The Controversies Involved With Detoxification Diets

Detoxification or starvation?

Diets for detoxification have come under immense scrutiny over the months that have passed. There are numerous claims that only weight that can be lost is the weight of water from the start of the fasting period and the subsequent loss of weight due to the reduction of caloric intake. A detoxification diet can be quite restrictive, and can go as far as being called as a starvation diet. A lot of articles made by "experts" explain that a detoxification diet is hazardous to people, saying that it is just a "yo-yo" diet, creates a wrong impression on many food groups and can even lead to some eating disorders.

We are also aware of the fact that most of these "experts" making these articles are working or are related in the field of health and weight loss which are people like health program supervisors, nutritionists, weight loss counselors, and common people who have great interest and knowledge on fitness and health. Although I am not saying that anyone of these people are just making up their statements or may be fabricating the truth regarding this matter, I am just saying that usually a person of this education level will have a hard time seeing things on a different perspective. This may be because they only believe in what they have learned or experienced, and may not be ready to accept facts other than what they had. Like for example, when a nutritionist enters college and has been educated with the teaching that green beans can cause cancer, this same person will finish college with the belief that this food is bad for people's health. This will also cause him to share this information with his clients and other people he comes in contact with. And when after a few years, a particular person gets in the picture and debates that green beans does not cause cancer, do you think it is possible for the nutritionist to believe what this current person is stating?

This kind of anomaly is not only related to nutritionists and other related fields in health and fitness. It can happen in other fields as well. Being a writer, I learned that you must never communicate in double negatives. It is just a simple ethical consideration I apply each and every day. If someone would approach me and did everything to convince me that what I have learned before is now different, whether right or wrong, I always see to it that I don't speak in double negatives. And if I make criticisms on this current idea without first making my own investigation and revisiting my knowledge of basic English and grammar, then I am simply only just depending on my former knowledge to debate on this issue.

So why don't we deviate away from conventional nutritionists and just discover what detoxification diets have to offer from a completely blank slate. No, I am not a nutritionist, I'm just a writer who is curious and wants to learn if a detoxification diet really is a healthy method of body cleansing, or is it just a kind of starvation diet that does no good for the body besides just losing some water while making people believe that it makes them feel better. I have gathered 3 people who have undergone a detoxification diet and another 3 who did not. This population may not comprise a huge percentage, but I am not getting these people as guinea pigs, I just want to get information based on their experience in order for me to confirm or negate the detoxification diet statements from both dieticians and those who are subjects of a detoxification diet.

Fasting and purity

People have relied on fasting for centuries in order to be purified. If we backtrack through ancient writings, we will discover that fasting was not only done as a means of purification of the spirit, but also for physical purification. Those fasting for purity experienced significant loss of energy, but regains strength after the period of fasting, usually within a period of 36 hours. This statement can easily be debated upon, since those people might have felt that their body has been cleansed because of their spiritual inspiration from the fasting process. The three persons I have invited to undergo fasting were not looking to be spiritually enlightened, and stated that they felt very weak after being deprived of food for a while, although they began to feel better and cleaner before the second day ended. Also, none of the three said they experienced starvation, but instead felt the fasting process did give them some level of physical purity.

In the science of medicine, there are instances wherein physicians will advise you to fast. Setting aside pre-surgical procedures, most fasting methods are done in order to prepare or cleanse the body for something. Take the case of people taking diets like the ketogenic diet, which requires a period of fasting prior to starting it in order to better treat illnesses.

Those criticizing the detoxification diet plan state that headaches and other undesirable symptoms show up on the first stage of the diet program due to the food deprivation. But advocates of the detoxification diet program argue that the headaches and other symptoms are only temporary and due to the body being accustomed to the new process it is going through. The three persons I invited to undergo a detoxification diet program all had the same result in the quality of their urine and bowel excretions; they look clearer and had less odor. And although they did feel some level of headaches and fatigue, they did not attribute this to the fasting process.

I also did some research online and found 11 dieticians who disagreed undergoing a detoxification diet. Each individual debated that headaches were due to the fasting process, but in essence, they are also recommending some form of detoxification diet. Interesting enough, their versions of special diets included some form of fasting as well. Their version was just different in a few things, like just eating only some varieties of fruits and yogurt. Most detoxification diets actually don't have a complete fasting period.

People who don't agree with getting into a detoxification diet are not really happy with the weight loss results that it offers. They argue that it is only the weight of the water lost during fasting, and will easily get back to what it originally was the moment normal eating regimen is resumed. The weight loss benefits of detoxification diets actually come from different sources. Like when you are undergoing an overall body detoxification, some of the weight lost from the body has already been flushed down the toilet (if you know what I'm talking about that is). You might be surprised to know that two of the people I invited to take a detoxification program even called for a plumber because of the surplus waste they excreted. The weight they lost in the process has been maintained as well, and two of these individuals have started with the program more than 6 months before this article was even written. The weight they lost has been maintained simply because they made smarter eating choices. Although they resumed with their normal eating routine, they did not go back with consuming lots of junk and processed foods. They all stated that they have learned how to keep their body's toxin levels low after undergoing the detoxification diet and it has gave them a better overall health.

So is this just another diet craze?

Critics of the detoxification diet that this new trend in dieting, similar to others that had the "diet" word with them, is no different than its predecessors, particularly in its effectiveness. Every time a new diet craze comes in the market, a lot of people rush to the scene, saying that it does them no good. In reality, not all diet programs are suitable for everyone. I myself have tried Atkins diet for quite some time and my efforts proved to be futile, although a friend of mine swore that it worked wonders for him. Apparently, the Atkins diet is not made for those who are not significantly overweight, as most critics say, and my own body as well. So can we now conclude that the detoxification diet is beyond everyone's standards of a regular diet craze, or is it just a hyped-up failure just like everyone claims it to be? Of the 3 individuals who had undergone detoxification, 2 state that it is not a diet craze. They say that is an effective procedure of cleansing the body, in which most diet programs fail to do. The third person states that it is just a trend in diet, but since it is effective for him, then he does not really care about it.

Diet crazes and trends usually do not really have much inside them. They are actually just ideas made to convince you that this particular diet trend is the best and most effective, and they can allow you to lose weight and keep it from coming back. Detoxification diets aims for something beyond all this, which is why I really exerted some effort to find out the truth about this diet program. I simply had to find out.

There is a huge amount of data that proves that Americans and Canadians have the worst health condition in general, considering the health support readily available. The health support available in our area is supposed to make us one of the most physically fit and healthiest countries in the world, but unfortunately it is the opposite. A lot of doctors state that this can be attributed to the kind of food people take in nowadays, which are usually filled with toxic substances from too much processing. And even with the wide range of healthy options available to us, we are still at the top of the list on cancer rates, including diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Not surprisingly, we also rank high on the list of countries with the most number of overweight and obese people.

The detoxification diet intends to address the growing problems regarding the overall health of American citizens, which will go beyond just their waistlines. The diet trends that we have seen in the past have only focused on shrinking people's waistlines, but did not even touch how to improve overall health. So is this detoxification diet just another trend in dieting? Technically speaking, a diet trend simply means any new program introduced in the market, which promises a lot of good stuff and gains a lot of new followers as well. If this is how we define it, then yes. But by another standard, this may also not be considered a diet trend. This is because this was not designed like the usual diet trends that came before it.

Both overweight and slim people can benefit from undergoing a detoxification diet. In fact we can say that everyone can enjoy the benefits that this diet program has to offer. This program was not made to induce weight loss; it was made in order to encourage people to live a healthier lifestyle. Losing weight is just a side effect of the program. This diet program strives to achieve a long-term optimum health condition. After being cleansed and detoxified, your body will surely feel a lot better, more energized and rejuvenated. It will also help you keep you in the right track and you will find out that you never want to get back to your unhealthy lifestyle again.   

Beyonce Knowles recently announced on the Oprah Winfrey talk show that she had lost a massive 20 pounds on the Master Cleanse detox diet! Compare the best detox diets used by the Hollywood's superstars!

All Diets Types and Their Explanations - How to Navigate and Choose the Best One For You

Atkins Diet

"The Atkins Diet is a high-protein, low-carbohydrate weight loss diet developed by Robert Atkins, M.D., during the 1960s. In the early 1990s, Dr. Atkins brought his diet back into the nutrition spotlight with the publication of his best-selling book "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution".

The Atkins Diet severely restricts the consumption of carbohydrate-rich foods and encourages the consumption of protein and fat. The diet is divided into four phases: Induction, Ongoing Weight Loss, Pre-maintenance, and Maintenance. During the Induction phase (the first 14 days of the diet), carbohydrate intake is limited to no more than 20 grams per day. No fruit, bread, grains, starchy vegetables, or dairy products (except cheese, cream, and butter) are allowed during this phase. During the Ongoing Weight Loss phase, dieters experiment with various levels of carbohydrate consumption until they determine the most liberal level of carbohydrate intake that allows them to continue to lose weight. Dieters are encouraged to maintain this level of carbohydrate intake until their weight loss goals are met. During the Pre-maintenance and Maintenance phases, dieters determine the level of carbohydrate consumption that allows them to maintain their weight. To prevent weight regain, dieters are told to maintain this level of carbohydrate consumption, perhaps for the rest of their lives. According to Dr. Atkins, most people must limit their carbohydrate intake to no more than 60 grams per day to keep lost weight off. In addition to the dietary restrictions discussed above, Dr. Atkins recommends regular exercise and nutritional supplementation as part of his weight loss program.

