Saturday, August 30, 2008

Diet Plan Review Number 5

So far in our reviews, we have seen that each of the the diet plans have both good and bad points. It's no different with today's review which is:

Suzanne Somers' Get Skinny on Fabulous Food

If you are trying to lose weight, you may be trying to find a great diet that will really help you out. However, it can be really hard to decide on the diet that will really work for you, with so many out there for you to choose from. There are a variety of great books out there on weight loss as well that have been turned into diet plans, and one of those was Suzanne Somers' Get Skinny on Fabulous Food diet. Not sure that this is a great book or a great diet plan? Well, let's do a bit more research and find out all about this diet and whether or not it is a great choice for you and your weight loss needs.

Overview of the Diet

Basically this is a book and a diet that was written and developed by Suzanne Somers and it is developed around the premise that you can actually eat anything and lose the weight you want to. However, it does stress that you have to eat in certain combinations if you want to lose weight. The author points out that she thinks that it is certain combinations of food that make people fat, so she shows how to combine foods in certain ways that are to help you lose weight.

Who Does it Work Best For?

For people who have no will power at all and those who really want to eat all the foods they love, this is a diet that they may want to try. If you don't want to be left hungry all the time feeling deprived because you can only eat protein or vegetables, this is the diet that offers something different.

A Few Pros and Cons

- Pro #1 - Eat Just About What You Want - The main pro that most people find with this diet is that they can finally eat the foods that they want to eat instead of dealing with diets that totally limit them in foods.
- Pro #2 - Recipes Included - Another pro of this diet and book is that there are quite a few recipes that are included in the book, so you do have an idea where to start. However, once you go through the recipes, you may find yourself a bit lost.
- Pro #3 - Don't Count Points or Calories - You'll also find that you will never have to count any points or any calories when you are on this diet. All you have to do is make sure that you eat certain foods together and that you avoid eating foods together tha may cause you problems.
- Con #1 - The Author Has No Nutrition Credits - One of the main cons of this diet plan is that the creator, Suzanne Somers really does not have any nutrition credits as well. The only thing she has done in the past is appear in an infomercial for a special exerciser for thighs. So, all that she offers in her book is not based on great nutrition credentials.
- Con #2 - Silly Claims - Another con of this diet and book is that some of the claims are just silly. The author advises people not to drink any water with their meal, stating that the digestive juices get diluted and you won't be able to lose weight as you should. There is absolutely no merit found for this idea, so it appears to be a bit off the wall and silly.
- Con #3 - Food Combining is Needed - You'll also find that to follow this diet you'll have to combine foods in certain ways in order to be allowed to eat them. This is not always fun and it's not always easy to get the right combination at the right time as well. Her method of food combining is called Somerizing, but it can be difficult to actually incorporate this into your life.

Foods You Can Eat and Some You Can't

When it comes to eating foods on this diet, you can just about eat anything; however, it is how you eat it that is so important to this diet. When you eat fruits, you are only supposed to eat them by themselves. Proteins and fats are supposed to be eaten with vegetables and when you eat carbs, you're allowed to eat them with vegetables, but not with fats. Fats and proteins are never to be eaten along with carbs. Also, if you want to change the type of meal you're eating, you have to wait at least three hours.

What the Medical Community Has to Say

When it comes to what the medical community has to say about the Get Skinny on Fabulous Food, most of the things they have to say are not really complimentary. You see, most people in the medical field really feel like much of what the author says in the books is not true and that there is not scientific premise for it, such as the idea that drinking water with your meal is bad. So, for the most part, this is not a diet that has impressed the medical field in any manner.

