FAD Diets; what you need to know.
The following is for informational purposes only. The reader is advised to always check with his or her doctor, nutritionist or other healthcare provider before starting any weight loss program or diet. The diets chosen below are brief over views and contains the opinion of the author in some instances. I do not feel any weight loss programs listed here are bad rather what is applicable to you. In addition, always seek professional guidance if implementing any of the plans below.
Day II of my guest speaking engagement at the beautiful:
Cal-a-Vie Health Spa, in Vista, CA.
Many of us follow “fad” diets because it’s the latest and greatest craze or because a well-known celebrity lost weight on a particular “new” program. However, because someone else lost weight or had success doesn’t mean that we will. Before starting a weight loss program take into account your age, fitness levels, activity levels and medical history. Many times these celebrities have an entire crew behind them, or there are other factors involved such as drugs like steroids or stimulants. So know your limitations, body type, and goals and more importantly make your goals realistic.
Many of these weight loss diets work because of a drastic cut in calories. When this happens our metabolic rate can be brought down in a matter of 24-36 hours, and by as much as 50% according to some studies. This means your body is now burning only half of your calories. Compounding matters further, hunger kicks in after a period of inadequate eating and subsequently sets you up for over eating and binging. A real weight loss program includes all the food groups, strength training, low level aerobics, a slight decrease in your daily calorie levels, and can be followed or maintained for life.
Many of you may have tried some or all of the dietary plans detailed below.
- How many of you have had success?
- Did you have any adverse side effects, i.e., blood sugar problems, energy problems, didn’t lose weight, stomach issues like IBS or worse, kidney problems or anything else worth mentioning?
While exploring popular dietary programs, we will look at some of the most common. We’ll examine their pro’s and con’s, and also note how they apply to the following criteria:
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintainable over your life span.
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance and body composition.
The South Beach Diet
Designed by a Florida-based cardiologist, Arthur Agatston, MD, who wanted to protect his patients from serious medical conditions like heart disease and diabetes. The South Beach Diet, works by controlling hunger by eating before it strikes so the individual can stop over eating and break the up and down cycle of low and high blood sugar.
The plan starts all people out at approximately 1500-1600 kcals a day, unless an individual needs to lose 100lbs or more. The plan has III phases:
Phase I is a “reboot phase” that lasts 2 weeks. Individuals cut out carbs and focus on lean protein, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and good fats. The recommended calorie intake during this phase is broken down as follows: proteins 30 -35%, carbs 15-20%, and fats 45-55%.
Phase II is termed the “steady state,” where individuals lose their remaining weight. Whole grains are added to the diet along with vegetables, and fruit. While the first phase of the diet is strict, this one opens up more options. The calorie breakdown in this phase is: proteins 25-30%, carbs 30-40%, fats 30-40%.
Phase III, the “maintenance phase,” is meant to be a lifelong process, which allows you to enjoy occasional, cheats while maintaining a healthy weight using the foods from phase II. This phase has the calorie breakdown as follows: – Proteins proteins 30%, Carbs carbs 40%, Fats fats 30%.
Pros:
This is sustainable diet and one can have very good results on the program. It was designed as a healthy living diet with three different phases. Each phase eases the dieter into the next part of the program.
Cons:
It is not a good plan if you are trying to get in ultra lean shape or if you suffer from intestinal issues such as Crohns, IBS or other such disorders hallmarked by a sensitivity to grains. The first two weeks are hard for most people which can lead to failure altogether.
AUTHOR NOTE: In my opinion, I would probably reverse how this program works starting with Phase III, maintaining, followed by II, then I. This would ease the dieter into eating better, then gradually introduce them to more restrictions.
Application: This program scores highest with the first three criteria of the list
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintaining over your life span.
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.
Weight Watchers
This diet is very simplistic. Eat a balanced diet, eat in moderation, and eat what you want. The diet uses a points system to track what you eat and provides motivation by connecting the dieter to a local support system. “Members” attend meetings that incorporate weigh-ins. Dieters can also attend “virtual meetings” online. The Weight Watchers system has evolved over the years but the diet’s flexible principles have remained the same:
Pros:
Weight Watchers has had an admirable track record of success for more than 40 years. It remains very popular today and has a lot of flexibility.
Cons:
A high level of flexibility can also make for more temptations. In addition, this diet is not for athletes or people trying to obtain an ultra lean physique. In addition, the plan can be expensive and tedious at times. If you are someone who doesn’t like to count calories you won’t like counting points either. Weekly weigh in’s are a must and for those afraid of the scale it may be a weekly stressor.
Application: As with the South Beach Diet, Weight Watchers hits a high note with the first three criteria
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintaining over your life span.
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.
The Mediterranean Diet
If you like to drink wine this is the program for you as it’s allowed in moderation. A true Mediterranean diet focuses on heart healthy fats, seafood, nuts, legumes, tomatoes, and is low in dairy however cheese like feta is allowed.
The dieter is also able to eat fruits, whole grains, and vegetables while olive oil replaces butter and vegetable oils. The plan is full of omega 3 fatty acids and salt is limited and replaced with herbs and spices, which is one of the main reasons why it is hailed as a heart healthy diet. Additional to this primarily plant-based plan, red meat is limited to only a few times a month.
The countries of origin where these foods are consumed can be found in southern Italy, Crete and Greece. Contrary to popular belief, pastas and breads are not staples of this diet and are, in fact, rarely eaten there.
Pros:
The pro’s are many such as protecting against diabetes due to the low carbohydrate content in this diet. Other benefits include improved joint function and heart health attributed to a low sodium intake while increasing the omega 3’s and olive oil. It’s also known to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. This diet is also great for anti-aging as one can experience benefits rather quickly in the areas of joint pain, stiffness and overall vitality.