Note: The dietary recommendations issued by various organizations, including the United States Department of Agriculture, the National Institutes of Health, and the American Heart Association, encourage a daily carbohydrate intake of approximately 300 grams. To stay healthy, you will need to consume five times more what Atkins prescribes in his diets. Can a human being last long enough on this diet without experiencing any side effects? If the dieter dares to cheat on this program, the result can be detrimental and the weight can be regained easily, twice as much as what has been lost during the diet. The quick weight gain brings about eventual depression and the dieter will eventually reach his original weight before the weight loss.

What is so attractive about the diet that so many individuals have taken the time and effort to apply?

High-protein diets are the fad regimens of the moment. Their theory for weight loss consists of eating lots of animal proteins and skipping carbohydrates such as breads, rice and pasta. The theory behind these diets is that if you load up on animal proteins, you will feel fuller faster, so you'll end up eating less.

The Atkins Diet is attractive to dieters who have tried unsuccessfully to lose weight on low-fat, low-calorie diets. Atkins dieters can eat as many calories as desired from protein and fat, as long as carbohydrate consumption is restricted. Consequently, many Atkins dieters are spared the feelings of hunger and deprivation that accompany other weight loss regimens.

The underlying premise of the Atkins Diet is that diets high in sugar and refined carbohydrates cause weight gain, and ultimately lead to obesity. Such diets increase the production of insulin (a hormone secreted by the pancreas). When insulin levels are high, the food we eat is quickly and easily converted into fat, and stored in our cells. By restricting the consumption of carbohydrates, the production of insulin is moderated. In addition, the lack of available carbohydrate (the body's preferred fuel source) forces the body to burn stored fat as energy.

What do the critics say?

Many nutrition experts disagree with the basic premise of the Atkins Diet - the notion that high-carbohydrate, low-fat diets cause obesity. For evidence of the implausibility of the Atkins Diet, some nutritionists point out that the traditional Japanese diet is very high in carbohydrates, low in protein, and very low in fat; however, before the introduction of high-fat and high-protein Western foods, being overweight was rare in Japan. Such findings make sense because ounce for ounce, carbohydrates contain far fewer calories than fats (4 calories from carbohydrates versus 9 calories from fat). These critics blame the over-consumption of calories (from any source) and lack of physical activity as the primary causes of obesity.

One concern about a high-protein diet stems from all the saturated fats one eats - those fats that we're told cause high cholesterol, clogged arteries and, eventually, heart disease. Critics also express concern about the impact of the Atkins Diet on the overall health of the dieter. Depending on the foods chosen by the dieter, the diet may contain a large amount of saturated fat and trans fat, putting those at risk for heart disease in danger. Recent research has found that high-protein diets speed up the progression of arteriosclerosis, the main cause of heart attacks. Moreover, contrary to Atkins' claims, extremely low-fat diets have been found to reverse heart disease. In addition, the lack of grains, fruits, and vegetables in the Atkins Diet may lead to deficiencies of key nutrients, including dietary fiber, vitamin C, folic acid, and several minerals. Finally, high protein diets may increase the risk of osteoporosis and accelerate the rate of deterioration in kidney function associated with aging.

Critics concede that Atkins dieters often experience significant weight loss during the initial stages of the diet. However, these critics argue that the diet has a diuretic effect and that the initial weight loss is due to water loss, not fat loss. Eventually the body restores its water and sodium balance, and the rate of weight loss declines. Critics also note that there is no evidence showing that the Atkins diet leads to greater weight loss than do other diets that provide more carbohydrates, yet the same number of calories.Critics also note high-protein diets can lead to dangerous imbalances - bone loss and kidney problems - because too much protein can overwork the kidneys.

Dr. Atkins was the first person who brought a low-carbohydrates diet to major prominence in the U.S. and I credit him for defying "the system" and offering a weight loss plan that works for some people. He presents scientific fact, but for the most part his recent book provides anecdotal information from many of his patients.

Dr. Atkins claims that some people have a condition of "hyper-insulinism", in which they produce excess amounts of insulin when they eat carbohydrates, which in turn causes fat storage, diabetes, and a craving for more carbohydrates. This theory is scientifically logical but has not been accepted as proven by the medical community.

In Dr. Atkins' "maintenance phase", he advises that persons increase their carbohydrate intake to the point where they do not gain or lose weight.

All that is great, however, how can we understand the whole concept behind his diets and why do people truly believe in it? How does it actually work?

Insulin is a hormone, which is a substance that travels through the body and stimulates chemical reactions. The human body has mechanisms to regulate how much of each hormone is produced, so that their effects can be controlled. With insulin, however, there is no "shut-off" switch as there is with other hormones. The digestion of carbohydrates produces insulin, and there is no way to stop its activity once it is present in the bloodstream. There is also no way to prevent it from being produced when carbohydrates are consumed, even if these are in excess of what the body needs for fuel.

So, the more carbohydrates you consume, the more insulin the pancreas will produce to help digest the sugars of the carbohydrates. The more insulin that is being produced, the more stored fat will be sent to the cells, especially to those around your waist.

I believe Dr. Atkins' diet may be useful for persons who are very sensitive to carbohydrates and have extremely slow metabolic rates.

Dr. Atkins' diet does not restrict protein intake, which is the correct approach. However, his advice to add carbohydrate grams for the maintenance phase so that continued weight loss does not occur is not scientifically sound. There is no indication that a person will continue to lose weight below his ideal bodyweight, taking in consideration his body type and metabolism. Your body is predisposed to a certain weight, even though you interrupt carbohydrates consumption from your diet, the body will still maintain the same weight. After that phase, you will simply need to maintain it and be happy with it.

Extreme dieters will need to understand that all the information mentioned above and below these lines is to make you realize some facts that you've never taken the time to research. When a diet becomes popular, people jump on it without researching in more detail what it can do for their bodies or if the diet fits their standard. It is not because "John Doe has lost some weight on this specific diet" that you will have a similar result. The same goes for diet pills: be careful with them. If they work temporarily for some people, it doesn't necessarily mean they will have the same effect on you.

As for me, experiencing my own programs enabled me to lose weight, maintain it and still eat as much as I want of the right foods. I eat and exercise plenty.

Remember that moderation is important. If you want to eat something that is not healthy, go ahead and eat it. However, make sure to moderate the rest of the day with the right food. The following information should be helpful when it comes to moderation regarding a well-balanced diet.

Here are some good reasons to avoid high-protein diets:

1. They violate almost every known fact about nutritionally balanced eating. For some dieters, these diets can even be life threatening.

2. Popular high protein diet foods are high in cholesterol and saturated fat, which are now established as major culprits in heart attacks and strokes.

3. They overload you with protein, which results in loss of calcium from your bones, which may lead to osteoporosis. Protein overload also pressurizes your kidneys as they try to eliminate large amounts of urea, a by-product of protein metabolism.

4. They forbid foods known to lower the risk of heart disease and many cancers.

5. They deprive you of carbohydrates, the nutrient group most readily converted to energy. Even moderately active people will notice this lack during exercise.

6. They deprive your brain of glucose, which it needs for normal functioning. The result is a slowdown in thinking and reaction time.

7. They deprive you of the enormous benefits of fiber, which is a form of carbohydrate (cellulose).

8. They are deficient in essential vitamins. Indeed, some high protein diets even require you to take vitamin supplements for the sake of your health.

9. They cause potentially dangerous changes in your body chemistry.

10. They deliver temporary weight loss. However, a large part of it is water weight and lean muscle mass - not fat. (You lose water because your kidneys try to get rid of the excess waste products of protein and fat, called ketones, that your body makes.)

Note: Weight gain is usually rapid when you go off the diet.

11. Finally, it's worth knowing that while your body burns up 23 calories for every 10o carbohydrate calories it digests, it only burns up 3 calories for every 100 "fat" calories it digests. Therefore, a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet makes it easier for you to stay fat!

FYI (For Your Information):

The average Western diet contains TOO MUCH FAT.

That's why an estimated 1 in 3 American children are overweight!

That's why heart disease is the No. 1 killer in America and Europe.

We should be eating less fat, not more.

High protein diets encourage high-fat eating and - for this reason alone - should be avoided.

What are those medical miracles that are being publicized to consumers for their rapid weight loss programs? The magazine Self, in March of 2002 investigated some of the programs that are simply bogus.

"Healthy weight loss" is not a particularly sexy marketing slogan. It is quite impossible to sell these types of slogans to Americans: "Drop pounds by eating fewer calories and increasing physical activity!" Instead, manufacturers of weight loss concoctions resort to selling their products with dubious promises of magically speedy results. Thankfully, separating fact from fiction is easy.

Try to separate bogus slogan from reality:

o "Lose 30 pounds in just 30 days" - Very tempting, isn't it? However, it is physically impossible to lose so much weight in such a short time. Moreover, it is not healthy. You could only hurt your health throughout the process and I can reassure you, you will gain back the weight faster than a speeding bullet.

o "Lose weight while you sleep" - Yeah! Heard that one before. If all you have to do is sip a magical potion or swallow a miracle pill, the product is as likely to be as real as your "wet dreams" at night.

o "Lose weight and keep it off for good" - The only permanent weight loss plan involves changing your diet and exercise regimen. It is all about burning more calories than you are consuming. It's all about simple mathematics. You burn more than what you ingest.

o "John Doe lost 90 pounds in just six weeks". Yes, and I am Superman! As I said previously, it is very dangerous to try to lose that much weight in such a short period. Let's analyze this slogan. We'll have some fun!

