Ornish Diet Plan: Nutrition and Lifestyle Benefits Revealed

17.09.198010.12.2021 by alexxlab

Discover the powerful health benefits of the Ornish diet plan. Explore the nutritional guidelines, including what to include and what to limit, to reverse heart disease, diabetes, and even certain cancers. Learn how this plant-based approach can transform your genes and slow the aging process.

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The Ornish Lifestyle Medicine Approach to Nutrition

The Ornish Lifestyle Medicine program takes a holistic approach to nutrition, focusing on what to include in your diet rather than simply what to exclude. This evidence-based plan has been scientifically proven to reverse the progression of even severe coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure, as well as slow, stop, or even reverse the progression of early-stage prostate cancer.

Delicious and Nutritious Ingredients for Reversal

The Ornish diet emphasizes a joy of living, not a fear of dying. By eating a predominantly plant-based, whole-foods diet, you’ll not only lose weight but also gain numerous health benefits. The key is finding pleasure and feeling good in this delicious and nutritious way of eating.

Turning On Protective Genes, Turning Off Harmful Ones

Research has shown that the Ornish Lifestyle Medicine program can change your genes, turning on those that provide protection and turning off those that promote inflammation, oxidative stress, and the growth of certain cancers. In just 3 months, these lifestyle changes can affect the expression of over 500 genes.

Lengthening Telomeres, Reversing Aging

In addition to gene expression changes, the Ornish program has been found to lengthen telomeres, the ends of our chromosomes that regulate aging. By beginning to reverse aging at the cellular level, this approach can help you live a longer, healthier life.

Ornish Lifestyle Medicine Dietary Guidelines

The Ornish Lifestyle Medicine dietary guidelines focus on including predominantly plant-based, whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, soy products, and non-fat dairy. These foods are rich in good carbs, good fats, good proteins, and other protective substances.

What to Include and What to Exclude

While your calorie intake is unrestricted unless you’re trying to lose weight, the Ornish diet emphasizes eating mostly plant-based foods in their natural forms. Non-fat dairy and egg whites are included in limited amounts, but meat, poultry, fish, and any products made from these foods are eliminated.

Limiting Bad Carbs and Fats

The Ornish diet recommends limiting added sugars, refined carbohydrates, and alcohol to moderate levels. Additionally, no more than 10% of your calories should come from fat, which is achieved by avoiding added fats, oils, avocados, coconut, and olives. Instead, the plan relies on the natural fats found in plant-based foods, such as nuts, seeds, and soy.

What is the maximum amount of sugar allowed on the Ornish diet?

The Ornish diet allows sugar in moderation, but added sugars such as maple syrup, agave, honey, white or brown sugar, and non-fat sweets are recommended to be limited to no more than 2 servings per day.

How much fat is allowed on the Ornish diet?

The Ornish diet limits fat to no more than 10% of your total calorie intake. This is achieved by not adding any fats, oils, avocados, coconut, or olives to your predominantly plant-based diet. The 10% of calories from fat comes from the natural fats found in grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, legumes, and soy foods, as well as small amounts of nuts and seeds.

What types of nuts and seeds are recommended on the Ornish diet?

The Ornish diet recommends specific nuts and seeds that are rich in antioxidants and heart-healthy compounds, such as almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, cashews, peanuts, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds. These are allowed in limited servings to maintain the low-fat goal of the diet.

Can I have non-fat dairy products on the Ornish diet?

Yes, non-fat dairy products are optional and limited to no more than 2 servings per day on the Ornish diet. Non-dairy alternatives, such as soy milk, are also encouraged as they are cholesterol-free and rich in heart-healthy nutrients.

Is sodium intake restricted on the Ornish diet?

Moderate salt use is encouraged on the Ornish diet, unless otherwise medically indicated. Flavoring your foods with herbs, spices, and other sodium-free seasonings is recommended to help limit sodium intake.

Conclusion

The Ornish Lifestyle Medicine program is a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to nutrition and lifestyle that has been proven to reverse the progression of various chronic health conditions, as well as slow the aging process at the cellular level. By focusing on including nutrient-dense, predominantly plant-based foods and limiting unhealthy fats and refined carbohydrates, the Ornish diet can help you achieve optimal health and well-being.

Nutrition | Ornish Lifestyle Medicine

Nutrition

What you include in your diet is as important as what you exclude.

Delicious & Nutritious Ingredients for Reversal

Our approach to nutrition is all about feeling good, experiencing a joy of living, not a fear of dying. When you eat this way, you will lose weight and gain health. What’s sustainable is pleasure and feeling good, so relish in this delicious and nutritious way of eating!

Ornish Lifestyle Medicine has been scientifically proven to reverse the progression of even severe coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and high blood pressure as well as to slow, stop, or even reverse the progression of early-stage prostate cancer in a series of randomized controlled trials published in leading peer-reviewed journals.

We also found that changing lifestyle changes your genes—turning on protective genes and turning off genes that promote inflammation, oxidative stress, and oncogenes that promote prostate cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer—over 500 genes in only 3 months. In addition, these lifestyle changes lengthen telomeres, the ends of our chromosomes that regulate aging, thereby beginning to reverse aging at a cellular level.

Ornish Lifestyle Medicine™ Dietary Guidelines

Foods are neither good nor bad, but some are more healthful for you than others — predominantly fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, soy products, nonfat dairy, and egg whites in their natural forms, as well as some good fats that contain omega 3 fatty acids. These are the foods that are rich in good carbs, good fats, good proteins and other protective substances. There are at least 100,000 substances in these foods that have powerful anti cancer, anti-heart-disease and anti-aging properties. What you include is as important as what you exclude.

Eat Mostly Plants in Their Natural Form

Your calories are unrestricted unless you’re trying to lose weight. Small frequent meals spread throughout the day will help you to avoid hunger and keep your energy levels constant. Portion control will assist you in reaching and maintaining a healthy body weight and controlling blood sugar levels. Non-fat dairy foods (no more than 2 servings/day) and egg whites are included. Note: Meat, poultry, fish and any products made from these foods are eliminated.

Limit Bad Carbs

Sugar is permitted in moderation, but not encouraged. Added sugars such as maple syrup, agave, honey, white or brown sugar, along with non-fat sweets, and refined carbohydrates are recommended to limit to more than 2 servings/day. (See Ornish Living article, Understanding Sugar: Added Vs. Natural)

Alcohol, is allowed in limited amounts, but not encouraged. If consumed, enjoy one serving a day: 1.5 ounces liquor, 4 ounces wine or 12 ounces beer.

4 Grams a Day of Good Fat

No more than 10% of calories are from fat. This is achieved by not adding any fats, oils, avocados, coconut and olives to a mostly plant-based diet. The 10% of calories from fat comes from fat that occurs naturally in grains, vegetables, fruit, beans, legumes, soy foods — and small amounts of nuts & seeds.

Limit cholesterol to 10 milligrams or less per day. To meet this goal, non-fat dairy products are optional and limited to 2 servings per day. Non-fat dairy products are optional. Non-dairy alternatives are encouraged, such as soy milk, as they are cholesterol-free and rich in heart-healthy nutrients.

Nuts are allowed in small amounts. To maintain the low-fat goal of 10 % of calories from fat, servings sizes for nuts are limited since they are very concentrated in fat. An example of some servings for nuts are listed below. The type of fat in nuts is mostly unsaturated with some nuts such as walnuts providing a good sources of heart-healthy omega 3s. Specific nuts(almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, cashews, and peanuts) and seeds (especially flaxseeds, sunflower, and pumpkins seeds) that are rich in antioxidants and cardio-protective phytochemicals such as polyphenols were selected based on research for their cardiovascular health benefits.

Example: 1 low-fat food serving (≤ 3 gm fat) equals:

5 almonds
9 pistachios
1 whole walnut
3 pecan halves
2 cashews
6 peanuts (no shell)
2.5 tsp flax seeds, ground
2 tsp chia seeds or sunflower seeds, shelled
1.5 tsp pumpkin seeds

Three or less servings from low-fat foods or nuts can be included per day. Low-fat foods such as packaged foods like veggie burgers, low fat whole-grain crackers or cereals that contain ≤ 3 gm fat per serving. These low-fat foods may contain a minimum amount of added mostly unsaturated fat such as olive or canola oil. Low fat packaged foods are not encouraged, but are optional on occasion for convenience, and to maintain an enjoyable sustainable lifestyle.

Eat Mostly Plant-Based Proteins

Sodium

Moderate salt use, unless medically indicated otherwise. It is encouraged to flavor food with spices, herbs and other natural flavor enhances such as citrus, and vinegars.