Our conclusion is that the plan does not merit our consideration for losing weight.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Diet Plan Reviews (Number 4)

If you have been following along, you may note that we have been as objective as possible in our reviews. This is so you can make a quality decision when it comes to what you wish to do. Today, we are going to look at the following diet plan:

Sugar Busters

Looking for the right diet for your needs? Well, this is not always so easy, especially with the many diets out there to consider. From the Atkins Diet to the Sugar Busters diet, there are so many diets out there; however, today we want to take a closer look at the Sugar Busters Diet and all it has to offer. If you are considering this diet, keep reading to find out how the diet works, the people it does the best for, and all the pros and cons of using this diet in your own life.
Sugar Busters Overview

The Sugar Busters Diet and books has been developed by four different authors, including Samuel Andrews, MD, H. Leighton Steward, Luis Balart, MD, and Morrison Bethea, MD. They published this book themselves and all of them are from the city of New Orleans. Basically the diet focuses on getting rid of anything that has too much sugar content in it, since it can cause problems with the biochemical system in the body. The authors also promise that you will get more energy, lower your cholesterol levels, you'll feel better, and treat a variety of different diseases with this diet.

People Who It Works for Best

Those who do the best with this diet is those who really do need to cut sugar out of their lives, such as those dealing with diabetes. People who need to lower their cholesterol can also find some great results with this diet as well. However, this diet may not be for everyone, since it really is quite restrictive, just like many other diets out there today.

Pros and Cons of Sugar Busters

When it comes to the Sugar Busters diet, there are many different pros and cons that come along with this diet. If you are not sure it is for you, you should take a look at the pros and the cons of this diet and figure out if it really is going to be a great choice for you when you go on a diet. Here are some of the pros and cons of this diet that you need to consider for yourself.
- Pro #1 - Very Simple to Use - Probably one of the biggest pros about this Sugar Busters diet is that it is simple for everyone to use. You don't have to worry about counting carbs, you don't have to measure out foods, and there are no different phases of the diet to worry about. You can easily follow this very basic diet, and while it may not be an easy diet, it definitely is a simple one to follow.
- Pro #2 - Plenty of Fiber - Another pro to this diet is that there is plenty of fiber in the diet, which is definitely important. Also, you get plenty of fruits, veggies, and grains, which means you'll get the phytonutrients that you need as well. So, you'll be getting all the nutrients needed to keep your body health.
- Pro #3 - Low Amount of Saturated Fat - The fact that this diet is low in saturated fat is a big pro as well. While it really doesn't emphasize this much, the foods that you eat are low in the saturated fats, which is important if you want to keep your body healthy.
- Con #1 - No Individual Variation for the Diet - There are cons to this diet as well, and one of them is that there is really no variation in the diet for individuals. This can be an issue since many people have different glucose tolerances. So, if you are looking for a diet that can be changed to your body, this is not the one for you.
- Con #2 - The Book is Not easy to Understand - The book on the Sugar Busters diet is not so easy to understand, which is a big con. It can be really hard to figure out this diet by reading the book and it doesn't really explain to readers how to incorporate the diet into their life.
- Con #3 - Relies Too Much on the Glycemic Index - Many people feel that this diet relies to heavily on the glycemic index, which can be a problem. Also, the diet is not consistent when using the glycemic index either, which can definitely be confusing.

Foods to Eat and Foods to Avoid

When you are on the Sugar Busters Diet, you are allowed to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. You can eat many meats as well, like fish, red meats, and poultry too. Dairy products, nuts, and olive oil is allowed. In small portions you are allowed to eat breads that are whole grain as well as whole grain pastas. However, the simple carbs, such as white rice, potatoes, pasta, white bread, and most sugars are not allowed in this diet.

The Medical Community Weighs In

Most people in the medical community are not fond of the Sugar Busters Diet Plan at all. In fact, some people seem to think that this diet contains far too much protein in it. Also, there can be several different side effects with this diet, such as fatigue, irritability, liver damage, weakness, and even kidney damage.

We think caution should be used with this plan.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Diet Plans Review - The Third In A Series

And the beat goes on. No, No. Wrong theme. We need to get serious and look at the third diet plan in our current review series:

Raw Foods Diet

Are your clothes getting tight again and you're a few pounds above the weight you'd like to be? This seems to happen to many people in life, and often it takes some dieting and exercise to get those extra pounds off. If you happen to be looking for a new diet to lose those extra pounds, one you may not have heard of is the Raw Foods diet. While there are mixed opinions about this diet, there are many people who have truly found it to be an effective way to lose weight. Of course before you try it yourself, you may want to learn a bit more about it, so let's take a look at those the diet works for best, pros and cons, what you can eat, and how the medical community weighs in.

