5 Things You Need to Know About the Canyon Ranch Diet

1. Canyon Ranch Diet of the Stars

The Canyon Ranch Spa is Tucson, Arizona is one of the top rated spas in the United States. Since 1979, Hollywood stars have flocked to Canyon Ranch for rest, relaxation and weight loss. The food at Canyon Ranch is renowned for its freshness and flavor. While most of us can't just drop everything and jet off to Canyon Ranch, we can recreate their 1700-calorie a day meal plan pretty easily in our kitchen. There are even Canyon Ranch cookbooks on the market, including Canyon Ranch Cooks, which features weekly meal plans and recipes.

2. It's Not a Diet, It's a Lifestyle Change

The philosophy of the Canyon Ranch diet is common sense eating. It's all about eating in moderation and not depriving yourself of the things you like. Love potato chips? It's fine to have a small bag with lunch. However, it's not okay to eat the family-size jumbo sack of chips while watching TV in the evening. The nutritionists at Canyon Ranch also stress the importance of understanding why you overeat. Because the Canyon Ranch diet is a lifestyle change, you have to be willing to change your eating habits forever. For many people, that is a scary concept.

3. Beware of Lunch

Lunch can be any dieters undoing, according to Canyon Ranch corporate chef, Scott Uehlein. By lunch time, you may be hungry and also trying to get work done. It is tempting to grab something quick and unhealthy, like fast food. Instead, Uehlein recommends packing your own lunch at least three days a week, so that you have a healthy meal ready and waiting.

4. A Diet That Focuses on Flavor

The meals at Canyon Ranch offer a variety of foods. Each recipe includes sweet, sour, bitter and salty flavors as well as a bit of fat. What they don't recommend is eating something you know you don't like. If you can't stand spinach, don't eat it. Instead, use a food whose flavor you do enjoy.

5. Canyon Ranch Diet is Convenient

Unlike many diets, the Canyon Ranch diet allows for convenient foods, like frozen entrees. The key with convenient foods is making the right selections. There are lots of low calorie, portion controlled meals available right at the supermarket. For snacks, fresh fruit and nuts (no more than one ounce) are good choices. They are easy to pack and will keep you feeling satisfied in between meals.

Last updated on: Nov 18, 2009

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