Caffeine

Our lifestyle medicine program encourages reducing the intake of stimulants such as caffeine in order to facilitate a more balanced, calm and peaceful way of living. Up to 2 cups/day of green tea has been included for many years due to its high concentration of health-promoting and cell-protective antioxidant polyphenols, which have shown to improve cardiovascular health. Black tea and coffee also contain these antioxidant polyphenols and other bioactive compounds providing cardio-protective benefits. Coffee and tea are optional if you are already drink coffee and able tolerate caffeine well. Coffee is limited to 1 cup or less of coffee or up to 2 cups decaf or up to 2 cups of black tea a day.

We are not encouraging people to begin drinking coffee or tea who are not already doing so, and those with arrhythmias, high blood pressure, anxiety, insomnia, gastro-esophageal reflux or who are caffeine-sensitive should continue to avoid it. Please consult with your physician if you have any concerns.

Supplements

We recommend a low dose multivitamin and mineral supplement with B-12 (without iron, if not of childbearing age), fish oil and, possibly upon the advice of a physician, calcium supplements.

The Ornish Diet | Everyday Health

Dean Ornish, MD, president and founder of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, Calif., was considered revolutionary in the early ’90s when he suggested that a basically vegetarian diet can reverse symptoms of heart disease. Plus, Ornish and his research team argued, a vegetarian diet coupled with exercise can reduce stress and help people lose weight. Since that time, Ornish’s diet has caught on, winning such high-profile fans as former President Bill Clinton. Far from being a diet fad, many doctors and nutritionists now recommend this popular diet to people who need to lose weight and who may have heart conditions.

The diet’s popularity partially stems from the fact it’s evidence-based. One study showed that after five years, participants had lost an average of 24 pounds on the Ornish Diet, and most had managed to keep the weight off. “Few other major diet systems have managed to match this feat,” says Susan Weiner, RD, MS, CDE, CDN, a nutritionist who practices in New York.

However, the Ornish Diet has a major drawback: It may be difficult for some people to follow, especially over the long-term. The popular diet is essentially a vegan diet, Weiner says, and people may find it hard to avoid all meats, chicken, fish, and egg yolks. Also, she says, the diet is extremely low in fats of all types, and it’s often fat that adds flavor to foods and makes people feel satiated.

What Is The Ornish Diet?

To follow the Ornish Diet:

Eat all the beans, legumes, fruits, grains, and vegetables you need to feel full.
Eat dairy low- or nonfat dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt in moderation. Only 10 percent of your calories should come from fat.
Avoid meats (red and white), oils and products containing oils, including avocados, olives, nuts, seeds, full-fat dairy, and sugar.
Exercise for at least 30 minutes five times a week or 60 minutes three times a week.
Manage stress with yoga and meditation and by spending time with your loved ones.
Kick unhealthy habits such as smoking or drinking alcohol in excess.
Eat smaller meals more often to combat hunger, but be careful not to overeat because you’re eating more often.

How Does The Ornish Diet Work?

The Ornish Diet helps you to lose weight and maintain heart health because you’re eating fewer calories and consuming less heart-damaging fat. “Fat is more than twice as calorie dense as carbohydrates,” Weiner explains. “Fat has 9 calories per gram where carbohydrates and protein have only 4. So, if you lower your fat intake, you lower your calories. Also, it’s hard to overeat if your diet consists of mostly fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains. “

The diet also recommends regular exercise, which helps you shed pounds and improve blood flow. Reducing stress also helps keep you happy and makes you less likely to overeat out of frustration or anger.

The Ornish Diet: Sample Menu

Breakfast: Whole-grain cereal with fat-free yogurt and orange juice

Lunch: Baked potatoes stuffed with fat-free cheese and spinach and broccoli; potato salad with fat-free dressing, or a green salad with fresh fruit

Dinner: Bread with tomatoes and capers, whole-meal pasta with vegetables, and peaches in wine for dessert

Drinks: Water, tea, coffee, skim milk, juices

The Ornish Diet: Pros

“A big pro to the Ornish plan is that you will get the recommended amount of fruits, vegetables, and fiber for an adult based on the USDA’s 2010 dietary guidelines,” Weiner says.
Most of the recommended meal plans are also low in sodium, which is helpful for most adults.
You will reduce the amount of sugar and refined carbohydrates and alcohol you consume — they don’t provide nutritional benefits and often take the place of more essential nutrients needed for a weight loss or disease-preventing diet.
Because you are eating foods that are low in acid and high in minerals, this popular diet can help you have better bone health and stave off osteoporosis.
Regular exercise improves heart health and helps you manage chronic conditions.

The Ornish Diet: Cons

Because the diet is extremely low in fat of all types, it can be hard to follow long-term.
The Ornish Diet restricts the amount of unsalted nuts and seeds you eat. Nuts and seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for heart health. Also, unsalted nuts and nut butters in moderation can improve the taste of meals and help you feel fuller, if used judiciously.
If menus are not carefully planned, the diet can be very low in calories, vitamin B12, and iron. Vitamins and minerals are critical for proper cell metabolism.
Because you’re not eating meats and sweets, you might become hungry and find it difficult to stick to the diet plan.

The Ornish Diet: Short-Term and Long-Term Effects

You are likely to lose weight if you adhere to the Ornish Diet, cutting fats and eating more fruits and vegetables. “If you are compliant with the Ornish plan, you might lose some weight short-term, but you might also be hungry due to eating much less fat than you’re used to,” Weiner says.

You also can improve your heart health on this diet. Numerous tests of the Ornish Diet have shown that this type of plan can reduce and eliminate heart disease, even in patients thought to be terminally ill, Weiner says.

However, there are cautions about who should attempt this lifelong diet. “Check with your doctor before following this plan,” Weiner says. “Young children, teenagers, and women who are pregnant or nursing should not follow this plan as it is too low in fat and may be too low in iron and vitamin B12. ”

What Is the Ornish Diet, and How Can It Help You Lose Weight?

With the focus on animal proteins and high-fat foods in today’s popular diets like paleo, keto diet, and Whole30, it’s hard to believe that just two decades ago, low-fat diets, like the Ornish Diet, were the trend.

Endorsed by former President Bill Clinton, the Ornish Diet is an example that some low-fat diets work with the right approach. While the Ornish diet plan isn’t at the top of the U.S. News & World Report for the best diets for 2019, the Ornish Diet ranks number nine—tied with the Nordic diet—in the top 10 overall best diets.

In an age where low-fat diets are frowned upon, let’s take a look at what makes the Ornish Diet plan so special.

What is the Ornish Diet?

Dean Ornish, MD, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and founder of the non-profit Preventive Medicine Research Institute, created the Ornish Diet in the early 1990s.

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Based on his 1995 book, Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease, the Ornish Diet emphasizes a vegetarian eating plan that includes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and limited refined carbohydrates, animal proteins, and fat. Only 10 percent of your calories should come from fat. The diet is best known for its claims of preventing and reversing heart disease. In fact, it’s tied for the top spot with the Mediterranean diet as the best heart-healthy diet of 2019.

Unlike other diets and weight loss plans out there, the Ornish Diet also focuses on the mental side of weight loss by incorporating stress management techniques. Stress reduction is a core element of Dr. Ornish’s program, and he recommends deep breathing, yoga, and meditation.

Dr. Ornish also advises doing a variety of exercises, including resistance training, stretching, and aerobic workouts. Deepening relationships with family and friends and building support from community are also key, as they can positively affect your health.

Does the Ornish Diet plan work?

Following the Ornish Diet plan can lead to some positive outcomes, such as increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, and fiber and reduced intake of refined carbohydrates, sodium, and alcohol. The diet is great for people living with chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes, who are looking to improve and potentially reverse their condition. And because it draws additional focus to exercise, stress reduction, and social support, the Ornish Diet can be good for people who are seeking to improve their overall health.

Dr. Ornish has conducted numerous studies about the effectiveness of the Ornish Diet for the prevention and treatment of various diseases, including heart disease, prostate cancer, and diabetes, as well as weight loss, and depression.

One of the most groundbreaking studies, the Lifestyle Heart Trial, was the first randomized clinical trial aimed at reversing heart disease without drugs or surgery. The study, which followed 48 patients with severe coronary heart disease over a six-year period, concluded that those who adhered to a healthy lifestyle—similar to the recommendations outlined in the Ornish Diet—had greater reductions in cardiovascular disease after five years. On the other hand, those who didn’t follow the lifestyle change continued to experience a progression of heart disease.

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According to a 2005 study published in the Journal of Urology, the Ornish Diet can also help prevent and even reverse early stage prostate cancer. Similarly, a 2005 study in the American Journal of Cardiology found that patients who followed the Ornish Diet had reduced their diabetes medication and had significant improvements in their blood glucose.

