THE 200 POINT SYSTEM

With so many different diets available, how are we to know what works and what is safe? The only way to be sure is to discover the author's background and the research behind the diet's methodology. Every good diet should give a background about the author and his/her credentials and experience in the fields of nutrition and biochemistry. However, even a vast resume does not mean a credible and safe diet. But it does suggest, at least, that the author has some knowledge of nutrition. Providing research behind the diet proves that the diet is not something the author invented, so long as the research is not self-serving and altered to fit a hypothesis.

Some diets may not need a great deal of tests and studies behind them, simply because they are based on fundamentals. For example, many women's magazines have articles on dieting and weight loss, but they are common sense suggestions that most people concerned about weight should know already: "Eat smaller meals", "cut down on sugar and fat", etc., are typical philosophies. More structured diets should give some scientific reasons for its suggested success, preferably case studies and research performed on everyday test subjects, as well as athletes.

Since we have established the importance of eating a balanced diet in accordance to selecting healthy foods and obtaining RDA minimums, it is possible now to rate the diets in accordance to those specific criteria. Begin with a score of 200 and subtract 10 points from the total for each statement below in which the diet concedes. An ideal diet should maintain a score of 200, but a score of 160 or greater is acceptable.

1. The diet does not include the food groups in adequate amounts. Some fad diets eliminate one or more of the food groups. Do not deduct 10 points if a food group’s nutrients (e.g., carbs, proteins, fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals) are adequately substituted with that of another food group.

2. The diet does not provide at least 45% of its calories from carbohydrate sources. In order to prevent ketosis, at least 150g of glucose/day is required. That’s 33-50% of total calorie intake on a 1200-calorie diet. Keep in mind that is the minimum. For highly active individuals, that amount should increase to 60% at times, i.e., immediately after exercise.

3. The carbohydrate content exceeds 20% concentrated sugars. At least 80% of carbohydrate sources should be complex, and preferably in the form of vegetables, seeds, and legumes.

4. The protein content exceeds 30%. A very high protein intake is unnecessary, it places additional strain on the urinary system, and it is a poor source of energy. Thirty percent is more than adequate, even for growing children and teenagers. The only group that requires higher protein intake are those who recently suffered a severe injury (e.g., leg amputation), infection, or surgery. However, these individuals will be under the care of a physician with a special high protein diet.

5. Protein content accounts for 15% or less of total calories. Although unnecessary in large amounts, protein still has many vital functions, including tissue repair and the formation of enzymes.

6. Fats exceed 30% of total intake. Besides increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, high fat diets have not been demonstrated to decrease weight better than other methods of ‘proper’ eating.

7. Total fat consumption is less than 15% of total calories. Fat in moderate amounts is essential for a healthy diet, and such a diet provides taste to many foods. Fat intake below 15% for long periods, for most individuals, is unrealistic. Fat intake that is too low can also be detrimental to children and teenagers who require ample kcalories for continued growth.

8. Total fat consumption is less than 25% essential fatty acids, and saturated fat is more than 30% of total fat consumption. Deduct 10 for each.

9. The diet does not suggest common foods, meaning foods you should be able to obtain at any grocery store or market.

10. The foods for the diet are expensive or monotonous. Some diets require the purchase of ‘their’ foods or expensive ‘organic’ foods only obtained through health food stores. Some foods taste so bad they are difficult to tolerate repeatedly (e.g., seaweed). Deduct 10 for each.

11. The diet consists of an inflexible meal plan. The diet does not allow for substitutions or deviations, requiring a person to live under ‘house arrest’ with the same food selections every day.

12. The diet provides less than 1200 kcalories per day. Less than that and the body's basic functions may not be getting the energy, vitamins and minerals needed to work properly, and the dieter almost is certain to feel hungry all the time. Diets below 1200 kcalories should be reserved for those under the supervision of a dietitian or licensed physician.

13. The diet requires the use of supplements. If the diet provides adequate energy and it is well balanced, supplements are unnecessary. ‘Fat accelerators,’ such as ephedrine, may increase the rate of weight loss, but the diet should be able to stand on its own merit. Some diet clinics promote a vast array of herbal preparations and fat accelerators, and this is where these clinics make their money – not in their knowledge and ability as nutritionists.

14. The diet does not recommend a realistic weight goal. Diets should not be promoting the body of a Greek god or a supermodel. They should not be suggesting that a person lose 100 pounds (even if 100 pounds overweight). Nor should diets recommend weight loss below an ideal weight.