One pound equals 3,500 calories. You will need to reduce your diet by over 315,000 calories (90 pounds x 3,500 calories) during that 6-week period. Now how is that going to happen? Let's say your body needs 2,000/day calories to function. That equals 14,000 calories weekly, right? Multiply that by 6 weeks. That equals 84,000 calories for 6 weeks. Now, I am not a rocket scientist, but do you get my point? You will actually need to fast for 6 weeks in a row, and still have to burn an extra 231,000 by exercising. What are these morons thinking when they try to advertise these slogans to the American people? I would suggest that they go back to school and retake elementary math. It seems they can't even do a simple calculation.

Bottom line, ladies and gentlemen. There is NO MIRACLE DIET. Quit being triggered to spend your money by these bogus slogans.

Low Carbohydrate Diets

We all love carbohydrates. Pasta, bread, rice and potato are America favorite foods, to say the least. However, we all know that they contain ingredients that can lead to what we are most afraid of: being overweight. The problem with carbohydrates is that they cause the body to produce insulin. However, insulin turns carbohydrates into sugar, and whatever sugar we don't use right away gets stored in the body as fat.

On the other hand, a lack of carbohydrates tricks the body into thinking it's starving, at which point it flicks on an internal switch that causes the body to burn its own fat. This is called ketosis. We did mention that if the body doesn't use the extra sugar produced by the intake of carbohydrates, it would be stored in fat. Hmmm, now what about exercise? Have we thought about that?

After studying in depth the way the human body's nutritional processes work, and considering the type of diet these processes evolved with, I must conclude that consuming carbohydrates in limited amounts (not eating a whole pizza, loaf of bread, or a pound of french fries) is the most natural and healthy way for us to eat, not just for weight loss but for ongoing weight and health maintenance - even for people who do not have a weight problem. The "low carb diet" has become extremely popular in the United States in the past few years and continues to have a large following despite the frequent criticisms by various diet experts. Although many of them are without scientific validity, some of them are on target, especially when considering the calorie intakes of some of the formulas presented.

There is a major issue here with all of these plans - that is whether the diet is being used merely for weight loss, or for long-term weight maintenance. As a weight loss diet, any of these plans can work. However, if they are then discarded and previous eating habits are restored, it is likely that any weight lost will be regained, as with any short-term diet. Eventually, going off the low carb diet can definitely promote weight gain in excess of that which was lost, due to metabolic changes that occur. The only sensible way to use a low carb diet for weight loss is to remain on this type of diet on an ongoing basis afterward. The question then asked, "Is it safe for weight loss" and "is it safe for ongoing use as an eating plan?"

Americans now eat more carbohydrates than ever - 50 more pounds per person, per year, than a decade ago (ABC.NEWS). Carbohydrate-related diseases have also reached a peak. After decades of being warned away from fats, many people have turned to carbohydrates instead. At the same time, obesity levels in the country are greater than ever.

Is there a connection? Do carbohydrates lead people to become obese? Experts in the field have different opinions.

The Zone

Biochemist Barry Sears, author of the best selling low-carbohydrate diet book The Zone, believes carbohydrates do cause people to gain weight. He has developed a controversial theory that suggests that people who eat a lot of carbohydrates get caught up in a cycle of overeating because carbohydrates can be addictive in a way other foods are not. People who critique Sears' theory have various problems with it, including some of his basic premises that carbohydrates lead to weight gain or that carbohydrates are more addictive than other foods. Zone dieting is designed to avoid ketosis, which the author claims causes one to lose muscle weight even with high protein diets. The author also claims that high levels of protein in a meal cause high insulin levels, which converts the protein into fat.

The concept of The Zone is that food should be treated like a prescription drug that is designed to promote the desired hormonal response throughout the day. The hormones in question are insulin, glucagon, and eicosanoids. Insulin and glucagon are well known hormones, and their functions are described accurately.

Sears says eating lots of carbohydrates triggers a flood of insulin. Because there is so much insulin, sugars are cleared from the blood so quickly that people feel hungry again after a very short period. Therefore, carbohydrates drive the sugar level up and then the insulin drives it down. The obesity crisis in America is a result of "carbohydrate hell." Sears suggests that eating a lot of carbohydrates triggers a biological mechanism that lowers the blood sugar level and leads people to need a sugar boost and therefore to crave more carbohydrates. He says the cycle of eating and craving keeps them hooked on carbohydrates and causes overeating.

"You eat a big carbohydrates meal at 12. By 3 o'clock you're hungry again. You eat more carbohydrates. By 7 you're hungry again," Sears says. His theory accepts some of the basic principles about how the body processes carbohydrates and takes them a step further. The basic principle is that carbohydrates turn into sugars that trigger the release of insulin. The insulin routes the sugars to our muscles for energy and stores the rest as fat.

To reach the "Zone", one must consume foods in a protein-to-carbohydrate ratio of 0.75, which is 3 grams of protein for every 4 grams of carbohydrate, at every meal and snack, and without allowing more than 5 hours between meals or snacks. The author converts grams into blocks of protein and carbohydrate and provides food lists and meal plans for these. He distinguishes between carbohydrates with high versus low glycemic indexes, which is a measure of how fast the carbohydrate is digested for each food type. In addition, he adds fat "blocks" to his meal plans and distinguishes between various types of fats, recommending against saturated fats and favoring monounsaturated fats, due to their effect on eicosanoid production. Protein requirements in the Zone are based on lean body mass and level of physical activity (the same method that is used in Protein Power). Lean body mass is calculated using standardized charts that use height, hip, and abdomen measurements in women and weight, wrist and waist measurements in men.

The calculated protein requirement is not to be exceeded, and is to be spread throughout the day to avoid increased insulin levels caused by protein digestion. Therefore, a person would end up with a calorie limit on their total daily intake, since protein has a maximum value, and carbohydrate and fat intake are measured by protein intake.

The second half of the book is a description of how Zone dieting can improve numerous health conditions, primarily based on the eicosanoid activities.

In this program, the author provides excellent scientific explanations for how too many carbohydrates in a diet cause fat storage. The entire design of the Zone diet is also explained in a very scientific fashion, however, it is greatly lacking in scientific evidence to support it. The concept that providing higher levels of carbohydrates would avoid ketosis, which is a condition that may be hazardous over the long term is correct, however, because of a restriction on the intake of protein, carbohydrates, and fat, it is likely that insufficient calories and carbohydrates will be available for most people to avoid ketosis. In other words, the ketosis that results from starvation - getting too few calories to meet basic needs - can easily occur in many persons based on their calculations for daily intakes. There may also not be enough protein in the diet to prevent loss of muscle mass.

Dan Amzallag Mission Possible: Eat MORE 2 LOSE more: Combating obesity epidemic in America http://www.fitnesstrainersnetwork.com Top accredited fitness and personal trainers network for USA and Canada To register as a trainer, please visit our site. For clients looking for accredited trainers, this is the right site to be: http://www.fitnesstrainersnetwork.com

Free Diet Programs - How to Create Diets From Your Food Choices - And is Your Diet "Tricking" You?

One of my biggest pet peeves is hearing people tell each other how much weight they've lost in the last few days on their new diet "kick."

It's not that I don't want people to lose weight; in fact, I'm probably going to be your biggest advocate if you want to lose weight.

The reason why I get frustrated with this extremely quick "weight loss" is because I don't want people to just lose "weight," I want them to lose the RIGHT kind of weight.

And believe me it really matters.

Hear me out for a second...

People who lose a ton of weight right after starting up a new diet are not losing the right kind of weight.

Very low calorie diets and very low carbohydrate diets will cause you to lose lots of water weight and glycogen stores (glycogen stores are just carbohydrates stored in your muscles.)

And for every ounce of glycogen, you store 3 ounces of water.

When you are eating a very low calorie diet, or a diet that totally restricts or severely limits carbohydrates then guess what?

Those glycogen stores and the water surrounding them gets used up very quickly, and all that water, and glycogen weighs quite a bit and it also burns up very quickly.

So the actual weight loss you see on the scale is just this initial flushing of the glycogen and water, and nothing more.

In addition to this loss of glycogen, you will probably lose quite a bit of energy as well, because this glycogen is used to give energy to your muscles.

To make things worse, you can't visibly tell if anyone has lost water and glycogen. No one walks around and says, "Wow it looks like you've lost lots of glycogen lately! How did you do it? What's your secret?"

No one cares, and no one can see it, so why should you care?

And that's the thing, you shouldn't really care, but lots of people are tricked into thinking that a specific diet works "magically" because they see this initial drop of bodyweight is such a short period of time.

And they see this drop in water weight when they step on the scale.

Don't be fooled by these "tricks."

You probably want to lose weight to get healthier, or to look better, or maybe both. And I'll tell you right now that flushing this water weight and glycogen is not going to help you do either.

If you think these diet tricks are bad...

They are only half the problem.

There's an even bigger issue that can really set you back on your quest to lose weight that is rarely brought up in the dieting community.

And that problem is:

After you're done flushing out this "non-visible" weight, often times you begin losing something you really don't want to lose... your muscle.

You really don't want to lose muscle because muscle burns fat, and muscle is what gives you your tone, and lot of your shape.

Also, it's much harder to get back the muscle that you lose.

Unfortunately, most diets are geared towards eliminating muscle.

But why would they want to destroy your muscle?

Simple, it's because muscle weighs more than fat, and muscle is easier to lose than fat because your body wants to hold on to it's reserves.

And your body's reserves are fat.

When you get on a really low calorie diet your body will begin to think it's starving.

