The secret to losing weight is more math than magic. To lose one pound, you need to burn 3,500 more calories than you take in. To speed weight loss, you need to eat less and exercise more. By choosing low-fat foods, you'll consume fewer calories as each gram of carbohydrate and protein has four calories while a gram of fat has nine calories. Some fat is necessary in the diet, however. Choose healthy fats such as olive oil to keep you feeling fuller longer and to reap the nutritional benefits of healthy oils.
Eat More, Weigh Less
Physician Dean Ornish has been helping people lose weight and reverse heart disease for more than 20 years with his Eat More, Weigh Less diet. This diet is very low fat and provides no meat or fish. It does provide lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nonfat dairy and soy. It also allows for a small amount of white flour and sugar. Ornish also recommends moderate daily exercise. The restrictions on this eating plan results in fairly quick weight loss.
Weight Watchers
Weight Watchers has been around since the 1960s, but the diet has gone through many changes. Originally it was quite high in fat, mandating for instance, that dieters eat 6 ounces of protein for dinner. The current plan stresses low-fat eating, including fruits and vegetables and whole grains as well as low fat dairy choices and the occasional treat. The current plan also requires at least 2 teaspoons of healthy oil per day. Dieters eat a specific number of points per day and can hasten weight loss with additional exercise.
Pritikin
Nathan Pritikin came up with the Pritikin Diet in the 1970s and limits fat intake to 10 percent of total calories. Within that framework dieters eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, as well as some lean meats and fish. Additionally Pritikin frowns on any type of processed food and doesn't allow white sugar or flour. Daily exercise is also stressed. The Pritikin plan can be followed at home or at the Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa.
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