15. The diet recommends or promotes more than 1-2 lbs/week weight loss. Do not expect to lose more than 1-2 pounds of fat a week – it is physically impossible unless chronically obese, at which point 3 pounds may be possible. If more than two pounds is lost per week, the body change is due to a loss of water and/or muscle tissue. Gimmicks that promise 10 pounds in 2 weeks are either simply not true or else something other than fat is being lost. Also keep in mind that the more fat a person wishes to lose, and the less a person has, the more difficult and slower it will be to lose additional fat.

16. The diet does not include an evaluation of food habits. Dieting should be a slow process by which a person changes normal eating habits. It should not include looking for quick fixes and quick plans promising short cuts and extreme changes – a person would never stay with these programs and such diets do not work long-term. The number of kcalories eaten, and the food selections and their amounts, should be reevaluated on a regular basis… perhaps once every 1-2 months to determine the program’s effectiveness.

17. Regular exercise is not recommended as part of the plan for proper weight loss. Weight loss occurs twice as fast with exercise, and without exercise there is a greater tendency to lose lean muscle tissue as well as fat. This is not ideal.

OVERVIEW OF VARIOUS DIETS

Low Carbohydrate Diets: Ketosis occurs, and this presents the same problems as fasting. Once glycogen stores are spent (which happens quickly with athletes and those who exercise regularly), glucose must be made from protein sources, and there is greater wear on the kidneys as a result. Even on a high protein diet, some protein will be taken from body tissues in order to produce enough energy for the nervous system and regular activity. The onset of ketosis is an indication that this process has begun and it is not a positive aspect, regardless of what pro-high-fat authorities indicate.

Great weight loss on a low-carb diet is evident because of the fact that carbs hold water in the muscles at a ratio of 1:3. As carb intake decreases then so, too, does water retention. Much water flushes as a result of lack of glycogen to hold water molecules. Moreover, by increasing protein intake, excess nitrogen flushes with even more water since the kidneys use water to dilute the concentration of nitrogen. Once leaving a low-carb diet and the muscles refill with glycogen, fluid concentrations increase and the dieter regains some of the weight.

Low calorie diets of 400-600 kcalories that consist primarily of protein have the same problems as fasting and low-carbohydrate diets: proteins are used for energy and weight loss comes largely from water. Low-cal diets must be supervised properly by a medical professional and only as a last resort for those who cannot seem to lose weight by other methods. However, even those individuals tend to regain most of their weight back once they return to a balanced diet.

Beverly Hills Diet – a diet consisting of grapefruit, eggs, rice, and kelp; it is deficient in minerals and vitamins.

Cambridge Diet – a very low kcalorie (300-600 kcal/day); protein/carb mixture with mineral imbalances; the dieter is close to fasting.

Complete Scarsdale Diet – this diet is unbalanced nutritionally; some days are calorically restricted; the dieter alters portions of carbohydrate, protein, and fat; the diet consists of low carbs (20-50 g/day), and high fat and protein; the diet has a high meat (saturated fat and cholesterol) content.

Dr. Atkin’s Diet Revolution – this diet is unbalanced nutritionally; some days are calorically restricted; the dieter alters portions of carbohydrate, protein, and fat; carbs are very low (20-50 g/day), whereas fat and protein are high; there is high meat (saturated fat and cholesterol) consumption.

Dr. Linn’s Last Chance Diet – this diet has a very low kcalorie intake (300-600 kcal/day); it consists of a protein/carb mixture with a mineral imbalance; the dieter is close to fasting.

Dr. Reuben’s The Save Your Life Diet – this is a calorically dilute diet consisting of high fiber (30-35g/day); the diet is low in fat and animal products; there is poor absorption of minerals because of too much high fiber.

"Fake" Mayo Diet – this diet consists of grapefruits, eggs, rice, and kelp; it is deficient in minerals and vitamins.

F-Plan Diet – this is a calorically dilute diet consisting of high fiber (30-35g/day); it is low in fat and animal products; there is poor absorption of minerals because of too much fiber.

LA Costa Spa Diet – this diet promotes weight loss of 1-1_ lbs/day; there are various plans of 800, 1000, and 1200 kcal/day composed of 25% protein, 30% fat (mostly polyunsaturates), and 45% carbohydrate; the diets includes the four food groups.

Medifast Diet – this diet is balanced nutritionally, but provides only 900 kcal/day; use of liquid formulas makes this diet monotonous and expensive.

Nutrimed Diet/Medifast Diet – this is a nutritionally balanced diet, but it supplies only 900 kcal/day; the use of liquid formulas makes this diet monotonous and expensive.