And when your body is starving, it really wants to hold on to it's fat stores, but it has to get energy from somewhere... so your body will literally eat away your muscle for energy.

But again, why would diets target muscle loss?

Because it's a quick and easy way to see results on a scale, and if you see results on a scale you'll probably think the diet is working.

But this muscle loss is a problem because just like water weight, losing muscle is not really a "visible" way to lose weight, especially if you have a good deal of fat covering your muscles.

Think about it for a second, if you can't see your muscles right now, if you lose some muscle, will you see that weight loss in the mirror?

Probably not.

Sure, if you lose some of your muscle you will see the scale weight go down, but you'll most likely look in the mirror and wonder why you aren't actually SEEING any results.

And once you get rid of too much muscle, it just gets that much harder to lose fat, or any weight at all, because remember muscle is what burns fat.

And if you're losing your muscle just to make your scale happy, you're really asking for trouble.

What you want to do is to find a way to preserve your muscle while losing fat.

Basically, you want to keep the muscle that will give you your toned shaped body, and burn the fat that is on top of that muscle.

That is really the ultimate goal. Not just blind weight loss.

If you didn't need to know your body weight to find out the best nutritional plan for you, I'd say just throw the scale away.

But that's another story...

People who experience the initial "scale weight" drop from these restrictive diets often get excited and think that the diet is working extremely well...

But the truth is their weight loss will level out quickly and they will either stop losing weight, or just lose weight at a slower rate.

And the really bad part is that the second they start eating more food, or eating more carbohydrates then they will almost always gain all of, or a majority of the weight back in just days.

This is especially true if they've only been on one of these restrictive diets for a month or less.

The weight gain you will experience when you switch back to your normal eating habits will be just as fast, and just as dramatic as the initial weight loss.

And that's no fun.

But why does this sudden weight gain happen?

Remember that when you are on a very low calorie diet, or a diet that is very restrictive on carbohydrates, that the carbohydrates in your muscles (glycogen stores) are extremely low.

As soon as you begin to replenish them you will gain weight at an incredible pace as the glycogen goes back into your muscles, and along with that you will also gain three times as much water as the glycogen you get back.

Because remember, for every ounce of glycogen you have, you store three ounces of water.

And this water and glycogen is really heavy, so it will show up on your scale.

Keep in mind that this weight gain may be shocking, but it is mostly weight that no one can see. So although it's kind of scary, it really does not matter in the mirror.

What does matter is the fact that if you've been on these kinds of diets for any significant length of time, the diet has probably destroyed a good chunk of your muscle tissue.

Remember that muscle burns fat, and now you don't have as much.

What do you think that does to your ability to burn fat?

And what do you think that does to your ability to eat the same amount of food and maintain your weight?

That's right, you have a lower ability to burn fat, and you're likely to gain fat at a faster pace.

Does yo-yo dieting sound familiar?

And in addition to this problem, extremely low calorie diets can severely slow down your metabolism beyond just losing muscle.

Your body adapts very quickly, and when it realizes that you're not giving it enough food it starts to panic and begins to conserve energy as a defense mechanism.

Basically, your body slows down it's metabolism as a direct response to extremely low calorie diets.

Sow now we have an even bigger problem to compound the problems we already had.

To summarize...

-We have a body that didn't have any glycogen stores

-And we've destroyed a lot of our muscle tissue

-And now we have a slowed down metabolism

-Which means we can't eat as much food as we used to or else we'll probably gain weight.

As you can imagine, we've put ourselves in a very bad environment for trying to maintain any type of weight loss. And this is probably one of the biggest reasons why people have so many problems with keeping their weight off.

In summary, extremely low calorie diets or diets that severely limit your carbohydrate intake often do these things:

-Give you rapid weight loss that you can't see in the mirror (glycogen, water)

-Destroy muscle tissue

-Slow your metabolism

And when you go back to your normal eating habits, these things often happen:

-You gain back the weight you lost as quickly as you lost it

-You probably gain back more than you lost because you destroyed muscle and damaged your metabolism.

Now we know what happens when we go on these extremely low calorie diets and carbohydrate restrictive diets, and why the weight loss is "fake."

And we also know that this "fake" weight loss can also cause you to gain back more weight than you lost originally because this "fake" weight loss can slow down your metabolism and destroy your muscle tissue.

Alright... but what can we do to prevent this from happening?

The solution may be simpler than you were expecting...

You can avoid these negative side effects first and foremost by making sure you are eating enough food, so you don't damage your metabolism.

Eating enough calories (food) is the key here.

Food is the key because when you drop too low in calories (food) your metabolism slows down, and you begin to destroy your lean muscle.

Eating the right amount of calories is the most important factor to looking great and losing the right kind of weight.

And if you want to take your weight loss to the next level, you can see even greater results by making sure you have enough protein in your diet.

Protein is the building blocks to muscle, and when you give your body enough protein, it will help your body hang on to as much lean muscle as it can because you are giving your body what it needs to keep your muscle around.

With calories (food), there really is a fine line between being too little and too much. And each person is different.

That's actually another reason why a lot of these "popular" diets are really bad. They simply don't take YOU into account. They just engineer a diet for the average person, and they just assume that you are that "average person."

Because most diets don't tailor their plan around YOU, they simply won't work for YOU, unless you get lucky and fall into the definition of the diet creator's "average person".

There's such a fine line between losing and gaining weight.

You have to make sure you don't eat too little, and make sure you aren't eating way too much.

You really need to find the right number for you. Not the "average person."

So how do we find your number?

First let me say this...

If your diet is not asking you these questions before giving you a recommendation on how to lose weight, then you're probably not going to want to use that diet.

These are the questions that will determine how many calories you need to lose weight that you can actually see in the mirror:

-How old are you?

-How much do you weigh?

-How tall are you?

-What is your gender?

-How active are you?

It seems simple, but I bet you've never been asked those questions before starting a diet... but you really do need that information to recommend anything that will work effectively for you.

"Prescription without diagnosis is malpractice." (Think about that quote for a bit.)

But, really these are really the two biggest factors...

1.) Get your calories right. Make sure you aren't eating too little or too much food.

2.) If you want to turbo charge your visible weight loss, make sure you're eating enough protein.

Finding out your optimum protein level also depends on your goals, what you want to look like, and how much muscle mass you want to retain.

Most diets won't ask you those types of questions.

The fact is that most diets are just trying to be a one size fits all solution.

The only way they can make it appear like their diets work is if they just give you a really low calorie, or really restrictive diet. That way they know they'll at least get that quick "fake" weight loss to trick you and get you hooked.

Even if the diet isn't really working, and you're not seeing any results in the mirror.

Here's something to think about...

Notice that we did not talk about specific foods, such as whole wheat bread, salads, fruits, fast foods, etc?

We didn't talk about them because the truth is, specific foods don't matter as much as you might think.

Even eating "junk food" does not matter in moderation, and yes you can lose weight while eating "junk food" or even candy. (It may not be the healthiest thing to do, but that doesn't mean you can't do it and still lose weight.)

It's probably one of the best kept secrets in the diet industry.

The concepts we talked about in this post were all about eating enough calories, and not restricting carbohydrates.

And now that we've started to understand that you can eat more calories, and don't need to eliminate specific things like carbohydrates, or fat out of your diet.

You may begin to realize that this opens up a lot of possibilities...

-You can eat protein.

-You can eat fat.

-You can eat carbohydrates.

Did you know that these three categories (protein, fat, and carbohydrates) are the building blocks to all foods?

All foods have at least one of these, if not two or all three of them.

What does this mean for you?

Well, it means that all these building blocks are ok for you to eat while losing weight.

And because all foods are made of these building blocks, then that means almost ALL foods are ok for you to eat.

Even while losing fat.

You just have to know how to come up with the right combination of these building blocks to help you lose weight.

I've spent over a year of my life developing a tool that not only helps you figure out how much of each building block you need to lose weight.

But this tool figures out the right numbers for you based on who you are right now and what your goals are.

This tool also lets you pick the foods you want to eat, and it figures out how to create a diet for you using the foods you chose.

Yes you can eat more use it to eat all organic, vegan, raw foods, or even a diet based entirely on fast foods, or candy it's your choice. And I'll be perfectly honest with you, this software program is not for everyone. Some people will love it, and others will choose not to use it. But either way it's at least worth checking out.

I've named this tool OK-Cal.

And OK-Cal actually asks you the right questions, and ensures that you get enough calories, and if you want it will help you get the right amount of protein too.

OK-Cal figures all of this out for you, based on who you are, and what you want to eat.

It's your choice, and you can have a custom tailored weight loss diet created just for you every day based on the foods YOU choose.

100% organic, or 100% fast food, it's your choice. OK-Cal has the technology built right in to handle almost any food preference.

Wishing you great success and happiness in 2008.

For your free diet programs created by OK-Cal just click here. And for more free dit and fitness advice visit YummyFitness.com today.

Choosing an Autism Diet For Recovery

The road to autism recovery begins with diet. That is, making calculated omissions and additions to food choices is the first step to improving children's health and well being. Certain food substances (most notably gluten and casein) are known to be problematic, and should be avoided - and other foods rich in healing nutrients are beneficial when added to children's diets. Attention to these factors is intended to balance biochemistry, affect systemic healing, and provide relief of autism symptoms. In simple terms, these are the underlying tenets of diets for autism.

