|
E-mail this page to a friend!
Consumer Reports Ranks Diet Plans, Allows Free Use
of Personal Calorie Calculator
Weight Watchers, Slim Fast led the weight-loss plans
for nutrition and effectiveness
May 10, 2005 – Consumer Reports has released its
analysis of the most popular weight-loss diets and ranked them for
nutrition and effectiveness. What maybe of at least equal interest to
many senior citizens is that the magazine is allowing free use of their
calorie-needs calculator that will provide specific information on an
individuals daily calorie needs.
|
Tools for Senior Citizens |
|
|
• Go to the Consumer
Reports calorie calculator to see how many calories you need -
Click
• Read about all the
new tools by USDA for determining your personal diet and
exercise needs -
Click |
|
|
Mediterranean-Style Diet, Exercise Reduce
Cardiovascular Risk, Weight
May 2, 2005 – A Mediterranean-style diet combined
with exercise improved cardiovascular risk as quickly as eight weeks
after the program began and participants also lost weight, according to
a study presented this weekend at the American Heart Association's Sixth
Annual Conference on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.
Read more...
|
|
CR say it has taken the wraps off nine popular
diets to help people wade through the sea of promises made by many
weight-loss programs. In the June issue, "Rating the Diets from Atkins
to Dr. Sears Zone," CR calculated the diets' calorie counts and
nutritional composition, checked whether they conformed to U.S. dietary
guidelines, and evaluated their effectiveness with a comprehensive
review of clinical research.
Experts say that the best diet is the one you can
stay on. CR helps readers choose a weight-loss plan that makes sense for
them. Among our findings:
-- Weight Watchers received the highest overall
rating. A nutritionally balanced diet, plus weekly meetings and
weigh-ins for behavioral support, give this large commercial weight loss
program the highest long-term adherence rate of any diet studied. This
plan doesn't exclude any food group and its point system encourages
consumption of low-fat, high fiber meals.
-- Slim Fast, which received the second highest
overall rating, is recommended for people who don't like to cook-branded
bars and drinks replace part of breakfast and lunch-and dieters need to
prepare only one full meal a day. People on the Slim Fast plan lost the
most weight in six months using products like 180-calorie shakes.
-- The Zone is high in protein and includes copious amounts of
high-fiber vegetables. Many companies offer home delivery of "Zone
favorable meals." It is recommended for those who want a short-term high
protein diet plan.
-- Ornish offers ultra low-fat, high-fiber
vegetarian meals, which provide fairly large portions for the low
calories.
-- Atkins Induction and Atkins Ongoing Weight Loss
are appropriate for people who want a short-term high protein diet plan.
The Atkins diet worked very well in the short term, with results at
least as good as our other top-rated diets. But its nutritional
deficiencies-too much fat, and too little fiber and too few
fruits-depressed its overall Rating and may have a negative effect on
some people's health.
In CR's Ratings, the overall score is based on
adherence to nutritional guidelines and the results of clinical studies
for each diet. Nutritional content was calculated by entering a week's
worth of menus from each diet into a powerful nutritional analysis
database. Analytical results include short- and long- term weight loss
and dropout rates, and were derived from published clinical trials for
each diet.
Several other popular weight-loss plans-eDiets,
Jenny Craig, South Beach, and Volumetrics-are all low enough in calories
to produce weight loss. But CR could not rate them for this report
because these diets lacked data from large, long-term, published
clinical trials.
CR suggests there are four ways to a winning diet:
Eat high- bulk, low-calorie foods: This is a promising strategy for
curbing hunger while keeping calories down. Such foods include fruits,
veggies, and other water-filled foods such as soups. Control blood
sugar: One way is to stay away from starchy, easy-to-digest
carbohydrates, such as refined flour, white rice, and potatoes, and
avoid added sugar. Eat plenty of high-fiber carbs, such as whole grains,
fruits and veggies. Measure portions and seek encouragement.
CR's recommendations for choosing the best diet for
you include:
-- Cut the easiest calories first. Eliminate the
nonnutritive foods that are least important to you, such as sugared soft
drinks and juices and oversized baked goods.
-- Choose a safe dietary plan. If you have any
medical condition check with your doctor before starting a weight-loss
program. Don't strive for rapid weight loss. Increase fiber intake
gradually and drink more water to avoid digestive upsets.
-- Consider personal preferences: People who like
variety may tire of the limited menu of a meal-replacement diet.
-- Follow the rules: The more faithfully people
adhere to a diet, the more successful they will be.
-- Be ready to switch: If, after three weeks, you
find a diet is too difficult or unpleasant to follow, or you are not
losing weight-try another.
Use our interactive "Calorie-needs Calculator" to
determine your daily calorie needs-free from May 10 until July 6 -
Click Here
The June 2005 issue of Consumer Reports will be
available May 10 wherever magazines are sold. To subscribe, call
1-800-765- 1845. The Consumer Reports Website is
http://www.ConsumerReports.org
Click to More Senior News on the
Front Page
Copyright: SeniorJournal.com |
