loss techniques have become so popular. Data shows that Americans are spending billions of dollars in their attempts to lose weight. All kinds of weight loss diets, exercise plans, and pills are available on and off the shelf. With so many methods to choose from, people are at a loss to find the right options that will work for them.
Let’s have look at the most popular weight loss diets. Almost all of them use different combinations of:
Carbohydrates
Fats
Proteins
Most of these diets are based on established scientific facts. Over the years, they have been the subject of a lot of research, but conclusive evidence for or against them is still lacking. Some of the most popular weight loss diets are:
Atkins diet
Carbohydrate Addict’s diet
Pritikin diet
Protein Power Lifeplan
Sugar Busters
Zone diet
One by one, we’ll look at the scientific theories behind these diets. We’ll also look at their advantages and disadvantages.
Atkins Diet
The Atkins diet was developed by Robert C. Atkins. It’s a diet plan based on:
High protein
High fat
Low carbohydrates
It doesn’t restrict the use of eggs, cheese, and meat, but it does limit how many carbohydrates a person should eat. Sources of carbohydrates like milk, sugar, fruits, and vegetables are used sparingly.
Theory:
Physiologically, the intake of carbohydrates results in the production of insulin from the pancreas. This will make you feel hungry and lead to weight gain. As this diet cuts down on carbohydrates, your appetite is reduced. It’s assumed that the body will use stored fat in place of glucose from carbohydrates. This way, you burn fat and lose weight.
Advantages:
This diet is simple, easy to follow, and doesn’t have any meal plans. You won’t have to go through the hassle of sticking to any point system or counting calories. It’s a good option for people who like eating high-protein foods. People who have trouble with other low-fat and high-carbohydrate diets are good candidates for this diet plan.
Disadvantages:
Long term use of the diet is a topic of hot debate within the medical community. There’s a potential that it can have damaging effects on:
Kidney function
Cholesterol levels
Increased risk of heart disease
Osteoporosis
Cancer
For now, there are no conclusive studies that support the safety of this diet.
Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet
Developed by doctors Richard and Rachael Heller, this diet plan is based on low- carbohydrate eating. It consists of low-carbohydrate meals, along with one reward meal everyday. This reward meal will help to keep you from feeling “cheated” and is made up of a combination of carbohydrates, proteins, and vegetables. It must be finished within an hour.
Theory:
This diet is based on the idea that most overweight people are addicted to carbohydrates. This addiction creates a biological condition, which is a result of a hormonal imbalance. The more carbohydrates are eaten, the more insulin is produced, which is what triggers food cravings. The more food you ingest, the more fat you store. According to this plan, a low-carbohydrate diet will help reverse this abnormal biological condition, reducing both appetite and stored body fat.
Advantages:
It’s less restrictive than the Atkins diet.
It provides a comprehensive food list.
It encourages you to drink large quantities of water.
Disadvantages:
It’s possible that extensive use of a low-carbohydrate diet is probably related to:
Increased risk of colon cancer
Osteoporosis
Kidney function loss
Increased cholesterol levels
Increased risk of heart disease
Moreover, there are no conclusive studies that support the idea of “carbohydrate addiction.”
Pritikin Diet
This diet was initially created by Nathan Pritikin and was later revised by Robert Pritikin. It’s a low-fat and high-carbohydrate eating plan. In this diet, you are encouraged to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. High-fiber grains are also recommended and fats are restricted to 10% of your daily caloric intake.
Theory:
This diet plan is based on the theory that says eating low-fat and low-calorie plant-based foods helps you to lose weight. The revised Pritikin diet is based on the calorie density solution. It assumes that eating low-calorie foods six to seven times a day reduces your hunger and results in weight loss.
Advantages:
Though debatable, it’s been found that a low-fat diet plays a significant role in preventing heart disease and some cancers. Other advantages are:
This plan encourages you to eat balanced meals.
Meals can be customized to your personal needs and tastes.
It supports exercise and stress-reduction techniques.
Disadvantages:
Medical experts believe that if you limit your fat intake to 10%, your body may have difficulty in consuming all of the fatty acids found in the food. There might be practical problems for when you eat outside your home. Also, this diet may not satisfy your appetite.
Protein Power Lifeplan
This diet was created by doctors M. R. Eades and M. D. Eades. It’s a high-protein, high–fat, and low-carbohydrate plan. It lets you have plenty of cheese, meat, and eggs. Daily calorie needs are linked to protein requirements for certain activity levels.
Theory:
The theory behind this diet is that your body is designed to run on fats and proteins and does not need carbohydrates or processed food. You need to eat fewer carbohydrates so that your insulin levels stay down. This will help you to burn stored fat for energy requirements and help you to lose weight.
Advantages:
This diet plan encourages you to eat:
Healthier fats
Low-fat cheeses
It tells you to avoid fried foods.
Disadvantages:
This diet plan will limit your carbohydrate and calorie intake and leave you with a short supply of essential natural vitamins and minerals. It is possible that high-fat diets might lead to higher risk of:
Heart disease
Osteoporosis
Cancer
Kidney failure
Sugar Busters
This diet was created by H. Leighton (and his associates) and is based on a high- protein, high–fat, and low-carbohydrate eating plan. It recommends that you don’t eat refined sugar.
Theory:
It’s assumed that if you eat refined sugar, your blood sugar will rise quickly. This leads to the release of extra insulin, which can’t be used for the conversion of glucose into energy. This unused glucose is stored in your body as fat, making you gain weight. If you avoid refined sugar, you can burn the stored fat in your body and lose weight.
Advantages:
This diet plan provides clear guidelines on food.
Disadvantages:
Theories proposed by the author are misleading and without scientific proof.
Zone diet
This plan was created by Barry Sears. It combines high-protein, high–fat, and low-carbohydrate foods.
Theory:
This diet is based on the idea that the human body is genetically programmed to attain maximum efficiency if the food you eat has the right proportion of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. It suggests the following calorie division:
40% from carbohydrates
30% from proteins
30% from fats
Your body is said to be working in the “zone” if this ratio is achieved. This will give you maximum energy and help you to lose weight.
Advantages:
It supports balanced meals, rich in high-fiber fruits and vegetables. It’s also an easy plan to follow.
Disadvantages:
The “zone” theory is not supported by any scientific study.
Since it’s a low-calorie diet, it may not give you enough vitamins and minerals.
Aside from these diets, there are numerous other fad diets that are devoid of basic nutrients and could have disastrous effects on your body.
Basically, weight loss can be simple if you choose a diet plan that suits your lifestyle. Take care of your necessary nutritional intake. Don’t ignore exercise. Last (but not least!) if there is a medical problem, address it right away.
If you find it difficult to choose an appropriate diet plan for yourself, don’t hesitate to consult a professional.
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