Hi, I've been searching on diets to lose weight and I saw this one - the Eat to Live diet. Here are the details I've found online. Do you guys think this diet is sound and is it suitable for me? I'm 170cm and 89kg. Probably 25-30% bodyfat.
Background
Some of the most renowned New York doctors rely on the nutritional guidance of Dr.Joel Fuhrman whenever they have a patient whose life depends on losing weight fast.
Fuhrman claims that dieters who have tried other diets and failed to lose weight will achieve success on his plan with promises of weight losses of up to 20 pounds within six weeks.
Diet Basics
The basic concept is centered on the idea of nutrient density that is expressed by the formula Health=Nutrients/Calories. Fuhrman says that our health is directly related to this ratio.
In his book Fuhrman provides an aggressive six-week vegetarian plan for dieters who want to lose weight quickly as well as a more moderate plan that allows the intake of limited amounts of animal products.
If dieters feel they must have some animal products on the plan they are permitted to have one serve of lean fish such as flounder, sole or tilapia once per week and one egg white omelet per week.
There is no requirement to count calories or portions however it would be very difficult for dieters to achieve a high calorie intake so long as they follow the recommended guidelines.
Recommended Foods
- Raw vegetables in unlimited amounts. Fuhrman advises dieters to regard salads as the main dish.
- Cooked green vegetables, eggplants, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes.
Dieters are advised to aim for an intake of at least 1 pound of raw vegetables and one pound of steamed vegetables daily.
- Beans, bean sprouts and tofu – 1 cup daily at least and more if desired
- Fruits – at least 4 serves daily
- Starchy vegetables such as potatoes and corn as well as whole grains are limited to one cup daily.
- Raw nuts – 1 oz maximum per day
- Avocado – 2 oz maximum per day
- Ground flax seed – 1 tablespoon per day
When oils are included in meal plans the maximum amount recommended is one teaspoon per day.
All refined carbohydrates are to be avoided including bread, pasta, white rice, fruit juice and sugar.
Sample Diet
Vegetarian Meal Plan (for aggressive weight loss)
Breakfast
Baked apple with raisins and cinnamon |
Lunch
Whole-wheat pita bread stuffed with hummus and salad
Fresh fruit |
Dinner
Mixed baby greens with peppercorn dressing
Broccoli and red pepper soup
1 slice seven-grain bread
Corn on the cob with veggie based seasoning |
Non-vegetarian meal plan (for moderate weight loss)
Breakfast
2 cups cooked oatmeal with
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
1 banana
1 oz raisins
1/2 cup soy milk or skim milk |
Lunch
Green salad with balsamic vinegar and 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup chickpeas
Vegetable soup
Fresh fruit |
DinnerSalad with orange and lemon juiceStir fried vegetables with chicken and tofuSteamed string beans with onions and mushrooms
Exercise
Fuhrman advocates the importance of exercise however if the ability to be active is limited due to health issues then his aggressive menu plans will still allow dieters to lose weight without exercise. Regardless he does also state that almost anyone can exercise and even if dieters are unable to walk it is still possible to do light arm weight exercises or use an arm cycle.
Conclusions
Dr. Fuhrman’s diet plan is very extreme however it is well supported by scientific research particularly in regard to its potential benefit for dieters with high cholesterol, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
It is however important to be aware that not everyone responds favorably to this approach and some dieters achieve more beneficial results when they include larger amounts of healthy fats and protein in the diet.