Cons:
Many people believe this diet is very expensive, and it can be if you are eating a lot of fish and fresh vegetables. However using more lentils and plant-based foods in place of proteins will cause costs to drop. Also, it’s really not a diet aimed specifically at weight loss. It also requires a lot of cooking, and that takes time.
NOTE: Since the diet is high in seafood one does need to be careful about consuming mercury. A work around is to choose smaller fish like shrimp, salmon, pollock, sardines, herring and catfish.
Application: This diet is most effective in items 2,3,4, and 5.
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintaining over your life span.
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.
The Paleo Diet
The Paleo diet is an effort to go back to eating how we were biologically designed to eat, allowing us to tap into our genetic potential and start living healthier immediately. The Paleo Diet almost completely eradicates sugar. Unless you’re getting your sugar in the form of fruit, and not much at that, forget it. Sugar causes an energy spike and crash in your system. In turn your body becomes a fat storing machine resulting in the body trying to rid itself of all the excess sugar from high carb diets. By removing almost all sugar from the diet, the body instead grows accustomed to burning more stored fat for energy.
Neither dairy or grains are allowed for very specific reasons. Grains in particular contain gluten and lectins. What are they and what’s wrong with them? Gluten is a protein found in things like rye, wheat, and barley. Current research is bearing that much of the world’s population may in fact be gluten intolerant (hence all the new “gluten-free!” items popping up everywhere.) Over time, those who are gluten intolerant can develop a dismal array of medical conditions from consuming gluten: dermatitis, joint pain, reproductive problems, acid reflux, and more.
A natural toxin that exist within grains, lectins have a primary function to defend the grain against being eaten. Our gastrointestinal tract is not a fan of lectins. Lectins actually prevent the GI tract from repairing itself from normal wear and tear. This can cause all kinds of damage and a whole host of issues. Lectins will be discussed in more detail below under “The Blood Group Diet.”
Dairy, on the other hand, gives way to two well-known types of intolerance: lactose and casein intolerance. Lactose (a form of sugar) and casein (a form of protein) both can cause problems for the adult digestive system.
Lactose intolerance is a condition affecting most of the world’s population. After the age four, many will lose the ability to properly digest lactose because of a genetic condition that inhibits the expression of enzymes necessary to digest lactose. A good alternative to butter is Ghee, and for milk try either goats milk, coconut or almond milks.
Casein is the primary protein in dairy. It shares structural similarities with gluten (the highly problematic grain protein that was previously explained,) and can lead to severe autoimmune issues. Paleo opponents of dairy say casein wreaks similar havoc in our guts, and it’s true that gluten intolerance goes hand-in-hand with casein intolerance. But is casein a primary cause of leaky gut, (a condition that affects the intestines and causes them to be more permeable) or does it slip in only after gluten has opened the floodgates? Once a floodgate is opened, any protein can enter and cause issues. Also, casein is believed to cause cancer. For more on this, check out the movie “Forks over Knives”.
What can you eat on the Paleo diet?
Meat – GRASS-FED, not grain-fed! Grains cause the same problems in animals as they do in humans.
Fowl – Chicken, duck, hen, turkey…things with wings that (try to) fly.
Fish – Wild fish, as mercury and other toxins can be an issue in farmed fish
Eggs – Look for omega-3 enriched cage free eggs.
Vegetables – As long as they’re not deep-fried, eat as many as you want.
Oils – Olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil. No vegetable oil!!!!!!
Fruits – Have natural sugar, and can be higher in calories, so limit if you’re trying to lose weight. I have one serving a day, before workouts.
Nuts – High in calories, so they’re good for a snack, but don’t eat bags and bags of them. Walnuts, Pecans and Almonds.
Tubers – Sweet potatoes and yams. Higher in calories and carbs, so these are good for right after a workout to replenish your glycogen levels.
Pros:
Paleo is great for building lean muscle and losing body fat and has become the go to diet for most athletes or people looking to dramatically alter their body composition.
Cons:
Some studies are suggesting that by cooking grains their lectins are deactivated and their nutrients are then extracted from them. So, the jury is still out on some of the Paleo principles.
Application: Benefits include 1,2, and 6.
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintaining over your life span.
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.
The Whole30 Diet
This is similar to the Paleo diet, yet more strict. In the book, It Starts with Food, the author claims eating sugar, grains, dairy, and legumes affects not just your weight, but also your energy and stress levels. In addition, many people are intolerant of these foods and don’t even realize it. Therefore this diet is more focused on healing.
Stripping the previously mentioned items from your diet completely for 30 straight days will “reset” your body on all counts. If you mess up (a touch of milk in your coffee, a bite of your friend’s birthday cake and even a small serving of lentils) you have to start over from day one. It only requires a small amount of any of these inflammation inducing foods to break the healing cycle.
The dieter must also abstain from all alcohol, even in cooking, so no wines or cognac rubs on your meats. Basically, one can only eat whole foods as close to their natural state. Nuts and seeds are allowed but no peanuts, because peanuts (a legume) are a food many people may have an intolerance to without even being aware of it. An intolerance isn’t an allergy, but rather something sets off a small-scale immune reaction causing low-level inflammation.
Pros:
This will benefit those suffering from food allergies or intolerances, as well as those who want to lose weight fast.
Cons:
This is very strict and doesn’t promote sustainable life style changes. Because 30 days is a long time to go without sugar, grains, or dairy as well as alcohol and legumes, it can be a daunting time frame preventing people from even considering the diet.