When it comes to weight loss, one study from the American Journal of Cardiology suggests that following the Ornish Diet plan can lead to significant weight loss because of the healthy lifestyle changes that come with the diet. And while some studies have shown that low-carb, high-fat diets are much more effective for dropping unwanted pounds short-term, a recent 2018 study from JAMA demonstrated that there isn’t a major difference in weight loss between low-carb and low-fat diets, like the Ornish Diet.

What to eat on the Ornish Diet plan

The Ornish Diet isn’t about consuming fewer calories, but making smarter food choices. The program offers two separate plans: a lenient prevention diet and a more rigid reversal diet.

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The prevention diet allows more leeway for people, depending on their personal goals, and can include moderate amounts of fish, skinless chicken, avocados, nuts, and seeds. On the other hand, guidelines for the reversal diet include consuming no more than 10 percent of calories from fat and no more than 10 milligrams of cholesterol per day. It also calls for eliminating meat, fish, poultry, and caffeine (except green tea), limiting sugar, sodium, and alcohol, and eating only one serving of soy daily.

Both eating plans recommend avoiding saturated fat from animal proteins and full-fat dairy. Dr. Ornish recommends getting complex carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and lean protein from nonfat dairy products, soy, and egg whites.

The downsides of the Ornish Diet

While the Ornish Diet plan isn’t a calorie-restricted diet, fat and animal protein intake is severely restricted, which can lead to decreased satiety from meals as well as nutritional deficiencies in B12 and iron. For people on the reversal diet, which is essentially vegan, the diet may be hard to maintain long-term. The diet can also be very low in calories and certain nutrients, depending on what people choose to eat.

How to get started on the Ornish Diet plan

Since both spectrums of the diet involve limiting animal proteins, start by swapping chicken and beef for plant-based proteins, such as tofu, beans, lentils, or tempeh. Similar to the Flexitarian Diet, the Ornish Diet encourages you to increase your fruit, vegetable, and whole grains intake at meal and snack times.

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If you’re following the prevention diet plan, which allows for some healthy fats, be sure to exercise portion control with nuts, avocados, and olive oil to ensure you’re not taking in too many calories. And if you’re following the reversal diet plan, work with a registered dietitian who’s familiar with the Ornish Diet to ensure you’re consuming enough calories and an adequate amount of nutrients every day.

As always, check in with your doctor or a registered dietitian prior to starting a new diet. They can recommend the best weight loss plan that fits your dietary needs and lifestyle. It’s also worth noting that Medicare and Medicaid cover the Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease as part of its coverage of intensive cardiac rehabilitation programs. Some private insurers also cover the Ornish Diet plan for patients with type 2 diabetes, so be sure to talk to your doctor if you’re interested.

Want to learn more? Visit the Ornish Diet web site for a full description of the plans and additional resources.

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Jessica Levinson, MS, RDN, CDN
Jessica Levinson, MS, RDN, CDN, is a nationally recognized nutrition expert with a focus on culinary nutrition and communications, and is the author of 52-Week Meal Planner: The Complete Guide to Planning Menus, Groceries, Recipes, and More.

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Why Almost Everything Dean Ornish Says about Nutrition Is Wrong. UPDATED: With Dean Ornish’s Response

Editor’s Note: Our April 22 article elicited a lengthy response from Dean Ornish, which we publish here, along with a rebuttal from Melinda Wenner Moyer.

Last month, an op–ed in The New York Times argued that high-protein and high-fat diets are to blame for America’s ever-growing waistline and incidence of chronic disease. The author, Dean Ornish, founder of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute, is no newcomer to these nutrition debates. For 37 years he has been touting the benefits of very low-fat, high-carbohydrate, vegetarian diets for preventing and reversing heart disease. But the research he cites to back up his op–ed claims is tenuous at best. Nutrition is complex but there is little evidence our country’s worsening metabolic ills are the fault of protein or fat. If anything, our attempts to eat less fat in recent decades have made things worse.

Ornish begins his piece with a misleading statistic. Despite being told to eat less fat, he says, Americans have been doing the opposite: They have “actually consumed 67 percent more added fat, 39 percent more sugar and 41 percent more meat in 2000 than they had in 1950 and 24.5 percent more calories than they had in 1970.” Yes, Americans have been eating more fat, sugar and meat, but we have also been eating more vegetables and fruits (pdf)—because we have been eating more of everything.

What’s more relevant to the discussion is this fact: During the time in which the prevalence of obesity in the U.S. nearly tripled, the percentage of calories Americans consumed from protein and fat actually dropped whereas the percentage of calories Americans ingested from carbohydrates—one of the nutrient groups Ornish says we should eat more of—increased. Could it be that our attempts to reduce fat have in fact been part of the problem? Some scientists think so. “I believe the low-fat message promoted the obesity epidemic,” says Lyn Steffen, a nutritional epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. That’s in part because when we cut out fat, we began eating foods that were worse for us.

Ornish goes to argue that protein and saturated fat increase the risk of mortality and chronic disease. As evidence for these causal claims, he cites a handful of observational studies. He should know better. These types of studies—which might report that people who eat a lot of animal protein tend to develop higher rates of disease—“only look at association, not causation,” explains Christopher Gardner, a nutrition scientist at the Stanford Prevention Research Center. They should not be used to make claims about cause and effect; doing so is considered by nutrition scientists to be “inappropriate” and “misleading.” The reason: People who eat a lot of animal protein often make other lifestyle choices that increase their disease risk, and although researchers try to make statistical adjustments to control for these “confounding variables,” as they’re called, it’s a very imperfect science. Other large observational studies have found that diets high in fat and protein are not associated with disease and may even protect against it. The point is, it’s possible to cherry-pick observational studies to support almost any nutritional argument.

Randomized controlled clinical trials, although certainly not perfect, are better tools for chipping away at causality, and they suggest that protein and fat don’t deserve to be demonized. In a 2007 clinical trial led by Gardner researchers randomly assigned 311 individuals to four groups: One group was assigned the high-fat, high-protein and low-carbohydrate Atkins diet; the second was assigned Ornish’s very low-fat vegetarian diet, which requires consuming fewer than 10 percent of calories from fat; the third was assigned the Zone diet, which aims for a 40/30/30 percent distribution of carbohydrate, protein and fat; and the fourth was assigned the high-carbohydrate, low–saturated fat LEARN (for: lifestyle, exercise, attitudes, relationships, nutrition) diet. The participants all had trouble adhering to their regimens, but all lost about the same statistically significant amounts of weight, and when compared head to head, the Atkins dieters saw greater improvements in blood pressure and HDL cholesterol than the Ornish dieters did.

The recent multicenter PREDIMED trial also supports the notion that fat can be good rather than bad. It found that individuals assigned to eat high-fat (41 percent calories from fat), Mediterranean-style diets for nearly five years were about 30 percent less likely to experience serious heart-related problems compared with individuals who were told to avoid fat. (All groups consumed about the same amount of protein.) Protein, too, doesn’t look so evil when one considers the 2010 trial published in The New England Journal of Medicine that found individuals who had recently lost weight were more likely to keep it off if they ate more protein, along with the 2005 OmniHeart trial that reported individuals who substituted either protein or monounsaturated fat for some of their carbohydrates reduced their cardiovascular risk factors compared with individuals who did not.

The other problem with Ornish’s antiprotein stance is that he lumps all animal proteins together. For instance, he wrote that animal proteins have been associated with higher disease and mortality risks in observational studies. But “Ornish is conflating hot dogs and pepperoni with fresh, unprocessed meats,” says Lydia Bazzano, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, “and there’s a big difference between them.” A 2010 systematic review and meta-analysis of 20 studies found consumption of processed meat was associated with an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease but eating unprocessed red meat was not. A 2014 meta-analysis similarly reported much higher mortality risks associated with processed meat compared with red meat consumption and found no problems associated with white meat. The March 2014 study that Ornish cites as finding “a 75 percent increase in premature deaths from all causes and a 400 percent increase in deaths from cancer and type 2 diabetes among heavy consumers of animal protein under the age of 65,” also did not distinguish between types of animal protein. And it is worth noting that among people in the study over 65, heavy consumption of animal protein actually protected against cancer and mortality. (Also: the heavy protein consumers in the study were consuming nearly 30 percent more protein than the average American does.) “Whole foods—such as whole grain products and fruits and veggies—are healthy, but I think that dairy products, fish and lean cuts of meat or poultry can also be part of a healthy diet,” Steffen says.

