Celebrities always look fabulous. Whether appearing in television or films or strutting down the red carpet during movie premiers and awards, they never cease to fascinate us with their larger than life presence. The truth is, it takes a lot of effort to look the way they do, and being the public figures that they are, they cannot afford to slack off when it comes to taking care of their physical appearances. Their livelihood largely depends on how they look. Aside from the clothes, the hair and the makeup, celebrities have to take good care of their bodies.
So it is no surprise that these stars have their own secrets when it comes to staying fit and gorgeous. Their health agenda can range from extreme workouts to well-planned meals. Who doesn't want to know their secrets in staying absolutely sexy? Here are some of the diet secrets of seven women celebrities.
1. Jennifer Aniston
The star of the phenomenal television show Friends not only mesmerized audiences with her adorable comic sense and her famous hairstyle, she was also known for having one of the sexiest bodies in Hollywood, as she appeared in countless magazine covers. To stay trim, Jennifer follows the 40:30:30 diet method. The diet consists of:
40% Low glycemic carbohydrates
-Foods such as beans, fruits and vegetables, legumes
30% lean proteins
-Tofu, fish, chicken, turkey, beef and low fat dairy products
30% essential fats
-nuts and seeds, fish and olive oils
It is essential that every meal should contain macronutrients to attain the balance of hormones and maximum weight loss.
2. Kate Hudson
The gorgeous daughter of actress Goldie Hawn gained 60 pounds during her pregnancy, which she needed to shed quickly before commencing on her next film. From her previous eating plan, she switched to a higher protein diet. She consumed high protein meals in smaller portions, and she combined this diet with an exercise program that includes weight training and cardiovascular workouts. After getting a lot of flak because of her post-pregnancy figure, Kate removed all that baby weight in only four months and has gained abdominal muscles that gained the envy of many in Hollywood.
3. Oprah Winfrey
As one of the most successful talk-show hosts in the world, there is no question that Oprah needs to maintain her physical appearance for her millions of audiences. Known as one of those celebrities who are constantly battling weight gain, she has recently toned up her figure and has never looked figure in age 50 by combining a regular exercise regime and diet plan. Oprah works out five days a week, spending 30 minutes on the threadmill and doing free weights. Her eating plan consists of legumes, fish, nuts, fruits and vegetables, chicken and dairy products that are lowfat. She limits her consumption of white sugar and flour. Oprah also credits her trim figure to her habit of not eating anything after seven in the evening.
4. Gwyneth Paltrow
A lot of people may find it hard to believe that the perpetually slim Academy award-winning actress actually needs to diet. Gwyneth actually follows a healthy eating plan that resembles Oprah's, avoiding sugar and white flour. She usually follows a macrobiotic diet, eating foods like vegetables, brown rice, and lean meat. She also eliminated dairy from her diet, and does yoga everyday.
5. Madonna
The pop star known as the Material Girl has always flaunted a body that is to die for, and has become a true fitness paragon over the years. She keeps herself in tip-top shape by having Ashtanga Yoga, and follows a strict diet that mostly shuns junk foods. She adopted a macrobiotic eating plan that includes organic foods rich in lean protein.
6. Claudia Schiffer
The bodacious German supermodel eats salad and steamed vegetables for dinner and eats only fruits before the afternoon. While on locations, she prefers to eat black grapes and drinks tomato juice and herbal tea.
7. Christie Brinkley
Long-time supermodel maintains her all-American good looks by being a vegetarian. She does not keep junk foods of any kind inside her home to make sure that she does not eat them when cravings occur. She snacks on sweet potatoes in place of candy bars, and she adopts a liquid juice diet when she needs to slim down fast.
Celebrities are just like ordinary people. They need to maintain their figures just like anyone else, and there is more pressure on their part since they are constantly in the public eye. Ordinary folks can have celebrity-like bodies, too, and by following these diet and fitness plans, they can also look like red-carpet worthy.
Showing posts with label Diet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Diet. Show all posts
Tuesday
"3 Day Diet"
The 3 Day Diet is a scheme that combines certain foods that are supposed to create a desired reaction in your digestive system and boost your metabolism for fat burning. The regimen must be followed precisely with exact portions for optimum "results." The plan does not mention or recommend exercise. The regimen lasts for three days, then repeated after two days off the diet.
The basics:
The 3 Day Diet must be eaten exactly as specified and dieters must not over-eat or under-eat otherwise you won't get your promised 10 pound weight loss.
Day 1
Breakfast
Coffee or tea (artificial sweetener optional)
1/2 grapefruit or fruit juice
1 piece of toast with 1 tablespoon peanut butter
Lunch
Coffee or tea
1/2 cup tuna
1 piece toast
Dinner
3 ounces lean meat or chicken
1 cup green beans
1 cup carrots
1 apple
1 cup vanilla ice cream
Day 2
Breakfast
Coffee or tea
1 egg
1/2 banana
1 piece toast
Lunch
1 cup cottage cheese or tuna
8 regular saltine crackers
Dinner
2 beef franks
1 cup broccoli
1/2 cup carrots
1/2 banana
1/2 cup regular ice cream
Day 3
Breakfast
Black coffee or tea
5 regular saltine crackers
1 ounce cheddar cheese
1 apple
Lunch
Black coffee or tea
1 boiled egg
1 piece toast
Dinner
1 cup tuna
1 cup carrots
1 cup cauliflower
1 cup melon
1/2 cup vanilla ice cream
4 cups of water or diet soda are to be consummed as well.
