The Atkins Diet
The Atkins Diet is one of the most popular diets around. It focuses on reducing carb intake in favour of consuming more protein-rich foods. It requires stringent attention to the amount of carbohydrate in the diet, particularly during the first few weeks, however, it can be highly effective, even with people who don’t necessarily need to diet! The core concept of the Atkins Diet is the theory that over-consumption of carbohydrates is at the root of weight gain. By refraining from eating them and focusing on proteins, your body will feel full for longer and your appetite will be under control. This is a way of eating you should incorporate in your life every now and then.
Eat According to Your Blood Type
According to this diet, if you eat food not compatible with your blood type and stomach enzymes, the food is not broken down or digested properly and the vitamins and minerals are not absorbed into your bloodstream to fuel and nourish your body. Your body reacts to the food just as it would any foreign substance, with high blood pressure, bloating and gas, to name a few. I have given this diet a try and have surprisingly found myself lighter, fitter and full of energy. B Blood types should have the most varied diet of all blood types including dairy products and meat; A Blood types should be largely vegetarian and enjoy a diet high in carbohydrates; AB have the most of the benefits and intolerances of types A and B, so most foods recommended for either type will work for you; finally O Blood types should focus on meat and cut out wheat and most other grains.
Weight Watchers
Many weight loss diets and gimmicks come and go but with more than 45 years under its belt, Weight Watchers is one programme that has stood the test of time by staying true to a belief and point system built upon four components: food, exercise, behaviour and support. Unfortunately, Cyprus does not fulfill the support part as there is no establishment here however, there are ways to still successfully hop on the Weight Watchers wagon. A computer and internet is all you need; here you can calculate how many weight watchers points you need to lose and how many are in each type of food. You can also find Weight Watchers meals at Chillys Frozen Food stores. Check www.dwlz.com/WWinfoTOC.html for calculating points and enjoy!
Cambridge Diet
This is a liquid diet programme that involves drinking three servings of the signature Cambridge Diet formula each day with or without food. The three servings provide you with protein, carbohydrates, fat, fibre and your daily-required vitamin and mineral allowances. It is a very low calorie diet and because it is made up of pre-packaged foods, it is only used under the guidance of a counselor, who offers support and advice; counselors can be found throughout the island. The diet, popularised in the early 80s, claims to use the power of ketosis to speed up weight loss. By putting he body into ketosis it is allowing it to burn more fat and lose weight. While you don’t have to exercise when on the Cambridge Diet, people who are in need of an extreme weight loss will benefit more.
Call 70004505 to find a counselor in your area.
The Zone Diet
The key factor in the Zone diet is the hormonal balance you achieve while eating each skillfully prepared meal. With a food plan comprising an accurate balanced ratio of carbohydrates – 40 per cent – fat – 30 per cent – and proteins – 30 per cent – you actually get to eat foods, which control your body’s insulin production. This means that no meal or snack is forbidden in the Zone and yet you still lose weight. Zone dieting means following recipes with a low-carb diet plan but where proteins do not dominate the carbs. Unlike other diets, here you much keep a close watch on the calorie consumption and do not exceed 500 calories and a snack of 100 calories.
The South Beach Diet
The South Beach Diet is a food lover’s diet. It’s about living well and loving what you eat. But it’s also practical, flexible, easy and effective. Divided into three phases, phase one lasts two weeks and is designed to eliminate cravings and kick-start weight loss; phase 2 is intended to produce long-term steady weight loss while phase 3 is how you will maintain your new weight. So what do you feast on? SB restricts the intake of carbohydrates; ‘good carbs’ are allowed – whole grains, fruit and vegetables and potatoes – but bread, cereal, rice and pasta are out, at least for the first two weeks. It allows the dieter to select between good and bad carb foods. For this reason a dieter on the SB diet will often eat fruit and even whole grainbread, making it more balanced.
The LCHF diet
Yet another diet flying the low-carb flag, drawing on fat for energy instead. Apparently, fat doesn’t actually make you fat – by replacing carbohydrates with fat, dieters have less glucose in their blood and lower glucose levels means less insulin is released and since insulin plays a huge role in storing fat and blocking its use as an energy source, reduced insulin levels make it easier for the body to burn fat as energy. In addition, eating more fat gives one the feeling of being full for longer periods of time, thus inducing a dramatic decrease in calorie intake. Eat whole fat cheese, butter and dairy products, meat, fish, eggs and even mayonnaise but stay away from fruit, sweets and cakes and anything with white flour.