So there’s little evidence to suggest that we need to avoid protein and fat. But what about the claims Ornish makes about the success of his own diet—do they hold up to scrutiny? Not exactly. His famous 1990 Lifestyle Heart trial involved a total of 48 patients with heart disease. Twenty-eight were assigned to his low-fat, plant-based diet and 20 were given usual cardiac care. After one year those following his diet were more likely to see a regression in their atherosclerosis.

But here’s the thing: The patients who followed his diet also quit smoking, started exercising and attended stress management training. The people in the control group were told to do none of these things. It’s hardly surprising that quitting smoking, exercising, reducing stress and dieting—when done together—improves heart health. But fact that the participants were making all of these lifestyle changes means that we cannot make any inferences about the effect of the diet alone.

So when Ornish wrote in his op–ed that “for reversing disease, a whole-foods, plant-based diet seems to be necessary,” he is incorrect. It’s possible that quitting smoking, exercising and stress management, without the dieting, would have had the same effect—but we don’t know; it’s also possible that his diet alone would not reverse heart disease symptoms. Again, we don’t know because his studies have not been designed in a way that can tell us anything about the effect of his diet alone. There’s also another issue to consider: Although Ornish emphasizes that his diet is low in fat and animal protein, it also eliminates refined carbohydrates. If his diet works—and again, we don’t know for sure that it does—is that because it reduces protein or fat or refined carbohydrates?

The point here is not that Ornish’s diet—a low-fat, whole food, plant-based approach—is necessarily bad. It’s almost certainly healthier than the highly processed, refined-carbohydrate-rich diet most Americans consume today. But Ornish’s arguments against protein and fat are weak, simplistic and, in a way, irrelevant. A food or nutrient can be healthy without requiring that all other foods or nutrients be unhealthy. And categorizing entire nutrient groups as “good” or “bad” is facile. “It’s hard to move the science forward when there are so many stakeholders who say ‘this is the right diet and no other one could possibly be right,’” Bazzano says. Plus, discouraging the intake of entire macronutrient groups can backfire. When people dutifully cut down on fat in the 1980s and 1990s, they replaced much of it with high-sugar and high-calorie processed foods (think: Snackwell’s). If we start fearing protein, too, what will we fill our plates with instead? History tells us it’s not going to be spinach.

Dean Ornish Responds

I don’t usually respond to ad hominem attacks, but when I read Melinda Wenner Moyer’s article “Why Almost Everything Dean Ornish Says about Nutrition Is Wrong,” I felt a need to set the record straight. The title is confusing and potentially harmful to many readers.

For the past 37 years my colleagues and I at the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute, in collaboration with leading scientists and medical institutions, have published a series of randomized controlled trials and demonstration projects showing that comprehensive lifestyle changes may slow, stop and often reverse the progression of many chronic diseases. These include a whole foods, plant-based diet low in refined carbohydrates, moderate exercise, stress management techniques and social support.

These studies have been conducted with well-respected collaborators, published in the leading peer-reviewed journals, and presented at the most credible scientific meetings. These include JAMA The Journal of the American Medical Association, The Lancet, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, The Lancet Oncology, The New England Journal of Medicine, The American Journal of Cardiology and others.

I have presented these research findings on several occasions at the annual scientific meetings of the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, American Dietetic Association (now the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics), the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies and many others.

On August 12, 2010, after 16 years of review, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services began providing Medicare coverage for my intensive lifestyle program for reversing heart disease under a new benefit category, “intensive cardiac rehabilitation.” Many insurance companies are also providing coverage. My colleagues and I have been training and certifying teams of health care professionals at leading hospitals, clinics and health systems in this lifestyle program for reversing heart disease.

Earlier this year a panel of experts from U.S. News & World Report rated the “Ornish Diet” as the number-one diet for heart health for the fifth year in a row (that is, all five years they have been doing rankings).

When Moyer accuses me of having inadequate scientific evidence to support my statements, I must respectfully and strongly disagree. Let’s check the facts:

Headline: Why Almost Everything Dean Ornish Says about Nutrition Is Wrong

Provocative but incorrect.

Subhead: When it comes to good eating habits, protein and fat are not your dietary enemies

Her article begins with a gross distortion of what I believe. It’s the type of protein, fat and carbohydrates that matters. The diet I recommend is low in refined carbohydrates and low in harmful fats (including trans fats, hydrogenated fats and some saturated fats) and low in animal protein (particularly red meat) but includes beneficial fats (including omega-3 fatty acids), good carbs (including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and soy in their natural, unrefined forms) and good proteins (predominantly plant-based). This was clearly stated in my New York Times op–ed:

“An optimal diet for preventing disease is a whole-foods, plant-based diet that is naturally low in animal protein, harmful fats and refined carbohydrates. What that means in practice is little or no red meat; mostly vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes and soy products in their natural forms; very few simple and refined carbohydrates such as sugar and white flour; and sufficient “good fats” such as fish oil or flax oil, seeds and nuts. A healthful diet should be low in “bad fats,” meaning trans fats, saturated fats and hydrogenated fats. Finally, we need more quality and less quantity.”

Moyer wrote: Nutrition is complex but there is little evidence our country’s worsening metabolic ills are the fault of protein or fat. If anything, our attempts to eat less fat in recent decades have made things worse. Ornish begins his piece with a misleading statistic. Despite being told to eat less fat, he says, Americans have been doing the opposite: They have “actually consumed 67 percent more added fat, 39 percent more sugar and 41 percent more meat in 2000 than they had in 1950 and 24. 5 percent more calories than they had in 1970.” Yes, Americans have been eating more fat, sugar and meat, but we have also been eating more vegetables and fruits—because we have been eating more of everything.

Well, that’s the point—we’re not fat because we’re eating too little fat; we’re fat because we’re eating too much of everything.

Other nonscientist, nonphysician writers have also been saying that Americans have been told to eat less fat—“We’re eating less fat, we’re fatter than ever, so we’ve been given bad advice. Eat more meat, butter and eggs, they’re good for you (prominently pictured on the cover of their books), all those experts have been wrong.” This has been repeated so often in the echo chamber of modern media that it’s become a meme.

But it’s not true. As I wrote about in my op–ed, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (pdf), every decade since 1950 Americans actually have been eating more fat, more sweeteners, more meat and more calories.

First, she’s again perpetuating the myth that “…when we cut out fat, we began eating foods that were worse for us.” As the USDA data show, we’re eating more fat, not less.

Second, as I made clear in the op–ed as well as in my books and journal articles, the diet I recommend is low in refined carbohydrates and high in “good carbs” such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and soy products in their natural, unrefined forms (which tend to have low glycemic loads). She completely misrepresents my recommendations: “…carbohydrates—one of the nutrient groups Ornish says we should eat more of—increased.” I’ve always recommended that people limit their consumption of sugar and other refined carbohydrates.

Third, she’s confusing the USDA data (which I cited in my op–ed) and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data (which looked at the percentage of calories). The USDA tracks changes in consumption of the entire food supply. In contrast, the NHANES data is from surveying only a small sample of people nationwide, so it’s less reliable. Sample sizes ranged from 1,730 men and 2,003 women in NHANES 1999 to 2000 to 6,630 men and 7,537 women in NHANES III. Since the U.S. population last year was 322 million people, this represents only 0.000044% of the population, and different people are surveyed each year. This is why I use the USDA data (which tracks consumption of the entire food supply, not just a tiny sample).

But even if the NHANES data are accurate, they show Americans are eating more fat than ever and even more refined carbohydrates than ever. That only supports my thesis, because I recommend that people eat less harmful fats and fewer refined carbohydrates. The decrease in the percentage of calories from fat during the period 1971 to 1991 is attributed to an increase in total calories consumed; absolute fat intake in grams actually increased.

Fourth, the patients in our randomized controlled trial (JAMA. 1998) showed an average reduction of 24 pounds in the first year. In a larger study of almost 3,000 patients who went through my lifestyle program in 24 hospitals and clinics, BMI (body mass index) decreased by 6.6 percent. In other words, the diet I recommend causes weight loss, not weight gain. Pres. Bill Clinton is one of the more public examples of this, having lost and kept off more than 20 pounds since following the whole foods, plant-based diet I recommended for him five years ago (including salmon once a week).

First, I cited several large-scale studies from many different investigators, all of which showed that a diet high in red meat increases the risk of premature death from virtually all causes, even when adjusting for confounding variables. I’m not cherry-picking data; I’m looking at the preponderance of evidence from many studies by leading investigators such as those at Harvard School of Public Health.

