Low carb diets can be quite appealing because of all the foods you CAN eat, at least initially, such as high fat cuts of meat, full fat sour cream, and butter. These foods are restricted in many other diet plans. And if your carbohydrate intake is low enough, calorie intake seems to take care of itself. You typically don’t need to count calories.

Take a look. Explore your choices. Which diet plan would be best for you?

Health professionals often recommend low fat diets. These were designed to reduce calorie intakes and restrict consumption of saturated fat and cholesterol, which have been implicated in the development of cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease. However, this association has become less clear with more recent research. (Caution is still advised till we have more information.)

Both low carb and low fat have merit. Research suggests that there may be a genetic influence with respect to which works better for a given individual. Some people fare better with low carb and others with low fat.

For everyone else the choice is to limit calories across the food groups for weight loss and maintenance. This is my preference because it allows me to enjoy a wider variety of healthy food while still making the kinds of choices that help to reduce my risk for cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

Achieving a balanced reduction in calories without sacrificing nutrition isn’t easy. It does take time and effort to get on track and make it work but it is well worth it in the long run.

Unfortunately, the attrition rate for any of these dietary approaches is high. It would seem the limitations become too difficult or frustrating to maintain in the long run. The goal is to choose a basic diet that you can modify and then adjust over time to maintain weight loss AND better health.

Which diet would be best for you?

It makes sense to choose a diet plan that suits your taste preferences, dietary needs, and health. Your lifestyle needn’t be a deciding factor. Although it may be challenging, any of these plans can be designed to fit with the way you live.

If you are comfortable with the diet restrictions, believe in the relative merit of the diet, and can picture yourself following a modified version of the initial diet for the long haul then you are much more likely to be successful.

Weight loss ultimately depends on calories. If you are a low carb fan this may not seem to be true. But there are no peer-reviewed controlled studies to indicate otherwise. Yes, certain foods and food combinations will burn more calories. But it’s also true that the higher protein and fat content of a low carb diet can serve to keep people feeling satisfied on fewer calories.

If you consume fewer calories than you burn you will lose weight. This may seem simple but it’s not. That’s why it can be so frustrating for many dieters.

Ultimately you want to reach point in which you have a sense of how much you can eat based on your nutritional needs and what you need to satisfy your hunger without counting calories!

How does the Research Stack up When Comparing Diets?

The results from many studies in the past 10-30 years suggest that each of the diet approaches can be equally effective for weight loss. This seems to be particularly true when the diet is combined with behavioral intervention to bring about a change in the behaviors that contributed to a problem in the first place.

Although I understand that we each need to take responsibility for what we eat. I am a firm believer that we live in an environment in which we are surrounded by unhealthy food. It is not in the least bit surprising to me that such a high percentage of the population is overweight or obese (United States). Do take responsibility for your choices BUT please don’t be too hard on yourself.

Low Carb Diet Plans

Concerns about the effectiveness of low carb diets go beyond the relative merits for weight loss. There are questions about the potential health risks in the long term. Recent research, however, has begun to allay some of the original concerns.

Low carb diets have now been shown to lower total cholesterol levels, reduce triglycerides, raise HDL (the good cholesterol), and improve systolic blood pressure better than other diets. However, low carb has also been found to raise LDL levels (bad cholesterol) in some individuals.

These results are promising. Yet questions remain. A recent study looked beyond these indices to examine the health of blood vessels as impacted by a high fat and protein diet. A study with mice suggests that blood vessels may be negatively impacted by a buildup in plaque despite the seemingly good blood serum markers. (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2009) We need more research with rodents AND humans before we can draw any conclusions.

Another concern with low carb diets is the high protein intake. This can be an issue for anyone with kidney problems.

Bottom Line: Keep your doctor informed about your diet choices.

Low Fat Diet Plans

A low fat diet is one that consists of little fat, especially saturated fat and cholesterol. Some fat in the diet is important because it is needed for good health. Fats supply energy and essential fatty acids along with the vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Low fat has been considered to be a good choice for those with a history of heart disease. Unfortunately, the benefit of this kind of diet depends in large part on the type of carbohydrates that make up the bulk of the calories.

