Tag Archives: Dieter
The Atkins Diet by Diet Debate
Posted on 05. Apr, 2009 by admin.
Diet Debate asked:
The Atkins Diet, introduced by Dr. Robert Atkins in the 1970’s has spurred a legion of low-carb dieters in the United States. For two decades, millions of Americans have restricted their intake of carbohydrates following the teachings of Dr. Atkins. The diet, which was reintroduced in the book Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, focuses on the restriction of carbohydrates to 20 grams in an individual’s diet at the start of the program and then tailoring his diet to accommodate up to 40-50 grams of carbohydrates during the ‘maintenance’ phase.
During the first phase or the induction phase, dieters are not allowed to have more than 20 grams of carbohydrates and they also can not have any alcoholic or caffeinated drinks. They must also refrain from consuming starchy foods, bread or even fruits. There are no imposed restrictions on meats and other sources of protein and yet weight-loss is fastest during this period. Later on, more carbohydrates will be allowed in the diet but dieters will be asked to watch their intake of refined grains and sugar. By the time a dieter reaches the Maintenance phase, he would already have been used to making smart food choices and would already know the amount of carbohydrates he can consume that will keep him in top shape.
Proponents of the Atkins Diet claim that the program teaches your body to burn calories more efficiently and as a result is said to lessen fatigue, depression, and muscle pains.
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The Mayo Clinic Diet
Posted on 31. Mar, 2009 by admin.
MAIKEL WOOD asked:
Welcome to the Mayo Clinic Diet that doesn’t come from the Mayo Clinic. This diet is a strange idea that has been floating around for a long time, despite the fact that it is not endorsed by the Mayo Clinic. Once again dieters are face to face with the misleading idea that somehow grapefruit burns fat, which leaves the dieter free to indulge in high fat food like ham and eggs for breakfast and meat, vegetables and salad dressing for lunch and dinner. This is not a diet, but a dream come true! Or, at least, it would be a dream if it actually worked.
Right from the start this diet sounds too good to be true. Any kind of meat and any amount of it at every lunch and dinner? With any amount of vegetables? And salad dressing on top? So where does the weight loss part come in? This must be every fast food lover’s dream. Unfortunately, half of grapefruit and half a glass of grapefruit juice cannot burn away fat in any circumstances, much less when the dieter is busy feasting on meat and vegetables. While it’s true that this diet bans complex carbohydrates in order to help weight loss it is worth remembering that these complex carbs are the main energy source for the body.
Even if the idea that grapefruit burns fat just like that was proved correct, this diet is still too unbalanced to be a sound long-term eating plan. Fried foods and fat foods are associated with increased risks of heart diseases and cancer, which is not a good tradeoff for lower body weight. Eating large portions of food on a regular basis is also not a very good idea and it certainly does not square with a strict diet.
Basically, this seems to be one of those diets that count on using the names of famous institutions or famous people in order to push silly ideas. What’s worse is that some people are desperate enough to actually believe in this type of eating plan, especially since they are attracted to the idea of a diet rich in meat. This diet is unbalanced from the nutritional point of view and encourages overeating. Avoid it and choose a better eating plan instead; one that doesn’t sound as good, but which will help you lose weight.