Second, another “big fat lie” that has been repeated so often it’s becoming a meme is that there is not enough good science to inform us about an optimal way of eating. Believing this, many people are throwing up their hands, exasperated, saying, “These damn doctors can’t make up their minds—to hell with them, I’ll eat whatever I want,” when there is actually an emerging consensus among scientists and physicians who do research in nutrition about what constitutes an optimal way of eating. Although we always need more research, there is enough science now to guide us. Moyer’s article only adds to that confusion.

First, in this study, JAMA published a retraction of one of the main conclusions of this study by led by Christopher Gardner, which initially claimed that people lost more weight on the Atkins diet than on the diet I recommend, which turned out to be false (JAMA. 2007 Jul 11;298(2):178).This says something important about the quality of that research.

Second, there was no statistically significant difference in either systolic blood pressure or diastolic blood pressure after one year in comparing the groups. In contrast, there was a statistically significant reduction in LDL-cholesterol in the Ornish group but not in the Atkins group after one year.

Third, it is a common misconception that anything that raises HDL is beneficial and anything that lowers it is not. This is not true, as I wrote about years ago in my Newsweek column. In our randomized controlled Lifestyle Heart Trial, HDL cholesterol did not increase but patients showed regression of coronary atherosclerosis after one year, even more improvement after five years, and a 300 percent improvement in myocardial perfusion (blood flow to the heart) as measured by cardiac PET scans. HDL is important only to the extent that it affects atherosclerosis and myocardial perfusion, it is not a disease.

Fourth, the Gardner study did not really test very much of anything, other than it’s hard for many people to change their diets—any diet—from just reading a book. Adherence in his study to each of the diets was only 20 to 30 percent after one year, so it’s hard to make any conclusions at all.

Part of the problem in this and other studies that compare weight loss in low-fat versus low-carb diets (which is the wrong question anyway, because it’s the type of fats and carbs) is that adherence to different diets is often suboptimal, so it’s hard to make meaningful comparisons.

To address this issue, a recent National Institutes of Health study that I cited in my op–ed put people in a metabolic ward where they could actually control what people were eating and then measured the effects. According to the lead author, “Calorie for calorie, reducing dietary fat results in more body fat loss than reducing dietary carbohydrate when men and women with obesity have their food intake strictly controlled. Compared to the reduced carbohydrate diet, the reduced fat diet led to a roughly 67 percent greater body fat loss.”

Below is my letter to the editor of The New England Journal of Medicine that they published about this study:

“The PREDIMED study is highly flawed. The control group did not follow a low-fat diet. This is not surprising, since researchers gave the control group little support in following this diet during much of the study. In the “low-fat” control group, total fat consumption decreased insignificantly from 39 to 37 percent (Table S7 in the Supplementary Appendix, available with the full text of the article by Estruch et al. at NEJM.org). This level of consumption is much higher than the level recommended in American Heart Association guidelines for a low-fat diet (<30 percent fat) or a diet that can reverse coronary heart disease (<10 percent fat). There was no significant reduction in the rates of heart attack, death from cardiovascular causes or death from any cause. The only significant reduction was in the rate of death from stroke (see Table 3 of the article).
“The conclusion of the study should be, ‘We found a significant reduction in the rate of stroke among those consuming a Mediterranean diet as compared with those who were not making any substantial changes in their diet.’ A Mediterranean diet is better than what most people are consuming; even better is a diet based on whole foods and plants that is low in fat (especially saturated and trans fat) and in refined carbohydrates while allowing for sufficient consumption of n–3 fatty acids.”

Protein, too, doesn’t look so evil when one considers the 2010 trial published in The New England Journal of Medicine that found individuals who had recently lost weight were more likely to keep it off if they ate more protein, along with the 2005 OmniHeart trial that reported individuals who substituted either protein or monounsaturated fat for some of their carbohydrates reduced their cardiovascular risk factors compared with individuals who did not.

I’ve never said that protein is “evil.” In my op–ed, I clearly stated that it’s better to consume plant-based proteins than animal-based proteins, especially red meat. I wrote:

“The debate is not as simple as low-fat versus low-carb. Research shows that animal protein may significantly increase the risk of premature mortality from all causes, among them cardiovascular disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes. Heavy consumption of saturated fat and trans fats may double the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.”

For example, in the OmniHeart trial she cited, the group that was asked to consume 10 percent more protein emphasized plant proteins, not animal protein. And the 10 percent reduction in carbohydrate in the higher protein diet and the higher unsaturated fat diet was achieved by replacing some fruits with vegetables, reducing sweets and using smaller portions of refined grain products. All three diets reduced blood pressure, total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and estimated coronary heart disease risk.

But the real issue is what happens to actual measures of heart disease, not just risk factors, which I will describe further on.

As Moyer indicates here, the 2014 meta-analysis showed higher mortality risks associated with both processed meat and unprocessed meats. The fact that processed meat is even worse for you than unprocessed meats does not change the fact that the risk of premature death from all causes is higher in those eating red meat than those who do not.

The fact that not all studies have shown this risk does not mean that it is not true. In doing large-scale studies in which people complete dietary surveys, there is often so much noise—especially in combining data in meta-analyses—that a type 2 error often occurs (that is, the noise obscures the ability to detect statistically significant differences).

In a study from Harvard School of Public Health they prospectively observed 37,698 men from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986–2008) and 83,644 women from the Nurses’ Health Study (1980–2008) who were free of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer at baseline. Diet was assessed by validated food frequency questionnaires and updated every four years.

They documented 23,926 deaths (including 5,910 CVD and 9,464 cancer deaths) during 2.96 million person-years of follow-up. After multivariate adjustment for major lifestyle and dietary risk factors, the pooled hazard ratio (HR) (95 percent CI) of total mortality for a one-serving-per-day increase was 1.13 (1.07–1.20) for unprocessed red meat and 1.20 (1.15–1.24) for processed red meat. The corresponding HRs (95 percent CIs) were 1.18 (1.13–1.23) and 1.21 (1.13–1.31) for CVD mortality and 1.10 (1.06–1.14) and 1.16 (1.09–1.23) for cancer mortality. The editor of JAMA Internal Medicine invited me to write an accompanying editorial for this study.

A related study by this group looked at 85,168 women and 44,548 men without heart disease, cancer or diabetes from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals’ Follow-Up Study. They concluded, “A low-carbohydrate diet based on animal sources was associated with higher all-cause mortality in both men and women whereas a vegetable-based low-carbohydrate diet was associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality rates.” Another major research article studied 43,396 Swedish women over 15 years. It concluded that “low-carbohydrate/high-protein diets are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.”

I am not against all forms of animal protein. It may be worth noting that my most recent book, The Spectrum, featured a piece of salmon on the cover.

In assessing the health effects of different diets it’s important to measure the disease process itself, not just risk factors such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels. For example, an important article, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, reviewed data showing that high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets promote coronary artery disease independent of their effects on traditional risk factors such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The arterial damage was caused by animal-protein induced elevations in free fatty acids and insulin levels and decreased production of endothelial progenitor cells (which help keep arteries clean). The Atkins diet caused the most coronary artery blockages whereas a diet low in fat and high in unrefined carbohydrates caused the least amount of blockages.

Although this was shown in animals, it is likely true in humans as well. I’m not aware of a single study showing that a diet high in red meat can reverse the progression of coronary heart disease. All evidence is to the contrary.

The March 2014 study that Ornish cites as finding “a 75 percent increase in premature deaths from all causes and a 400 percent increase in deaths from cancer and type 2 diabetes among heavy consumers of animal protein under the age of 65,” also did not distinguish between types of animal protein. And it is worth noting that among people in the study over 65, heavy consumption of animal protein actually protected against cancer and mortality. (Also: the heavy protein consumers in the study were consuming nearly 30 percent more protein than the average American does.) “Whole foods—such as whole grain products and fruits and veggies—are healthy, but I think that dairy products, fish and lean cuts of meat or poultry can also be part of a healthy diet,” Steffen says.

The March 2014 study in Cell Metabolism did distinguish between animal protein and plant-based proteins. The abstract clearly states, “Respondents aged 50–65 reporting high protein intake had a 75 percent increase in overall mortality and a fourfold increase in cancer death risk during the following 18 years. These associations were either abolished or attenuated if the proteins were plant derived.”

The authors also reported that among those without type 2 diabetes at baseline, those in the high animal protein group had a 73-fold increased risk of developing diabetes during the study. The authors wrote:

“Notably, our results showed that the amount of proteins derived from animal sources accounted for a significant proportion of the association between overall protein intake and all-cause and cancer mortality. These results are in agreement with recent findings on the association between red meat consumption and death from all-cause and cancer (Fung et al, 2010; Pan et al, 2012). Previous studies in the U.S. have found that a low-carbohydrate diet is associated with an increase in overall mortality and showed that when such a diet is from animal-based products, the risk of overall as well as cancer mortality is increased even further (Fung et al, 2010; Lagiou et al, 2007). Our study indicates that high levels of animal proteins, promoting increases in IGF-1 and possibly insulin, is one of the major promoters of mortality for people age 50–65 in the 18 years following the survey assessing protein intake.”

