The Food Mover Diet was designed by Richard Simmons as an update to his popular Deal-a-Meal weight loss program. Both programs are based on the Diabetic Exchange List diet, developed by the American Diabetes Association in conjunction with the American Dietetic Association. Food Mover is a flexible diet,; foods are divided into seven categories much like the exchange diet. The number of servings you eat from each category depends on your caloric needs based on gender, activity levels and how much weight you need to lose.
Food Categories
There are seven categories in the Food Mover diet list: starches, meat vegetables, fruits, fats, dairy and an "extra" category for low-calorie foods such as mustard, balsamic vinegar and other condiments that have less than 20 calories per serving. Each category has a specific portion size determined by calorie, carb, fat, protein and fiber content. For example, a starch exchange has 80 calories, 15 g of carbs and 3 g of protein and a meat serving contains 75 calories, 7 g of protein and no more than 7 g of fat. For ease of reference, 1-oz. of cooked meat is about one exchange.
Calorie Consumption
The original diabetic exchange diet list was not designed as a weight-loss program; it was designed to stabilize glucose levels by limiting carbohydrates. Simmons uses the same exchange categories and nutritional requirements in each category, but changes the number of exchanges per category you should eat to control calories and promote weight loss. According to the Food Mover program, women with a starting weight less than 150 lbs. should eat 1,200 calories daily. Women weighing between 151 and 199 lbs. should consume 1,400 calories, women between 200 and 249 lbs. should eat 1,600 calories, women between 250 and 299 lbs. should eat 2,000 calories and women should add one meat and one starch exchange for every 50 lbs. over 300 lbs. Men should eat 200 calories more than women, except men who weigh between 250 and 300 lbs. -- they should also eat 2,000 calories. Men who weigh more than 300 lbs. should follow the same exchanges as women.
Food Mover Basics
The Food Mover program includes a portable hard plastic case with the food categories listed and little windows that slide open and closed, representing each individual exchange. There are also several calorie cards -- one for each level of caloric intake. You slide your calorie card into the hard plastic case and the number of exchanges you can eat appears in the windows as little food symbols -- a chicken drumstick in the protein category, an apple in the fruit windows and so on. Every time you eat an exchange, you simply close the window. When all your windows are closed, you've eaten your daily food allotment.
Pros and Cons
The Food Mover system is simple and user-friendly. There is an online support network and a website with FAQs and other tips. You can even sign up to have a daily email tip sent directly to you. The website and online "clubhouse" is not free and requires a $19.95/month subscription as of May 2011. The program teaches portion control and allows for three meals and three snacks daily. There are meal-plans and recipes included with the Food Mover and possible access to more recipes online. Overall, the Food Mover program is a healthy eating plan that encourages you to make long-term lifestyle changes, exercise, stay hydrated and lose weight at a slow and sustainable pace. By choosing foods from the categories in the list, you can significantly improve your health.
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