This is a classic low calorie starvation diet and water loss scheme which is going to lead to temporary weight loss. You will probably gain the weight back quick and end up adding some additional weight as is common in fad diets. The 3 Day Diet is no miracle and certainly no solution to your weight problems.
With so many weight loss options available, it's hard to know what to do. The reality of popular diet products and programs is that few work in the long term because they don't focus on the sustainable strategies of balanced nutrition, exercise and personal motivation. But don't be discouraged, there are good plans out there that can help you achieve your goals.
The basics:
The 3 Day Diet must be eaten exactly as specified and dieters must not over-eat or under-eat otherwise you won't get your promised 10 pound weight loss.
Day 1
Breakfast
Coffee or tea (artificial sweetener optional)
1/2 grapefruit or fruit juice
1 piece of toast with 1 tablespoon peanut butter
Lunch
Coffee or tea
1/2 cup tuna
1 piece toast
Dinner
3 ounces lean meat or chicken
1 cup green beans
1 cup carrots
1 apple
1 cup vanilla ice cream
Day 2
Breakfast
Coffee or tea
1 egg
1/2 banana
1 piece toast
Lunch
1 cup cottage cheese or tuna
8 regular saltine crackers
Dinner
2 beef franks
1 cup broccoli
1/2 cup carrots
1/2 banana
1/2 cup regular ice cream
Day 3
Breakfast
Black coffee or tea
5 regular saltine crackers
1 ounce cheddar cheese
1 apple
Lunch
Black coffee or tea
1 boiled egg
1 piece toast
Dinner
1 cup tuna
1 cup carrots
1 cup cauliflower
1 cup melon
1/2 cup vanilla ice cream
4 cups of water or diet soda are to be consummed as well.
This is a classic low calorie starvation diet and water loss scheme which is going to lead to temporary weight loss. You will probably gain the weight back quick and end up adding some additional weight as is common in fad diets. The 3 Day Diet is no miracle and certainly no solution to your weight problems.
With so many weight loss options available, it's hard to know what to do. The reality of popular diet products and programs is that few work in the long term because they don't focus on the sustainable strategies of balanced nutrition, exercise and personal motivation. But don't be discouraged, there are good plans out there that can help you achieve your goals.
The top 10 healthiest diets in America
If losing weight is at the top of your resolution list, you're not alone. An estimated 80 million Americans go on diets every year, spending more than $30 billion annually on programs and products.
Relax -- some diets are more about burning calories than counting calories.
Relax -- some diets are more about burning calories than counting calories.
That's a lot of money, a lot of advice, and a lot of emotional investment. So, which diets really work -- and work safely? To find the weight-loss programs with that golden balance of nutrition, calorie-control, motivation, and activity, Health harnessed a panel of experts to put more than 60 well-known diets to the test and narrow them down to the top 10. Here's the list:
• The Structure House Weight Loss Plan (Fireside)
Don't recognize this plan? That's because for more than 30 years its author, Gerard J. Musante, PhD, has been working quietly and very successfully running the actual Structure House, a Durham, North Carolina-based residential treatment center for obese adults. That's a lot of time spent with patients and a lot of attention paid to the broad factors that affect weight loss -- particularly the relationship people have with food.
But can an excellent residential program transfer to an effective at-home plan? The answer, according to our experts (meet them at right), is a resounding "yes," which is how this below-the-radar plan grabbed highest honors from its better-known rivals. iReport.com: Tell us about your New Year's resolutions
With top-shelf scores on every aspect of healthy weight-loss, Structure House won an "outstanding!" from obesity expert Tim Church, MD, on its exercise component (often a weak spot in diet programs). And several panelists raved about the plan's motivational components. "It focuses on the 'why' behind overeating," says registered dietitian Maureen Callahan, "and helps dieters learn to put their lives in balance."
Health Library
* MayoClinic.com: Keep the weight off permanently
* MayoClinic.com: Feel full on fewer calories
Health's Senior Food and Nutrition Editor Frances Largeman-Roth agrees: "This book takes a holistic approach to weight loss, asking you to fill your life with things other than food -- outdoor activities and time with friends and family, for instance. Plus, the recipes, such as Balsamic Dijon Chicken and Classic Pesto, won high marks for tastiness, another factor in long-term weight-loss success. Health.com: Lose weight on fast food--- really!
• The Step Diet (Workman Publishing)
We all know that walking 10,000 steps a day can really make a huge difference healthwise. But now we also know that the diet inspired by this fundamental, healthy approach to movement and activity is a big winner. And it even comes with a pedometer, a device that studies have shown can be a huge motivator for staying active and losing weight.
Our panelists agree that establishing a lifestyle regimen that combines intentional walking with spur-of-the-moment step-building (parking farther away, taking the stairs) is a healthy, all-ages, all-levels-of-fitness diet prescription. "This is more about calories burned than calories cut," Health's Frances Largeman-Roth says. Health.com: 5 tips to keep office snacking from derailing your diet
The nutritional approach of the Step Diet, devised by weight-control experts from the University of Colorado, is profoundly simple: Cut food intake to 75 percent of what you currently eat. "This plan is for people who like things simple," nutrition expert Christine Palumbo says. "Simply cut back on what you normally eat." With suggestions (not hard-core regimens) for making healthy meals and a food diary for building mindfulness, this plan can work well for dieters who like to have daily control and choices.