The beneficial effects of lower protein intake were not seen in those over 65. In people over 65 the authors observed that older people may benefit from more protein because they tend to be malnourished (living alone, poorer GI absorption, etcetera). They wrote:

“The switch from the protective to the detrimental effect of the low-protein diet coincides with a time at which weight begins to decline. Based on previous longitudinal studies, weight tends to increase up until age 50–60 at which point it becomes stable before beginning to decline steadily by an average of 0.5 percent per year for those over age 65 (Villareal et al, 2005; Wallace et al, 1995). We speculate that frail subjects who have lost a significant percentage of their body weight and have a low BMI may be more susceptible to protein malnourishment.”

In any event, I wasn’t “wrong” about this; in my op–ed I was clear that these benefits were seen in those under age 65.

Only one person in the experimental group of the Lifestyle Heart Trial was smoking at baseline, so it’s unlikely that made a significant difference. And I’m not aware of any studies showing that walking and stress management techniques alone can reverse heart disease.

We also published an analysis showing that improvements in dietary fat intake, exercise and stress management were individually, additively and interactively related to coronary risk.

Judging the quality of a study by the number of patients is like judging the quality of a book by the number of pages. There are so many other factors. Here’s a blog in which I addressed this issue:

“Although the sample sizes of these studies were small, there were statistically significant differences in all of the above measures. It is a common belief that the larger the number of patients, the more valid a study is. However, the number of patients is only one of many factors that determine the quality of a study.
In our studies we ask smaller groups of people to make much bigger changes in lifestyle and provide them enough support to enable them to do so. And because the degree of these lifestyle changes is much higher than a control group is likely to make on their own, and the intervention is potent, it becomes easier to show statistically significant differences even though the number of patients is smaller.”

As Attilio Maseri, MD, an internationally known and respected cardiologist, wrote:

“Very large trials with broad inclusion criteria raise grounds for concern for practicing physicians and for the economics of health care. The first is the fact that the larger the number of patients that have to be included in a trial in order to prove a statistically significant benefit, the greater the uncertainty about the reason why the beneficial effects of the treatment cannot be detected in a smaller trial.”

My colleagues and I conducted a demonstration project of 333 patients from four academic medical centers and four community hospitals. These patients were eligible for revascularization and chose to make these comprehensive lifestyle changes instead. We found that almost 80 percent were able to avoid surgery by making these comprehensive lifestyle changes.

It’s not just 48 patients. As I mentioned above, we found significant improvements in virtually all risk factors in almost 3,000 patients who went through my lifestyle program in 24 hospitals and clinics in West Virginia, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania.

Also, as I wrote in my op–ed in The New York Times, my colleagues and I have conducted randomized controlled trials that these same diet and lifestyle changes reverse the progression of other common chronic diseases. What happens to changes in blood pressure, cholesterol and weight are important only to the extent that they affect the underlying disease process (for example, degree of atherosclerosis, blood flow to the heart, cardiac events, changes in prostate cancer), which is what we documented. As I wrote:

“We showed in randomized, controlled trials that these diet and lifestyle changes can reverse the progression of even severe coronary heart disease. Episodes of chest pain decreased by 91 percent after only a few weeks. After five years there were 2.5 times fewer cardiac events. Blood flow to the heart improved by over 300 percent.
Other physicians, including Dr. Kim A. Williams, the president of the American College of Cardiology, are also finding that these diet and lifestyle changes can reduce the need for a lifetime of medications and transform people’s lives. These changes may also slow, stop or even reverse the progression of early-stage prostate cancer, judging from results in a randomized controlled trial.
These changes may also alter your genes, turning on genes that keep you healthy and turning off genes that promote disease. They may even lengthen telomeres, the ends of our chromosomes that control aging.
The more people adhered to these recommendations (including reducing the amount of fat and cholesterol they consumed), the more improvement we measured—at any age. But for reversing disease, a whole-foods, plant-based diet seems to be necessary.”

I agree that replacing fat with sugar is not healthful, as I’ve written about for decades. But replacing animal protein with well-balanced plant proteins is beneficial, and this is in the mainstream of what most scientists who do nutrition research believe.

For example, the then–American Dietetic Association published a position paper on plant-based diets in which they wrote, “It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.”

What is missing in Moyer’s article is the clinical experience that comes from helping people change their diet and lifestyle. I feel passionately about doing this work because it helps transform people’s lives for the better. These are not theoretical discussions; they are real people who have shown substantial improvements in their health and well-being—not just in risk factors but also in the underlying disease process. Over and over, I’ve seen patients with coronary heart disease so severe that they can’t walk across the street or work or play with their kids or make love or do much of anything without getting severe chest pain become pain-free after only a few weeks of making these diet and lifestyle changes. You can hear some of their stories here. We documented significant improvements in the heart’s function after only 24 days compared with a randomized control group.

And although no one likes to be falsely accused that almost everything they say is wrong, the bigger concern I have is that people who otherwise might have been motivated to make these highly beneficial diet and lifestyle changes may be discouraged from doing so by reading this essay by Ms. Moyer in which, unfortunately, almost everything she writes about my work is wrong.

Dean Ornish, MD
Founder and president, Preventive Medicine Research Institute
Clinical professor of medicine, University of California, San Francisco
Telephone: (415) 332-2525 x222

Melinda Wenner Moyer Responds

In his lengthy reply to my article Dean Ornish says I distort his beliefs, cite questionable studies and don’t have the clinical experience to assess nutritional evidence. If ones looks at the right data, he says, it’s clear that our country’s metabolic ills can be blamed on our increasing consumption of red meat and “bad” fats—both of which, he says, are proved to be unhealthy.

Ornish first takes issue with the data I cite on food consumption patterns from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). All consumption estimates are imperfect, of course, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data he cites. But looking more closely at the report (pdf) he discusses—as others already have—one finds that it, too, shows that in the decades from 1970 to 2000, when obesity and chronic disease rates skyrocketed, U.S. consumption of red meat and eggs dropped 12 percent. USDA data also show (pdf) that between 1970 and 2005 U.S. consumption of saturated fat–rich butter and lard as well as hydrogenated shortening decreased 17 percent. Indeed, the USDA explicitly states that most of our increase in consumption of added fats has been due to the growing use of vegetable oils and related products. So even when we look at the data Ornish likes, we still don’t see reason to blame America’s ill health on unprocessed red meat and saturated fats.

Ornish then cites a barrage of individual studies to back his claim that red meat and saturated fats are dangerous, including one that has not even been published in the peer-reviewed literature. He says that dietary meta-analyses and systematic reviews involving humans—such as the one I cited from 2010 that found no association between red meat consumption and heart disease or diabetes—can be misleading because the “noise obscures the ability to detect statistically significant differences.” Meta-analyses and systematic reviews have their limitations, of course, and they must be conducted carefully. But they don’t mask the truth; compared with individual studies, they get closer to it. As for Ornish’s contention that “the risk of premature death from all causes is higher in those eating red meat than those who do not,” I disagree, because the 2014 meta-analysis of 13 studies that I discussed did not find this to be true. (This lack of association is notable because this analysis probably overestimates risks associated with red meat consumption; all but two of the studies it assessed lumped processed meats into the “red meat” category.) Another meta-analysis of 21 studies found no association between saturated fat intake and heart disease. Again, meta-analyses of observational studies are certainly not perfect, but because they analyze all relevant data, they circumvent the problem of cherry-picking.

Ornish also dismisses the randomized controlled trials I cited in large part because the subjects in these trials did not adhere to the diets and reduce their fat intake enough. This argument raises two interesting points: First, it contradicts Ornish’s claim that he’s not really against fat, just certain types of fat. The fact is, individuals on his diet are supposed to consume (pdf) no more than 10 percent of calories from fat, and that’s very, very low compared to the average American’s adult’s intake of 33 percent of calories from fat. (An adult who consumes two tablespoons of olive oil in, say, a portion of salad dressing has already exceeded getting 10 percent of his day’s calories from fat if he’s eating 2,000 calories daily.)

Second, if subjects in dietary clinical trials—who are attending dietician-led classes and being monitored regularly—are unable to reduce their fat intake to anywhere close to Ornish’s recommendations, then how could his approach possibly be a sustainable solution for the entire country?

