The 1996 blood-type diet book "Eat Right for Your Type," written by medical researcher Peter D'Adamo and Catherine Whitney, argues that each human blood type has specific individual dietary and exercise needs. While scientific support for this claim is sparse, the authors say there is anecdotal evidence that following a blood type-based diet helps some people lose weight. According to their book, Type O people -- both positive and negative -- are closest in genetic makeup to humanity's hunter-gatherer ancestors, and require a diet high in protein, fruits and vegetables. Always consult your doctor before starting a new diet.
Step 1
Eat a meat-based diet. D'Adamo believes that Type O people are natural meat eaters whose weight loss efforts benefit from a diet largely based on lean animal protein. Lean meat protein choices include chicken, fish, turkey and lean pork chops, all of which have lower fat content than red meat. D'Adamo argues that Type O's might suffer from eating a vegetarian diet because they have an excess of hydrochloric stomach acid, which is needed to digest meat protein but not legume protein. In other words, D'Adamo argues, Type O's are physically designed to eat meat and could gain weight by eating a purely vegetarian diet.
Step 2
Consume a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits. Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, the more servings the better. Have salads for lunch and dinner, combined with a fruit smoothie or protein shake during the day. Replacing a high-fat meal with a salad or a low-fat smoothie or shake helps you reduce your daily caloric intake, aiding weight loss.
Step 3
Avoid eating processed carbohydrates and simple sugars, wheat products and excessive amounts of dairy products. Wheat, especially wheat gluten, is a major factor in weight gain among Type O's because, D'Adamo believes, gluten lecithins reduce metabolic function and lower your metabolic rate, so you burn fewer calories. To lose weight, Type O's should cut out breads, pastas, cookies, cakes and processed or sugary snacks entirely.
Step 4
Exercise vigorously several times a week. Type O's respond well to vigorous exercise and should perform both cardiovascular and strength training exercises at least three times a week, the blood-type diet book says. To lose weight, consider increasing the number of days you exercise to five or six a week, allowing at least one day for rest. Some examples of vigorous exercise are swimming, indoor cycling classes, running and playing sports.
Tips and Warnings
- Choose organic meats whenever possible to limit your exposure to the growth hormones and antibiotics used by some industrial meat processors.
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