4-Star Eating Plans
I can’t
speak for everyone, but every January most people I know start off with fitness
goals, i.e., better diet and more exercise. Great goals, but generally as time
moves on, motivation wanes for a number of reasons.
Some of you
know that I’ve had kidney failure for a number of years. I received a
transplant in 2013 and ended up dealing with ongoing complications. What very
few people know is that partially due to chronic infusions and those
complications I just mentioned, I have gained over 35 pounds. In all honesty, I
had to say that my weight gain is partially due to medical reasons. The rest is
chronic stress (also due to health problems) and as much as I hate to admit it,
I’m a snacker, mostly salty, hot, spicy things and nuts (don’t even go there.
LOL).
With that in
mind, this week I decided to talk about eating plans (notice I didn’t say the
dreaded word “diet”), some old and some new, that we can live with.
I’m one of
the worst about following hard and fast rules; don’t like them much, in fact,
so eating plans have to allow quite a bit of wiggle room for me to even think
about maintaining them.
I’ve noticed
the major campaign with the celebrity commercials, but the idea of counting
points, taking shots, or spending mega-bucks on pre-packaged foods is an
instant turn-off for me, and I have no intention of attending any kind of
meetings for the rest of my life. Everyone I know who has lost weight on these
plans has gained it back as soon as they stopped attending meetings, taking
shots, you get the drift. Uh…no.
I know. So
get to the plans already, Lady!! Each of these plans meets four-out-of-four requirements,
so I call them 4-Star plans:
1.
Flexible
2.
Inexpensive
3.
Time-conscious
(doesn’t require lots of time to prepare foods)
4.
Life-changing
yet maintainable
Here they
are. **As with any other eating or fitness plan, check with your medical
professional before starting anything new**:
1.
Dr. Oz’s Total 10 – I really just started paying
attention to this one last year, but the program can be as detailed or as
flexible as you need it to be. There are support groups all over the web, but
they are not a requirement, and the variety of foods included in this plan make
it relatively easy to maintain for a lifetime without breaking your bank or
leaving you with feelings of deprivation. For more info.
2.
Dr. Oz’s Day Off Diet – Obviously I’m a Dr. Oz fan J In a
nutshell, you follow a prescribed plan for 6 days and choose one “off-day” each
week. What I like most about this one is that even the 6-days are not bad; it’s
normal food without snacking, and you won’t feel hungry because your body is
getting the nutrients it needs. There’s a Facebook group for
this one.
3.
The Military Diet – This one has been around for a long
time, and most people, even those with health problems can do this, even if
their condition requires a few minor modifications (yes, if you talk to a
dietitian like I did, there are a few substitutions that can be made without
compromising the plan’s effectiveness). The strength of this plan is that you
see results fast. Keep in mind that the first 10 lbs. is water weight, but you
will feel better instantly. Another strength is that the three days can be used
as a blueprint for your 4 off days for best results. You’ll notice that you can
eat a lot less without feeling hungry, and for snackers like me, the 3 days
prove that I don’t have to snack to make it through the day. For best results I
suggest using the diet twice a month and checking with a dietitian for
substitution ideas to keep you from getting burned out. For more info.
4.
Custom combo – This is your own personal design.
You can use two or more of the three above plans to achieve and maintain great
results. For instance, you might start with the 3-day for fastest results, then
continue with the Total 10. Note that the Total 10 also has a “Rapid Weight
Loss Diet Plan” with more definitive food choices. Not my thing personally, but
certainly worth looking
into.
So which of these sounds most doable in your opinion and why? Also,
please feel free to share your experiences with any of these and add to my list
of lifetime plans.
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