A diet full of refined carbohydrates and sugar is NOT healthy. A study with female nurses reported on in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2006 revealed that those with the highest intake of refined carbohydrates (and glycemic load) were found to be at twice the risk for coronary artery disease when compared with those women who had the lowest carbohydrate intake.

Bottom Line: Keep your doctor informed about your diet choices.

Balanced Low Calorie Diet Plan

The diet plans I provide on this website allow for a balanced low calorie approach to dieting. They are similar to the DASH diet plans. DASH stands for dietary approaches to stop hypertension. Although the DASH diet was originally developed to better manage blood pressure, it has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of heart disease and strokes in women. (Archives of Internal Medicine, 2008).

My plans include enough fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to provide plenty of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals such as antioxidants. We’ve only begun to learn about the important role phytochemicals play in human health. In addition to the fruits, vegetables, and whole grains the plan includes low fat dairy or dairy alternatives and lean meat, poultry, eggs, or beans (legumes) for protein and other important vitamins and minerals. I discourage the consumption of refined carbohydrates and sugars.

I believe each of the food groups matter and contribute to good health. The plans are designed to provide plenty of protein and dietary fiber to be satisfying and healthful

As long as a person stays within the USDA guidelines for macronutrients (10-35% from protein, 20-35% fat, and 45-65% carbohydrates) it’s o.k. to choose a higher intake of “good” carbohydrates or go with a somewhat higher intake of “good” fat. Do keep your health needs in mind.

Bottom Line: As with any other diet plan keep your doctor informed about your diet choices.

Conclusion:

1. No one diet plan will work with everyone. Base your choice on your preferences and health history.

2. Someday we may have more genetic research to provide guidelines with respect to which diet will work better for a given individual.

3. Keep your physician informed of your dietary choices so that he/she can monitor your blood markers and other health indices for potential problems.

4. Low carb diets may not be appropriate for individuals with heart disease or kidney problems. On the other hand low carbohydrate diets may be a better choice for individuals with high triglyceride levels.

5. Low fat diets and balanced low cal diets need to be carefully planned to avoid over-consumption of refined carbohydrates and sugars.

What I have shared today is only a brief look at the complex questions and impacts of choosing three basic diet plans. I hope these basics will provide you with a little more “food” for thought when it comes to choosing low carb, low fat, or balanced low calorie diets.

What have your experiences been? Share your thoughts and help me learn more!

A new year and a new opportunity for a slimmer, healthier you is just around the corner. Is 2010 the year you get it figured out? Will you find and follow the best diet book or weight loss program suited to your preferences and lifestyle? Will the diet book you pick provide the best sequence of steps for you to achieve the weight loss and better health you desire?



If there were such a thing as a simple straightforward diet plan that worked for everyone we would certainly know about it! The truth is that one size does NOT fit all. So what diet book or plan would be best for you?

There are only a few new diet books published by respected health professionals or organizations that I am aware of at this time. The basic diet plan for each of these is centered on tried and true strategies that may not be new to you. If so, don’t overlook these strategies as being old hat because they work!

You need a balanced and nutritious diet plan. That means ALL food groups are included (protein foods; dairy or dairy alternatives for calcium, protein, and B vitamins; breads and cereals; and fruits and vegetables) Also included should be some kind of plan for getting a better understanding of your current habits. This is essential for making the kinds of changes necessary to maintain weight loss over the long term.

[I firmly believe in the value of keeping a food diary for at least a few days or more. You can learn to fine tune your food choices for better nutrition, get a handle on portion size, and learn what triggers you to eat more than you need.]

Although exercise is not essential for weight loss you will want to engage in some form of increased physical activity for maintenance once the weight comes off. The latest research on exercise and sustained loss suggests that exercise may not be negotiable for most people! That is, if you want to be slim and trim for life, exercise must be part of the overall equation.