Application: The benefits here span the entire list with the exception of number 3. 1,2,4,5 & 6 (I included number 4 because inflammation is what ages the body.)
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintaining over your life span.
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.
The Atkins Diet
The Atkins diet is recommended for people wanting to lose weight, who don’t like to count calories, hate feeling hungry and love meat and many other protein based fatty foods. By eating meat, cheese and eggs, and keeping bread and potatoes to a minimum, fat is lost when the body goes into a state of ketosis. Ketosis is a result of the body burning stored fat for energy. B-products of this diet are ketones, which can be easily measured by urinating on what’s called a ketone strip, which can be purchased over the counter at any pharmacy.
In order to get your metabolism into the state of ketosis one must avoid all forms carbohydrates, including healthy ones like fruits!! Also, by cutting carbohydrates and eating more protein and fat, the appetite goes down and you will generally eat less food.
Some people say the Atkins diets effectiveness is short term and that it is not a balanced diet. However the New Atkins Diet created in 2002, adopted a better version of the original diet (which consisted of eating bacon, eggs and meat products.) The new one has a better balance with lean protein and controlled portions of fat and healthy carbs. There are basically four phases in the new version.
In Phase I, dieters begin with just 20 grams of carbs a day and very gradually increase the amount each week. It starts with plenty of low carb leafy greens and high fat and protein to kick start the weight loss. The main idea here is to stop eating foods made with refined flour and sugar and even carb-dense whole-grain foods are off-limits until you reach the maintenance phase.
Phase II of the plan begins to balance the diet allowing the dieter to introduce small amounts of fruit, more nuts and continuing with low carb leafy greens.
In Phase III, presumably you are close to your goal weight and more carbs are slowly added until you reach your goal weight.
Maintenance begins in Phase IV, where the dieter adds more carbs each day until they start gaining weight back.
Pros:
The foods on this plan are appealing for most people and are readily available at all dining establishments. It’s great because calories do not have to be counted and we can eat as much as we like.
Cons:
Constipation was a concern but with the new version it has helped with that a lot. The main reason for this is a low fiber content. This diet also can get expensive with its meat-heavy plan. Critics also claim the diet’s high protein content could harm the kidneys, but this claim has not been proven. Usually problems would be incurred in cases were the individual already suffers from decreased kidney function. Many people that love starchy foods find this diet very hard to follow. Other opponents say that once the dieter returns to eating starchy carbs their weight will be gained back.
Application: Highlights include numbers 1, and 6 for body builders desiring to lose body fat.
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintaining over your life span.
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.
Volumetric Diet
The plan’s philosophy is that most people eat the same volume of food regardless of calories. Therefore, if we try to eat less of such calorie dense foods weight loss can be achieved. So in theory one can lose weight by eating fewer calories yet still feeling full. If this sounds like the ideal option for you, you want to give Volumetric’s a try. The plan focuses on foods that contain more water, such as fruits and vegetables. Less calorie dense than sugary and fatty foods, they are rich in nutrients, and healthier as a result. It’s not so much of a diet per se, but more of an approach to food combinations, more so than a calorie counting focused diet.
Volumetrics is backed by sound research and strongly promotes eating to feel full. A good rule of thumb when trying to plan on eating foods that are not calorie dense is to divide the total calories of the food by the total weight of the food (in grams). If the result is .8 or greater, it’s a calorie dense food.
For example, lets take 100 grams of broccoli. 100 grams of broccoli has 35 calories. 35/ 100= .35- this is not a calorie dense food. We can contrast this with peanuts. In 100 grams of peanuts there is 575 calories. 575/100= 5.75!!! Obviously this is a very high calorie dense food but it occupies the same amount of volume or space in your stomach -100 grams. In general foods high in fiber and moisture like vegetables and fruits are far less calorie dense even though they weigh the same as their drier calorie dense counter parts.
Pros:
The plan by nature forces the individual to eat more whole foods and nutrient dense ones like high fiber fruits and vegetables, and lean meats. It is also a very healthy diet. It also forces the dieter to monitor healthy calorie dense fats like avocados and walnuts, which can place the dieter out of the range on the scale. So small amounts of these calorie dense good fats must be monitored.
Cons:
This doesn’t always work because there are other factors to satiety, like blood sugar, which is actually the most notable. In addition, people who are over eaters tend to keep the same habits on this plan. Since it has fewer calories per serving the individual is satisfied for a far shorter period of time and may get used to eating larger volumes of food more frequently to make up for the calorie deficit. If they go back to eating high calorie dense foods they may actually gain more weight back. Also, it can be tedious searching out foods on this plan that are not calorie dense.
Application: This plan rates best for numbers 1 and 2.
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintaining over your life span.
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.
Raw Food Diet
This is a plan that incorporates eating as close to nature as possible. The theory is to eat plant foods in their most natural state. This plan was developed in the 19th century by a Swiss doctor (M. Bircher-Benner) and was used as a dietary treatment for common ailments. In recent years the raw food diet has gained significant popularity.
Raw food dieters believe that cooking food causes the break down of many of its natural beneficial enzymes which some believe could lead to the loss of nutritional value. The plan restricts food that is cooked or heated above 120° Fahrenheit and allows the dieter to eat as much and as often as wanted, as long as the food is raw and vegetarian. The focus on fresh produce and avoidance of processed foods is a great health benefit, but some say the diet is lacking in nutrients and is difficult to sustain.