Optifast Diet – this diet is nutritionally balanced, but supplies only 900 kcal/day; use of liquid formulas makes this diet monotonous and expensive.

Pritikin Permanent Weight-Loss Diet – this is a nutritionally unbalanced diet; some days are calorically restricted; the dieter alters portions of carbohydrate, protein, and fat; the diet consists of high protein (100 g/day); unless the foods properly chosen, it may be low in vitamin B12.

Prudent Diet – this is a balanced, low kcalorie (2400 kcal/day) diet for men; it is low in cholesterol and saturated fats; a maximum of 20-35% calories are derived from fat with an emphasis on protein, carbohydrates, and salt; there is ample consumption of fish and shellfish, and saturated fats are substituted with polyunsaturated fats.

Quick Weight Loss Diet – this diet is unbalanced nutritionally; some days are calorically restricted; the dieter alters portions of carbohydrate, protein, and fat, although there is low carbs (20-50 g/day), and high fat and protein; there is high meat consumption (saturated fat and cholesterol) with this diet.

San Francisco Diet – this diet begins at 500 kcal/day, consisting of two meals per day of one fruit, one vegetable, one slice of bread, and two meat exchanges; the second week limits carbohydrates, with most food coming from the meat group and with some eggs and cheese, and a few vegetables; week three includes fruit; in week four there is an increase in vegetables; week five the dieter add fat-containing foods (e.g., nuts, avocados); week six includes milk; week seven includes pastas and bread, where the diet is maintained at about 1300 kcal/day; this diet avoids the issue of saturated fats and cholesterol.

Slendernow Diet – this diet is unbalanced nutritionally; some days are calorically restricted; the dieter alters portions of carbohydrate, protein, and fat; the protein is generally high (100 g/day); unless foods are properly chosen, there may be a deficiency in vitamin B12.

Weight-Watchers Diet – this diet is balanced nutritionally, at about 1000-1200 kcal; use of high nutrient-dense foods are consumed; economic and palatable food makes it one of the most successful diets with no real health risks.

Wine Diet – this diet is about 1200 kcal/day, containing 28 menus together with a glass of dry table wine at dinner; besides the medicinal components of wine, it is believed that individuals reduce portion sizes when wine is consumed with a meal; the diet is low in cholesterol and saturated fats; there is a focus on fish, poultry, and veal with moderate amounts of red meat.

Yogurt Diet – this diet consists of two versions, being 900-1000 kcal/day, and 1200-1500 kcal/day; plain low-fat yogurt is the main dairy dish, consumed at breakfast, lunch, and as a bedtime snack; the diet is high in protein, and it is low in cholesterol, saturated fat, and refined carbohydrates.

Diets that do not provide 100% of the U.S. RDA for 13 vitamins and minerals:

Atkins
Beverly Hills
Carbohydrate Craver’s Basic
Carbohydrate Craver’s Dense
California (1200 kcal) California (2000 kcal)
F-Plan
I Love America
I Love New York
Pritikin (700 kcal) Pritikin (1200 kcal)
Richard Simmons
Scarsdale
Stillman

With the wide variety of choices available when it comes to getting weight loss help, it is not surprising that many people wind up confused about which dieting and weight loss plan is right for them. From organized dieting and meal plan programs such as Nutrisystem, Medifast and Weight Watchers to proper workout routines and personal trainers, putting the pieces together can be overwhelming and cause many people to put off improving their health even further. In this article, I will outline the areas where you need to make decisions and hopefully point you in the right direction so that you can create a dieting and weight loss plan that fits both your lifestyle and your fitness goals.

Determine Your Weight Loss Goals

Everyone's situation is different when it comes to weight loss needs. Some may simply want to shed that extra 10 lbs from an otherwise fit body and others may be suffering from morbid obesity and need to achieve dramatic weight loss to avoid life threatening issues, still others may want to pack on as much muscle mass as possible. Answering this basic question will dictate which health and fitness approach is best suited for you and the weight loss help you will need. For example:

• People looking to just shed a few pounds may want to focus on aerobic exercise and a low calorie diet and meal plan

• Those seeking lean muscle mass will definitely want to focus on weight lifting and bodybuilding exercises along with a high protein diet and possibly bodybuilding supplements.

• Those who want conditioning for endurance events such as marathons and triathlons should focus on distance training and maintaining proper energy levels.

• Someone who is suffering from obesity may consider more drastic levels of weight loss including prescription diet pills or even weight loss surgery.

