Crash Diet Plans

Christine Patterson asked about it:


Typically when diet plans and weight loss programs are compared, it’s done to show you things like differences in price, foods you can and can not eat, and which ones are easier to follow. It’s safe to say that this comparison is going to be a little bit different.

The Atkins Diet Plan:

The Atkins Diet is a high-protein, high-fat and low-carbohydrate weight-loss diet popularized by Dr. Robert C. Atkins. It is a form of ketogenic diet.

The science behind how the Atkins diet helps you to lose weight is simple. When you eat very few carbohydrates (which are your usual main source of energy), the body goes into what is called a ‘ketogenic state’ where it must rely on stored fat for energy. As a result, you burn fat quickly and begin to lose weight. This process also makes the body produce compounds called ketones, which initially give dieters a ‘buzz’ or euphoric feeling. Most dieters don’t feel deprived on low-carbohydrates diets for the first several days because they are eating meals high in fat.

Weight Watchers Diet Plan:

Weight Watchers is a diet program which combines weight loss and exercise ideas. As a membership incentive system it offers special foods, cookbooks and exercise plans for a fee.

Weight Watchers points are awarded for success and the dieter has the support of Weight Watchers groups around the world and chapter members from his or her local group. The advantages are that one can lose weight with others, having the support of others who are fighting the same battles. Weight Watcher products are readily available, and there are hundreds of web sites for support.

Jenny Craig Weight Loss Program:

The Jenny Craig program offers personalized diet plans, and offers guidance at weekly meetings at Jenny Craig centers.

Participants must follow their personal meal plan, consisting of pre-packaged ‘Jenny’ meals along with healthy fruits and vegetables. The plan encourages healthy lifestyle changes and moderate eating. Clients get a personal touch as they work with counselors to find out their unique caloric needs, and can adjust their goals accordingly.

The Slim-Fast Plan:

Slim-Fast consists of meal-replacement shakes, snack bars and one real-food dinner, giving a total of around 1200 calories in a single day.

Slim-Fast has been designed to make weight-loss as easy as possible. There is nothing to count, no need to measure portions, you don’t need to eliminate anything from your diet; all foods are OK, and no foods are forbidden. The plan involves 6 small meals/snacks per day, using Slim-Fast products for two meals and a snack and the rest of the day you’re on your own, to prepare a “sensible” dinner. Once you reach your weight-loss goal, just replace one meal a day with a Slim-Fast meal and stick with the healthy lifestyle changes that you have made, such as exercising, and you will maintain your weight.

The NutriSystem Diet Meal Plan:

The NutriSystem Diet entails eating mainly prepackaged NutriSystem meals until you reach your desired weight. For about $300 you get 28 days worth of entrees, snacks, and desserts delivered to your home.

You begin this diet by selecting the program that best meets your needs: Women’s, Men’s, Silver for Women, Silver for Men, Type 2 Diabetes, or Vegetarian. You can then either let NutriSystem select your meals or you can choose for yourself. Standard programs, such as Women’s or Men’s, offer over 300 different meals to choose from. But subscribers to the other programs have a more limited selection; for example, the vegetarian program lets you choose from about 60 entrees and desserts). Once you enroll in a program, the meals that you select will be delivered to your home. The meals are designed to be quick and convenient and don’t even require refrigeration.

The South Beach Diet:

The South Beach Diet emphasizes normal portions of lean proteins such as fish and chicken; unlimited amounts of low-glycemic-index vegetables; ample amounts of healthy fats such as olive and canola oil, nuts and avocados; and small portions of “healthy carbs” found in fruit and less-processed grains.

By following this way of eating, the plan promises positive changes in markers of cardiovascular health: lower cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, along with increased HDL cholesterol levels. There are three phases in this diet. Dieters are encouraged to move back and forth between the different phases as needed to maintain their weight loss.

Phase I is the most restrictive and lasts for two weeks. It emphasizes lean proteins, fat-free or low-fat cheese, nuts, eggs, tofu, legumes, healthy types of fat and low-glycemic-index vegetables. Phase II reintroduces fruit, whole grain bread, rice, pasta and fat-free milk and yogurt. Dieters stay on Phase II until they’ve lost their desired amount of weight. Phase III is for maintenance and should be followed for life.

In summary, there is more than one way to lose weight. Include a fitness routine no matter how small, and you’re guaranteed an easier time bridging the weight loss gap.