There are many "autism diets" to choose from and deciding how to begin nutritional intervention can seem overwhelming. Ten years ago, it was a simpler choice-do diet! And, "do diet" meant do the Gluten-free Casein-free Diet (GFCF). Eliminating gluten (the protein in wheat) and casein (the protein in dairy) was the primary focus of diet for autism for many years, and provides many positive benefits. Since then, significant advances in biomedical nutrition research and mom-centric anecdotal data have resulted in broader dietary strategies for autism.

Now, one has to decide which diet to do. This can inhibit even the most recovery focused parent from getting started. Parents hear "You need to do this diet," or "my son improved on that diet." Because each diet has its group of supporters, parents whose children did well with a particular diet aptly tout it. How can there be so many varied opinions? It's because every person is different-each has unique biochemistry, genes, environment assaults, and eating preferences. A diet that helps one child, may not be the best for the other.

My clients are relieved to learn that I do not spout the dogma of any one diet. As a Nutrition Consultant, I practice nutrition intervention focused on improved systemic health and relief of physiological and neurological symptoms. Autism diets are food-based strategies employed toward this objective. I help parents choose the best initial diet for their child and then work to customize that diet to further to meet their specific needs.

In my book, Nourishing Hope for Autism, I discuss thirteen different diets that are recommended for autism. While each diet has merit, some include advanced components that are best supported by an experienced practitioner and not necessarily required to get started. In this article, I will explain the top three diets for autism - they include the most immediately helpful dietary principles and practices and there is much literature and community support to help aid successful implementation. In addition to these diets, I'll discuss the most common food allergies and substances, as addressing these comes hand in hand with diet.

The most popular autism diets are:

o Gluten-free and casein-free diet (GFCF)

o Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD

o Body Ecology Diet (BED)

Gluten-Free Casein-free Diet (GFCF)

Does your child crave milk?

Does your child only eat wheat and dairy foods?

Does your child seem spacey after consuming gluten or casein, and agitated before?

Are you just beginning to look at diet for the first time?

When parents decide to "do diet," they typically begin with GFCF. There are many good books about it, and the food marketplace is increasingly GFCF friendly. This diet entails the removal of all gluten and/or casein containing foods. Gluten is the protein found in wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut, and commercial oats, and casein, the protein found in dairy.

When ingested by children with a compromised digestive tract and weakened immune system, these proteins can cause gut inflammation, pain, and digestive problems. If the protein is not properly broken down during digestion, it can form opioids (opiate or morphine-like compounds). The properties of gluten and casein can lead to digestive problems such as diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating, as well as foggy thinking and inattentiveness for many children with autism.

According to parents (Autism Research Institute survey), a gluten- and casein-free diet is helpful for 65% of children with ASD, even though a food sensitivity panel may or may not have shown a reaction to these foods. Therefore, I typically recommend a gluten- and casein-free trial period-often beginning the diet by removing first one, then the other.

Most of the foods containing these offending proteins are easy to identify. While following the GFCF Diet, you'll need to avoid any breads, crackers, pasta, or bakery items made with wheat and other gluten grains, and all dairy foods such as milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, and cream. Some sources are not that apparent:

o Soy sauce (except gluten-free soy sauce)

o Potato chips and fries (often dusted with gluten during processing and not listed on label, ensure they are gluten-free by checking with the company in the ingredient list)

o Malt (derived from barley)

When beginning the GFCF diet, be careful not to introduce a bunch of GFCF junk foods such as cookies, candy, and chips. Even though they don't include gluten or casein, the sugar can feed yeast, imbalance blood sugar, and disregulate energy. Remember, diet is more than just the removal of offending foods - attention must be placed on ensuring healthy and nutritious food intake.

GFCF is a great diet to follow when beginning nutritional intervention for autism.

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)

Does your child have chronic diarrhea?

Does your child have an inflamed gut, maybe even been on steroids?

Have you tried GFCF to no avail?

Does your child have trouble digesting grains?

Does your child have dysbiosis (pathogenic yeast or bacteria)?

The SCD diet involves the removal of all complex sugars: everything except honey and fruit sugar, including the removal of maple syrup, cane sugar, agave nectar, brown rice syrup and more. SCD also removes all starches and all grains, including potatoes and sweet potatoes. This diet allows: meat, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds, certain beans, all non-starchy vegetables, and fruit. This is not a low carbohydrate diet but a specific carbohydrate diet that focuses on non-starchy vegetables, fruit, honey, and certain beans for carbohydrates and avoids other sugars and starches.

SCD is the second most commonly applied autism diet, and 66% of parents say it is beneficial for their child (ARI ratings). It is very helpful for those who have inflammatory bowel conditions and chronic diarrhea, although it can help constipation too.

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet aims to reduce gut inflammation and aid healing by "starving out" the bad gut bugs and avoiding foods that require carbohydrate digesting enzyme that are often in short supply. By eliminating problematic foods, the bugs can't feed. Because it is more restrictive than GFCF, parents don't usually begin dietary intervention with SCD. However, if there is a significant inflammatory gut condition, some will go straight to SCD.

SCD is often applied when doing GFCF is not enough and digestive problems still remain, or if someone needs to further evolve the diet to see any additional benefits. A variation of SCD is the GAPS (Gut And Psychology Syndrome) diet, created by Natasha Campbell-McBride, M.D. It includes the essentials of SCD, plus the addition of wonderful principles such as fermented foods and homemade broths.

While SCD diet is not inherently casein-free, I recommend that SCD be done casein-free until someone is certain that casein is not a problem.

The Body Ecology Diet (BED)

Does you child have persistent candida?

Does your child have harmful bacteria in the gut?

Does your child have bad smelling stool or gas?

Does your child sometimes act drunk, spacey or have maniacal laughter?

Does your child seem itchy or yeasty in any "moist" areas of the body like elbows, knees, or crotch?

The Body Ecology Diet is an anti-candida diet focused on clearing up yeast and dysbiosis (imbalance of bad bugs in the gut). BED is often called BEDROK (Body Ecology Diet Recovering Our Kids) in the autism community. BED incorporates the principles of proper food combining, acid/alkaline balance with low acid-forming foods, low/no sugars and limited starches, easily digestible foods, fermented foods, and other solid nutrition recommendations to clear up candida overgrowth and support health beginning in the gut.

BED allows only a few grains such as quinoa, millet buckwheat, and amaranth (when properly soaked)-restricting more starches and grains than GFCF. In addition to being gluten-free, BED is rice-free, corn-free, and soy-free. Foods such as rice bread, gluten-free pretzels, and rice pasta are not allowed on this diet. BED allows casein, but can be done casein-free. I always recommend going casein-free (on any healing diet) until you are certain that dairy is not an issue.

If you child has candida, BED may be for you. Though it requires that the child eat vegetables as the food combining aspect allows meat with vegetables and starches with vegetables but not meat and starch together. BED may be challenging if a child is picky and does not have a varied diet.

Like SCD, this diet is beneficial for helping reduce dysbiosis and restoring good flora balance in the gut. However, these two diets conflict with each other as they rely on very different underlying principles. SCD removes certain sugars and all starches, while BED removes all sugars and certain starches. Even if someone chooses a different diet, many of the Body Ecology principles can be also be applied, such as the inclusion of fermented foods, soaking grains, and consuming more non-starchy vegetables full of minerals and alkalizing to the body.

Getting Started

Now that we have discussed three effective autism diets and problematic food substances, where does someone start? Typically I recommend GFCF or SCD. Sometimes, based on the diet of the individual, I may suggest BED instead-for example if a child has significant yeast over growth and is currently on GFCF (which may filled with too many sugars and starches), but the child will eat vegetables, I may suggest BED. Additionally, I may suggest just adding fermented foods, soaked grains and nuts, and more vegetables-several BED principles, but not the full Body Ecology Diet.

The most important dietary principle is to start. It sounds simple, but start somewhere - even with the most simple thing - such as getting rid of all artificial ingredients - and then progress.

You Can Do Diet.

I know what you are thinking, "My child is picky and very inflexible with eating new foods. I'm never going to be able to get him to eat anything other than wheat and dairy, and never mind anything "healthy."

I appreciate this concern. I have had some very picky eaters in my nutrition practice-many children ate only bread and dairy, others subsisted on just pancakes and fries. However, there are solid reasons why these children are so one-sided in their food choices, primarily craving. When the body creates opiates from foods, one can become addicted to them and thus crave nothing but those foods. Children eventually narrow their food choices to include only those that make them "feel better." It's worth trying diet because once the child gets passed the cravings (a few days to a few weeks), they often expands food choices dramatically and it becomes much easier to do.

I know that any child's diet can change. It may take time and require great patience, but you can succeed. I've never seen a child's diet that did not improve eventually-increasingly so as the body heals. It's crucial that parents believe that it's possible for their child to change and improve. By envisioning the changes, you project a positive image that is important for your child and the success of your overall efforts.

Julie Matthews, a top US biomedical autism diet/nutrition specialist and Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!) Practitioner, helps parents recover children from autism. She is a parent/physician educator and creator of "Nourishing Hope for Autism: Nutrition Intervention for Healing Our Children" (Book) and "Cooking to Heal Autism Nutrition and Cooking Classes" (DVD). Visit http://www.NourishingHope.com to study autism diets and view video presentations.

The New Detoxification Diet Craze - What is it All About?

Truth or just a hoax?

With the latest trends in health and diets, advertisements, magazines and articles all over the globe seem to promote something about detoxification diets. Some are so hyped-up that people almost certainly gets to buy them in an instant just to see if they really work. But for most of us, is there any way we can truly know if a well advertised detoxification program can help improve our lives or just a million dollar hoax to keep us away from our money?

