6 Popular Diet Fads and the Scientific Discovery behind them Part 1 from Fitness Elements Express!

6 Popular Diet Fads and the Scientific Discovery behind them Part 1



The How to's on Designing your own Healthy Diet


Here is a quick look on some of the most popular Diets and what has been discovered with these various type diets. This will be a six part discussion and education for you on determining and forming your own personal view. While there are literally hundreds of fad diets that have been promoted over the years that we could discuss, we will limit the discussion to the following popular diets:

The Atkins diet
The Blood Type Diet
The Ornish diet
The Macrobiotic diet
The vegetarian diet
The Zone diet


Today we will start and discuss the Atkins diet and what the outcomes and conclusions were.

The Atkins Diet

Out of the six diets we will be discussing in this six part series the Atkins diet is perhaps the most famous weight loss diet of all time. It is a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet developed by Robert Atkins, M.D. during the 1960s. In the early 1990s, Dr. Atkins brought his diet back into the nutrition spotlight with the publication of his best-selling book Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution. It is estimated that more than 20 million people wolrdwide have tried the Atkins diet, which emphasizes the consumption of protein and fat. Individuals following the Atkins diet are permitted to eat unlimited amounts of all meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and most cheeses.

The Atkins diet is divided into four phases: Induction, Ongoing Weight Loss, Premaintenance, and Maintenance. During the Induction phase (the first fourteen days of the diet), carbohydrate intake is limited to no more than 20 grams per day. No fruit, bread, grains, starchy vegetables, or dairy products, except cheese, cream and butter, are allowed during this phase. During the Ongoing Weight Loss Phase, dieters experiment with various levels of carbohydrate consumption until they determine the most liberal level of carbohydrate intake that allows them to continue to lose weight. Dieters are then encouraged to maintain this level of carbohydrate intake until their weight loss goals are met. Then during the Premaintenence and Maintenance phases, dieters determine the level of carbohydrate consumption that allows them to maintain their weight. To prevent regaining the weight lost, dieters must stick to this level of carbohydrate consumption, perhaps for the rest of their lives.

Despite its enormous popularity, the Atkins program was not evaluated in a proper clinical trial until 2003. In this initial study, while people following the Atkins Diet did experience initial weight loss, though likely as a result of water loss rather than true fat loss, in the long run they gained it all back plus more. While the subjects on the Atkins diet had lost more weight than subjects on convetional diet in six months , the difference in 12 months was not significant. Adherence in both groups was poor. Other clinical studies have shown similiar results.

The findings from these clinical trials indicate that although adhering strictly to the Atkins diet in the first six months may initially lead to more weight loss upfront, but eating a more healthful diet , such as the one I will recommend at the end of this six part series will equal efficacy in the long run and considerably more health promoting. Until part two the Blood type Diet have a healthy and happy day!

References: Michael Murray N.D., Joseph Pizzorno N.D., and Lara Pizzorno M.A., L.M.T

By, Natalie Pyles

NSA Speaker, Author, Medical Exercise and Post Rehab Conditioning Specialist, Licensed Nutritionist,Health, Fitness, and Holistic Nutrition and Nursing Educator