1. Five is The Magic Number
Celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak created the 5 Factor Diet. People on the 5 Factor Diet have a strict set of guidelines to follow, all based on the number five. Five exercises that you do five minutes for five days a week. Five meals a day that include five elements: lean protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, healthy fats and water or another sugar free beverage of choice. The recipes on the plan feature five ingredients that take five minutes to prepare and five minutes to cook. The duration of the 5 Factor Diet is--you guessed it-- five weeks.
2. Experts Disagree About the 5 Factor Diet
Many medical experts like the fact that the 5 Factor diet doesn't exclude any foods. Well-balanced meals offer plenty of nutrition, unlike many fad diets on the market. It also incorporates exercise, a key component of a healthy lifestyle. Other experts cite the lack of medical testing and say the 5 Factor Diet doesn't address the real reason for obesity: emotional overeating. It also doesn't include the daily recommendation of 60 minutes of exercise (it only includes 25 minutes).
3. Get Familiar With the Glycemic Index
The 5 Factor Diet uses the Glycemic Index as part of its nutrition plan. The Glycemic Index rates foods according to how they raise blood sugar levels. Foods on the low end of the Glycemic Index, such as leafy greens, olive oil and eggs keep your blood sugars level, decreasing cravings. Foods loaded with refined grains and sugars rate higher on the Glycemic Index (although so do grapes, oranges and fruit juice) and will cause spikes in blood sugar levels, which can in turn cause people to make poor food choices. The 5 Factor Diet includes a list of high and low Glycemic foods, along with recipes and tips for preparation.
4. Cheating is Allowed on the 5 Factor Diet
Once a week, people on the 5 Factor Diet are allowed a cheat day. They can eat anything they want, no matter if it is ice cream, chocolate cake or French fries. The idea behind this cheat day is to help people feel like they aren't on a diet. This controlled cheating helps empower dieters through the rest of the week.
5. Calories in and Calories out
The bottom line on the 5 Factor Diet (and many other popular diets on the market) is reducing calories. It is a five-week plan, but if you revert to old eating habits after the fifth week, you will most likely gain the weight right back. The trick with weight loss is to make lifestyle changes you can stick with.
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