- The Flat Belly Diet
This is the latest diet to hit the market (in 2008). It was written by Liz
Vaccariello, editor-in-chief of Prevention magazine. It is gaining ground rapidly
since the diet targets belly fat. It advocates monounsaturated fats (such as those
found in oils, olives, nuts and seeds, avocados, and dark chocolate) to lose
weight. (Dark chocolate is included as a monounsaturated fat as part of the plan,
but it is not a fat. It can contain cocoa butter, which is a saturated fat.)
Acceptable food choices on the Flat Belly Diet include frozen meals, fatfree
dairy, some fast food, replacement bars, Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, pork, and
ham.
THE ADVANTAGES: It is a diet that correctly tells readers to eat certain types
of fats.
THE DISADVANTAGES: Processed food, ham, and frozen meals should never
be part of your diet.
- The Zone Diet
The Zone diet is a highprotein diet designed by Dr. Barry Sears, a biochemist.
Acceptable protein choices on the Zone diet include veal, ham (deli style),
Canadian bacon, egg whites, and eggs substitutes. The Zone diet advocates
maintaining a strict ratio of calories: 30 percent from protein, 30 percent fat, and
40 percent carbohydrates at all meals in order to stabilize hormones like insulin,
which triggers hunger. On the Zone diet, you divide your plate by 3 each and
every time in order to get this exact ratio of carbs, fat, and protein. If you have
trouble keeping this ratio straight at each and every single meal, you can just eat
a processed Zone bar that contains soy protein isolate and some added sugar to
reach this “favorable” hormonal zone. The Zone correctly discourages refined
carbs.
THE ADVANTAGES: People lose weight on the Zone diet as they eliminate
refined carbs from their diet.
THE DISADVANTAGES : The diet wrongly condemns saturated fats found in
butter and egg yolks as dense and high in saturated fats. This dense, rich food is
good for sex hormones. The Zone diet’s protein choices are horrible for your
health; for one thing, processed meats have been linked to cancer. The Zone diet