Monday, July 20, 2009

Free Weight Loss Programs

By Owen Jones

The march to health and fitness is raging and a lot of people are getting in on it. Some people do it in order to have a sexy body, some people do it because they are ashamed of their body as it is now, while others do it just to remain fit and healthy. Because of this, there are hundreds of health programs on the Internet, in gyms, spas and fitness centres all over the world. Some are very - so expensive that you will lose weight quickly, just because you have to work hard to earn the money to pay for these fitness programs.

You might not need to go to the gym or the spa or any fitness centre and spend much just to slim down and obtain that longed for sexy body. There are many books available in the bookstores] offering weight loss programs which seem convenient and cheap. However, the books are not cheap though. These weight loss programs are gaining increased popularity because of their publicity, testimonials and reviews and you might be confused as to exactly which one to buy. So before you choose which weight loss plan to follow, try reading the following precis of the most popular diet programs around today.

Atkins' New Diet Revolution by Dr. Atkins: This weight loss program encourages a high protein diet with a restricted carbohydrate consumption. You can dine heartily on vegetables and meat, but must not eat bread, rice or pasta. You are not restricted on your fat consumption so it is OK to pour on the (correct) salad dressing and freely spread on the butter. However, during the diet, some people may find themselves lacking fibre and high on fat and cholesterol. Grains and fruits are also strictly restricted.

The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet by Drs. Heller. This diet plan also advocates low carbohydrate food. It approves eating meats, vegetables and fruits, dairy and grain products. however, warns against consuming too many carbohydrates. "Reward" meals can be very high in fats and saturated fats.

Choose to Lose: by Dr. Goor. It advises restricting your fat consumption. You are allowed a "fat" budget, but you are given free reign on how to spend it. It does not pressure people to regulate their carbohydrate intake. Eating meat and poultry as well as low-fat dairy and seafood is fine. You can also eat vegetables, fruits, cereals, bread and pasta. This weight loss plan is quite healthy, because it advises correct amounts of fruits and vegetables and saturated fats. Watch your triglyceride levels though. If they are high, trim down on the carbohydrates and eat more unsaturated fats.

The DASH Diet. Advocates eating a moderate amount of fat and protein yet lots of carbohydrates. It was primarily created to lower blood pressure. The diet plan follows the pyramid food guide and encourages a high consumption of whole wheat grains as well as fruit and vegetables and low-fat dairy. Some dieters think it advocates too much consumption to create significant weight loss.

Eat More, Weigh Less: by Dr. Ornish. Mostly a vegetarian food and low-fat program. Advises to watch out for low-fat dairy and egg whites. This diet program is low in calcium and limits the consumption of healthy foods like seafood and lean poultry.

Eat Right for Your Type: This plan is quite unusual because it centres its advice on your blood group. For example, it advises lots of meat for people with the blood type O. However, diet programs for some blood types are nutritionally unbalanced and very low in calories. However, just for the record, there is no proof that blood type can affect dietary needs.

The Pritkin Principle: It focuses on cutting back on the number of calories by eating 'wet' foods that make you feel full. It recommends eating vegetables, fruits, oatmeal, pasta, soups, salads and low-fat dairy, which it says is OK, although it also limits protein sources to lean meat, seafood and poultry. It is healthy since it allows low amounts of saturated fats and rather large amounts of vegetables and fruits. However, it is low on calcium and restricts lean protein sources.

Volumetrics: It recommends eating fewer calories. It recommends roughly the same foods as Pritkin but restricts fatty food and dry foods like popcorn, pretzels and crackers. This program is reasonably healthy given the high volume of fruit and vegetables. It is also low in calories and saturated fats.

The Zone: It is moderately low on carbohydrates yet fairly high on proteins. It advises low-fat protein foods such as fish and chicken plus vegetables, fruits and grains. It is also a healthy plan but short on grains and calcium.

Weight Watchers: High carbohydrates, yet moderate on fats and proteins. A very healthy diet plan and very flexible too. It permits the dieter to plan his own meals rather than offering recipes, although there are WW TV dinners in the shops.

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