In 1983, Dr. Peter M. Miller's best-selling diet book, "The Hilton Head Metabolism Diet," was published. As the founder of the Hilton Head Health Institute located on South Carolina's Hilton Head Island, Dr. Miller based his diet on his observations and subsequent study indicating that only 30 percent of daily calories are burned from exercise, with the remainder burned by the body's metabolism. Weight gain, he theorized, happens when your body's metabolism doesn't burn calories efficiently.
The Hilton Head Metabolism Diet
The goal of the Hilton Head Metabolism Diet is to adjust your body's chemistry so that your metabolism speeds up and begins burning fat at a higher rate. In this way, you can eat five meals per day and still lose weight. The diet divides into two distinct stages. In the first six-week stage, weight loss is achieved by eating three low-fat, high-carbohydrate meals a day plus two snacks. The second stage involves adjusting eating habits to maintain your new weight.
Updated Version
Dr. Miller updated his diet in "The New Hilton Head Metabolism Diet," published in 1996. Although Miller added new recipes and updated research information, the basic premise of the diet remained the same. The diet operates under the theory that weight loss occurs more quickly when eating several "mini-meals" each day than fewer, larger meals. According to Miller, waiting longer periods between meals, regardless of their size, will cause the body to store more fat by essentially telling your body it will have to wait longer for its next meal.
Effects on Metabolism
Although you'll eat three meals and two snacks each day on this diet, the total number of calories allotted per day is only 1,000. A recommended lunch, for example, is 1/4 cup tuna salad on two slices of low-calorie, whole wheat bread; lettuce and two tomato slices; and six raw baby carrots. On weekends, the diet recommends you boost your caloric intake by 200 to 250 calories; this, says Miller, will further boost the metabolism and can also help prevent you from becoming bored with the diet's restrictions.
Benefits
According to WebDietician.com, the New Hilton Head Metabolism Diet is a wise way to lose weight, and offers numerous benefits. Weight loss is slow and poses no risk to the dieter's overall health, and the diet has no food restrictions; restricting favorite foods can sometimes lead to cheating and discouragement. In addition, the diet recommends daily exercise and taking a multivitamin.
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