So with all of that said, what are the newest and best diet books with healthy diet plans?

The Mayo Clinic Diet

The Mayo Clinic Diet may be one of the best “new” diet books (to be released in January of 2010). Healthy eating strategies and portion control are fundamental. In addition, the diet plan in this book evidently places a strong emphasis on modifying lifestyle by zeroing in on habits. The ultimate goal is for you to have a sustainable lifestyle for healthy weight maintenance when you achieve your weight loss goal.

Mayo Clinic health professionals see thousands of patients every single week. As a result of seeing so many patients over the years they have been able to identify the habits of individuals who are successful in maintaining a healthy weight compared with those who are not successful. They suggest these habits can be distilled down to the 10 most significant: 5 habits that work and 5 that do not work and must be “broken.”

The book is composed of three sections. In part 1 you are given a guide for a two-week quick start to lose as much as 6 to 10 pounds in a safe and healthy way. Part 2 shows you how to continue your weight loss in a healthy manner with a loss of 1 to 2 pounds a week till you reach your goal weight. At this point you are provided with tips to maintain a healthy weight for life. Part 3 includes all the “bits and pieces” you will need to make the diet work for you including meal planners, recipes, tips on overcoming challenges and more.

In addition to the diet book, The Mayo Clinic Diet has a 224-page guide or journal to help you plan, track, and review your progress over a ten- week period of time.

The EatingWell Diet
(EatingWell Magazine)

The EatingWell Diet like The Mayo Clinic Diet emphasizes the theme of achieving a healthy lifestyle. In addition to providing you with 7 basic steps to achieve healthy long-term weight loss, the highlight of the book may be the 28 days of meal plans with more than 150 delicious, easy to prepare recipes.

Evidently the recipes included in this book were developed in EatingWell Magazine’s test kitchen with a focus on FAST yet healthy meal and snack preparation. Included are grab and go breakfasts and lunches, satisfying and filling dinners, low calorie desserts, and satisfying snacks.

Yes, you do get self-help tools and charts to set goals, a system to track your progress, a food diary, and more. But what may be most important is making the transition to a healthier way of eating that includes portion control. After all, the bottom line is learning how to eat only the number of calories you need to maintain your goal weight. If you love what you eat and you can fill up quickly and easily with fewer calories you will succeed!

[I have found many of the recipes in the EatingWell Magazine to be outstanding! Check your nearest news stand or bookstore to find a copy and see what you think. The food photography alone is worth the price of one issue.]

The South Beach Diet Super Charged
By Dr. Arthur Agatston

In 2009 Dr. Arthur Agatston’s latest version of the very popular and helpful diet book, The South Beach Diet, was released. The original version promised a weight loss of 8-13 lbs. in the first 2 weeks. In this release the basic diet plan includes an exercise component to achieve weight loss better and faster.

Like the original, the diet plan has three phases with an emphasis on high protein and low carbohydrate foods. The additional exercise recommended is gentle walking and strength training.

Most popular diet books include a promise of fast weight loss. This has a strong appeal because of the initial reinforcement it provides to maintain commitment to the plan. However, I’m not convinced the very low carbohydrate intake of phase 1 is necessary.

Eating a very low carbohydrate diet will cause your body to go into a state of ketosis to burn fat. That may sound good, however, much of the initial weight loss will actually be water loss. The limited carbohydrate stores in your muscles and liver are quickly burned off. As you burn these carbohydrates (glycogen) your body will release a great deal of water, because stored carbohydrate is coupled with water. Ultimately you will put this water weight back on as you add more carbohydrates into your diet.

If you like the basic diet of high protein and low carbohydrate you might consider skipping phase 1. Beginning in phase 2 the diet provides enough carbohydrate for a better overall balance. From this point on the weight will come off slowly but as you acquire healthier eating habits and incorporate exercise into your lifestyle, you increase the chances of achieving sustainable weight loss.