Our panelists also noted that the cut in calories combined with the steady increase in activity can lead to a safe, healthy rate of weight loss and a naturally active lifestyle. "This is a doable, concrete approach to adding daily physical activity and losing pounds," dietitian and fitness expert Samantha Heller says.
• Weight Watchers
It's a classic for a reason. It works.
And over the years, this gold-standard weight-loss program that harnesses the power of group support to help motivate dieters has kept up with science, not to mention changing lifestyles. For this aspect, Weight Watchers earned the highest motivational marks (including several perfect scores) from our panel of experts, who also lauded the plan's overall healthy weight-loss pace and exercise component.
Most noteworthy: Weight Watchers, while maintaining its meetings-based system, has added an online version for those dieters who, in the words of panelist Largeman-Roth, "aren't into group hugs." Health.com: Diet tricks the stars use to stay thin
What's more, dieters following the program can choose from two distinct weight-loss approaches. The first, Weight Watcher's famous points-based Flex Plan, which is packed with major education on making wise and healthy food choices, gets kudos for providing both motivation and a simple framework for success. The second, the Core Plan, focuses dieters on eating nutritious, satisfying foods--without counting calories.
The Weight Watchers program offers strategies that will work for every dieter. And the support specifically for men was a real bonus, as was the ability to get tasty, already-prepared (and points counted) meals at your local grocery store.
• The EatingWell Diet (The Countryman Press)
This new entry into the field in 2007 has built beautifully on the latest understanding of the broad approach necessary for effective weight loss. Author Jean Harvey-Berino, PhD, RD, developed the fundamentals of the EatingWell Diet at the University of Vermont, where she chairs the department of nutrition and food science. The focus on behavioral changes--including finding and facing eating triggers, eating and shopping mindfully, and cultivating regular, joyful exercise habits--combined with a 28-day mix-and-match menus gained the highest overall rankings on calorie-intake and weight-loss-rate criteria from our panelists. Health.com: Reviews of more than 40 popular diets
"Hallelujah," says registered dietitian Maureen Callahan. "Here's a diet plan that tells the truth about weight loss. Dieters lose about 21 pounds in six months, or about a pound a week. This kind of steady weight loss is the real thing, the kind that stays off." Another nifty extra: a Diet Food Diary that includes a calorie-count chart.
• The Volumetrics Eating Plan (Harper Collins)
Nutritionist Barbara Rolls, PhD, has tapped into a fundamental human quality: We like to feel full. This may sound obvious, but it's based, in fact, on extensive work Rolls has done as director of the Laboratory for the Study of Human Ingestive Behavior at Pennsylvania State University. Rolls says you'll eat better and lose weight if you focus on the energy density of foods. And her Volumetrics plan explains how low-density foods like fruits and vegetables, as well as soups and stews, fill you up without overloading you with calories.
This diet scored highest for its safe weight-loss-rate and nutritional components because it's "based on sound nutrition principles and overall healthy food choices," judge Samantha Heller says. And our panelists found the plan's 150-plus recipes appealing. Another plus, judge Christine Palumbo says, is Volumetric's creative approach of showing photos of low- and high-density foods side by side -- a simple way to help dieters visualize good choices.
Though exercise plays a secondary role in the Volumetrics plan, it is required. And a guide for logging 30 to 60 minutes of daily activity provides motivation. But Health's Frances Largeman-Roth wondered if some dieters would need more exercise challenges and support.
• The Best Life Diet (Simon & Schuster)
Bob Greene is forever linked with superstar (and dieter) Oprah Winfrey. And his high-profile guide, which offers a sane, healthy approach to overall lifestyle changes, earned consistently high marks from our experts. Roshini Rajapaksa, MD, who looked at the motivational elements of each diet, was impressed by the realistic goals embraced by the Best Life plan, as well as the weekly menus and recipes offered on its Web site (which also features message-board support groups, a good source of dieting motivation).
Best Life has three phases that each dieter is encouraged to embark upon at his or her own pace, a strategy that leads to slimming, nutritional eating and increased physical activity. Dietitian Christine Palumbo gave this staged approach a perfect 10: "For people who like to ease into lifestyle changes in order to get used to them oh-so-gradually," she says, "this is a good bet."
Greene doesn't advocate keeping strict track of calories, which may make the Best Life more challenging for rule-loving dieters, yet panelists applauded his holistic approach to healthy eating. "He's emphasizing healthy foods in reasonable portions," nutrition expert Maureen Callahan says.
"Dieters shouldn't feel deprived on this plan," Health's Frances Largeman-Roth says. "However, the fact that this diet doesn't have 'magic' foods or promise rapid results may make it less attractive to dieters looking for a silver bullet." And that may be its best recommendation of all.
• The Solution (Collins)
"This program excels at helping people figure out why they're overeating," Callahan says, "and that's what's going to keep the weight off." Squarely facing the emotional and behavioral underpinnings of overeating, dietitian Laurel Mellin's method is based on The Shapedown Program, a successful weight-management plan she created for overweight children and adolescents in the late 1970s. Mellin views obesity not so much in terms of diet and exercise but as another expression of the interaction of mind, body, and lifestyle. And The Solution, designed for dieters of all ages, targets five root causes of weight problems: unbalanced eating, low energy, body shame, setting ineffective limits, and weak self-nurturing skills.