Pros:
Certain foods are better in their natural raw state such as green leafy vegetables and citrus fruits. However foods that contain certain carotenoids like carrots as well as foods with lycopene like tomatoes are better cooked. Cooking them helps make them more bio-available by releasing the antioxidants in them. Sometimes cooking certain foods can release carcinogens in them especially if it is cooked in vegetable oil or burned at all. Also since there is no refined or processed foods the risk of trans fat and refined sugars like high fructose corn syrup are eliminated. Low sodium levels are also another benefit. .
Cons:
Raw foods tend to be very irritating to the digestive tract. So if you have a sensitive stomach, the increase in fiber can be unpleasant. As well, since meat is limited many dieters find they are low in certain nutrients like B12, iron, vitamin D, calcium (Minimal Dairy) and omega 3 fatty acids. Keep in mind also that since food is not cooked, pollutants found during harvest like salmonella and e-coli can be a risk. The raw foods diet is also lower in quality meat based proteins making it harder for athletes to find good dietary proteins.
Application: This plan is good for numbers 1 and 2.
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintaining over your life span.
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.
Nutri System
Nutri system has been around a long time and has experienced a high level of success. The program is centered around 28 days of preplanned foods, with 50% of the calories coming from carbs and 25% protein and 25% fat. The number of calories for each individual is based on gender and age. The plan can also be individualized for people with diseases like diabetes and certain food allergies. They also have a vegan version as well. Weekly meetings with a counselor are also utilized which helps keep the dieter focused on success.
Pros:
The fact that everything is done for you makes it easier to follow and one can pick the foods in the plan they prefer similar to a grocery list. So your portions, calories and preparations are done for you which makes it is very easy to follow. Some foods like vegetables and fruits can be added outside the plan. This is an easy plan to stick to but maintaining the weight loss can be tricky once the dieter goes back to grocery shopping and cooking in the maintenance phase.
Con’s:
One of the biggest drawbacks can be the cost because everything is pre-made and packaged. Eating out and alcohol is discouraged because there is a chance of extra-added calories from outside sources. Pregnant women, people with kidney disease and other ailments or allergies are not offered specific plans.
Application: This plan is basically for number 1.
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintaining over your life span.
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.
The Macrobiotic Diet
The diet was started in the 1930’s and centers around Zen Buddhism. It’s a meditation-based diet that requires individuals to meditate and take their time while eating. It also requires the dieter to count how many times each mouthful is chewed (At least 50 times). Like many other diets this one has the dieter refrain from eating refined foods, preservatives, and processed foods while minimalizing animal products and increasing seasonal foods. Another key concept is to stop eating before you’re full. Some other items on the list to avoid are spicy alternatives, alcohol, coffee, sodas, eggs, dairy and poultry. Some vegetables also absent from this plan include spinach, eggplant, asparagus and tomatoes. The founder, George Ohsawa, believes certain foods have a yin and yang quality and nightshade vegetables are not part of that mindset.
The diet is heavily based (40-60%) in whole grains like barley, oats and brown rice and about 20% in fresh vegetables. Beans make up a small percentage. Fish is also acceptable as are all fruits except tropical ones. All and all this is a good plan.
Pros:
Advocates claim this diet beneficial for those suffering from cancer, however the American Cancer Society does not advise utilizing it. It is however beneficial for those with heart disease and diabetes in that it incorporates whole foods like fruits and vegetables as well whole grains.
Cons:
Surprisingly, it doesn’t ban gluten which is known to be an irritant to many people. If you are a person that is “on the go” this plan may not be for you since it requires, relaxation, preparation and time to carry it out.
Application: This plan is basically for benefits 1,2,3, and 4
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintaining over your life span.
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.
The carb cycling diet
This program is used a lot by bodybuilders and helps them get into their ultra lean condition. The media has given carbs a bad name, but carbs in of themselves aren’t bad, it’s the type of carbs we eat at and at what times we eat them that is bad.
Carb cycling has the dieter cycle their carbohydrate intake on a 3 then 2-day rotational basis. Usually it is advised to eat one to 1.5 grams of carbs per pound of body weight. On the low end, the plan never calls for less than 50 grams of carbs unless a plateau is met. Then, and only then, is it advised to consume fewer than 50 grams of carbs for up to three days. The individual starts with a high carb day, followed by another, and then 3 low carb days.
The carbs are cycled up and down in the following manner:
To make the math simple lets say we have a 200 pound person.
Day 1= 300 grams
Day 2= 200 grams
Day 3= 100 grams
Day 4= 75 grams
Day 5= 50 grams
Day 6= 300 grams
Day 7= 200 grams etc.
The program works really well and I currently utilize it. Emphasis lies on good clean-burning carbs like, sweet potatoes, beans, oatmeal, cooked rices, quinoa and other sprouted grains. Milk and other dairy is avoided as well as simple carbs that have a glycemic index higher than 60. The remainder of the diet focuses on 25% of healthy fats and approximately 35% of protein.
The diet also emphasizes the timing of carb consumption eating almost all of them 6 hours before bed. The only time a simple carb is recommended is immediately after a workout when the body is at it’s peak level of carbohydrate metabolism ready to replenish muscle glycogen lost during exercise.
Pro’s:
This diet is excellent for weight loss especially for those involved in sports requiring a low level of body fat like body builders, wrestlers, and track and field athletes, as well as gymnasts.
Con’s:
Although it is great for getting into condition, it can be hard to stick with the program on the low carb days. If the program is not strictly followed, one day of missteps can ruin any of the other days where you did achieve your carb goals. The other downfall is that our brains run solely on glucose. On the low carb days it’s easy to develop “brain fog” or low energy levels.