Other excellent diet books from the past couple of years or so that you may want to take a look at include:

The Instinct Diet (read: The Instinct Diet: A Review)

The Body Fat Solution (read my review: Tom Venuto’s New Body Fat Book)

The Volumetrics Weight Control Plan and others (read: Best Healthy Diet Plans 2008)

Good luck finding the best diet book of 2010 for you! And check back here for lots of diet tips and advice if you need low calorie diet plans (1200 calorie diet and 1500 calorie diet), meal plans, and more (see my Articles page for answers to all of your questions about healthy low calorie diets).

Till next time, watch those calories and eat healthy food!

I love my Kindle!!! Absolutely positively love it. However, having said that, I must tell you it is the original Kindle. The newest version (6″ Display, U.S. Wireless, Latest Generation) sounds like it is even better! Better than awesome? Wow!



Image by Getty Images via Daylife

The newest version often referred to as Kindle 2 weighs only 10.2 ounces, less than most paperbacks. It measures just over 1/3 inch thick. The battery life is 25% greater than the original and I’ve found the original to be good. I only need to charge it maybe once or twice a week.

Amazon claims Kindle 2holds up to 1500 books of average size! You can read it just like real paper. There is no glare even in bright sunlight. At night you will need light but you can easily clip on a book light. Kindle 2, like the original, offers different type (font) sizes and you can choose what size works best for you. Unlike the original, Kindle 2 can also read to you!

You have wireless access to the Internet from almost anywhere in the United States and there are no monthly fees! (I understand there is now a Kindle U.S. and International Wireless Reading Device but I am not sure what kind of access is available.) Almost any time, anywhere, you can purchase a book, magazine, or newspaper and receive it wirelessly in less than 60 seconds. Now how awesome is that?

Buying a Kindle version of a book from Amazon will rarely set you back more than $10.00! That’s less than the cost for most print books.

That’s just the basics. Why own a Kindle? I think a Kindle Reading Device can provide you with weight loss support, better health, and enjoyment. In the interest of full disclosure I will tell you that I am affiliate for Amazon. But I can honestly say I only promote products I sincerely like. Kindles are fun!

8 reasons to consider a Kindle 2 purchase:

1. The Kindle reading device provides the most convenient way to organize and store your books and documents that I have ever come across! With this slim lightweight reader you can access your favorite books anywhere including diet books, cookbooks, and recipes. You may even be able to subscribe to your favorite newspaper or health magazine (not all are available yet but that will change soon enough)!

Check out the top diet and weight loss books available for a Kindle reader as rated by people who own a Kindle. Kindle owners can be voracious readers! I have found the recommendations/ratings of this group of people to be an excellent indication of a worthwhile book. Amazon updates the list every hour so you can instantly know what’s hot and what’s not!

Check out some of the groundbreaking new books that have been published recently to help you understand why it is such a challenge to achieve and maintain a healthy weight and just exactly what you can do about it:

The Instinct Diet: Use Your Five Food Instincts to Lose Weight and Keep it Off
by Dr. Susan B. Roberts

The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite
by Dr. David Kessler

The Body Fat Solution: Five Principles for Burning Fat, Building Lean Muscles, Ending Emotional Eating, and Maintaining Your Perfect Weight by Tom Venuto

If in doubt about which books are best, look for a rating of at least 4 out of 5 with lots of customer reviews. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend all of the books with high ratings but then I haven’t had an opportunity to read all of them. There are, for example, quite a number of books listed by Jillian Michaels of the Biggest Loser Program that might be good. I just have not read the books yet.

2. Great for travel. Nothing better. Can’t decide what books to bring with you when you head out for business travel or fun? No problem, just bring your Kindle with you and get caught up with your diet and fitness books. If you tire of that just switch to something else with a few clicks.

Make use of all the time spent waiting when you travel…waiting in a long line at the check-in counter, waiting to board a plane, waiting after landing till it is time to de-plane, waiting on your luggage… Sure you could have a paperback, but maybe the book you choose to read when you leave the East Coast is not what you want to read by the time you reach L.A.