The food aspects of this program center on four "light" lists--grains, proteins, milk foods, and fruit and vegetables. And Mellin's guidelines and food suggestions got high marks on healthy balance from our panelists. Largeman-Roth liked the variety of the plan, as well as its overall moderation. And Palumbo awarded it a hat-trick of perfect 10s in all nutritional aspects.
• You: On a Diet (Free Press)
"No wonder Dr. Oz is Oprah's favorite doctor!" Palumbo raves, hailing the friendly diet book that is the centerpiece of the "You" docs Mehmet C. Oz and Michael F. Roizen's mini-empire of healthy lifestyle guides and products (including a very interactive Web site). This diet, Palumbo adds, "teaches and motivates about weight (and waist) loss with a sense of good humor and fun."
Indeed, the book offers a lot of education amidst the menu plans, which include recipes for Stuffed Whole Wheat Pizza, Grilled Peanut Shrimp with Sesame Snow Peas, and Sweet Beet and Gorgonzola Salad. Panelist Samantha Heller praised its easy-to-understand nutrition information, while Dr. Rajapaksa gave points for its good explanations of how the body works. The weight-loss trajectory centers on cutting about 500 calories per day, and panelists liked the easy calculations that help readers figure out their own calorie needs.
Palumbo also credited the plan with adding to the healthy (but not terribly exciting) 30 minutes of daily walking some equally valuable recommendations of stretching, metabolism boosting, muscle building, and strength training. Added benefit: Illustrations show how to do the exercises sans a trip to the gym.
• The Sonoma Diet (Meredith Books)
There's an undercurrent of celebration in this best-selling diet that continues to inspire with delicious recipes using staples of Mediterranean eating: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, fish, and nuts.
Dietitian and PhD Connie Guttersen's plan opens with a strident 10-day jump-start phase called "Wave One," designed to purge habits of eating sugar and highly processed foods, which judges Maureen Callahan and Samantha Heller caution may be a little too calorie-restrictive for some beginning dieters. But subsequent phases--active weight loss and maintenance--garnered high marks from our panel. Exercise is encouraged but not actively prescribed, a missed opportunity in the minds of several judges.
Overall, our panelists loved the creative recipes and menus. And they applauded the plate-and-bowl approach to portion control, a hallmark of long-term, sustainable eating habits. "This diet teaches you to eat slowly and savor your meals," judge Palumbo says.
• The Spectrum (Ballantine)
Famous in the 1990s for advocating a program to combat heart disease, Dr. Dean Ornish, MD, has been criticized for prescribing nutritional edicts that are just too hard to sustain. The Spectrum, Ornish's newest diet, both broadens and softens his program by moving along four separate paths to health--nutrition, exercise, stress management, and personal relationships.
Our panelists liked the plan's holistic approach, particularly rewarding its counsel on reducing stress and giving it high marks for including a meditation DVD with the book. And our nutrition judges were glad to see that Ornish has tempered his tough stance on fats to a more sustainable level, but one panelist feels he's still too strict. "There's no reason not to eat nuts, seeds, and avocados; use maple syrup and honey; or have a glass of wine, periodically," panelist Heller says. She notes, though, that Ornish's whole-body approach, which includes a vegetarian lifestyle, stress management, and exercise, is on target in terms of health, disease prevention, and reaching a healthy weight.
Judge Palumbo awarded Ornish's plan some of her highest scores. "This 'diet' plan addresses the lifestyle diseases of the 21st century," she says, "such as diabetes, certain cancers, and cardiovascular disease. This book is ideal for people who are looking for an intelligent, thoughtful, science-based weight-loss program."
Relax -- some diets are more about burning calories than counting calories.
Relax -- some diets are more about burning calories than counting calories.
That's a lot of money, a lot of advice, and a lot of emotional investment. So, which diets really work -- and work safely? To find the weight-loss programs with that golden balance of nutrition, calorie-control, motivation, and activity, Health harnessed a panel of experts to put more than 60 well-known diets to the test and narrow them down to the top 10. Here's the list:
• The Structure House Weight Loss Plan (Fireside)
Don't recognize this plan? That's because for more than 30 years its author, Gerard J. Musante, PhD, has been working quietly and very successfully running the actual Structure House, a Durham, North Carolina-based residential treatment center for obese adults. That's a lot of time spent with patients and a lot of attention paid to the broad factors that affect weight loss -- particularly the relationship people have with food.
But can an excellent residential program transfer to an effective at-home plan? The answer, according to our experts (meet them at right), is a resounding "yes," which is how this below-the-radar plan grabbed highest honors from its better-known rivals. iReport.com: Tell us about your New Year's resolutions
With top-shelf scores on every aspect of healthy weight-loss, Structure House won an "outstanding!" from obesity expert Tim Church, MD, on its exercise component (often a weak spot in diet programs). And several panelists raved about the plan's motivational components. "It focuses on the 'why' behind overeating," says registered dietitian Maureen Callahan, "and helps dieters learn to put their lives in balance."