Ornish’s diet would probably be an improvement on the current American diet—if people could actually follow it long-term. But his claims about the dangers of saturated fat and red meat go beyond the science and in some cases contradict it. And although Ornish is right that I lack clinical experience, when analyzing evidence, distance can be useful. I have no horse in this race.

1500 Calorie Ornish Diet Meal Plan | Full Week Printable

The Ornish Diet Plan is vegetarian, and excludes cholesterol-containing foods, such as meats. The basis of the Ornish diet is to almost completely give up fat.

Since the diet avoids red meat and fat, it also provides protection from heart problems in the short term. However, following the diet long-term depends on the recommendation of your doctor.

What Is The 1500 Calorie Ornish Diet Plan?

Dr. Dean Ornish, founder of the Ornish Diet, advises individuals to get 10% of their energy intake from fat. This diet aims to reduce coronary atherosclerotic disease with weight loss, regular exercise and meditation.

It is also used for stress relief and weight loss. It is reputed to help prevent heart disease and diabetes, and lower cholesterol levels. It is also used to prevent prostate and breast cancer.

Let’s learn the prohibitions and recommendations of this diet before moving on to the sample list:

Prohibited Foods

All meat and fish varieties
All oils, margarine, mayonnaise
Fatty dairy products
Egg yolks
Cheese
Walnuts and kernels
Avocados, olives

Less Consumed

Sugar-free cereal
Egg whites
Skimmed dairy products
Crackers

Unlimited Consumed

Legumes: Broad beans, lentils, chickpeas, beans, soy
Fruits: Apple, orange, peach, melon, watermelon, pineapple, cherry, raspberry, blueberry
Cereals: Rice, oats, wheat, millet, barley, buckwheat
Vegetables: Potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, broccoli, sweet peppers, greens

Foods in the Ornish Diet are divided into 5 groups. While the healthiest foods are in the first group, the most unhealthy foods are classified in the 5th group.

Therefore, it is recommended to make the choices accordingly. You need to consume the first group most:

The 5 groups on the Ornish Diet Plan

1st group: Vegetables and fruits, whole grain and whole grain products, legumes, soy products, skimmed dairy products, egg whites and oils containing omega-3s.

2nd group: Avocados, hazelnuts, nuts, canola oil, canned vegetables, semi-skimmed dairy products.

3rd group: Seafood and fish (salmon, mackerel), white bread, rice, pasta, white flour, dried fruits.

4th group: Foods such as full-fat dairy products, coconut, margarine, mayonnaise, pastry, donuts, cookies.

5th group: Red meat, egg yolk, offal, chicken, butter, cream and other saturated fats

Ornish Diet Plan

Monday

Ornish diet plan: First day

Breakfast: Cheese and fresh fruit, a slice of toast, tea or coffee (decaffeinated), fruit juice

Lunch: Salad garnished with greens and cucumber, roasted eggplant, fresh fruit

Dinner: Cooked brown rice, vegetable chili, zucchini salad, greens, fresh fruit

1356 kcal

Tuesday

Ornish diet plan: Second day

Breakfast: Cereal, a bowl of nonfat yogurt, fresh fruit, orange juice, decaffeinated coffee or tea

Lunch: Baked potatoes, salad (consisting of broccoli, lettuce, chickpeas and lemon), fresh fruit

Dinner: Pasta (green peppers, boiled white beans, garlic and a little lemon sauce), green salad, peach cooked in red wine

1448

Wednesday

Breakfast: Raisins and cinnamon cereal, nonfat yogurt, a slice of toast, diet jam, orange juice, decaffeinated tea or coffee

Lunch: Potato soup with greens and garlic, salad, boiled white beans (may have dried tomatoes on it)

Dinner: Cooked banana wrap, green salad

1625 kcal

Thursday

Ornish diet plan: Fourth day

Breakfast: Cereal, a bowl of nonfat yogurt, fresh fruit, orange juice, decaffeinated coffee or tea

Lunch: Baked potatoes, salad (consisting of broccoli, lettuce, chickpeas and lemon), fresh fruit

Dinner: Pasta (green peppers, boiled white beans, garlic and a little lemon sauce), green salad, peach cooked in red wine

1448 kcal

Friday

Breakfast: Tofu, a slice of toast, orange juice, decaffeinated tea or coffee

Lunch: Mushrooms (adorn with fried peppers), Italian bean salad and melon

Dinner: Fried tomato sandwich, soup cooked with corn and beans, salad, fresh fruit

1063 kcal

Saturday

Ornish diet plan: Sixth day

Breakfast: Apple Cinnamon Pancakes, fresh fruit, nonfat yogurt, jam, tea or coffee (decaffeinated)

Lunch: Cooked lentils with spinach, salad, fresh fruit

Dinner: Soup, rice with peas, salad, stewed fruit

1553 kcal

Sunday

Breakfast: 1 slice of whole grain or whole grain bread, omelette made with 1 egg white and 30g fat-free feta cheese, plenty of lean greens and other vegetables, 2 cups of green tea

Snack: 1 portion of fresh fruit

Lunch: 1 fillet of salmon (180 g), plenty of green salad with boiled buckwheat (lean), 1 slice of whole grain or whole wheat bread

Snack: 100 ml skim milk, 1 portion of fresh fruit

Dinner: 1 plate of purslane cooked with canola oil, boiled lentils with plenty of green salad (lean), 2 tablespoons of fat-free yogurt

Snack: 10-15 hazelnuts or almonds

1400 kcal

Printable (PDF) Ornish Diet Plan

Can the Ornish diet reduce high blood pressure?

Thirty percent of Arizona adults, and nearly 60 percent of those 65 and older, have been diagnosed with high blood pressure. Also known as hypertension, it’s a leading cause of heart disease.

What you eat impacts your blood pressure. The Ornish diet, created by Dean Ornish, MD, can help you reduce your numbers.

The Ornish plan focuses on a vegetarian diet that emphasizes vegetables and fruit, whole grains and legumes, said Eileen Bales, registered dietitian with the HonorHealth Cardiac Rehabilitation program. The plan eliminates meat and cheese and highly restricts dairy and processed foods. Sugar and its related products are out as well.

The kicker? Less than 10 percent of your daily calories can come from fat.

“Most Americans consume around 40 percent of fat in their daily calories,” Eileen noted. “It’s not just a diet; it’s a total commitment to a certain lifestyle. The philosophy is that you should be able to eat more and weigh less, which is the premise of a lot of vegetarian diets, if followed properly.”

Followers also are encouraged to meditate each day. Through reflection, you may be able to explore your reasons for overeating. You’re also encouraged to exercise regularly. And when you eat, you should focus solely on mindful eating. That means no TV, no Netflix, no web browsing.

“The thinking is that overeating is caused by emotional isolation,” Eileen said. “There are people who eat because they’re lonely.”

If you plan to follow the Ornish diet, you’ll need to:

Plan meals in advance.
Enjoy cooking.
Shop regularly for fresh produce.
Review menus if you’re planning to eat out with friends.

You won’t need to measure portions or follow a prescribed meal plan.

“In our American culture, it would be very hard to follow this diet consistently,” Eileen observed. “You’re trying to be a vegan in a meat-loving culture.”

If you’re concerned about creating a variety of meals, the good news is that Dr. Ornish’s books include are a variety of recipes, many created by renowned chefs.

The best news? “Eating this way can improve blood pressure and reverse heart disease — research has shown this,” Eileen said.

