Building a weight-loss plan around big breakfasts may seem counterproductive, but the Sabbatical Diet does just that, encouraging dieters to eat their biggest meal in the morning. According to Dr. Robert Robinson, the Sabbatical Diet's inventor, eating a large breakfast keeps the body's metabolism working properly, helping to burn fat and shed pounds.
History
Dr. Robinson, an internal medicine specialist trained at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, used the Bible and his Christian faith to help devise the Sabbatical Diet, which helped him achieve his own weight-loss goals. Dr. Robinson based some of the diet's principles on the dietary restrictions presented in Leviticus and on Paul's experiences in Acts.
Features
On the Sabbatical Diet, individuals must eat their largest meal of the day at breakfast. Breakfast should be a well-balanced meal, including meat or fish, starch, sugars, vegetables, fiber, fruits, legumes and milk products. The diet features no restrictions for lunch or dinner, although it does recommend high-protein foods. After eating heavily for six days, dieters fast on the seventh day. As part of the Sabbatical Diet, Dr. Robinson provides an eating plan based on each individual's size and activity level. Dieters also must use an Immuno-gizer Fat Reducer supplement designed to suppress bad bacteria in the digestive tract and promote the growth of beneficial bacteria.
Functions
According to Dr. Robinson, the hormone cortisol plays a vital role in weight loss, helping break down fat and raise the body's metabolic rate. The body produces the most cortisol in the morning, so eating a substantial breakfast gives the cortisol ample food to digest. However, eating big meals at night, when cortisol levels are low, contributes to weight gain since less fat gets broken down and the metabolism remains sluggish.
Benefits
The Sabbatical Diet stresses eating whole and unprocessed foods, providing a good nutritional base. The diet also promotes exercise and offers specialized eating plans instead of one general program for everyone. The idea of eating big breakfasts may also appeal to many dieters.
Considerations
Some individuals may not like the Sabbatical Diet's religious references or the one day of fasting each week. However, if fasting isn't possible, the diet allows for low-calorie alternatives to be eaten instead. Some dieters have also found the eating plan to be confusing and difficult to follow. The eating plans include some traditional Jamaican foods that are difficult to find in grocery stores, such as breadfruit, ox tail, ackees, callaloo and other tropical fruits.
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