Health Library
* MayoClinic.com: Keep the weight off permanently
* MayoClinic.com: Feel full on fewer calories
Health's Senior Food and Nutrition Editor Frances Largeman-Roth agrees: "This book takes a holistic approach to weight loss, asking you to fill your life with things other than food -- outdoor activities and time with friends and family, for instance. Plus, the recipes, such as Balsamic Dijon Chicken and Classic Pesto, won high marks for tastiness, another factor in long-term weight-loss success. Health.com: Lose weight on fast food--- really!
• The Step Diet (Workman Publishing)
We all know that walking 10,000 steps a day can really make a huge difference healthwise. But now we also know that the diet inspired by this fundamental, healthy approach to movement and activity is a big winner. And it even comes with a pedometer, a device that studies have shown can be a huge motivator for staying active and losing weight.
Our panelists agree that establishing a lifestyle regimen that combines intentional walking with spur-of-the-moment step-building (parking farther away, taking the stairs) is a healthy, all-ages, all-levels-of-fitness diet prescription. "This is more about calories burned than calories cut," Health's Frances Largeman-Roth says. Health.com: 5 tips to keep office snacking from derailing your diet
The nutritional approach of the Step Diet, devised by weight-control experts from the University of Colorado, is profoundly simple: Cut food intake to 75 percent of what you currently eat. "This plan is for people who like things simple," nutrition expert Christine Palumbo says. "Simply cut back on what you normally eat." With suggestions (not hard-core regimens) for making healthy meals and a food diary for building mindfulness, this plan can work well for dieters who like to have daily control and choices.
Our panelists also noted that the cut in calories combined with the steady increase in activity can lead to a safe, healthy rate of weight loss and a naturally active lifestyle. "This is a doable, concrete approach to adding daily physical activity and losing pounds," dietitian and fitness expert Samantha Heller says.
• Weight Watchers
It's a classic for a reason. It works.
And over the years, this gold-standard weight-loss program that harnesses the power of group support to help motivate dieters has kept up with science, not to mention changing lifestyles. For this aspect, Weight Watchers earned the highest motivational marks (including several perfect scores) from our panel of experts, who also lauded the plan's overall healthy weight-loss pace and exercise component.
Most noteworthy: Weight Watchers, while maintaining its meetings-based system, has added an online version for those dieters who, in the words of panelist Largeman-Roth, "aren't into group hugs." Health.com: Diet tricks the stars use to stay thin
What's more, dieters following the program can choose from two distinct weight-loss approaches. The first, Weight Watcher's famous points-based Flex Plan, which is packed with major education on making wise and healthy food choices, gets kudos for providing both motivation and a simple framework for success. The second, the Core Plan, focuses dieters on eating nutritious, satisfying foods--without counting calories.
The Weight Watchers program offers strategies that will work for every dieter. And the support specifically for men was a real bonus, as was the ability to get tasty, already-prepared (and points counted) meals at your local grocery store.
• The EatingWell Diet (The Countryman Press)
This new entry into the field in 2007 has built beautifully on the latest understanding of the broad approach necessary for effective weight loss. Author Jean Harvey-Berino, PhD, RD, developed the fundamentals of the EatingWell Diet at the University of Vermont, where she chairs the department of nutrition and food science. The focus on behavioral changes--including finding and facing eating triggers, eating and shopping mindfully, and cultivating regular, joyful exercise habits--combined with a 28-day mix-and-match menus gained the highest overall rankings on calorie-intake and weight-loss-rate criteria from our panelists. Health.com: Reviews of more than 40 popular diets
"Hallelujah," says registered dietitian Maureen Callahan. "Here's a diet plan that tells the truth about weight loss. Dieters lose about 21 pounds in six months, or about a pound a week. This kind of steady weight loss is the real thing, the kind that stays off." Another nifty extra: a Diet Food Diary that includes a calorie-count chart.
• The Volumetrics Eating Plan (Harper Collins)
Nutritionist Barbara Rolls, PhD, has tapped into a fundamental human quality: We like to feel full. This may sound obvious, but it's based, in fact, on extensive work Rolls has done as director of the Laboratory for the Study of Human Ingestive Behavior at Pennsylvania State University. Rolls says you'll eat better and lose weight if you focus on the energy density of foods. And her Volumetrics plan explains how low-density foods like fruits and vegetables, as well as soups and stews, fill you up without overloading you with calories.
This diet scored highest for its safe weight-loss-rate and nutritional components because it's "based on sound nutrition principles and overall healthy food choices," judge Samantha Heller says. And our panelists found the plan's 150-plus recipes appealing. Another plus, judge Christine Palumbo says, is Volumetric's creative approach of showing photos of low- and high-density foods side by side -- a simple way to help dieters visualize good choices.
Though exercise plays a secondary role in the Volumetrics plan, it is required. And a guide for logging 30 to 60 minutes of daily activity provides motivation. But Health's Frances Largeman-Roth wondered if some dieters would need more exercise challenges and support.
• The Best Life Diet (Simon & Schuster)
Bob Greene is forever linked with superstar (and dieter) Oprah Winfrey. And his high-profile guide, which offers a sane, healthy approach to overall lifestyle changes, earned consistently high marks from our experts. Roshini Rajapaksa, MD, who looked at the motivational elements of each diet, was impressed by the realistic goals embraced by the Best Life plan, as well as the weekly menus and recipes offered on its Web site (which also features message-board support groups, a good source of dieting motivation).
