The
Internet's Top 10 Diets Reviewed
Jonni Good takes a look at Fat Loss 4 Idiots,
Burn The Fat, The Negative Calorie Diet
and other highly popular weight loss plans.
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Many of the weight loss plans that top the
Internet's popularity list are similar to the programs you
find in the local bookstore, like You: On A Diet, The
Beck Diet Solution, The 5 Factor Diet , The Zone®, Skinny
Bitch - while other downloadable plans offer completely
new ideas for your battle against excess fat. The greatest
advantage to these diet plans is their immediate availability
- no need to run to the bookstore or wait for a book to
be delivered online.
However, you don't have the opportunity to thumb through the
books to see if you think they'll really help you lose weight.
For that reason, I thought it would help if I offered a review
of the most popular online diets.
So, the top 10 list with my reviews (and my somewhat biased
opinions) are below. Want to skip straight to the diet you're
currently considering? Here's the direct links:
100's of new people sign up every day to try out this "idiot
proof diet," which tops the top 10 list for online diets.
The basic premise of the program is that people can show an
almost immediate improvement and start losing weight within
as little as 11 days by "shifting" their calories.
Now, what on earth do they mean by "shifting" calories?
Basically, the authors believe that our bodies' fat burning
hormones can be manipulated to our advantage by eating different
things at different meals, in a specific way. Here's how the
author's describe their theory:
...your metabolism always burns calories based on your eating
habits during the past few days -- because it assumes that
you'll continue to eat in the same general way.
Guess what? You're about to shock your metabolism by doing
something you've never tried before -- you're going to do
the OPPOSITE of what it expects you to do. You're going to
NOT continue eating the same types of calories and meals for
more than a couple days at a time, and you're going to lose
a lot of weight by doing this.
To make this work you need to SHIFT the types of calories
eaten as shown in our diet on the next page, and if you do
this then your metabolism will burn all of the calories eaten.
Then, when it finishes burning those calories it will find
the nearest available fat tissue on your body and burn that
too...
Of course, in order for this dieting technique to work you
also need to eat foods which have been rated "Fat Burning
Compatible" -- because the foods you eat must be easy
to burn (so that your metabolism will burn them entirely and
then switch to burning your fat tissue after that).
These are pretty dramatic changes in the way most people eat,
so to make it all easy, they provide an online diet generator
that automatically creates an 11 day menu and calculates everything
for you.
My opinion about this diet: Eating a varied
diet is always more nutritious than sticking to the same foods
every day, like many of us do. It also helps to have a specific
menu plan, which takes a lot of work out of the whole weightloss
issue.
However, I'm not entirely convinced that this switching around
will actually make your body burn fat faster than it normally
would do, or change your body's production of hormones the way
they say it does.
In spite of my questions about the reasons that they claim
the diet will work, there's no question that the foods included
on their menus will give you fewer calories than most overweight
people normally eat. You may not be counting calories,
but their menu generator is counting them for you. And the process
itself does make you pay attention to what you're eating - something
that most of us forget to do on a regular basis - and that in
itself will help you eat less and lose weight. Click
here for more information about Fat Loss 4 Idiots.
Bottom line - even though thousands of copies of this diet
have already been downloaded, and it has obviously helped many
people lose weight, it is not on the top of my list when it
comes to recommending a new, healthier lifestyle. For that,
keep reading.
 Number
2 on the Internet's top 10 diets list is Burn the Fat
by Tom Venuto. Although Tom's web page isn't quite as flashy
as the Fat Loss 4 Idiots page, the information he includes on
his web page and the testimonials written by readers will give
you more confidence in his program.
He describes all the different nutritional programs that he
personally tried before finding the one that actually works,
and he tells you exactly how he eventually came up with a plan
that overcomes some of a dieter's most common problems. Tom
is clearly a man who takes health and fitness seriously.
Before choosing this book I would suggest
you check out another one that was co-written by the same author,
called Fit Over 40. It's the next one on the list.
Tom doesn't try to sell anyone on how "easy" his
program is - there are 337 pages in his downloadable book -
and he doesn't promise instant success. Instead, he takes a
more realistic view of the problem, and gives the information
you need to not just lose a few pounds quickly, but to change
your metabolism and your eating choices so you can get down
to the weight you want - and stay there.