Application: This plan is basically for benefits 1 and 6. Note- Category 6 is listed for those sports requiring a lean body composition like bodybuilding.
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintaining over your life span.
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.
Intermittent Fasting
This program isn’t really a diet per se, it’s a way of scheduling your eating patterns. The main theory behind this plan is that by utilizing the fasting process intermittently each day, you maximize your body’s system called autophagy. The word autophagy means “self-eating,” and it’s a process that your body uses to rid itself of cellular debris, like toxins and helps to recycle damaged cells. It also helps to decrease inflammation, slows the aging process and helps to maximize our bodily functions, like glucose management. In addition some studies claim that fasting before chemotherapy can help diminish the side effects of treatment. More research is needed on this subject so talk to your oncologist before implementing it.
There are different methods by which people fast but the most popular one is by Martin Berkhan from Leangains.com.
This method requires the dieter to eat during an eight-hour period daily. The other sixteen hours are spent fasting. Most people will consume their calories during two meals doing this fast. There are no specific times that are recommended for the fast but most people skip breakfast, eat lunch, and then dinner.
Pro’s:
There are usually only two meals eaten per day so it makes the work week much easier to deal with in terms of less meal prep. Also, the only significant change, if you are already on a healthy diet, is changing the timing of your meals. In addition, studies have shown that fasting allows the body to repair itself and dispose of bad cells much easier during the fasted state. This is great for healing and other diseases such as cancer. Fasting has also been shown to extend the life span of people who practice it.
Con’s:
People tend to have trouble going sixteen hours without food. It can be hard to get used to especially if you are accustomed to the old school way of eating every three hours.
Application: This plan is basically on target in all categories,1,2,3,4,5 and 6.
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintaining over your life span.
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.
The vegan diet vs Vegetarian
A vegan diet is most often chosen for environmental, health, or ethical reasons. The vegan does not consume any foods containing animal products such as meat, poultry, dairy or eggs. Many vegans will also avoid using animal by-products such as leather, wool, fur, and those found in cosmetics. Many vegans do not approve of how the animals are treated which is another reason they may avoid animal products altogether. The diet is a balanced blend of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes. The main challenge when eating vegan is obtaining the proper amount of protein. This can be compensated by combining things like rice with beans or tofu, as well as by consuming nuts and seeds.
The lack of iron in a vegan diet, as well as sufficient calcium absorption are additional concerns that can be avoided by including vitamin C with meals. Studies have shown that vitamin C increases the absorption of iron as well as calcium. Calcium, found in foods like spinach, contains oxalic acid (OA,) and OA interferes with calcium absorption. However, vitamin C will help to neutralize OA.
A vegetarian diet is a more relaxed version of a vegan diet and is not as strict. There are different types of vegetarian diets which are listed below that allow certain foods that a vegan does not. Here are different forms of vegatarian diets:
Lacto-Vegetarian No red or white meat, fish, fowl or eggs. Dairy is allowed.
Ovo-Vegetarian No red or white meat, fish, fowl or Dairy. Eggs are allowed.
Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian No red or white meat, fish, fowl. Dairy & Eggs are allowed. (This is the most common form of all vegatarian diets.)
Pollotarian Aka “semi vegetarian” avoids red meat & fish, but does eat poultry and other fowl.
Pescatarian They eat fish, but not red or white meat, or fowl.
Flexitarian Mostly a plant based diet with occasional meat.
Pro’s:
Weight loss is obtained rather quickly from the drop in calories. It’s also been shown than vegans in general have lower cholesterol, blood pressure and it can reduce the risk of cancer and diabetes.
Con’s:
The plan is very restrictive. Those starting out may find themselves reaching for more starch, sugars, and fats to satisfy them, which can cause weight-gain.
Since meat and dairy is limited or eliminated, the individual may suffer from low levels of vitamin B-12. In this case either a B-12 supplement or a fortified cereal is usually advised. Also, getting proteins from legumes such as beans can cause stomach distress as they produce gas during breakdown in the body. In addition, many vegetables are very fibrous. If not thoroughly cooked this can also cause stomach distress.
Application: This plan is beneficial for categories 1,2,3,4, and 5.
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintaining over your life span.
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.
The Zone Diet
Also known as the 40-30-30 Diet, and made famous by celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, this diet focuses on eating a balanced diet consisting of 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 30% fats. Derived by biochemist Barry Sears in the 1070s, this method creates an environment that limits inflammation, promotes weight loss, and helps to gain or maintain muscle mass while keeping your appetite in check. Foods like red meat, egg yolks, processed foods and saturated fats are avoided.
The plan advocates eating frequent small meals every four to five hours (3 meals and 2 snacks) as well as a light snack before bed. Total calories are kept low at around 1200 to 1500 per day; and the macronutrients consist of complex carbs, good complete proteins, as well as balanced polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) like omega-3 and omega-6. Consuming excess omega-6 fatty acids gives rise to inflammation in the body, and the typical American diet is high in omega-6 PUFA found in foods like pork, dark meat, processed foods, most salad dressings, mayonnaise and walnuts. Almonds have the lowest omega 6 of the nuts. By adhering to this plan the individual keeps the body “in the zone” or at its peak metabolism.
Pros:
Being a low calorie diet, you can’t help but lose weight. It’s praised for variety and ease of use. It is popular in the fitness industry among sports such as bodybuilding and CrossFit.
Cons:
It can be very difficult to adhere to its strict regimen of frequent feedings. The meal preparation can also become tedious. Since the calories are kept so low, some individuals may even experience a slow down in metabolism.
Application: This plan is best for 1,2,3, and 6.