3. You can exercise while reading with the Kindle. Reading while on an exercise bike or treadmill is nothing new but you may find it to be easier than holding and advancing the pages of a paperback. I’ve also discovered I can go to a local outdoor track and do my walking exercise while reading. It’s not hard at all to walk the circular paths and read at the same time.

With the Kindle 2if you’d rather not read, you can actually opt to have the device read to you! Sounds like a great new feature! Just get yourself a quality pair of audio plugs and you’re good to go. (I understand this service is available for most but not all books.)

4. Find encouragement and company to stick with your diet. How about subscribing to your favorite blogs? There are lots of diet, fitness, motivational, and healthy food blogs available for the Kindle and more are being added all the time. (I hope to have my blogs available very soon!) There’s only a small fee to subscribe.

5. Use your Kindle in your kitchen. In the kitchen??? Yes, I said that right. If you have some of your best cookbooks and recipes on your Kindle all you need to do is protect it with a plastic bag and prop it up. You can still read it easily and advance the pages. No need to worry about spilling anything on it. Works much better than a laptop. After all, a laptop won’t fit easily or work well in a plastic bag and who wants to risk spilling food on a laptop?

Choose to store and easily access all of the great low calorie and healthy recipes you find online.

Be sure to include one or more reference cookbooks on your Kindle. Then when you discover you need to make an ingredient substitution you can look up suggestions. Need low fat buttermilk for a recipe but don’t have any? No problem. Look up how to make a substitute with nonfat milk and lemon juice or some plain low fat yogurt.

6. You can access the Internet for information. Look up a recipe on Google. No it is not as good as a computer but it does work. I understand the Kindle 2 works better than my original Kindle version.

7. You can email DOC, TXT, and PDF files to your own address for Kindle owners. I believe it is only 10 cents for Amazon to convert the files to a form that can be read on a Kindle. With this feature the sky is the limit!!!

Keep lists of snack ideas, quick meals, or best food sources of dietary fiber and other nutrients at your fingertips. Include suggestions on the healthiest menu items at ethnic and fast food restaurants. I sometimes call my Kindle my back up brain. I may be a Nutritionist but I am not a walking encyclopedia. You can do what I do. Create a document with the information you need from a web article or otherwise and email it to your email.Kindle.com. You will have that information for easy access on your Kindle when you need it most.

8. The price has dropped substantially in the past month or two! I paid $369.00 for my Kindle. But Amazon lowered the price to $299 and more recently it has been dropped another $40.00. Wow! Only $259.00!

Sound like a lot? Keep in mind all that you get with the Kindle. And remember that you don’t pay any monthly fees for wireless service! That means you can save your hard earned cash to buy healthy low calorie food.

O.K. I must admit there are a few drawbacks [Big Grin!]:

1. Given that you can set the Kindle for the font size you are comfortable with reading, you will be taking fewer steps each day. You won’t need to search the house for your reading glasses. Hmm…Fewer steps logged on your pedometer and calories burned!

2. You’ll miss the work out you get lugging around books, magazines, and newspapers. Again, fewer calories burned.

3. You may not spend as much time frequenting book stores because you can have a new title to read on your Kindle in minutes from just about anywhere in the United States. Again, less walking and fewer steps.

Seriously, there are a few things that might be an issue. The new Kindle does not provide a slot for a SD data card to increase the storage capacity. However, given that it can hold up to the equivalent of 1500 average length books, I would imagine it has plenty of storage.

Owning a Kindle may not be a good choice if you are prone to making snap decisions. It’s just too easy to get carried away buying cool books! I’m sure that’s the kind of buyer Amazon loves to have. To keep this under control, I draw the line at having 5 unfinished books. If I want another I need to finish reading one or more that I’ve already purchased.

The Kindle reader DOES need to be taken care of. It is not for anyone who is careless or prone to dropping things (not for kids!). I would encourage you to consider buying the slim leather case accessory to protect your investment.

Why Buy One Now?

