WEIGHT LOSS

There are literally hundreds of diets and diet programs that claim to be the answer to successful weight loss. Dieters are constantly bombarded with new reports of new diets; however the basic equation for weight loss never changes. In order for an individual to lose weight – energy intake must be less than energy expenditure, which is done by decreasing caloric intake or by increasing the rate at which calories are metabolized.

Starvation or crash diets usually result in rapid weight loss (largely muscle and water), but cause rebound weight gain. The most successful approach to weight loss is gradual weight reduction- 0.5 – 1 lb a week through adopting long standing dietary and lifestyle habits that promote health and the attainment and maintenance of ideal body weight.

Some of the different diets that have gained popularity are:

• Raw food diet plan
• Anti-Candida diet
• Zone diet
• Ketogenic “Low carb” diet
• Blood type diet
• Maker’s diet

RAW FOOD DIET PLAN

• Based on eating raw foods only.
• Belief – cooking weakens the potency of minerals and vitamins, destroys enzyme activity.
• Benefits – shares advantages of the vegetarian diet: high in vegetables, fruits and nuts.
• Disadvantages – drawbacks of vegetarianism. Maybe cause mineral and vitamin deficiencies e.g. Vitamin B12, Vitamin A and D, etc.

ANTI - CANDIDA DIET

• Based on treating Candida overgrowth or symptoms related to Candida.
• Belief – A lot of health problems can be attributed to Candida overgrowth in the gastrointestinal tract and starving Candida by controlling the diet can alleviate the symptoms.
• Benefits: helps to balance blood sugar and hormones, and starve off Candida.
• Allows some degree of weight and fat loss due to the restrictions of various foods.
• Disadvantages – very strict and hard to follow. Restricts the individual from various nutritious foods.

ZONE DIET

• Based on Dr. Barry Sears 40 – 30 – 30 diet (40% carbohydrates, 30% fat and 30% protein).
• Belief – balance macronutrients in the body, focused on insulin and glucagon and eicosanoids – which promote inflammation.
• Benefits – Balances macronutrient ratios which lead to balance blood sugar, and reduce inflammation.
• Disadvantages – Storage of fat soluble vitamins (A and D) and based on intake of soy protein isolates - which can be allergenic, estrogenic and decrease absorption of nutrients.

KETOGENIC DIET

• Based on low carbohydrate diet.
• Includes South beach diet, Atkins, Protein diets.
• Mimic fasting or starvation in the body, by reducing carb intake to a minimum, and the causes the body to burn off ketones from fat.
• Benefits - Loss of weight. Has been beneficial for certain medical conditions under the supervision of a doctor – such as epilepsy and ADD etc.
• Disadvantages – High fat diet, with low omega 3 – 6 intake. Insatiable carbohydrate cravings.

BLOOD TYPE DIET

• Based on blood types A, B, O and AB.
• Belief – food requirements “evolved” with mankind over 40 million years since the prehistoric times.
• Benefits- a low calorie healthy diet. Improvement initially in general health due to an improvement in eating habits
• Disadvantages – Viewed as a fad by the scientific community. Thesis not proven and lacks anthropological evidence.

MAKER'S DIET

Based on an ancestral diet that was extremely healthy and was based on eating natural foods that are packed with vitamins and minerals. Improves health of the entire body, especially the digestive tract, which affects virtually all other bodily systems. Proven protocol involves a conscious return to proteins, fats and carbohydrates, and additional micronutrients.

Unlike other diets, which are based more on weight issues, the maker’s diet is a comprehensive lifestyle plan is based on changing to a healthier lifestyle / eating habits. It rests on the premises of a biblical diet – the foods approved by God as recorded in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 superceded the “GENENSIS DIET”, found in the first chapter of the Bible.

Summary of the diet:

• Eating clean meats – of animals that chew cud, and have split hooves( cows, goats, sheep, oxen , deer, buffalo), but avoiding the meat of those animals that chew cud but do not have split hooves – such as camel, rats, horses, pigs(has divided hooves).
• Eating fish with fins and scales but avoiding smooth skinned species and hard shell crustaceans. Eating birds that feed on insects, grubs or grain, but avoiding birds and fowl that eat flesh as they are considered unclean.
• Premise: Primitive cultures are free of a lot of modern disease due to their lifestyle and dietary factors. Primitive diets provide exceptionally high levels of minerals and vitamins and were virtually free of disease causing factors.

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