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintaining over your life span. (Only if calories are increased)
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.
The Blood Group Diet
Formulated by Peter J. D’Adamo, this diet is based on the notion that your blood type, whether A,B,O, or AB will determine your body’s ability to lose weight. By knowing your blood type, he professes that you can determine which foods you’ll absorb better and those foods that may be toxic to your body thereby causing you to gain weight. The main idea is that different blood types digest a certain fiber called lectins differently. Lectins’ purpose is to help organisms in nature attach to one another by clumping together. Lectins, if not deactivated by digestion or heat from cooking, can cause our cells to clump together (agglutination.) They mostly affect blood cells and the lining of the digestive tract. If not deactivated, this clumping of cells is interpreted by the body as a foreign invader. The body will then attack itself, causing inflammation, food allergies and other health related problems.
Fortunately in most cases, through digestion, cooking, or other means, about 95% of the lectins we ingest are denatured thereby rendering them harmless. Some though do cause problems and get into the blood stream via “leaky gut” which was discussed earlier. This can be the case with gluten and the nightshade class of vegetables: eggplant, potatoes, and bell peppers. All these can be extremely irritating to our bodies and cause severe inflammation. Inflammation can have a cascading effect leading to other diseases like, diabetes, cancer, heart disease and allergies.
Pro’s:
This is a calorie restricted diet and will induce weight loss. It may also help persons heal if they suffer from lectin digestive sensitivity.
Con’s:
There is very little clinical and scientific data supporting this diet. There is evidence outlining the negative effects of lectins, however the theory that lectins’ influence is determined by your blood type remains unfounded. Also, in order to avoid offenders such as lectins, eliminating entire food groups can result in a nutritional deficiency.
Application: This plan is basically best only at meeting criteria #1 and possibly 5.
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintaining over your life span. (Only if calories are increased)
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.
The Human Diet
This diet was founded by Catherine Shanahan, M.D., a family doctor and athlete who believes in using food to heal the body. The plan is focused on several things, however the main emphasis is on removing all vegetable oils and sugar—the real culprits in cholesterol elevation and many other diseases. Vegetable oil and sugar denature the coating on the cholesterol molecule. This vital coating helps the body identify the molecule for either utilization or removal via the blood stream. Hence, if the cholesterol molecule is not recognized accordingly by the body, subsequently lipid levels in the blood stream can rise Sugar also causes problems with hormone receptors causing another set of problems.
The plan proposes going back to a diet that includes more whole foods such as butter, bone broth, cream, organ meat, meat on the bone, unpasteurized dairy, sprouted grains and plenty of fresh vegetables with limited fruits. The diet is based on limited protein and carbs with an abundance of healthy fats, up to 70%!
The plan is defined by “4 pillars of health:
1- Meat on the bone
2- Fermented and sprouted foods.
3- Organ meat and other specific tissue (i.e. eyes, tongue)
4- Fresh unadulterated plant and animal products.
Pros:
Dr. Shannahan is a highly respected in her field and is a nutritionist to many athletes. This Seems to be a healthy alternative to the typical American diet, and can be characterized as a combination of the paleo and Atkins principles—both of which are good diets. It also helps eliminate sugar cravings and can heal the body from consuming too much sugar and processed foods that destroy healthy tissue and causes inflammation.
Cons:
This plan can be hard to follow for some. Meal preparation and obtaining ingredients can be tough, and most people will find completely eliminating sugar to be next to impossible. Weight loss can be achieved but the burden of calorie counting is something else that is a big part of this plan .
Application: This plan is falls under the 2,3,4, 5 and 6 categories.
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintaining over your life span. (Only if calories are increased)
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.
The Hay Diet (Food combining diet)
Contrary to the name, the diet does not advocate eating hay. The founder’s name is William Hay. The main concept of this diet is to avoid eating certain types of foods together. So that they are digested properly, it advocates eating the following three food groups separately:
1- acid foods (proteins and certain acidic fruits,)
2- alkaline foods (carbohydrates)
3- nuetural foods like fats. Combining these foods apparently prevents protein from being digested in the gut and can lead to the accumulation of toxins from improper digestion.
The plan calls for eating three meals a day. Alkaline foods in the morning, acidic foods in the afternoon and neutral foods in the evening.
Pros:
The dieter gets plenty of fruits and vegetables, which means plenty of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Cons:
The diet does not incorporate enough protein and it does not take into account that many foods like legumes and lentils also contain high levels of protein combined with carbs. In addition, acidic foods like oranges also have a large amount of carbs or sugar. There doesn’t appear to be too much scientific evidence supporting this plan for categorically separating foods this way. There is however evidence that combining foods in which their macronutrients compliment one another (i.e., rice and beans.)
Application: This plan is scores best with items 1 and 2.
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintaining over your life span. (Only if calories are increased)
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.
The Grapefruit Diet (Hollywood Diet)
This diet was made popular in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s by celebrities. The objective with the grapefruit diet is to eat ½ a grapefruit with every meal or 8oz of grapefruit juice. The reason behind this is that grapefruit purportedly has an enzyme that helps burn fat. The meals are generally high in protein with moderate carbs and fats, and water must be consumed with meals as well. The program is 12-18 days in length and the caloric content is very low resulting in rapid weight loss.
Pros:
This diet is good for preventing diseases like diabetes, heart disease and other metabolic disorders. It’s great if someone needs to lose weight quickly, however, by doing this it tends to cause a large loss of muscle tissue in addition to the fat.