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Sandra Ahten asked about it:


Ever have a sister-in-law, co-worker, or friend who has dropped several pounds and eagerly tells you all about it? You buy into her enthusiasm, join the class, purchase the meals, and three weeks later you feel like an utter failure. You know what to do, you saw her do it—you just couldn’t do it yourself. You can’t figure out how to lose weight like she did.

In dieting, as in life, there is not a one-size-fits-all diet plan. To know how to lose weight, you must first identify your personality type and work from your own strengths.

Which personality type are you?

When my dear husband and I are planning a vacation, I like to dream about all the possibilities. We could see the mountains in the summer or have another winter ski vacation. Hmmm, come to think of it, wouldn’t skiing in the Alps be great? But swimming in the tropics might be better. You can see right away that my personality type is conducive to dreaming.

But to actually go on vacation, you have to start narrowing it down, and I do, but not without throwing in a couple more options and certainly not without some grief over all the places I’ve eliminated.

It makes me edgy to eliminate choices. When I order at a restaurant, I get anxious, fearing that I didn’t make the best choice and grieving over all the things I can’t have.

My husband is the complete opposite personality type. The more he can narrow the choice, the more comfortable he is. Likewise, he grooves on knowing exactly where everything in his life is. He likes to park on the same side in the garage every day. He likes setting his coffee cup in the same spot on the counter.

His mantra: “A place for everything and everything in it’s place.”

Apparently, I like knowing my keys are somewhere in the house, though I’m not always sure where.

I call myself creative. My mantra: “It’s hard to be me . . . but it’s worth it.”

So, how does all this address how to lose weight? First, answer these quick questions:

Do you . . .

a) Take the same route to work every day?

b) Like to take a different route to your usual destinations?

a) Think you would be happier if only you could make reservations a week in advance?

b) Prefer to make a choice about which restaurant to go to while you’re pulling out of the driveway?

If you answered “a,” then you’re a “straight-line” personality type; “b,” you’re of the “winding path” personality type.

Each personality type has it’s advantages and unique challenges, particularly when it comes to diet plans and how to lose weight. Neither is preferable to the other, although straight-liners would have you believe that their way is best. They may get the weight off more quickly on their diet plan, but as we know, losing weight fast is not any indication that it has left your hips for good. Learning how to lose weight while honoring your ingrained personality type is a much more surefire strategy for long-term success.

Personality Types that Call for a Straight-Line Diet Plan

How to lose weight in the most straightforward fashion: I’m looking for the shortest path between me and my goal.

Strengths:

You tend to be disciplined and so can follow a directed diet plan quite easily. You don’t complicate things, but instead find a method that works and stick with it.

Advantage:

Steady weight loss.

Challenge:

You may have a harder time sticking to your diet plan during temporary transitions such as change in schedules, seasons and vacations. What should be viewed as temporary setbacks may lead to an exaggerated sense of failure that becomes self-fulfilling. Transitioning from your diet plan to long-term weight maintenance can be more difficult.

Primary Strategy:

Work to eliminate all-or-nothing thinking with regard to your diet plan. Remember that getting to and maintaining a healthy weight is a series of decisions.

Choosing a Diet Plan:

There are many, many answers to the question of how to lose weight, but “Just tell me what I should eat!” is a common cry for the “straight line” personality type. If you are of this personality type, you’ll be more comfortable choosing (or devising) a meal-type diet plan where food choices are limited. The counting-type diet plans might feel overwhelming, with too many choices.

Personality Types that Call for a “Winding Road” Diet Plan

How to lose weight in the most pleasant fashion: There are myriad ways to get there, might as well enjoy the journey.

Strengths:

You tend to be creative with your diet plan and make it “your own,” which means you won’t get bored or feel deprived.

Advantage:

Easier adaptation from diet plan to maintenance plan because you are adjusting throughout the journey. 

Challenge:

You’ll probably lose more slowly and may feel like a failure because you can’t “follow” a diet plan.

Primary Strategy:

When considering how to lose weight, try looking at the many diet plans in existence and jumping from one to the next—choose a diet plan that interests you, but always be reading about and looking for new strategies.

Choosing a Diet Plan:

It’s best to have a counting-type diet plan, where any food is okay as long as it’s within a certain range. You may try “lifestyle change” dieting—simply rising to the challenge of eating with the intention of losing weight. Still, it is best to have the experience using a counting-type diet plan so that you have some structure to return to if you don’t see enough progress.

At www.reasonablediet.com/fivetips you can get a free download of my Dieting By Personality Type tip booklet.



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