Best Life has three phases that each dieter is encouraged to embark upon at his or her own pace, a strategy that leads to slimming, nutritional eating and increased physical activity. Dietitian Christine Palumbo gave this staged approach a perfect 10: "For people who like to ease into lifestyle changes in order to get used to them oh-so-gradually," she says, "this is a good bet."
Greene doesn't advocate keeping strict track of calories, which may make the Best Life more challenging for rule-loving dieters, yet panelists applauded his holistic approach to healthy eating. "He's emphasizing healthy foods in reasonable portions," nutrition expert Maureen Callahan says.
"Dieters shouldn't feel deprived on this plan," Health's Frances Largeman-Roth says. "However, the fact that this diet doesn't have 'magic' foods or promise rapid results may make it less attractive to dieters looking for a silver bullet." And that may be its best recommendation of all.
• The Solution (Collins)
"This program excels at helping people figure out why they're overeating," Callahan says, "and that's what's going to keep the weight off." Squarely facing the emotional and behavioral underpinnings of overeating, dietitian Laurel Mellin's method is based on The Shapedown Program, a successful weight-management plan she created for overweight children and adolescents in the late 1970s. Mellin views obesity not so much in terms of diet and exercise but as another expression of the interaction of mind, body, and lifestyle. And The Solution, designed for dieters of all ages, targets five root causes of weight problems: unbalanced eating, low energy, body shame, setting ineffective limits, and weak self-nurturing skills.
The food aspects of this program center on four "light" lists--grains, proteins, milk foods, and fruit and vegetables. And Mellin's guidelines and food suggestions got high marks on healthy balance from our panelists. Largeman-Roth liked the variety of the plan, as well as its overall moderation. And Palumbo awarded it a hat-trick of perfect 10s in all nutritional aspects.
• You: On a Diet (Free Press)
"No wonder Dr. Oz is Oprah's favorite doctor!" Palumbo raves, hailing the friendly diet book that is the centerpiece of the "You" docs Mehmet C. Oz and Michael F. Roizen's mini-empire of healthy lifestyle guides and products (including a very interactive Web site). This diet, Palumbo adds, "teaches and motivates about weight (and waist) loss with a sense of good humor and fun."
Indeed, the book offers a lot of education amidst the menu plans, which include recipes for Stuffed Whole Wheat Pizza, Grilled Peanut Shrimp with Sesame Snow Peas, and Sweet Beet and Gorgonzola Salad. Panelist Samantha Heller praised its easy-to-understand nutrition information, while Dr. Rajapaksa gave points for its good explanations of how the body works. The weight-loss trajectory centers on cutting about 500 calories per day, and panelists liked the easy calculations that help readers figure out their own calorie needs.
Palumbo also credited the plan with adding to the healthy (but not terribly exciting) 30 minutes of daily walking some equally valuable recommendations of stretching, metabolism boosting, muscle building, and strength training. Added benefit: Illustrations show how to do the exercises sans a trip to the gym.
• The Sonoma Diet (Meredith Books)
There's an undercurrent of celebration in this best-selling diet that continues to inspire with delicious recipes using staples of Mediterranean eating: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, fish, and nuts.
Dietitian and PhD Connie Guttersen's plan opens with a strident 10-day jump-start phase called "Wave One," designed to purge habits of eating sugar and highly processed foods, which judges Maureen Callahan and Samantha Heller caution may be a little too calorie-restrictive for some beginning dieters. But subsequent phases--active weight loss and maintenance--garnered high marks from our panel. Exercise is encouraged but not actively prescribed, a missed opportunity in the minds of several judges.
Overall, our panelists loved the creative recipes and menus. And they applauded the plate-and-bowl approach to portion control, a hallmark of long-term, sustainable eating habits. "This diet teaches you to eat slowly and savor your meals," judge Palumbo says.
• The Spectrum (Ballantine)
Famous in the 1990s for advocating a program to combat heart disease, Dr. Dean Ornish, MD, has been criticized for prescribing nutritional edicts that are just too hard to sustain. The Spectrum, Ornish's newest diet, both broadens and softens his program by moving along four separate paths to health--nutrition, exercise, stress management, and personal relationships.
Our panelists liked the plan's holistic approach, particularly rewarding its counsel on reducing stress and giving it high marks for including a meditation DVD with the book. And our nutrition judges were glad to see that Ornish has tempered his tough stance on fats to a more sustainable level, but one panelist feels he's still too strict. "There's no reason not to eat nuts, seeds, and avocados; use maple syrup and honey; or have a glass of wine, periodically," panelist Heller says. She notes, though, that Ornish's whole-body approach, which includes a vegetarian lifestyle, stress management, and exercise, is on target in terms of health, disease prevention, and reaching a healthy weight.
Judge Palumbo awarded Ornish's plan some of her highest scores. "This 'diet' plan addresses the lifestyle diseases of the 21st century," she says, "such as diabetes, certain cancers, and cardiovascular disease. This book is ideal for people who are looking for an intelligent, thoughtful, science-based weight-loss program."
Wednesday
Diet rich in beans, nuts better for blood sugar control: study
People with Type 2 diabetes who eat a diet rich in nuts, beans and lentils lower their risk of medical complications and achieve better control of blood sugar levels
In Wednesday's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr. David Jenkins of St. Michael's Hospital and the University of Toronto and his colleagues report that people who were randomly assigned to follow a so-called low-glycemic-index diet for six months showed lower blood glucose levels and higher healthy cholesterol levels than those who ate a diet rich in cereals.