Cons:
One major drawback with is that an enzyme found in grapefruit has been known to interfere with the body’s ability to breakdown and metabolize certain types of prescription drugs such as anti-anxiety medications and certain heart and blood pressure medications. There is no clear scientific evidence or research that supports this diet. The calories on this plan are really low so it is not sustainable over the long haul. Also, because of the high acid count some people end up with stomach upset or diarrhea.
Application: This plan is focuses on items 1 and 5.
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintaining over your life span. (Only if calories are increased)
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.
The Master Cleanse
The Master Cleanse has been around for years and regained popularity when the singer Beyoncé Knowles, used it. The plan was created to rid the body of toxins and remove excess fat. There is No food allowed on this diet, and people drink a juice type mixture consisting of water mixed with cayenne pepper, maple syrup and lemon. The cleanse ranges from 3 to 40 days, however most people rarely make 40 days.
Pros:
Most people do feel better on this plan and usually do it for only 10 days. By eliminating toxic foods and drinks from the diet, the body is able to focus on healing itself. Weight is lost rapidly and some people feel energized due to the detoxification, which allows the body to run “cleaner” and be able to produce energy much easier.
Cons:
Similar to the Grapefruit Diet, muscle mass will be depleted from lack of protein intake, and your energy level may decrease the longer you are on it. This plan requires a great deal of focus because no food is allowed. Also once the diet is stopped our body will require a few days to adjust to food again. Also, cutting out all food will obviously leave you malnourished and depleted.
Application: This plan again focuses on items 1 and 5.
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintaining over your life span. (Only if calories are increased)
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.
Low FODMAPS Diet
This food elimination diet was created for people suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS.) The acronym stands for Fermented Oligosaccharide Disaccharide Monosaccharide and Polyols. These are short chain carbohydrates that many people have trouble digesting. Once they reach the large intestine where our intestinal bacteria reside, our gut’s bacteria uses them for energy thereby producing hydrogen gas instead of methane. Hydrogen is harder for the body to manage and it causes gas, bloating and constipation. FODMAPS also pull water into the gut, which causes diarrhea. Many people have found relief eliminating the foods on the FODMAPS diet and, after some time, slowly reintroducing the eliminated foods.
Pro’s:
The diet has been beneficial for reducing the symptoms of IBS and other Bowel diseases like Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. It is manageable and the individual only needs to refrain from the trigger foods for up to three weeks before reintroducing them one at a time.
Con’s:
The program is an all or none application, which means you must refrain from all foods on the avoidance list. It is somewhat complicated and you may need guidance from a trained professional to be sure the guidelines are adhered to properly.
Application: Best for number 5 on the list.
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintaining over your life span. (Only if calories are increased)
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.
The Daniel Diet (Biblical)
This diet was made famous in modern society by best-selling author and world-renowned preacher Rick Warren, and is approximately three weeks in length. The Daniel diet refers to biblical principles of the prophet Daniel found in the Old Testament.
Daniel 10:2-3
2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. 3 I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.
Daniel refused to eat the king’s rich foods to prove that his way of eating was healthier and a tribute to God. How the Daniel diet differs from most others on the list is that there is no calorie restriction, only certain foods. For example no meat or alcohol or dairy is allowed and only fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, oils and grains can be eaten. The only liquid that can be consumed is pure water.
Pro’s:
The diet is great for those looking to lose weight because it involves healthy choices and is only three weeks in duration.
Con’s:
I don’t see many cons to this plan. However, if your main goal is weight loss, your total calories may need to be lowered for longer than three weeks.
Application: This plan is basically best for items 1, 2, 4, and 5
Weight loss
Overall Health
Maintaining over your life span. (Only if calories are increased)
Anti-Aging.
Healing.
Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.
Nutritional Buzz Words
Prebiotics vs Probiotics:
Prebiotics are foods made up of indigestible fiber that helps the growth of good bacteria in the gut. A good example of these fibers is found in onions, leeks and bananas. Taken with probiotics they can help the gut remain healthy.
Probiotics are live or active cultures (good bacteria) found in foods like yogurt, sauerkraut and pickles. These help to restore a healthy gut flora, or bacteria.
Fermented foods:
Fermenting is a process by which sugar is converted to alcohol using yeast. When foods are fermented they grow good bacteria (probiotics) that populate our guts to aid digestive health. These are foods like sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi (a Korean form of fermented vegetables) and are especially good for treating intestinal dysbiosis after a prescription of antibiotics, recovering from diarrhea due to an overseas trip, or other food poisoning. Always check with your doctor for treatment and to rule out other possible causes of your stomach distress.
Glycemic index:
Glycemic index (GI) is a scale of 1 to 100 that ranks foods by how fast they are converted to sugar in the blood. The higher the number, (55 to 100) the faster the food is converted to sugar in the blood.
Glycemic load:
Glycemic load (GL) is a scale that ranks the amount of sugar entering your system at a given time (load). It takes into account the total calories consumed and their GI, (GI x Grams carbs / 100.)
- 0-10 = Low GL
- 11-19 = Mod GL
- 20+ = high GL
Anti-nutrients:
These are found in certain foods and inhibit proper absorption. For example, the anti-nutrient lectin is found in foods such as nuts, seeds, grains, legumes and beans. Activating or sprouting is a method that deactivates the anti-nutrients so the food items are more bioavailable for our digestive systems to utilize. Lectin helps protect a plant from insects and other pests who prey on these plants. They help the plant survive longer because they cause the predator to become sick after eating them. They also help protect a plant from ripening or sprouting to soon. The problem as stated earlier is that lectins are irritating to the digestive tract and cause inflammation. Some examples of anti-nutrients are phytic acid, oxalic acid, night shades and latex fruits. (See also Paleo and Blood Group Diets above)
Activating Foods:
This process is similar to sprouting but requires a more alkaline environment. Foods like nuts, seeds and plants like quinoa have a chemical in them called phytic acid (storage form of phosphorus.) Phytic acid interferes with the absorption of important minerals like Iron, zinc, magnesium and calcium. The phytic acid helps the nuts and other foods survive longer so they don’t sprout prematurely. By soaking these foods, the minerals in them become more bioavailable by reducing the amount of phytic acid in them.
