Weight loss plans

Diets and weight loss programs

Dietary Education

There are many nutritional guidelines in the books, magazines, supermarkets and also online. Sometimes we become confused by the strange information we may get from here or there. For example, many patients told us that they were thinking that restricting the fats is essential in all the weight loss plans. They told us also that they lastly discovered from some online weight loss programs that fat is accepted in big amounts.

Here, we want to say that any good weight loss plan or program should give enough information to enable the patient to make sensible, informed choices without making his mind spin with many different strange facts.

Anyhow, there are many types of diets used by the different weight loss programs. We will mention them all and lastly we will try to discuss the best diet from the medical point of view.

A. Low-carbohydrate diets:

1- Atkins diet:

a. Low-carbohydrate, high-fat, high protein, low-vegetables diet.

b. Advantages: Fast and quick results. This diet leads to anorexia which helps in more fast weight loss.

c. Disadvantages:

* The low carbohydrate diet makes the patient able to lose weight but mostly fluids. The patient may regain weight quickly and very fast after he eats carbohydrates.

* The food or preparing a meal may become monotonous without the variety introduced by carbohydrates.

* Fat may lead to ketosis, LDL elevation and ischemic heart disease.

* Proteins may lead to renal stones and gout.

The Montignac diet:

* Based on the glycaemic index. The glycaemic index (GI) measures the calorie content of every type of food.

* It focuses on foods with a GI less than 50. This is the advantage of this type of diet. Focusing on foods with low glycaemic index helps to much in reducing the calorie intake of the patient. This also has a very good effect on the feeling of hunger. It makes the patient anorexic. This is needed for the success of any weight loss program.

* It limits starches, sweets and alcohol. This at the beginning.

* Followed by maintenance phase: wine, cheese and chocolate are accepted.

* Low GI foods are a source of sustained, slow release energy which help in inducing a state of continuous anorexia.

* Criticism of the diet because it is a low carbohydrate diet and because it allows too much alcohol.

The Sacarsdale diet:

* 2 weeks duration.

* Calories are less than 1000, high protein, low fat, low carbohydrate.

* Disadvantages: Patients lose weight quickly and the regain of weight is quick.

The Stillman diet:

* High protein, low carb and low fat.

* Water is needed in excessive amounts.

* Black tea and coffee.

The Zone diet:

* 40% carb, 30% protein, 305 fat and zone supplement bars.

B. Other Types of weight loss plans:

There are many other dieting programs included in the different weight loss plans. They are:

1- Food-combining diet.

2- High fibre diets.

3- Very low calorie diets (VLCDs).

4- Meal replacements.

5- Detox diets.

6- Low calorie diet.

7- Milk diet.

8- Single food diet.

Which Diet is the Best?

Tips on the Healthy Dieting:

We recommend any type of healthy diet and any dieting program with these features:

1- Low-fat diet, rich in complex carbohydrates, well balanced with protein and other nutrients.

2- Total calorie intake must be reduced to 1000 Kcal/day.

3- The physical activity should be 1500 Kcal/day.

4- The diet of 1000 Kcal/day should be made of about 100g of complex carbohydrates (vegetables and fruits), 50g of proteins and 40g of fat.

5- A balanced diet is safer and healthier. The regain of weight does not occur like in the other types of the "un balanced" diets.

6- The goal of the above diet is to lose 1 Kg/week. That is quiet enough and more realistic.

7- Prolonged dieting and permanent change in eating habits are required for weight management  and weight control  and also to maintain good health.

8- Exercises are not good as a 1ry strategy for weight loss. Only mild regular exercises are needed just to improve the physical fitness and the general health.