Diet Plans

Slim Fast Diet Explained

March 24, 2012 By Lisa Leave a Comment

The Slim-Fast Diet is as the name expresses, a diet to lose weight quickly. While it’s not an adjustment that can be made permanently, it does promise quick results.

With the Slim-Fast 3•2•1 Plan, you’ll pick three nourishing snacks a day. You can choose from Slim-Fast 100-calorie snack bars, nuts, fruits and/or veggies. Snacking can be a good thing! In fact, it’s an important part of the Slim-Fast 3•2•1 Plan. It keeps your metabolism going and gives you the energy you need to help get through the day.

Choose two Slim-Fast shakes or meal bars to replace 2 of your meals. You can replace these meals with Slim-Fast shakes and meal bars in a range of flavors. Some of these flavors are much tastier than others, so it may take you awhile to find the flavors you like best.

Lastly, you’ll enjoy one 500-calorie balanced meal per day. The Slim-Fast website has recipes that are specifically designed by their Test Kitchens to provide delicious-tasting, 500-calorie meals that you can enjoy at home.

There are, unfortunately, a few limitations. First of all, you should be eighteen years or older or the diet could cause complications while your body is still in its final stages of development. Additionally, it cannot be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women, or people with any medical problems. As such, you will have to consult with your doctor before embarking on the Slim-Fast diet – which is a good thing to do when you want to follow any serious weight loss plan.

Lastly, the makers only advise it for use by people who intend to lose a maximum of around thirty pounds. As such, it is not recommended for a large portion of the population who have far more than 30 lbs. to lose. If you need to lose more than thirty pounds, you should explore other options instead.

If you’re just looking to get weight off quickly for an upcoming event like a reunion or vacation, this diet might be for you. The website has some tools to help you plan for specific events.

If you’re looking for a long term solution to your weight problems, this probably isn’t the best plan for you.

If your eating pattern is not sustainable, it is unlikely that the results will be sustainable either.

Have you tried Slim-Fast? Did it work for you? I’d love it if you’d leave a comment!

Not sure this is the diet plan for you? Check out other diet plans in my Explanations of Popular Diet Plans series.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information.

The P.I.N.K. Method Explained

March 22, 2012 By Lisa Leave a Comment

I’ve been dying to get my hands on The P.I.N.K. Method program ever since a friend told me about it and I watched the video on the P.I.N.K. Method homepage.

The P.I.N.K. Method claims it is the last diet program you will ever need. It’s a bold claim in an industry filled with companies all claiming to be the best and the answer to your weight-loss woes.

This program was created by Cynthia Pasqualla specifically for women. It combines healthy nutrition with a workout program. P.I.N.K. Stands for Power, Intensity, Nutrition and Kardio.

Here’s how it works:

You order the 82-day program online for a one time payment (which is currently $67.99 plus shipping and handling). You’ll wait anxiously for the delivery and then it will be all up to you to dive in. The program comes with a 240+ page Nutrition Guide, three workout DVDs, each featuring three workout routines ranging from 20-40 minutes plus 1 Bonus Workout DVD, featuring three 15-minute yoga, abs and lower body workouts, a P.I.N.K. Method Certificate and a P.I.N.K. Method Wristband for daily motivation.

As mentioned above, there are three workout phases, each with a different instructor.

In Phase 1 your instructor is Jenna and she helps you lay the foundation by gradually increasing endurance to get you ready for Phase 2 and 3. In Phase 2 Lisa helps you take your cardio to the next level to work on that chiseled look. In Phase 3 Basheerah pushes you harder than you thought you could work so you are at maximum calorie burning capacity. You also get a bonus DVD featuring yoga, abs and lower-body workouts.

P.I.N.K. Method is designed to walk you through each step of becoming a healthier, sexier you.

Unlike any other program, P.I.N.K. Method features four stages: P.I.N.K. Reset, P.I.N.K. Primary, 7-Day Shred and P.I.N.K. Preservation.

P.I.N.K. Reset is a detoxifying short-term diet designed to jump-start your metabolism. P.I.N.K. Primary is a fat-fighting diet that reintroduces the body to high-energy foods to fuel physical activity for Phase 1 of the fitness program, the 7-Day Shred, a seven-day program that incorporates nutrient rich “Shred Soup” that blasts away the last few stubborn pounds and keeps you from hitting weight-loss plateaus. And, P.I.N.K. Preservation is the sustainable weight management program to keep the pounds off and maintain your ideal sexy weight.

One of the things that sets The P.I.N.K. Method apart is their digital experience which they call the PINK VIP Membership that is powered by exercise.com. The VIP membership allows you to connect with other members, track your progress, get access to additional tips and more.

Another unique part of this program is the bracelet that comes with the kit. It’s meant as a constant physical reminder of your goals and what you are working towards.

This program has been backed by Dr.Phil and has been featured on his program with people who’ve achieved results with it.

Overall the P.I.N.K. Methods appears to be a good way to lose weight for women who are ready to make a complete lifestyle change. It has all 3 components that I believe are necessary for long term success…nutrition, exercise, and support.