Exerting a little effort in getting to know these diet trends can help us judge if a particular detoxification diet program can truly help improve our state of health. Getting rid of the toxins inside our body can make a whole lot of difference in overall health and well-being. Detoxification diets focuses on the concept that most of the food we eat nowadays are chemically treated for the most part, which means it is also filled with toxins. One must be careful with foods labeled as organic as they may not be completely organic unless labeled as 100% organic. Any organic food products that does not say 100% organic can mean that they have anywhere from a small percentage to a considerable amount of non-organic material in them, which again means toxins and other harmful substances.  

It is not unusual for farmers to make use of growth hormones in their poultry products in order to increase the meat yield of each animal. It is these same growth hormones which are said to cause the rapid growth rate of many children. Most of the twelve-year old you see nowadays are usually beyond 5 feet. Scientists determined that growth hormones used in the animal industry causes these abnormalities in children.

We can therefore conclude that toxins are present whether in the food we eat or water we take in everyday, even on the bottled water we are purchasing from convenience stores. The accumulated toxins inside our bodies are less likely to flush itself out, and it is for this reason that the detoxification diet was made in order to aid in toxin removal in our system.

A detoxification diet that custom made just for you is the best you can get. A vital factor for the success of a detoxification diet is one's capability to readily access important information or guides throughout the duration of the program. Like for example, an individual undergoing a diet focusing mostly on seafood such as salmon can be susceptible to a certain degree of mercury poisoning. Quite obviously, mercury poisoning is not a disease. This health condition is hard to detect not until the person exhibits symptoms like the loss of function of the hands. Even this can be overlooked or may not happen at all. But the moment mercury poisoning is diagnosed, one of the most fastest and effective methods of treatment is a good detoxification diet. The reason is because a good detoxification diet has the ability to cleanse the system and get rid of considerable amount of toxins and poisons that has accumulated in our body from the food we take in and the environmental hazards around us.

The same detoxification diet applied for a person with excessive fish in their diet is however not probably effective to another who would like to use the program to help stop smoking. The detoxification diet for someone addicted to smoking will be different as this particular program will need to deal with the accumulation of nicotine inside the system.

The next argument regarding detoxification diets is if they actually work. In reality, there will always be programs that work and don't work. But how do you distinguish one from the other? First and foremost, an efficient detoxification diet must be able to justify the reason for including the foods they have on their list. It is easy to just mix and match a list of vegetables and call it your own version of a detoxification diet. A good detoxification diet is beyond a dose of just fruits and vegetables.

A good detoxification diet will also be able to teach the individual during the course of the program. The whole detoxification process is more than just a blanket concept. Education and the will to stay healthy is needed in order to maintain the positive effects of the diet. An effective detoxification diet also must be able to demonstrate to you in detail how you can eliminate toxins inside your body and teach you to keep the intake of toxins to the minimal level.

Some people will also be advised against going under a detoxification diet. As with all diet products and programs, not every one of them is suitable for everyone. They are not like clothes that have a "one size fits all" category. People with certain health conditions or history of particular illnesses are advised to visit their doctor before undergoing any form of detoxification program. Any detoxification diet program that is labeled as for everyone without taking consideration a person's health condition is definitely not a good detoxification diet plan.

The Dieting Industry

This industry is a multi-million or even billion dollar trading, and annual growth can be anywhere between 10 to 15% each year. A lot of individuals are looking for better means of staying healthy, including losing weight, countering the effects of aging and feeling more rejuvenated. The field of dieting consists of a lot of firms that are always taking advantage of any craze or trend that comes along the way. The dieting world is like a jungle, and it's easy to get lost, so always proceed with caution.

A lot of the detoxification diets available in the market nowadays are simple methods created by the plan designer which is intended for you to apply them over and over again, and therefore less of them deals with teaching you about toxins. Common toxic substances can be avoided with relative ease, but is also that easy to take in. It is hard to avoid taking these toxins in if you are not armed with knowledge about them and how they end up inside our bodies. The most common toxins are those that can easily cause sickness, fatigue, stress and cause considerable burden to your body. Don't you think it would be really easy to dodge these toxins if you knew where they exist? In truth, most detoxification diets are based on the concept that you will truly feel better after the diet plan, and the moment you take in those toxins again, you will be coming back to these diet plans over and over again in order to get information about the process of detoxification.

So what you must do is, in order to find an effective detoxification diet plan, you want to check it and make sure that it gives you ways on how you can avoid common toxins that we encounter each and everyday. They can usually be found in the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the cosmetics we use on our skin.

Detoxification Supplements

Controversy surrounds the topic of taking detoxification supplements, specifically those that are marketed by the designers of the detoxification diet you intend to buy. A lot of the detoxification diet plans available in the market were designed to ship a monthly supply of their products. If you look at it closely, this creates a chain of purchases in which at your expense, they gain more profit.

Detoxification supplements that were designed for continuous shipment always charges your account before you even receive your detoxification supplements. So in the event that you decide that you no longer want to continue with their detoxification programs and didn't remember to cancel your order with them, then you are bound to pay for a product that you didn't really want to get.  

These detoxification diet plans are designed to give the creators maximum profit and give little consideration to the satisfaction of their customers. Although there are numerous benefits available with a few detoxification supplements, they are not created all in the same way and some may be of inferior quality. So it is best to always proceed with caution before buying any of these products.

Detoxification Diets recommended by doctors

Like any other diet programs, it is always best to discuss with your doctor your plans of getting into any form of detoxification diet plan. We are not going for any kind of witchcraft sessions or magic spells, we are aiming for health improvement through body detoxification. A good detoxification plan will have a higher level of success and safety when it has been recommended and carefully assisted and monitored by your physician. Never go for any programs that have just been referred to you by friends or by advertisements without first researching about it thoroughly.

Of course, not every one of these detoxification diet plans will be doctor recommended, and a mere doctor's stamp does not always mean a go signal. When a doctor has recommended a particular detoxification diet plan and at the same time endorsed by several doctors, then you could just be at the right track. These types of detoxification programs are actually less prevalent in the market than most people might think. A custom-tailored detoxification diet plan will have all the necessary nutrients that your body requires in cleansing itself of all harmful toxins, as well as to efficiently function during the course of the detoxification process. But right now this may be difficult to find anywhere since having this kind of diet plan may take enormous amounts of research and development just to produce.

Taking the next step

So now what you need to do is take the first step in your body's healing process by doing your research and investigation in finding the best suited detoxification diet program for you. Fortunately, most of the researching work has already been done for you. If you are looking for the some guides regarding this matter, why not try looking at our "detoxmanual"?

This "detoxmanual" contains a comprehensive guide and provides an easy to understand detoxification diet plan which is based on scientific and medical facts and people. This detoxification diet plan is also very much affordable and guarantees satisfaction, or your money will gladly be returned. All you are about to lose upon getting into this manual are the toxins that have accumulated inside your body. 

Beyonce Knowles recently announced on the Oprah Winfrey talk show that she had lost a massive 20 pounds on the Master Cleanse detox diet! Compare the best detox diets used by the Hollywood's superstars!

Top Ten Fad Diets Reviews

Many people want to lose a lot of weight and are willing to try anything from a stomach staple to a far out wacky diet. Some diets are controversial and can be injurious to health. Others are short-term starvation. Here is a list of the top ten fad diets.

#1 The Atkins diet is a one of Americas most popular and still endures after many years. The Atkins diet basis is that processed foods and a high carbohydrate diet are the core problems that make and keep people fat. The diet has four phases.

The first phase and most restrictive is the OWL phase. The Owl phase (Ongoing Weight Loss) restricts the carbohydrate intake to just 20 grams per day. Twelve to fifteen of those grams must come from salads. Meat, seafood, fish and poultry are plentiful in this stage. A little soft cheese is allowed daily, some low carbohydrate vegetables, no alcohol, limited caffeine, butter or oils and water, lots and lots of water, needs to be consumed.

Phase two allows more carbohydrates each week selected from a food ladder. The dieter gets an increase of five grams of carbohydrates per week from a different food group each week during this phase.

The next phase increases the carbohydrates until weight loss stops. Once the dieter reaches the final weight goal the maintenance phase kicks begins.

The Atkins diet shows immediate weight loss but is difficult to stick to because of rigid eating patterns. A study showed that the diet might cause kidney damage.

#2 The green tea diet uses a nutritional low calorie diet and adds green tea to every meal and snack.

#3 Number three on the top ten fad diet list is the negative calorie diet.

The diet gets its name from the theory that the foods on the diet use more calories to digest than they contain. While there is no scientific proof that you can eat your way thin, many of these foods are healthy, nutritional foods that are low in calories. The foods on the list increase the body's metabolism and aid in faster weight reduction.

#4 The grape diet is number four of the top ten fad diets and one probably the worst. Nothing but grapes and water becomes the fare for days on end. This diet, originally created to cleanse the system and fight cancer, became a weight loss diet somewhere along the way.

#5 The three hour diet takes into consideration the time of day that you eat. The diet breaks the food down to mini-meals eaten every three hours. It resembles a diet for hypoglycemia. The diet is nutritionally balanced and keeps blood sugar levels stable. That stability reduces the urge for a 5:00 o'clock feeding frenzy that frequently occurs in dieters. This one makes sense. The down side is the need to constantly eat, even if you're busy or not hungry.

#6 The lemonade diet was another cleanse diet that switched to a weight loss one. Nothing but a concoction of maple syrup, cayenne pepper and lemon juice is on the list of edibles for the ten day fast.