Overview of the Raw Foods Diet

Basically the raw foods diet is exactly what it sounds like. It is a diet that consists of mainly raw foods. It is based on uncooked and unprocessed plant foods, including seeds, beans, vegetables, fresh fruits, seaweed, nuts, sprouts, and dried fruit. The basic principle of the diet focuses on the idea that heating up food too much, above 116 F, actually gets rid of important enzymes in foods that help with the absorption and digestion of food. Also, cooking the food is thought to get rid of the nutritional value of the food as well. So, this diet usually consists of a minimum of 75% raw or living foods.

Who This Diet Works for Best

This is a diet that is definitely a great choice for those who already lean towards the vegetarian lifestyle. The raw foods diet is a diet that takes quite a bit of time as well to stay on this diet, so it's not necessarily a great choice for those who have a busy life. People who have anemia or women who are pregnant should not go on this diet, and it's not a great choice for children either.
Pros and Cons to Consider

Just like any diet, you'll find that there are both pros and cons to consider before you decide this diet is for you. So, here are a few pros and cons to consider that will help you make your decision.
- Pro #1 - More Energy - One of the main benefits of the raw foods diet is that most people who go on it find that the experience more energy than ever before. Since they are eating raw foods that are not full of preservatives or processed sugars, they don't deal with the sluggish feelings that come along with those foods.
- Pro #2 - Weight Loss - Weight loss is another pro to consider when considering this diet. It really does work for aiding people with weight loss. If people truly stick to the diet plan, they will see a reduction in weight.
- Pro #3 - Reduced Risk of Certain Diseases - The raw foods diet is high in folate, magnesium, fiber, and phytochemcials. These nutrients are all known to help reduce the risk of a variety of different diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and even diabetes.
- Con #1 - Some Ingredients are Difficult to Find - One of the cons of the raw foods diet is that some of the ingredients that are needed for the diet are quite hard to find. The diet calls for things like Celtic sea salt, Rejuvelac, date sugar, carob powder, sprouted flour, and even young coconut milk, and all of these ingredients are very difficult to find.
- Con #2 - Takes a Lot of Time and Commitment - This diet also takes a lot of time and commitment if you are truly going to follow it the right way. Not only will you spend time looking for the foods that you need, but many of the foods that have to be made take quite a bit of your time as well. It's definitely not the best choice for people who have extremely busy lives.
- Con #3 - Certain Nutritional Deficiencies Can Occur - There are several nutritional deficiencies that can occur as well when you go on the raw foods diet. It is possible to become deficient in iron, calcium, protein, B12, and protein, to name a few.

Do's and Don'ts of Food

When you are on the raw foods diet, the eating plan is quite strict. You are only allowed to eat foods that are organic and unprocessed when you're on this diet. Also, most of the food eaten should not be cooked. Some of the foods that are allowed include organic foods, dried fruits, beans, nuts, legumes, seaweed, young coconut milk, fresh veggies, fresh fruits, grains, juiced vegetables and fruits, and purified water. Some people do add some quality poultry and fish to their diet as well, and of course you are allowed to cook these meats.

The Medical Community Gives Their Opinion

While there are several benefits of the Raw Foods diet, some professionals in the medical community are still a bit skeptical of this diet. Some medical professionals argue that cooking certain foods actually helps to aid with the absorption of some important nutrients as well. Doctors also find themselves concerned about the deficiencies that can occur. Studies have even shown that this diet can make things worse for people who are already at risk for osteoporosis, since calcium deficiencies can occur, and they can end up with lower bone mass.