If you are willing to keep up with the healthy eating changes and the workouts then you should be able to maintain this program as a long-term change to renewed health.

Have you tried The P.I.N.K. Method? Is it as great as it looks? I’d love for you to leave a comment!

Not sure this is the diet plan for you? Check out other diet plans in my Explanations of Popular Diet Plans series.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information.

The Mediterranean Diet Explained

March 21, 2012 By Lisa Leave a Comment

Today I’m going to be talking about The Mediterranean Diet…another diet that I don’t have any personal experience with.

The Mediterranean region is a vast region, encompassing many countries, lifestyles, eating habits, and cultures. As such, it would be difficult to say that the diet is representative of the whole region. When I started researching the Mediterranean diet, I learned that people from Greece and Italy (and some other surrounding countries) have fewer medical problems per capita – like hypertension, diabetes, cardiac problems, etc. When researchers first noted this trend, they started comparing lifestyles and eating patterns and turned up a number of interesting facts. One of which was that the Mediterranean island of Sicily has historically had one of the healthiest diets in the world. Eventually, The Mediterranean Diet was born. Due to its simplicity and flexibility, it now remains quite popular.

The Mediterranean Diet advocates an eating pattern containing plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, fish (for a good amount of Omega-3 fatty acids and Iodine), a lesser amount of white meat, and as little red meat as possible. Additionally, it includes foods rich in fiber (plenty of whole grains) and allows for the moderate consumption of wine. (I don’t drink wine, but I know that alcohol consumption is a big no-no on many diets so for many of you, this might be exciting news.)

You can also consume oil in abundance as long as it’s unsaturated oil, preferably olive oil. This is in sharp contrast to some other traditional diets where the intake of fatty substances is limited as much as possible.

While some diets expect you to pay attention to the size of your portions and expect you to consume everything in moderation, the Mediterranean Diet is rather nonchalant about the total amount of food eaten. As long as you consume the right percentage of each food group during any meal, the size of your meal or portions is irrelevant.

Additionally, people from the region tend to drink large amounts of water due to the heat. Considering the benefits of drinking healthy amounts of water daily, it is easy to see why people are not only losing weight, but also feeling better.

Lastly, the Mediterranean Diet advocates the consumption of nine servings of fruit and vegetables each day. The common belief in the western diet industry is that four to six will suffice – so this is a marked increase from traditional nutritional wisdom. The additional fiber will definitely aid the digestive system, and help the body to cleanse itself – almost like a constant detox process.

As far as pros go, eating plenty of fish, fruits, and veggies is definitely a good thing. So is drinking a lot of water. Also, diets that allow healthy fats such as olive oil are great in keeping you feeling full longer. Also, if you’re a volume eater, the relaxed views on portion control might be something you’ll enjoy!

On the whole, this plan is medically sound, except for one thing: excessive consumption of whole grain products can increase blood sugar levels. For those people who are consuming large portions regularly, the possibility of potential diabetes exists. By choosing whole grain products that are as close to their natural source as possible (very little processing), you can alleviate some of this concern.

Have you had any experience with the Mediterranean diet? I’d love to have you share your experience.

Not sure this is the diet plan for you? Check out other diet plans in my Explanations of Popular Diet Plans series.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information.

The GI Diet Explained

March 20, 2012 By Lisa Leave a Comment

Today I’m sharing a diet that I have absolutely no personal experience with. It’s called the The G.I. Diet.

This diet was developed by a Frenchman named Michel Montignac. It was originally called the Montignac diet and was quite popular in the 1990s in Europe. Montignac struggled with his own weight and started doing research, trying to figure out exactly why people gain weight.

His research led to some very interesting figures:

Of the study population, only about 15% ate too much, while almost half of them ate less than the average person!

This ruled out the common belief that obesity was the result of over-eating in general. Eventually, Montignac started exploring the foods those overweight people ate and came to the conclusion that their eating habits all shared one thing: foods with a high glycemic index, or GI.

The glycemic index indicates the ability of any food substance to increase the levels of your blood sugar – which in turn will trigger increased insulin production. High GI foods contain carbohydrate types that are broken down very quickly, and then cause a spike in your blood sugar. On the other hand, low GI foods contain carbohydrates that take some time to break down into components that your body can absorb and the energy is thus available over a longer period of time.

High GI foods – giving a spike in blood sugar levels – eventually cause the excess sugar to be stored away as fat. Additionally, the “availability of constant easy energy” means that your body has no need or desire to work on breaking down and excreting your existing fat reserves even though they are not really necessary.

The GI Diet simply advocates that you switch to a diet containing mostly low GI foods. While it might require a bit of self discipline at first, there are actually a good number of edible and tasty foods that you can consume and enjoy.

Ironically, GI food charts on the Internet mostly agree that plain chocolate has a relatively low GI, while rice cakes (advocated as”diet food” by many) has a very high GI. Additionally, some foods (like carrots) have a low GI in raw form, but become high GI foods when cooked.