#7The ice cream diet is just a regular calorie controlled diet that makes room for a little ice cream at the end of the day. Of course, if calories are controlled, weight loss occurs. The diet is nothing more than allotting for ice cream. The calcium in the ice cream is good for the bones and aids metabolism, but outside of that, you could substitute a brownie and call it the brownie diet.

#8 The cabbage soup diet uses a soup created from cabbage and other vegetables and mixes it with rations of other low calorie foods and cranberry juice or tea for five days of monotony and gassy stomachs.

#9 The raw food diet is a vegan diet with all foods left uncooked. Blend them, chop them and arrange them but don't cook anything or heat it beyond 116 degrees Fahrenheit. Raw food contains more vitamins in many cases than its cooked counterparts do. Nuts are included in the raw food diet as the protein source. The diet consisting mostly of vegetables is a low calorie diet, but it is difficult to keep it well balanced. It is a lot healthier than most fad diets and the introduction of raw vegetables into the body brings in many nutrients. The fiber of the raw vegetables cleans out a lot of noxious waste.

#10 The final diet on the list of the top ten fad diets is Zone diet. Much like the Atkins diet it has phases and attempts to change lifestyle and eating habits. The Zone diet uses a balancing act for its carbohydrate ratio. Each meal consists of 40 % of the food as carbohydrates, 30% protein and 30% of the meal in fats. The popularity of this diet created by Oprah's endorsement puts it on the list of the top ten fad diets.

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Weight Loss and Diets - What Diet Plan is Best?

Fad diets come and go with new versions out every week. Many of them are big on promises and small on delivery. So what's a person to do? I for one have spent way too much money on the latest greatest diet plans over the years.

If a friend tells me they've lost a lot of weight on a diet and says how great it is I try it, only to find myself bloated, tired, grumpy or hungry all of the time. Then another friend will recommend a different diet and I'm right there, ready to try that one too.

It seems what works for one person, doesn't necessarily work for another. But short of spending a fortune on diet plans, how do you know what will work best for you?

Well for starters, you put your wallet away and take a common sense approach to the problem. Basically, there are three and only three diet versions out there. They have different names and different menu types, but they all fall into one of these three categories.

The Low Fat Diet. This would include most of your calorie counting diets, Weight Watchers, DASH and the Ornish diet. These diets reduce calories and the amount of fat you take in; which is a very sound plan. But remember, there are only three types of food - proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
When you reduce the fat in a diet, you have to raise one or both of the other two types of food. And because raising the amount of protein usually raises the fat level too, most low-fat diets are high in carbohydrates.
The Low Carbohydrate Diet. This diet would include diets such as the Atkins Diet and The South Beach Diet. These diets increase the amount of protein you take in and lower the carbohydrates. But just like the Low Fat Diet, when you reduce the amount of one type food from a diet, you are going to raise another. When you reduce the amount of carbohydrates in your diet, you usually end up with more fat.
And the third type diet is something in between. We'll call it a T'ween diet. This type diet includes the Mediterranean Diet, the G.I. Diet (Glycemic Index Diet), the Idiot Proof Diet and the Zone Diet. These diets reduce the amount of fat in the diet and get rid of simple carbohydrates while replacing them with fewer, but more complex carbohydrates.

And while it would be tempting to make a blanket statement that the T'ween diet would come closer to being the perfect diet for most people (and I do believe these diets are better for more dieters than the other two), not all dieters respond the same to all diets.

So if you're ready to find the last diet you'll ever need, you need to first decide which of these three diet versions is best for your body type. But once again, how do you determine what type is best for you?

If you'd like to know how to determine the right diet version for your body type, go to Top10-Diets.com. We have answers for all your weight loss and diet concerns.

B.J.Gordey is the owner of Top10-Diets and editor of the Top 10 Diet's Blog.

You Should Know How Your Diet is Supposed to Work

The vast majority of people start dieting in order to lose weight. Losing weight can be accomplished in a number of ways. A diet is simply a specific method for accomplishing that task.

When one decides that they need to lose weight, the first thing that must be considered is the reason for wanting to lose weight. Is the weight loss going to be directed at a way to gain better health or is it more of a vanity reason? The reason for dieting is as important as the method used to lose the weight.

If attaining a more healthy lifestyle and striving for better health is the reason, it should not be of any concern how long the dieting takes to achieve the weight loss goal, if in fact there is a goal. If good health is the main objective, length of time should not be an issue because the diet should simply be a part of a life-style change in which the dieting change would be a long-term part of the life-style anyway.

If, on the other hand, vanity is the reason and the dieting person is hell bent on losing a significant amount of weight in a short period of time in order to fit into an object of clothing or simply to look great at the class reunion in a month, the method chosen for dieting will be completely different and, most likely, quite unhealthy.

Long term lifestyle type diets are usually of the type that occur in small increments of weight loss and continue as exercise is slowly increased and more healthy food, in smaller portions is consumed. These are usually quite simple diets that don't cause a significant amount of suffering as long as the dieting person is committed to the long-term goals.

The vanity type diet is usually a quick but very self-denying diet in which the dieting person eats very little or eats foods that do not tempt the pallet as far as taste or attractiveness go. Often, very large amounts of water are incorporated into these diets and most people do not drink enough water to begin with. When they are confronted with the need to increase their water intake significantly, they hesitate or they are not very compliant. Water, when one is not thirsty, simply does not taste very good.

The vanity diet also usually requires a substantial increase in activity in the form of exercise and most people have a strong aversion to that form of activity.

There are also diets that are not in either the lifestyle change nor the vanity dieting lists but are really a forced lifestyle change that is completely necessary for the dieting person to continue to live. Once such diet is the diabetic diet. If one ignores their diabetes and continues to eat large amounts of carbohydrates, as most Americans do, they will eventually suffer serious health deterioration. So, the necessary-for-life diets are not the ones we are really concerned with in this article.

There are a number of different diets available for each of the non-necessity diets. The basic lifestyle change diet has already been described though some of the latter day fad diets are also appropriate for long-term dieting if the person doing the dieting is indeed dedicated to the lifestyle change. Some specific fad diets that would work for this person are the Atkins or low-carb diet, The Zone diet or the South Beach diet.

The extreme vanity diet person can also use the low carb diet for fast weight loss or they can try starvation or if they really want to lose weight fast and suffer a bit more but at least retain some type of decent health, they can attempt the Lemonade Diet.

The lemonade diet is highly effective but is more a fast than a diet and a special mixture of water, cayenne pepper, lemon juice and syrup are required. One must be highly dedicated to losing weight for this diet to work as no food is allowed for a period of at least ten days and the Lemonade dieter will feel worse before they feel like a million dollars. The diet is extremely effective for losing ten pounds or more in ten days though. The added benefit of this diet is that it does a thorough job of cleaning the colon.

Each one of the above mentioned diets should be highly suspect and not just accepted for it's reputation or the current fad. One who is considering dieting should, at the very least, buy the book that is written about the diet in order to learn how the diet works with the body and effects the different body systems. Each of the authors has a lot of information included in their book about these concerns.

The main point of this article is to point out to anyone who is considering dieting that they should be very careful and choose a diet that meets their goals and health concerns. Don't blindly go into any diet without knowing how it's supposed to effect you, what you're supposed to eat while on the diet, how much weight you are expected to lose in a specific period of time and what are the benefits and health concerns that attach to that diet.

In fact, it is a very good idea to discuss any diet plans with your health care professional prior to starting or even considering one of the above diets.

Gary Vaughn is a Masters level RN and has studied and written about nutrition and dieting for quite some time. He has been published both professionally and online. He is the owner of Repair My Weight Loss, an information rich website about popular diets, diet myths, diet solutions and diet reality. The website can be found at http://www.repairmyweightloss.com

The 5 Most Effective Diets This Decade - A Review

Out of the thousands of diets that have been written over the years 5 really stand out as being the most effective. One of them, Weight Watchers, has been around for over 40 years, while the others have been introduced more recently. One of them, the 9th Law Diet, is only a year old.  Although each diet has philosophical differences on the best way to lose weight, they all are effective and have shown to be safe.

Here is a summary of each diet. Each summary includes information about the general philosophy, type of foods, overall expense of each diet, as well as the most commonly attributed pros and cons. The diets are listed in no particular order. These are just the top five weight loss diets this decade based on the formerly listed criteria.

Skinny Bitch: This diet was written by two fiery and passionate best friends who are proud to call themselves skinny bitches. Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin call Skinny Bitch, a no-nonsense, tough-love guide for savvy girls who want to stop eating crap and start looking fabulous. Skinny Bitch is definitely telling it to you straight.  The way your best girlfriend would tell you over a cocktail.

These girls make no apologies for the attitude, wit, and even the language found in this colorful guide to basically getting your ass in gear once and for all. They refer to sugar as the devil, and themselves as pigs, and encourage you to get a sweet ass. They love food just as much as anyone. But, they have also learned a successful way to enjoy food and enjoy eating without depriving themselves and maintaining sexy little bodies.

The diet lets you eat all the carbohydrate packed goodness you could ever want including bread, potatoes, pasta, cakes, cookies and muffins. Of course, nothing good ever comes for free, so what is the catch? No dairy. No meat. No sugar or artificial sweeteners. Sound a little vegan? That is because it is, and Skinny Bitch is even endorsed by P.E.T.A.

