The best diet in the world is the MCRD San Diego diet (Parris Island diet on the east coast) ... the Marines out there know what I mean !!!
I went to boot camp at 205# of fat (my maximum allowable weight). 13 weeks later, I left at 175# of muscle.
Now with the sedintary computer life, I have gained some weight back. Some key tips I have learned along the way are as follows:
Fad diets that involve
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are worthless.
Cabbage soup - water weight loss and colon cleansing
Atkins - the theory has merit - no carb intake means the body will have to work harder to convert food to energy. BUT, instead of eating a deli sandwich (w/ 2 slices of whole wheat bread at 20g of carbs each), I can eat a Classic Triple from Wendy's with 1230 calories, 510 calories from fat, 57g of fat, 21g of saturated fat, and 72g of protein ? The only good thing I see there is the 72g of protein.....with no bun.
The best LONG TERM diet I have found is simple. Park as far as you can from you work building so you can walk in, and walk to lunch if possible (you burn as many calories walking a mile as running), eat according to the serving size on foods and only eat 1 serving, COUNT CALORIES and if trying to lose weight try to hit 1500/day, drink TONS of water (try for a gallon a day - no Cool-Aid). The water will keep your stomach full making you feel full and not hungry. Eat multiple small meals vice the half a box of cereal, the supersize value meal, and half the tray of lasagna with half a loaf of buttered bread. Basically, nibble on carrots (non fat ranch dressing is ok IN MODERATION) and go for natural foods. For example, it takes more energy for your body to breakdown whole wheat bread than it does white bread. Cut back complex carbohydrates (potatoes and pasta). Cut back dairy. Not because you gain weight, but it helps you RETAIN weight (packs up your track). Natural peanut butter (the kind with the film of grease on top) has been proven to be better for the body than Jiff and Peter Pan. Fruits and vegetables have both a cleansing effect and contain relativly no calories.
And the biggest thing is to understand what you read !!! Understand that a calorie is NOT something food HAS, but something food REQUIRES.
A calories is a measure of enery expenditure. To put things in perspective, a 150# person will burn about 100 calories per mile. Look back at that Wendy's Classic Triple earlier...1230 calories...that equates to 12.3 miles to burn that off...that is why I doubt some of Atkins' wording (cutting carbs is a good place to start though). Most people will burn more calories and lose weight faster lifting weights for 1 hours than running for 1 hour. It all depends on your metabolism.
Well, now that I have worn the letters off of my keyboard, I will wish you all good luck in your endeavors and weight loss !!!
Oh, 1 last thing...two 8oz chicken breasts have about double the protein and half half the calories as a 16oz steak !!!