Once you have figured out which approach fits you, the next step is to determine which exercise routines go hand in hand with the weight loss goals above.

The Right Workout Program

Depending on the goal that you establish above, your workout routine can take on many forms. Aerobic exercises are geared towards raising the heart rate and the body's ability to burn calories. An endurance program will likely also include aerobic activity but often make less use of machines and are conducted outdoors. Bodybuilding workouts will rely on heavy weight lifting and less aerobic activity.

Workout programs for those who are significantly overweight should at first be very low impact and be constructed of basic exercises that can be done without weights or machines. As is the goal with any weight loss help program, you will also want to consume fewer calories than you burn which leads us to Nutrition.

Finding the Perfect Diet Program

Dieting is perhaps one of the areas where people have the most difficulty when seeking weight loss help. Many are unable to stick to a diet, which is essential in order to reach your goals. No time to cook, bland food and poor eating habits can all undermine even the most effective diets. At this point you want to take inventory of yourself and you eating habits and try to figure out if you can create your own low calorie meal plan or whether you might get more benefit from organized weight loss programs that have predefined healthy diets. Whether it's low carb, low fat or low calorie, you must stick with it to lose weight. Something most people fail to realize is that most diets work. It is the dieter that often fails the diet and not vice versa.

Diet Pills and Supplements

It is impossible to research dieting and weight loss help these days without being exposed to various diet pills and supplements. Some claim to be miracle cures and others are proven, prescription strength medications. Whether or not you take supplements and diet pills is up to you. There are many places to find information on the top diet pills. And if you have any doubts, speaking to a doctor or nutritionist can help you make sense of all of your options.

Weight Loss Surgery

For those suffering with obesity and the related medical conditions, weight loss surgery may be an option. Consulting with your doctor about these procedures is the smartest way to go about discovering if you are a candidate for bariatric surgery. This is not something you want to take lightly as these are serious medical operations. Many weight loss surgery options are very effective in promoting dramatic weight loss and if your health is at stake, it is wise to investigate further.

In Conclusion

Finding a dieting program and obtaining weight loss help doesn't have to be difficult as long as you take stock of what your personal needs and goals are. By researching each component one at a time, you'll soon have in front of you a healthy plan for maintaining your weight well into the future.

There are thousands of different diets all over the internet and some of them are so confused with others that no wonder why you can get so lost and eventually end up in total despair and frustration.

Not to talk about what can happen if you decide to follow some diet and instead of losing weight, you get the opposite result – gain weight. That is reality - some diets may work for you, others can end like a complete disaster for you.

There is no dieter who wants to achieve the negative effect of dieting. But the truth is that if you do not know what exactly you are doing, you are most likely to fail your diet and give up in the end. Well, here is why we are here to help you make the right choice for a diet plan.

First steps in dieting

The very first thing any diet should do for you is to prevent you from further weight gain. Next is to set your future weight loss goals. Set realistic goals! Do small steps to reach your goals and to achieve your target weight.

Do not expect fast results – anything you do in a rush for rapid results may end uglier that you thought (that means lose weight gradually to succeed).

You should remember - there is no easy and fast way to lose weight and you should deal with that. Dieting is hard, takes time, often separates you from your family, as far as it comes to counting the calories, the carbohydrates and fats in your meals.

Can not resist the temptations?

It gets even worse if you can not resist the sweet and delicious temptations all around you after the first or the second week on your diet. Probably while you have been doing the shopping for your diet you happen to pass by the sweet, delicious and so unhealthy foods, that make you crave for them like never before.

The solutions

I know it is hard from my personal experience, but there is a solution, and that is why I want to share it with you here in this article:

Believe it or not I lost weight not by following some strict do not-eat-this-do not-eat-that diet, but by eating only delicious, healthy and great looking meals with less calories and never really felt starving to death.

It is simple not to get hungry if you eat about 5 times a day very delicious meals and lose weight safely at the same time. The only problem here is that you either have to prepare those delicious meals yourself, or you can order them from a specialized diet food delivery service that will cook them for you.

Which one is better?

In the first case when you prepare your meals yourself, you spend a lot of time shopping and cooking. What is more you may forget some of the products or even get bored with all that cooking healthy meals and eating them afterwards. I myself find the shopping and cooking a little bit exhausting, not to mention that I may lose my appetite while I am doing all this stuff. If in any part of your diet anything like that happens, then do not expect any positive results. You will not save money, you will lose time.