This plan has been promoted quite a bit lately. Perhaps your participation in this plan is not wise if you have calcium concerns. Maybe this could be used as a snack portion of another plan.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Let's Take A Look At Another Diet Plan

As we mentioned in our previous post, we are going to look at several of the popular diet plans now promoted in various circles. This is the second plan we are going to look at:

Protein Power Lifeplan

So many diets, so little time, but which one is right for you? This can be a hard question to answer with all the different diets that are out there today. One diet out there that you may have never heard of is the Protein Power Lifeplan diet. This is one of many diets out there, and before you decide to start it yourself, you should take some time to learn more about the diet, how it works, who it works for, and the pros and cons of the diet as well. So, here is some helpful information that will give you the knowledge to decide whether the Protein Power Lifeplan is a good fit for you.

An Overview of the Protein Power Lifeplan

This diet, the Protein Power Lifeplan, which is also the title of their book, was developed by husband and wife, Michael Eades, and Mary Dan Eades, both whom are doctors. Basically the main principle in this diet is that you should limit your carbs and makes sure that you get plenty of protein in your diet. However, the book does offer you various options for how to do it. While this type of a diet can become very complex, the authors let you know that it is fine to take a simpler route. While this diet may not be as restrictive as some low carb diets, it definitely is quite restrictive.

Who it Works for Best

This is a diet that is especially great for people who like it to be simple. People who just want someone to tell them exactly the things that they should be eating will find this diet to be a good one for them because it does tell them exactly what to eat and there is very little variation available.

Pros and Cons of the Diet

Just about any diet is going to have some pros and cons, so you need to figure out what they are so you can weight them and decide whether or not the pros really outweigh the cons of the diet. In some cases the pros do outweigh them, but this is not always the case. Let's take a look at some of the pros and cons that you'll find in the Protein Power Lifeplan Diet.
- Pro #1 - It Really is Simple - One pro of this diet is that it really is quite simple. For people who want someone to tell them exactly what to eat, this is a good diet to follow. Once you learn all of the rules, they don't really change much, so it is quite simple for those who don't want to deal with things that are constantly changing.
- Pro #2 - Nutrition is Emphasized - Another pro of the Protein Power Lifeplan Diet is that it really does emphasize nutrition. It works on making sure that people do get the nutrition that they need and it also teaches people to make the most out of their carbs so they are sure to get the vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and antioxidants that their body really needs to have.
- Con #1 - You Have to Count Carbs in Everything - Of course there are some negative sides to this diet as well. One of the main cons is that you always have to be counting the carbs in every single thing that you eat, which can definitely get old after time. So, if you don't want to spend your time constantly counting the carbs in your meal, this may not be the right diet for you.
- Con #2 - Can Have Too Few Carbs - As with many other low carb diets, there is a danger of having too few carbs in your diet as well. It may be difficult to stick to and you may also end up dealing with a carb crash from so drastically limiting the amount of carbohydrates that the body can take in.
- Con #3 - Little Variation is Offered - While it is nice to have a simple diet, this one can get boring because there is so little variation for you to enjoy. There are not many ways that you can adjust this diet, which means it may get old for you very quickly.

Do's and Don'ts of Food

When you are on the Protein Power Lifeplan Diet, you'll find that carbs of any kind of very restricted. Every meal or snack that you have can only contain between 7-10 grams of carbs. Also, you are to use your allotment of carbs to make sure that you get the best nutrition possible with it. Of course you are supposed to eat high amounts of protein as well when you are on this diet.

The Medical Community's Opinion

When it comes to the opinion of the medical community, there are a few concerns about the Protein Power Lifeplan diet program.. One main concern is the low amount of carbs that you get, which can restrict the nutrients that you get in your diet. Also, there is a lot of protein encouraged as well, which is not a great thing according to many people in the medical field. Sure, protein is great, but too much can cause problems in your body.

We hope you have noticed the last section of this and the previous post which gives an opinion from the medical side which we feel is most important. Look for our review of anther plan in a couple of days.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Dieting And Diet Plans

We have been a little lax in posting. But, it has been a little busy in our neck of the woods with helping out the grandkids get ready for the school year. With one starting college, it has been a very new experience.