It could take a while to figure out which foods actually fall into which categories. While there are many GI food charts on the Internet, many of them disagree about the GI qualities of specific foods, leaving you to wonder which one is right, and just what the heck it is you need to omit from your diet. Apparently, lots of people must be confused by this diet because they’ve created The Glycemic Index Diet For Dummies.

Since I haven’t personally tried this particular diet, I can only speculate on the pros and cons.

One of the definite pros is the variety of foods you can eat on this diet. Also, by eating foods that are low on the glycemic index, you will feel full longer and won’t be starving all the time.

The big drawback I see is that figuring out which foods are high GI and low GI could be challenging. I’m also not sure how rapid the results are on this diet.

On the other hand, this diet is the basis of at least one other popular diet that I’ll be sharing a little later this week which has great results.

If you or someone you know has used the GI Diet, I’d love to hear your opinion and results! Please leave a comment!

Not sure this is the diet plan for you? Check out other diet plans in my Explanations of Popular Diet Plans series.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information.

The Atkins Diet Explained

March 19, 2012 By Lisa Leave a Comment

The diet plan I’m highlighting today is another diet that I’m a big fan of although I know that in some circles it’s frowned upon. This is another diet that I remember hearing about long ago when one of my relatives lost a bunch of weight. In my extended family, this is still the “go-to” diet for people who are looking to lose a few pounds.

Dr. Robert Atkins, MD, proposed a view that bears some similarities to the Dukan diet in regards to his opinion that consuming more protein will help people control their weight. There are, however, a few fundamental differences.

Dr. Atkins reasoned that a lot of our problems came from consuming too much sugar. In his book, Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution, Dr. Atkins shares that many years ago people ate plenty of meat, usually including fat, without as many cases of cardiac problems, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. He points to sugar in all its forms as the culprit.

Considering the fact that there is sugar in just about everything you buy nowadays, from ketchup to bread, there’s some potential validity to his claim.

The Atkins diet is based on creating a shift in the digestive system from looking for fast, easy energy (sugar) to using protein and fat, and some of the less refined starches. Since digesting the protein and fat is harder work, your body would normally keep asking for sugar. If, however, you cut the sugar drastically, your body will eventually adapt to it, and “accept” that it now has to work harder to obtain its energy.

As such, the Atkins diet has you cutting all sugar and carbohydrate consumption to a minimum – even curbing the sugar contained in some fruits and vegetables. Once the sugar levels in your system drops below a certain point, and your body gets used to it, your cravings for sweets will decrease dramatically. Additionally, you’ll find that you don’t feel nearly as hungry. You’ll just notice that you feel low on energy when it’s time to eat.

You are also required to cut out all refined starches like pasta and other items created from white flour. You’ll find yourself eating lots and lots of protein and unlike some other diets, you’re not restricted to just lean meat. The reasoning is that once your body starts processing fat as a source of energy, it will also start eating away at your bodily reserves, and simply excrete the excess sugar in your body’s waste. Because of that, Atkins dieters don’t typically develop any problems with cholesterol. (I’m not a doctor. I’m just a pleasingly plump girl doing lots of research to find the best diet plan.)

As far as I’m concerned, there are lots of pros to the Atkins diet. It’s a great diet for people who are always on the go. It’s easy to follow when eating out. Weight loss is quick in the beginning and fairly steady throughout the rest of the diet. You don’t have to weigh or measure food (a huge plus for those who are on the go). Personally, I’ve always felt great on this diet (so I’d consider that a pro). There are also some tasty treats you can have when you’re craving chocolate. I love the Atkins Endulge Caramel Nut Chew Bars and the Atkins Endulge Chocolate Coconut Bars.

Another pro is that you can get a FREE Atkins Quick Start Kit. It has some helpful info for getting started. Plus, it also comes with 3 Free Atkins Bars.

As far as cons go, when the Atkins diet first came onto the scene, people everywhere (lots of doctors included) touted it as unhealthy and unsustainable. Over the last 20+ years, many medical professionals have changed their tune about the Atkins diet, although there are still some naysayers out there.

Other than that, there aren’t too many drawbacks to this diet. Like most low-carb diets, constipation can sometimes be an issue since you mostly eat meat and fats. Drinking plenty of water can help with this as will a fiber supplement (my personal fave is Benefiber). Make sure to take advantage of the allowed vegetables as they will also help keep things moving through your system.

Lastly, in the very beginning of the diet, most sugar and carb addicts go through a withdrawal stage. You may feel like you have the flu. It can be miserable, but it typically only lasts a couple of days. Once you get through it, you’ll be back to your old self. And pretty soon, you’ll be better than your old self…literally!

If you’re considering this diet, don’t to sign up for the free Atkins Quick Start Kit.

I know lots of people who have successfully lost weight with Atkins and kept it off.

Have you tried Atkins? What are your thoughts?

Not sure this is the diet plan for you? Check out other diet plans in my Explanations of Popular Diet Plans series.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information.