The research attempts to resolve the question of the best way for people with Type 2 diabetes to avoid dangerously large, quick spikes in blood sugar. One theory has been that a diet with a low glycemic index - that is, foods that are digested more slowly and release sugar into the bloodstream more slowly - would be better for blood-sugar levels.
In the St. Michael's study, roughly half the 210 participants were fed such a diet, which included includes beans, peas, lentils and nuts, as well as pasta, rice boiled briefly, large-flake oatmeal, oat bran and pumpernickel, rye, pita, quinoa and flaxseed breads.
A second group was fed a high-cereal diet that included whole-grain breads and cereals, brown rice, potatoes with skins and whole-wheat bread and crackers. The high-cereal diet did not contain nuts, beans or lentils, which are among the foods with the lowest glycemic indexes.
Both groups were encouraged to eat three servings of fruit and five servings of vegetables. Nearly 83 per cent of all participants were overweight and their average age was 60. All participants were treated with at least one medication to lower their high blood sugar levels, but they did not take insulin injections.
The researchers found that hemoglobin A1c - a measure of blood glucose levels - decreased by 0.5 per cent on average in the low-glycemic index diet, and they speculate that such a reduction corresponds to a 10 per cent to 12 per cent drop in cardiovascular complications among diabetics. By comparison, those on the high-cereal fibre diet experienced an average 0.18 per cent fall in hemoglobin A1c, known as HbA1c.
"Diet may play a role in controlling both blood glucose and cardiovascular risk factors at the same time," Jenkins said.
"Healthy" or HDL cholesterol levels were also raised in the low-glycemic-index diet by an average 1.7 milligrams per decilitre of blood, but they decreased by 0.2 mg/dL in the high-cereal diet, the researchers found.
"These data have important implications for the treatment of diabetes where the goal has been tight glycemic control to avoid complications. The reduction in HbA1c was modest, but we think it has clinical relevance," the study's authors write.
The researchers suggest that people with Type 2 diabetes consider following a low-glycemic-index diet to keep the disease in check - especially since drugs have often failed to show a significant reduction in the higher rates of heart attacks and strokes seen among diabetics.
"So I think what this does," said Jenkins, "is this now gives another tool ... for getting the blood glucose levels down, which is tremendously important to stop diabetics from going blind, losing their kidneys and succumbing to other problems."
About 60,000 new cases of Type 2 diabetes are diagnosed each year in Canada.
In Wednesday's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr. David Jenkins of St. Michael's Hospital and the University of Toronto and his colleagues report that people who were randomly assigned to follow a so-called low-glycemic-index diet for six months showed lower blood glucose levels and higher healthy cholesterol levels than those who ate a diet rich in cereals.
The research attempts to resolve the question of the best way for people with Type 2 diabetes to avoid dangerously large, quick spikes in blood sugar. One theory has been that a diet with a low glycemic index - that is, foods that are digested more slowly and release sugar into the bloodstream more slowly - would be better for blood-sugar levels.
In the St. Michael's study, roughly half the 210 participants were fed such a diet, which included includes beans, peas, lentils and nuts, as well as pasta, rice boiled briefly, large-flake oatmeal, oat bran and pumpernickel, rye, pita, quinoa and flaxseed breads.
A second group was fed a high-cereal diet that included whole-grain breads and cereals, brown rice, potatoes with skins and whole-wheat bread and crackers. The high-cereal diet did not contain nuts, beans or lentils, which are among the foods with the lowest glycemic indexes.
Both groups were encouraged to eat three servings of fruit and five servings of vegetables. Nearly 83 per cent of all participants were overweight and their average age was 60. All participants were treated with at least one medication to lower their high blood sugar levels, but they did not take insulin injections.
The researchers found that hemoglobin A1c - a measure of blood glucose levels - decreased by 0.5 per cent on average in the low-glycemic index diet, and they speculate that such a reduction corresponds to a 10 per cent to 12 per cent drop in cardiovascular complications among diabetics. By comparison, those on the high-cereal fibre diet experienced an average 0.18 per cent fall in hemoglobin A1c, known as HbA1c.
"Diet may play a role in controlling both blood glucose and cardiovascular risk factors at the same time," Jenkins said.
"Healthy" or HDL cholesterol levels were also raised in the low-glycemic-index diet by an average 1.7 milligrams per decilitre of blood, but they decreased by 0.2 mg/dL in the high-cereal diet, the researchers found.
"These data have important implications for the treatment of diabetes where the goal has been tight glycemic control to avoid complications. The reduction in HbA1c was modest, but we think it has clinical relevance," the study's authors write.
The researchers suggest that people with Type 2 diabetes consider following a low-glycemic-index diet to keep the disease in check - especially since drugs have often failed to show a significant reduction in the higher rates of heart attacks and strokes seen among diabetics.
"So I think what this does," said Jenkins, "is this now gives another tool ... for getting the blood glucose levels down, which is tremendously important to stop diabetics from going blind, losing their kidneys and succumbing to other problems."
About 60,000 new cases of Type 2 diabetes are diagnosed each year in Canada.
Eggs safe for heart, promote weight loss
In a recent study, eating two eggs for breakfast, as part of a reduced-calorie diet, helped overweight or obese adults lose 65 percent more weight and reduce their body mass index (BMIs) by 61 percent...