These skinny girls don't like to feel hungry and they don't like to feel like they're being deprived. And they know you're the exact same way. There is plenty to eat when you decide to make the switch to Skinny Bitch. The basic premise is simple: being skinny means being healthy. The two ideas are not independent of one another. They come right out and show the flaws of some of the more popular diets around, probably some you have followed yourself. They say in the end, those diet programs are quick fixes that will never help you get a grip on your overall health and wellness.

Skinny Bitch will educate you about the foods you're eating, how and why they have the effects on your body that they do and where you have been going wrong all along. They release you from the constraints of counting calories, but tell you to start reading all of those food labels. The expense is the cost of the book, Skinny Bitch. The book itself is an entertaining, albeit brash, read. The diet is perfect for vegetarians or vegans. The book can be purchased online and through all major booksellers

South Beach: If you are looking for a diet plan that has grown wildly popular over the past few years, gives your eating habits a dramatic makeover, and shares the name of one of the world's favorite beaches, then the South Beach Diet is for you. Dr. Arthur Agatston, a cardiologist, created this friendly contrast to other prohibitive weight-loss plans and offers a chance to achieve success where you might have previously failed.

The South Beach Diet differs from its low carbohydrate competitor Atkins, in that it restricts saturated fats, which are linked with health problems like heart disease and high cholesterol. It promises that cravings for sugars, sweets and other carbohydrates will disappear as you go along because the diet is supposed to keep blood sugar levels maintained.

The South Beach Diet has three separate phases in which in each phase, you wean yourself away from certain foods and incorporate other South Beach Diet friendly foods. The diet promises that you will lose 8-12 pounds in the first two weeks as long as you adhere to the guidelines.

The South Beach Diet supports a clean way of eating that is void of refined sugars and trans fats. It also has thousands of satisfied clients, updated research in the 2008 release South Beach Diet: Supercharged, and a maintenance plan after weight loss goals have been achieved.

A problem is the fact that many South Beach Diet food products contain sugar-alcohols, which may cause diarrhea and other GI tract problems. The best recommendation is to adhere to the diet without consuming all the specially made products.

The diet has various phases. The first phase lasts for two weeks and has you remove starches like bread, pasta and rice, potatoes, fruits, milk, yogurt, honey and baked goods. Sugars are completely eliminated. During the first phase of South Beach, you will enjoy three balanced meals and some snacks that should include lean meats and fish, eggs, low-fat cheese, fresh vegetables, beans and nuts.

Phase two of the South Beach Diet will allow you to slowly re-introduce fruits, whole-grain breads and pastas. You will choose just one carbohydrate and include that in one meal each day for one week. Phase two will continue until you meet your goal weight. You will begin the maintenance, or third, phase of South Beach once you have met your goal weight. It is here that you will put to practice all that you learned in phases one and two.

The cost is the price of the book, South Beach, which is available online as well as all major book outlets. There is also a complete line of South Beach Diet foods that can be purchased in your grocery store from cereals to frozen meals. But many of the nutrition bars and snack items contain artificial sweeteners, which have been known to induce gastrointestinal problems.

The 9th Law Diet: This is a relatively new diet that has been sweeping across the country due to its simplicity and overall effectiveness. The 9th Law Diet was created by a physiology professor out of the St. Louis area. He is well known on the web as Professor Jay, but his real name is Jay Snaric.

The diet was formally created after a student of professor Jays lost over 90 pounds following his weight loss guidelines.  The student convinced the professor to get it into the hands of so many people who really need it.  Professor Jay created a website where he gives the diet away for free, as well as offers on-going email support.  The rest is history, as the 9th Law Diet has swept across the country and around the world in record time.  Thousands of people have lost major weight and have changed their lives with the 9th Law Diet.

The 9th Law Diet emphasizes cutting out what he refers to as negative carbohydrates and fats, and incorporating more positive carbohydrates and fats. Its emphasis on fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and heart-healthy fats is an eating plan that is full of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids Support for this diet comes from the science provided by Harvard Medical school and other predominate members of the medical science community. Professor Jay Snaric himself has studied human physiology, nutrition, and health at New York University, The Medical University of South Carolina, and University of Southern Illinois.

The 9th Law Diet does not just promote dieting, but overall behavioral and lifestyle changes. As stated earlier, you can get the 9th Law Diet for free at secretloss.com.  The cost is zero.  At the very least this diet is worth a read, and subscribing to Professor Jays mailing list is well worth your time.  It's not coincidence that this diet has grown is popularity so fast.

Jillian Michaels, The Biggest Loser: The biggest loser background Fitness guru, Jillian Michaels, known for her tough approach for losing weight on NBCs The Biggest Loser, has written a guide on how to drop those pesky last 10 or 15 pounds in 30 days. Making the Cut: The 30-Day Diet and Fitness Plan for the Strongest, Sexiest You sets itself apart from the myriad of fitness and weight loss books at your local bookstore because Michaels' program uses the process of oxidizing as a way to determine what kind of a metabolism your body has in order to lose weight effectively.

Michaels takes you through the steps to determine what kind of an oxidizer you are: slow, balanced or fast. Your new body classification then dictates what you will eat supported by Jillian's own menus and recipes. She promises that you will feel comfortable in a bikini if you commit to her disciplined fitness and diet regimen. As part of Making the Cut, you must take a body fat percentage test and a "fit test" before starting the program as a measure to evaluate your pre and post self.

Michaels does not under estimate the power of the mind in the battle to lose weight. She includes helpful tips and advice for how to improve self-esteem and confidence. The book is also full of various exercises to improve strength, flexibility and endurance. Michaels also unveils some well-kept celebrity diet secrets to get your body prepared before a big event.

The diet is Inexpensive and personalized.  The program focuses on the mental aspect of losing weight in addition to the exercise and nutrition components - Jillian Michaels is a popular weight loss coach with nearly 20 years experience

Michaels supplies a list of recipes and menus for each of the three oxidizer classifications. As part of your commitment to the Making the Cut program, you are supposed to adhere to her menu and calorie plan. During Making the Cut, you will take a fit test which is outlined in the book. The test establishes your level of fit-ness and you are then required to exercise about 5 hours each week. Michaels provides you with various exercises to do. She also has her own line of exercise DVDs that can be purchased at an additional cost over the book.

The cost is $14.95 for the book. Many online booksellers sell new and used books for discounted prices.

There is no refuting Michaels knowledge and training expertise when it comes to getting in shape and losing weight. Her 30-day promise, like any similar promise is no guarantee but it packs a three-pronged approach of diet, exercise and mental awareness to help you to lose those lingering pounds. The clinical science behind her oxidizer theory is scanty but her belief that the road to weight loss is a personal journey that begins with changes in behavior, lifestyle and self-motivation is an important component that many diet plans disregard.

Weight Watchers: It has been more than 40 years since Weight Watchers came on the scene and started helping people live healthier lives. Weight Watchers helps members create a foundation to introduce healthier choices and physical activity into their lives.

The original Weight Watchers plan invites members to weekly meetings where they hold group sessions, helping dieters form a network of support with people sharing similar experiences. Upon arrival, each person checks their weight privately. Meetings are conducted by a trained Meeting Leader who motivates and offers the group support through information about nutrition and fitness.

Members are also welcome to join the Weight Watchers community online.  From the comfort of their homes, members can form virtual support groups, monitor progress and access hundreds of approved recipes, like Blue Cheese Muffins, Sweet and Sour Pork, Grilled Beef Fajitas and even delectable treats like Chocolate Mint Brownies. If it's not convenient to prepare the approved meals at home, they offer a wide variety of frozen meals and point-complimenting menu items at Applebees.

Weight Watchers was made popular by a points system called Flex Plan. A point value is assigned to each food on the comprehensive list of more than 27,000 foods. The Flex Plan allows you to eat the foods you like. Just stay within your daily points and you can still enjoy fried chicken and Diet Pepsi. It is an easy plan to follow, offers great flexibility and has proven successful for more than 40 years. Read this full explanation of how Weight Watchers Points work, or use our free Weight Watchers Points Calculator.

Weight Watchers emphasizes eating more wholesome food through its Core Plan. Members don't count points, just choose a balanced combination of whole grains, lean meats, fruits and vegetables, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy. Whether you choose the Flex Points or Core Plans, you can find hundreds of delicious, satisfying and good-for-you Weight Watchers recipes right here at Diets In Review. Weight Watchers Online helps its members with 60 workout demonstrations. There are fitness recommendations for all skill levels. As little as $5 a week with their 3-month plan. Weight Watchers is a trusted diet company with 40+ years experience - Programs to suit men, women and all adult ages - Flex Points or Core Plan programs - Choose one-on-one counseling or the online program for anonymity and convenience - Comprehensive Web site membership - Provides exercise guidance - Thousands of recipes and meals to choose from - Partnership with Applebee's to make dining out more healthful. Counting points can be time-consuming - Web membership detracts from the traditional social aspect of Weight Watchers meetings

Weight Watchers is a tried and true veteran of the weight loss industry. With a variety of methods to choose from for both men and women, you're almost certain to find the right path for your weight loss journey. Weight Watchers provides support from every aspect of weight loss- so you're never left without information or support. Food is one of the primary concerns of any dieter and Weight Watchers goes above and beyond most other weight loss programs with thousands of recipes that anyone, dieting or not, will find tempting and delicious. If their style appeals to you, go for it.

Overall, all of these diets have proven to be very successful for many people, and have changed many lives.  The key is finding the diet which works best for you.  Obesity increases your risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.  Obesity is an epidemic.  We need more diets like these to help people get their health back.

Dr. Kimberly Lee has been studying and guiding on health, fitness, and diet for over 15 years. She works as a nutrition expert consultant for several major companies.