The No White at Night Diet Plan, also known as the Three-Rule Diet, is a weight loss plan that was developed by a cardiology specialist in order to help his patients lose weight and keep it off. The No White at Night Diet is centered on three basic concepts and boasts many advantages for people searching for a weight control program that is both simple to understand and to follow. There are, however, some disadvantages associated with the No White at Night Diet.
History
Dr. Bill Gavin, a cardiologist certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology and based in Olympia, Washington, developed the concepts that the No White at Night Diet is based around after years of observing that both he and his cardiac patients had difficulty sticking with diets that incorporated weighing out exact portions of different food types or slavishly counting daily calories. Gavin distilled his observations into three basic rules of weight loss and published his plan in his 2003 book, "No White at Night: The Three-Rule Diet."
Aspects
The three rules of weight loss detailed in the No White at Night Diet are: eat three meals daily, with the day's final meal eaten at least two hours before you go to bed; eat a minimum of 10 to 15g of lean protein at each meal and avoid all starchy "white" foods at the last meal of the day. Gavin emphasizes choosing lean proteins like fish, turkey, chicken, lean cuts of beef, non-fat yogurt, string cheese, egg whites, natural peanut butter and non-fat cottage cheese. He recommends monitoring your protein intake by gauging your hunger level two hours after a meal: according to Gavin, if you are hungry, you need to increase your protein intake. According to the Eternalyouth site, most people require a daily protein intake that equals 1g of protein for every 2 pounds of body weight. The white foods you are forbidden to consume in the evening while on the diet include white bread, white rice, pasta, potatoes and corn; you are also advised to avoid eating brown rice, whole-wheat bread, red potatoes and peas in the evening, as well as any type of dessert.
Background
According to Gavin, each of the diet's three rules is essential for contributing to sustainable weight loss. The first rule, eating three meals a day, is based on scientific studies -- for example, studies reported by the MayoClinic.com that indicate people who eat breakfast have more success losing weight and keeping it off. The Eternalyouth site reports that your body burns calories more efficiently if the day's calories are weighted more in the first two meals of the day instead of at the last meal of the day. Consuming meals that consist of approximately 30 percent lean protein is thought to suppress hunger longer than eating primarily carbohydrates or fat. According to Gavin, "white" carbohydrates are generally foods that have a high glycemic index and cause sharp increases in blood sugar levels and a corresponding increase in insulin levels. When these foods are consumed in the evening, the higher insulin level is thought to last into the following day and to promote fat storage and weight gain.
Advantages
According to Gavin, people following the No White at Night Diet plan successfully lose weight and keep it off. The plan is easy to comprehend and to follow and does not require any extreme diet restrictions; the No White at Night main website promises that people following the plan can "live and eat normally."
Disadvantages
The online site That's Fit reports that many nutritionists and dietitians name two prohibitions of the No White at Night Diet -- consuming a large amount of calories late at night and eating "white" foods -- as diet myths not based in scientific fact and not supported by evidence. According to the site, there is no connection between the time calories are consumed and weight gain and judging a food by its color is not nutritionally sound advice. In addition, although the No White at Night main site does mention a walking program that can be followed along with the plan's three basic rules, exercise is not strongly emphasized in the program.
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