If you 're really fond of eggs, then you need not worry about relishing one too many. An egg a day's contribution to the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in healthy adults is just one percent, according to a new study funded by an industry body.
Poor diet, smoking, obesity and physical inactivity contribute a whopping 30-40 percent to heart disease risk, depending on gender.
The study, funded by the Egg Nutrition Centre and published online in Risk Analysis, substantiates decades of research challenging the myth that the cholesterol in eggs is linked to increased heart disease risk.
This study adds to more than 30 years of research showing that healthy adults can eat eggs without significantly affecting their risk of heart disease.
Moreover, the study authors noted that their analysis did not adjust for the health promoting benefits of eggs which may, in fact, decrease heart disease risk.
For example, research has found that overweight men who eat eggs while on a carbohydrate-restricted diet have a significant increase in their HDL levels ("good" cholesterol) compared to men who do not eat eggs.
In a recent study, eating two eggs for breakfast, as part of a reduced-calorie diet, helped overweight or obese adults lose 65 percent more weight and reduce their body mass index (BMIs) by 61 percent more than those eating a bagel breakfast of equal calories.
The study evaluated the risk of heart disease associated with egg consumption, compared to modifiable lifestyle risk factors like smoking, poor diet, being overweight or obese, and physical inactivity.
The authors used data from the 1999-2000 and 2001-2001 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) to categorise the US adult population into various groups based on modifiable lifestyle risks.
These populations account for 85 percent of all US males aged 25 and older and 86 percent of US females ages 25 and older.
The study found that the consumption of one egg per day contributes less than one percent of heart disease risk. Unavoidable risk factors like genetics and treatable risk factors like hypertension and diabetes accounted for 60 to 70 percent.
According to the authors, the NHANES data show that very few Americans are leading lifestyles that may reduce the risk of heart disease: only three percent males and six percent of females have none of the modifiable lifestyle risk factors that were investigated.
In addition, the study found no significant differences between the HDL and LDL cholesterol levels of the egg and bagel eaters.
Eggs are an excellent source of choline. A 2008 study concluded that a diet rich in choline and betaine, a nutrient related to choline, is associated with lower concentrations of homocysteine in the blood.
High blood levels of homocysteine are indicative of chronic inflammation, which has been associated with cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's and dementia.
Eggs offer a number of beneficial nutrients. One egg has 13 essential vitamins and minerals and is an excellent source of choline and selenium and a good source of high-quality protein, vitamin B12, phosphorus and riboflavin.
Besides providing one of the most affordable sources of all-natural, high-quality protein, eggs provide a valuable source of energy and help maintain and build the muscle tissue needed for strength.
If you 're really fond of eggs, then you need not worry about relishing one too many. An egg a day's contribution to the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in healthy adults is just one percent, according to a new study funded by an industry body.
Poor diet, smoking, obesity and physical inactivity contribute a whopping 30-40 percent to heart disease risk, depending on gender.
The study, funded by the Egg Nutrition Centre and published online in Risk Analysis, substantiates decades of research challenging the myth that the cholesterol in eggs is linked to increased heart disease risk.
This study adds to more than 30 years of research showing that healthy adults can eat eggs without significantly affecting their risk of heart disease.
Moreover, the study authors noted that their analysis did not adjust for the health promoting benefits of eggs which may, in fact, decrease heart disease risk.
For example, research has found that overweight men who eat eggs while on a carbohydrate-restricted diet have a significant increase in their HDL levels ("good" cholesterol) compared to men who do not eat eggs.
In a recent study, eating two eggs for breakfast, as part of a reduced-calorie diet, helped overweight or obese adults lose 65 percent more weight and reduce their body mass index (BMIs) by 61 percent more than those eating a bagel breakfast of equal calories.
The study evaluated the risk of heart disease associated with egg consumption, compared to modifiable lifestyle risk factors like smoking, poor diet, being overweight or obese, and physical inactivity.
The authors used data from the 1999-2000 and 2001-2001 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) to categorise the US adult population into various groups based on modifiable lifestyle risks.
These populations account for 85 percent of all US males aged 25 and older and 86 percent of US females ages 25 and older.
The study found that the consumption of one egg per day contributes less than one percent of heart disease risk. Unavoidable risk factors like genetics and treatable risk factors like hypertension and diabetes accounted for 60 to 70 percent.
According to the authors, the NHANES data show that very few Americans are leading lifestyles that may reduce the risk of heart disease: only three percent males and six percent of females have none of the modifiable lifestyle risk factors that were investigated.
In addition, the study found no significant differences between the HDL and LDL cholesterol levels of the egg and bagel eaters.
Eggs are an excellent source of choline. A 2008 study concluded that a diet rich in choline and betaine, a nutrient related to choline, is associated with lower concentrations of homocysteine in the blood.
High blood levels of homocysteine are indicative of chronic inflammation, which has been associated with cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's and dementia.
Eggs offer a number of beneficial nutrients. One egg has 13 essential vitamins and minerals and is an excellent source of choline and selenium and a good source of high-quality protein, vitamin B12, phosphorus and riboflavin.
Besides providing one of the most affordable sources of all-natural, high-quality protein, eggs provide a valuable source of energy and help maintain and build the muscle tissue needed for strength.
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