However, if you choose a Diet Food Delivery Service to supply you with healthy and delicious foods and meals at the beginning of every week – well, that is another story. All you need to do is heat the meals in the microwave and enjoy their great taste by following the diet plan, cause every service of that kind has a diet plan you should stick to.

Well, of course these services are not cheap, but if you are really serious of getting rid of all extra pounds, it will be nice to think of this diet food delivery service thing as for a small investment for your good health and happier life. You do want to prevent you from getting high blood pressure, heart attack or else?

Here are the Diet Food Delivery Services We Recommend:

Diet To Go Diet Food

BISTRO MD / Diet To Your Door

And the Protein Diet Plans and Meal Replacements that work and we also very heartily recommend:

Medifast Diet and the 5 & 1 Plan

Diet Direct and the WonderSlim Starter Kits

Do not be surprised that we also recommend those two diet plans. We are doing this cause they are good and can help you in a way you might not imagine.

With these types of diets you take more proteins, lower carbohydrates and absolute no fat. So you lose weight successfully and keep it off for good.

While on the protein diet you replace one or more meals with fat free shakes, puddings, soups and bars, which is why they are called meal replacements.

Protein diet – when should you start it?

When you are on a low budget, cause these types of diet are cheaper than diet food delivery services.

Another reason could be if you really really like protein diet shakes, bars and puddings, then you will definitely enjoy the meal replacement diet plan very much.

In conclusion

No matter what type of diet you choose, you must be serious about it and your weight loss. Stay focused on your goals! Use wisely the diet plan, information, recipes and motivation articles from the diet service or diet plan you choose.

How would you like to lose up to 2-5 pounds a week for 30 days without taking any diet pills?

And you can lose this weight safely and effectively without having to worry about harmful side effects you see in many fad diets out there. That's because this isn't a fad diet. Unless you call a fad diet one that's lasted for over 25 years. What am I talking about? I'm talking about a meal replacement program. You probably know them as Slim-Fast, Jenny Craig, NutriSystem, or Medifast. These meal replacement programs have been proven effective for over 20 years.

Meal Replacement vs. Diet Pills and Surgery

Let's talk about the alternatives first. Diet pills have their risks. Usually it's a new herb that's been discovered and companies eager to make a quick buck put together a proprietary formula with it and sell it for up to $153 a bottle. One of the most popular ones now is with Hoodia. Then hopefully you lose weight while taking it. Herbal diet pills do not have to go through rigorous FDA scrutiny so the pills you're taking may not be proven to do anything. You also have to worry about side effects. With a lot of people desperate to lose weight, they will try anything to do it. Even at the risk of their health.

Another popular way to lose weight quickly is surgery. Lap band or gastric bypass surgery comes to mind. These are quick fixes and they come with their own risks too. Surgery does have it's place for morbidly obese people. But for people who are only 30-40 pounds overweight having surgery is not a great option especially when your life is on the line. Many people have died as a result of having obesity surgeries.

How about a safer alternative - Meal Replacement

The background of these diets lie on meal replacement shakes and healthy snacks as well as daily activity. Meal replacements programs are a great way to cut calories and lose weight quickly. A shake and a nutrition bar together would be a typical meal replacement. Most meal replacement supplements provide an adequate level of protein while limiting the amount of carbohydrates you consume.

How does meal replacement work?

The idea is to never get hungry. By eating every 2-3 hours, you never get hungry or lack energy. The typical plan includes shakes, bars, puddings, soups, oatmeal, hot cocoa, chili, and cappuccino. A sample day could be: eating chili, minestrone soup, chicken noodle soup, chocolate pudding and the most delicious meal replacement bars - 5 meals a day.

This kind of rapid weight loss plan fits into the busiest of lifestyles. The meals are delivered to your home and are prepared in minutes. So you save time and lose weight. Not a bad combination.

Ok, you lose all this weight and then what? Are you going to gain it all back once you get off of it? The risk of gaining the weight back is a problem on ANY diet plan, not just with a meal replacement program. This is where you have a choice. If after the 30 days you want to keep losing more weight you can stay on the plan or, if you've reached your ideal weight you can move over to a weight maintenance plan to maintain your weight loss for life. Now that is something you cannot say about most fad diets. Plus, there are no side effects. Other than the fact that you can safely and effectively lose up to 2-5 pounds a week.

Lose weight easier with a weight loss plan that suits your food preferences and busy lifestyle such as a meal replacement. It's safer than diet pills and obesity surgery and the results will last longer. If you have to lose the weight quickly, and are ready to adopt a fast weight loss plan to get you there, meal replacements may be the answer.