What extra time we've had has been spent researching the subject of DIETS. We have questioned the need for all these "fad diets" we see available since we have our own beliefs and conclusions derived from our research. To begin with, we are going to look at some of these "diets" in our next several posts begining with:

Jenny Craig

When it comes to popular diet programs on the market today, one of the most well known is Jenny Craig, especially since it has been made popular by so many celebrities. However, you may be wondering if it is a diet that works on more than just celebrities today. Well, let's take a look at this diet, who it works best for, all the pros and cons, the foods you get to eat, and how it is viewed by the medical community. Then you'll be better equipped to make a good decision on whether this is the right diet choice for you needs.

Jenny Craig Overview

The Jenny Craig diet has been around for some time and it started out in the early 1980's in the country of Australia. It wasn't until 1985 that it finally came to the United States. There are various levels of this system. The first one teaches you how to eat small portions of the food that you want, then later you learn how to increase your energy levels. Last of all, you learn to balance out the nutrition in your life to make sure that you lose the weight and keep it off. Different types of support are offered, including telephone support or you can even go for online support, or visit the offices for support in person.

Who it Works For

This is a diet program that works for people who like the ease of not having to cook for themselves. It also is excellent for those who need a bit of extra support to lose the weight. However, people who are not a fan of meals that are pre-packaged will probably not be a huge fan of this weight loss program.

Pros and Cons

Jenny Craig comes with various pros and cons just like any other diet. However, you have to take a look at them to decide if you are happy with the list of pros and cons that you find. Here are some of the pros and cons of using this diet to try to lose weight.
- Pro #1 - Food is Already Prepared - One great pro of going on Jenny Craig is that the food you are going to eat is already prepared. The foods are delivered right to your door, so you don't even have to prepare your food anymore. Many people love this because it takes the hassle out of trying to cook healthy foods.
- Pro #2 - The Plan is Easy to Follow - Another pro is that the Jenny Craig plan is really easy to follow as well. There are no points to remember and you won't have to worry about counting carbs or calories either, which makes it easy for you when you are trying to lose weight.
- Pro #3 - The Diet is Balanced - The diet is a fairly well balanced one as well, which is another pro. You get fruits, meats, vegetables, and more, so you won't feel like you are always being deprived.
- Pro #4 - You Get Personal Coaching - Personal coaching is what many people really love about this diet plan. You have a coach that works with you to help you reach the weight loss goals that you have set for yourself. This can be very helpful and help to keep you motivated and on track as you work on losing weight.
- Con #1 - It Can Really Get Expensive - Of course there are some cons to this diet as well, and one of the main ones is the expense. Since you have to buy the foods from Jenny Craig, it can get very expensive fast. You have to buy all your meals and even your snacks from the company, and they are not so cheap.
- Con #2 - Eating Out is Difficult - Eating out can get difficult as well when you are on this diet. You are not allowed to eat out and you definitely won't want to cart along your little Jenny Craig meal and ask someone at the restaurant to heat it up for you.
- Con #3 - Refined Carbs are High in this Diet - Another con is that the refined carbs in the Jenny Craig diet are quite high, which is really not great if you are trying to keep the pounds off.

Foods to Eat

When you are on the Jenny Craig diet, you only get to eat the meals that you purchase from Jenny Craig. While the meals usually have a nice variety, you may get tired of eating these prepared meals all of the time. It can get boring constantly eating out of a box, so many people are not thrilled with this option.

Opinions from the Medical Community

While people in the medical community feel that the portion sizes of Jenny Craig are great and that learning portion control is great, many wonder if it will last once people are no longer eating the meals that are not prepackaged for them. Also, people feel that people don't get the enjoyment they should out of eating, which means that this diet can be hard to stick to. Once people go back to eating normally, it can be difficult to keep eating the right way.

There you have it. Our next post will be about another of the "popular" diets for you to draw your own conclusions.