He also doesn't gloss over the fact that more exercise is one
of the key elements in losing weight.
Tom is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS),
a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), and—what makes him
different from other trainers—he's also a success coach
and licensed master practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming
(NLP)—the "excellence modeling" technology invented
by Richard Bandler, and popularized by Anthony Robbins - so
you know he understands the importance of motivation.
My opinion about this program: If there's
any group of people more committed to their bodies than super
models, it's the body building crowd. When you find a bodybuilder
like Tom who insists on getting in perfect shape naturally,
without drugs or questionable supplements, it gives him the
street cred that many diet book authors just don't have.
Since most of us don't really want a "perfect" body,
some of the information in Burn the Fat goes beyond
what most of us are willing to do. However, it's important to
remember that bodybuilders insist on losing their extra fat
without losing any muscle - a problem that most "normal"
dieters often face. This book shows you how to act and think
the way these successful bodybuilders do - and that does
include increasing your exercise. He includes several weight-lifting
routines to help you out with the exercise part of the program.
So - the bottom line is that this is a program that will give
you results, but not immediately, and not without effort. And
you should not expect to look like he does in those photos on
his web page unless you intend to spend quite a few hours in
the gym. Click here to learn more about Burn
the Fat...
 Before
doing anything else, just take a look at the before and after
photos on this book's web page. Wow. Of
all the downloadable diet books I'm reviewing today, this one
is getting my highest recommendation - because it gives
proven results, and because the program improves your health
along with your dress or pants size.
Unlike many of the books on this page, this one is written
for real people who have real obstacles to losing weight and
getting fit. It is co-written by Tom Venuto, the author of Burn
the Fat. Inside the book you'll find 52 stories by real
people who made amazing transformations of their own and were
willing to share their stories with the world.
If you have a commitment to getting your health back, this
is the book you should be reading. According to Craig Ballantyne,
CSCS, M.Sc., a Contributor to Men's Health Magazine:
"Fit Over 40 is a wake-up call to every man and woman
that wants to improve their health while losing body fat.
I don't care if you are the world's fittest 25-year old, if
you aren't inspired by the stories of these men and women,
including Jon Benson, taking up working out at ages 30, 40,
50, and older, than nothing ever could!"
As a woman, I would choose this book over the Burn the
Fat book, reviewed above, simply because a number of women's
stories are included in the book. It's also important to me
that the authors make it obvious that a high level of fitness
is possible, even for "normal" people. That inspires
me to believe that you don't have to be a muscle-bound guy in
order to get your body back into shape, no matter how old you
are, and no matter how unhealthy you may be when you start the
program. Click here to learn more about Fit
Over 40...
 Yes,
the fourth most popular Internet diet program is actually about
colon cleansing, which is "guaranteed" to help you
lose up to 20 pounds fast, and boost your energy level in 10
days or less.
I won't go much into this program, because the third sentence
on the website pretty much says it all: "But Most People
Don't Last 1 Day On The Master Cleanse." Well, to be honest,
I wouldn't even try.
This program is also called the Lemonade Diet, and if you're
interested in trying it, do a Google Search using "lemonade
diet" for your search terms - you'll find the list of things
you have to eat out on the web, for free. Doing a fast search,
this is what I found:
60 oz water per day (or 10 oz per glass)
12 tablespoons Organic Grade B Maple Syrup (or 2 tbsp. per
glass)
12 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (or 2 tbsp. per
glass)
a little over half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or 1/10 tsp.
per glass) or to taste
Smooth Move (Senna leaf) laxative tea
So - this is not a diet, it's a purge. If you stay
on the program for more than one glassful of lemonade with cayenne
pepper, anything you have in your intestines will quickly
come out - and that in itself is bound to lower the numbers
on your bathroom scale.
You'll probably be doubled over in pain, too, which may explain
why almost no one ever drinks a second glass of the stuff. Click
here to learn more about this cleansing program, if you dare...
I have nothing against the idea of colon cleansing. It's actually
a very good idea, and I recommend it. But don't do it with the
lemonade diet, please. The best book I've ever read on the subject
is The
Fasting Diet by Steven Bailey, a naturopathic physician
practicing in Portland, Oregon. No cayenne pepper - just a real
fruit juice fast you can use for a few weeks to make your colon
healthy, (and lose that 20 pounds) without making yourself
sick in the process.