It’s fun! For at least a while longer the Kindle Reader will be a shiny new toy. As such you will be amazed at the number of people who will approach you, when traveling, reading in a park, and elsewhere to ask about your reader. I’ve met all kinds of fascinating people. It’s a real conversation piece.

Honestly, if you are reader and would love to have lots of books and other documents and resources available at your fingertips to read and consult just about anywhere, then consider purchasing a Kindle 2. You get a LOT for the purchase price. I wish I could have bought the product at the current price but I didn’t. I paid $100.00 dollars more and it was worth it. I have no regrets.

Consider buying a Kindle for yourself or buy one for someone special for Christmas. I can’t imagine any reader not liking the gift! Go now to Amazon.com and check out the Kindle 2
for yourself. It may be just what you need for weight loss support, better health, and just plain fun!

I’m pleased to say there is now available a diet book, researched and written by an expert in BOTH nutrition and psychiatry, that you may find to be reassuring. No matter what your weight might be you will discover how your food habits are strongly influenced by hardwired instincts. If you have found weight loss to be an uphill battle there is a good reason why! Dr. Susan B. Roberts, the author of The Instinct Diet, will teach you how to work WITH your instincts rather than against them to make weight loss less of a struggle.



Dr. Robert’s credentials for writing the weight loss book are impressive. Not only is she a professor of nutrition and psychiatry at Tufts University in Boston, she is also the director of an Energy and Metabolism Laboratory. Her book is the synthesis of more than 20 years of research about why we eat what we eat.

What Dr. Roberts learned in her many years of research studying eating behavior is that we are guided by unlearned, instinctive responses to our environment. Although we might think we are different from one another in our responses to eating and enjoying food we share the same biological tendencies.

We each have moments when we sense an almost uncontrollable urge to eat. The stimulus for that urge comes from the inner workings of our subconscious. Dr. Roberts identified five basic food instincts that have an enormous impact on our eating behavior.

1. Hunger: We have a strong and very normal need to satisfy our hunger.

2. Availability: We tend to eat whenever we can.

3. Calorie Density: The more calorie dense a food the more we like it!

4. Familiarity: We prefer and like familiar foods because we associate such food with safety and comfort.

5. Variety: The more food choices we have the more we eat.

Each of these seemingly simple responses to food are the result of learning how to survive in less than hospitable conditions throughout much of human history. What worked so well for thousands of years now works against us. All too often we are surrounded by endless opportunities to eat.

The book is divided into two parts. The first half is devoted to the three stages of the diet plan including strategies for how to overcome entrenched habits. The second half of the book includes menu plans and recipes. There are four basic variations to the menu plan. You can select either a meat-based or vegetarian diet and for each of these you have a choice between making home-cooked foods or buying prepared foods depending on what would work better with your lifestyle. Included with the book are more than 100 recipes and 8 weeks of menus.

This diet may not be for everyone. It does require some advance planning to be prepared with meals and snacks throughout the week. Dr. Roberts teaches you ways to eat less without feeling hungry as I do on this website. However, don’t expect to never, ever be hungry. That’s just not realistic.

Although I have spent a good deal of time researching what this book is about and reading some excerpts, I have not yet had an opportunity to read the entire book. I need to finish reading Tom Venuto’s new book The Body Fat Solution: Five Principles for Burning Fat, Building Lean Muscles, Ending Emotional Eating, and Maintaining Your Perfect Weight, which I’m enjoying, as well as a number of others. I own a Kindle reading device (Kindle 2: Amazon’s New Wireless Reading Device (Latest Generation)) from Amazon.com and so I am in the middle of about 5 or 6 books at the same time. Having to keep track of only one reading device for all the many different books is wonderful. But I think I may have gotten a little carried away!

I am eager, however, to read The Instinct Diet: Use Your Five Food Instincts to Lose Weight and Keep it Off as soon as I can. I didn’t want to wait to let you know it is available! Do take a look at the reviews on Amazon.com and elsewhere. There seem to be quite a number of satisfied weight loss customers.

Till next time, watch those calories and remember to eat healthy food!