The nuts that need to be soaked are almonds, walnuts, pecans and hazelnuts and cashews. The process involves, soaking in sea salt for up to 12 hours, followed by slow roasting for up to 12 hours at 150 degrees to dry them out. (See Google for more complete instructions.)
Sprouting:
This is a process by which legumes and seeds are soaked so they can fully germinate allowing us to extract the foods full nutritional value. As mentioned earlier, it is similar to “activating nuts” and requires a certain time period and solution for soaking. However, this process requires a more acidic environment for success. Sprouting also increases the food’s protein content as well as reducing its carbohydrate content. It can also decrease the amount of gluten while at the same time helping to increase the level of some anti oxidants such as a flavonoid called quercetin.
Sugar Alcohols:
These are artificial sweetners added to foods. Many are not digestible and have less calories than carbs which is why they are used. It’s easy to tell which foods have them because they will usually be labeled “net carbs” on the package. Some common names of sugar alcohols are glycerol, erythritol, maltitol, sorbitol, xylitol and lactitol, (basically any ingredient that ends in an “ol”.)
Each one just listed has different properties that determines which type of foods they are best used in. What makes these undesirable is that they can cause cramping and a host of other indirect dysfunctions. Most of these sweeteners are excreted in our urine, which in turn increases the frequency of urination. Frequent urination causes a loss of crucial minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium—all of which are related to cramping. Magnesium, above all is key for muscle relaxation as well as many other vital processes. If we can’t get muscles to relax they become stiff and rigid over time, which leads to stiff and sore joints. NOTE: The sugar alcohol xylitol is great for dental health. It inhibits dental bacterial growth that causes gum disease. Try to chew gum seethed with this sugar alcohol.
BPA Free:
BPA stands for Bisphenol A, which is a chemical that prevents food from coming in contact with the metal inside canned foods such as beans, corn and soups etc. It prevents the bad metal taste associated with the can they are stored in. The problem is that BPA is a hormone-mimicking chemical that can cause adverse effects in men and women. The best way to avoid this is by eating food and beverages that are stored in glass. Even small amounts of BPA can be harmful.
Sugar free:
This usually means either the sugar has been replaced with an artificial sweetener or no refined sugar has been added (sucrose).
High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFC)
Note: a word of caution about high fructose corn syrup (HFCS!) Always check labels, especially those on products known to contain sugar. HFCS is a modified version of fructose that is cheaper than cane sugar. It is a processed form of corn husks. How it differs is that the ratio of glucose to fructose has been modified. Why? Fructose is sweeter which makes it more addictive.
Of note, in cane sugar the sucrose and fructose are bound together in a 50/50 ratio. HFCS is not, which makes it absorbed into the blood stream much faster because digestion is not needed. Not only do the sugars go directly to the liver triggering fat production, the glucose portion also raises blood sugar much quicker, triggering enormous spikes in insulin. This leads to insulin resistance and diabetes. In addition, the undigested fructose also harms the intestinal walls leading to digestive disorders like leaky gut. Also the process of obtaining HFCS is proprietary and there is no public information available that explains the exact process of making it! Soda pops and fruit juices and sugary cereals contain the most common culprits.
Here’s a tip for kicking the soda habit: Take a swig of warm soda and swish it around in your mouth. This will create a negative feedback and help eliminate your craving it.
Free Range (Cage Free vs. Grass Fed):
Cage free means that the animal has not been kept in a small cage. They can be, and usually are housed in large indoor barns with thousands of other chickens sitting in feces and other unsanitary conditions. Look for pasture raised instead. Cows are healthiest when they’re allowed to eat grasses, hence the term, grass fed. Many times the slaughter houses feed them grains such as corn and soy which their intestinal tract can’t handle. They get sick and then are injected with steroids and antibiotics to keep them alive just long enough until the slaughter or to provide you with your next glass of milk.
In addition, there is evidence to suggest that eating grain fed beef can actually trigger negative reactions in individuals who have grain sensitivities.
Non-GMO:
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) pertains mostly to fruits and vegetables such as corn, soybeans, apples and oranges. Remember when the individual apples in a batch were never the same size? The biggest usage of GMO’s is among corn and soybean crops. These items are used in many other products other than food. Foods may be modified to ward off insects as well create uniformity in their shape and size. In addition, the GMO’s are resistant to pesticides and farmers spray them indiscriminately. The best way to avoid them is to look for products that state they are organic or have a label that says “verified non-GMO project”.
Whole grain:
Whole grains, such as those found in cereals made from wheat, rye, oats and barley, contains edible seeds comprised of their in tact three-layered shell that that protects the embryo of the seed. Foods like white rice and white flour have the outer shell removed which in turn removes fiber and B vitamins. Make sure it says 100% whole grain.
Multi grain:
This has nothing to do with the product’s health benefits. It’s just a phrase that tells the consumer there are a variety of grains inside. The grain content could be as low as 1%, and more than likely they are refined or processed, not 100% whole grain.
Whole wheat:
This is the same as whole grain, just in a wheat version. Same rules apply. Make sure it says 100% whole wheat.
Hope that helps 🙂