 This
diet is designed around the idea that certain foods take more
energy to digest than the food itself contains - so if you eat
these foods, you lose weight.
You will lose weight on this diet, but it's a little
hard for me to recommend a program built on a false premise
- even though it works. What the diet actually does is encourage
you to consume fewer calories. This doesn't sound very exciting,
I know, but that's all it is.
Even though the idea of "negative calorie foods"
is not very well documented (to say the least) I do encourage
everyone to start eating more veggies. If you need to make yourself
believe they have magical fat-burning properties in order to
make yourself eat them, then more power to you. The fact is,
the more veggies you eat, the more you lose - so the authors
of this book are absolutely right (they just say it in a way
that I find a bit hard to swallow). Click
here to learn more about the Negative Calorie Diet...
 I
have no idea why the authors chose such a strange title for
their diet and exercise program, but it is quite popular with
new mothers in spite of it. The program is written specifically
for women who want to regain their pre-pregnancy body after
giving birth. I haven't read this one, so I can't give much
of a review, but the authors say that:
With the Fit Yummy Mummy Lifestyle System, you can lose fat
in the comfort of your own home allowing you to…
* Reclaim your tight body and butt
* Tone your arms, legs, and abs
* Reverse the aging process
* Lift your glutes
* And perk up your chest
All in under 90 minutes per week!
Losing the extra weight and toning up the tummy muscles after
a pregnancy is one of the biggest problems facing young women
and moms, so the popularity of this plan is understandable.
Click here to learn more about the Yummy
Mummy program...
 The
author recommends 110 different fruits, vegetables, fats and
herbs that will help you lose weight. When you substitute these
healthy foods for the high-sugar, high-fat junk food you probably
eat now, you will lose weight in a natural, safe way.
Some of the things you'll learn when you read this
book:
- Why these foods fight fat better than other foods, and how
easy it is for you to eat Fat Fighting Foods in every meal.
//
- Additional health benefits you'll get from eating these
foods... these amazing foods help you achieve your perfect
body and improve your health!
//
- How to prepare these foods, so you don’t kill their
fat-burning ability. You'll get simple tips you can follow...
whatever your cooking ability or food tastes.
//
- How much of these foods you can eat to maximize your weight
loss (you'll be pleased to know the portions are very satisfying.
//
- Serving suggestions for these foods so you’ll never
have to stand in front of your cupboards wondering what you’re
going to eat.
This book is well-researched and documented, although it isn't
the easiest plan to use, and you may get more information than
you were looking for. The author doesn't try to over-simplify
things too much - she counts on her readers to learn the foods
that improve health and help people lose weight, and then incorporate
those foods into your daily diet. All in all, I give this one
a thumbs up. Click here to learn more about
The Amazing Fat Fighting Foods...
 Another
diet and fitness book by a fitness expert.
Anthony Colpo is a personal trainer from Melbourne, Australia.
His downloadable book gives solid advice about diet and weight
loss.
I'm particularly happy that this is not a modification
of the low-carb diet that was once so popular, and which still
re-surfaces in new forms just about every day. The book is easy
to read, and easy to follow, but don't expect to look like he
does if you aren't willing to spend time in the gym. A lot
of time in the gym. Click here to learn more
about the Fat Loss Bible...
 Yes,
number 9 on the list of the Internet's top 10 diets is specifically
written for brides getting ready for their wedding. This is
basically a version of "how to lose 10 pounds in a week."
If you want to fit into last year's jeans, and you need to do
it fast, go ahead and give this one a try. Just don't expect
it to give you the nutritional training you need to make a healthy,
long-term change in your eating habits, because that's not what
the book is for.
This one isn't really a weight loss diet, although most people
will lose weight if they go on it. Quite simply, it discusses
the raw food diet, which is exactly what it sounds like. Since
this is a very drastic change in your lifestyle, I would suggest
that you go to your local bookstore instead and thumb through
a few of the raw food diet books on the shelves. Then you can
get a taste of the basic idea, and perhaps come back to this
online book if you need added inspiration.
These reviews were written by Jonni Good, author of one of
the Internet's most popular self-help books for people addicted
to sugar and other fattening foods. If sugar cravings keep you
from staying on any diet, no matter how good it is, click
here.
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