Joseph J Eckburg, MD, PhD

• Dried beans (lentils, split peas)
• Canned beans (kidney, pinto, garbanzo, and black)
• Baked beans
• Vegetarian chili beans
• Fat-free refried beans
• Whole wheat, kamut, and spelt pasta
• Vegetarian fat-free pasta sauce
• Grains such as brown basmati rice, quick cooking brown rice, bulgur wheat,
couscous, polenta, rolled oats, cornmeal, millet, and quinoa
• Raisins, craisins, dates, and dried fruit
• Cereal — whole grains without added sugar or fat; oatmeal
• Tofu (aseptically packaged, reduced fat)
• Textured vegetable protein (TVP)
• Evaporated skim milk
• Fat replacements (nonstick spray, fat-free butter sprinkles made without butter;
for example Lighter Bake, Smucker’s Baking Healthy)
• Whole-wheat flour and pastry flour
• Fat-free vegetable broth
• Soups made without animal fat or hydrogenated oils
• Vinegar (balsamic, rice, raspberry)
• Roasted red peppers without oil
• Canned tomatoes
• Sun-dried tomatoes without oil
• Canned new potatoes
• Bananas and fresh fruit that store at room temperature
• Tomatoes
• Winter Squash
• Potatoes
• Broccoli
• Cabbage (green and red)
• Garlic (whole and minced)
• Potatoes (red and russet)
• Salad mixes
• Salsa (fresh)
• Vegetable sticks
• Yellow and red onions
• Egg substitutes or egg whites
• Fresh herbs
• Flaxseed oil and flaxseeds (women only)

Dairy:
• Nonfat cheese
• Nonfat milk
• Nonfat parmesan cheese
• Nonfat ricotta cheese
• Nonfat sour cream
• Nonfat plain yogurt
• Nonfat vanilla yogurt

Soy:
• Tofu and tempeh
• Soy cheese
• Soy milk
• Soy yogurt
Frozen Foods:
• Apple juice concentrate
• Orange juice concentrate
• Frozen fruits
• Frozen vegetables
• Frozen soy beans
• Whole grain breads, tortillas, and pitas
• Vegetarian hot dogs
• Vegetarian burgers

Seasonings/ Spices/ Condiments:
• Allspice
• Apple pie spice
• Cayenne, red pepper flakes, chili powder, black pepper
• Chinese five-spice
• Cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg
• Extracts (maple, almond, vanilla, and butter)
• Fruit spreads (unsweetened)
• Ground cumin, curry powder, basil, oregano, rosemary, dill, ginger
• Italian season mix (no fat)
• Molasses, “lite” pancake syrup
• Garlic and onion powder
• Pumpkin pie spice
• Light Soy sauce (low sodium)
• Tabasco or hot pepper sauce
• Catsup (no added salt)
• Fat-free mayonnaise
• Mustard (stone-ground, hot, and Dijon)
• Fat-free salad dressings (no saturated or hydrogenated fat in ingredients)

Snack Foods:
• Fat-free whole-grain crackers
• Rice cakes, popcorn cakes
• Fat-free tortilla chips
• Fat-free pretzels (without hydrogenated oils)

Meat, poultry, and fish aren’t recommended. The only dairy allowed is fat-free
yogurt, milk, fat free cheeses, and egg whites.

Foods not allowed are; all fats, oils, nuts, seeds, avocados, refined carbohydrates
(including sugar, white rice, and white flour).

Other than these ‘banned’ foods, the diet allows you to eat all you want without any
weighting or measuring. What’s left is predominantly fruit and vegetables, and
grains.

90,000 Proper nutrition for weight loss: a menu for every day

Proper nutrition is not only about cabbage salads and steamed fish.Under the PP system, millions of recipes have been created for breakfast, lunch and dinner, many of which satisfy the needs of the body and are worthy of being included in the plan of proper nutrition for every person!

Program PP

Focus on the “food pyramid”, according to which 40% of the dishes on your table should contain complex carbohydrates (these include whole grain bread, all types of cereals except semolina, as well as cereals), 35% are fresh and steamed or baked vegetables and fruits, and 20% are healthy proteins (lean meat, any type of poultry and fish, fermented milk and dairy products).The remaining 5% can be fat and sugar.
Combine meat with vegetables and fruits.
If you really want to, then you can have a little sweet. But do not exceed the permissible rate of sugar-containing products per day – 5 teaspoons. Better yet, replace sugar with honey. All desserts can be consumed only in the morning in order to have time to burn the calories received before the evening.
Make sure that your body receives a sufficient amount of protein (a person needs at least 100-150 g per day).Protein is the building block for cell renewal and muscle support. If you have given up on meat and poultry, you should eat plant proteins, which are present in large quantities in legumes, nuts and soy.
Avoid convenience foods, fast food and sauces, and canned food. Sugar and salt are added in large quantities even to ketchup.

Terms

Each diet can only be applied for a limited period. After achieving the result, you should switch to a healthy diet.If you start to adhere to proper nutrition, then you will not have to give up your favorite and junk food at all. But one should strictly control the time and volume of consumption of such products, as well as compensate for their calorie content with physical activity.

Proper nutrition is so correct and wholesome that it can and should be adhered to throughout life in the name of a slim figure and healthy appearance.

It’s time to create a menu for yourself!

How to make a diet plan for weight loss

Individual planning of your own menu for the day, week, month will help you develop the habit of eating right and in a strictly defined mode.Fractional – at least 3 times, and preferably 5-6 times a day – the diet is the key to food discipline. Do not break or rebuild your daily routine. Rely on your lifestyle when making a plan.

The regime of meals for “larks” (people who wake up, for example, at 6:00, and go to bed at 22:00)

At 7.00 am have breakfast
At 10.00 have a second light breakfast
At 13.00 go to lunch
B 16.00 time for afternoon tea
Dinner at 19.00

Food regime for “owls” (people who get up after 9:00 and go to bed around 00:00 at night)

At 10.00 am have breakfast
At 13.00 lunch time
At 15.00 it’s time for lunch
At 17.00 go for an afternoon snack
Dinner time at 20.00

Thus, adjust your meal plan to suit your daily routine.

General Recommendations

Have breakfast one hour after getting up
in the morning on an empty stomach, drink 250 ml of warm plain water
keep 2-3 hours between meals
Sit down for dinner earlier or no later than two hours before bedtime

For proper weight loss, you need to keep track of the calories of all foods eaten.To do this, start a notebook or a special application on your phone and mark even the amount of water or juice you have drunk.

What is important when creating the menu

When scheduling your weekly menu, prepare your grocery shopping list right away. And immediately distribute what day you will cook. Some days should include chicken and fish, for example. On one day, you should put a light vegetable salad for dinner and a hearty beef steak for lunch, etc.
Do not skip breakfast, even if there is no feeling of hunger.Each breakfast should be balanced and nutritious – 50% of the daily carbohydrate intake should be breakfast, leave 30% for proteins, and 20% for fats.
Dinner should contain predominantly protein. For example, low-fat cottage cheese, baked chicken or steamed fish.
Snacks, second breakfasts – correct and balanced snacks between main meals. But they shouldn’t turn into a full meal. Prepare fresh fruit for a snack (you can have one banana, 150-200 g of grapes, one large apple), fresh or boiled vegetables (cabbage, tomato, carrot, radish, etc.)), dried fruits or nuts (the latter should be unsalted and in a volume of no more than 30 g per serving).
When calculating calories, subtract those burned during physical activity. For example, if you are going to walk around the city all day or have planned long distance cyclocross, increase your diet for that day. Plan your carbohydrate and protein intake, and have a good breakfast before leaving the house.
Drink plain drinking water – not chilled or boiling water (it cleans the gastrointestinal tract and starts metabolic processes).Green tea is useful for losing weight (it speeds up metabolism, replenishes the body’s need for antioxidants and perfectly suppresses appetite).
You can drink coffee, but use high-calorie variations (latte or cappuccino) only before lunch.

Mistakes of losing weight

Disruptions to sweets and starchy foods (they should not be excluded altogether, but dose the techniques so as not to disrupt the daily calorie intake).
Fried and smoked. Such thermal processing of food is possible if you fry it without oil, over an open fire, and smoke it for no more than 20 minutes in a natural way (not with artificial smoke).
Prefer raw vegetables and fruits over cooked and baked foods, consume as many herbs as possible of all varieties.
Heavy dinner with large portions. Boil or stew meat or fish, be sure to add a fresh vegetable (for example, 200 g of stewed beef with one fresh cucumber).
Frequent alcohol consumption. It should be avoided, as it is quite high in calories and can provoke a strong feeling of hunger.
Do not drink water while eating. As well as tea or juice.Brew a glass of tea only an hour before meals and half an hour after.
More flavorful with salt, spices and sauces. All this strongly stimulates the appetite and can lead to disruption of the regime and overeating.
Meals should not be skipped. Let you always have a package of nuts, water with lemon or a handful of raisins with you. This will help curb your appetite and avoid overeating during a delayed meal.

Sample menu for the week

First day

Morning meal: 200 g rice, 10 g butter, one banana or one apple, black coffee.

Snack: dried gray bread, boiled egg, tomato.

Daily meal: Steamed mackerel 200 g, Peking cabbage salad with peas and sunflower oil 180 grams.

Second snack: low-fat curd 120 g with a spoon of 10% sour cream, green apple, 200 ml of tea.

Evening meal: boiled vegetables 220 g, baked beef 140 g

Second day

Morning meal: whole grain bread slice sandwich, cream cheese and cucumber plastic, 100 g grapes, tea or coffee with honey.

Snack: 50 g cottage cheese with a teaspoon of honey.

Daily meal: 200 g meat broth, fresh Peking cabbage salad with cucumber and tomato seasoned with lemon juice.

Second snack: red apple and one kiwi, green or herbal tea.

Evening meal: lean beef 200 g, two fresh cucumbers.

Third day

Morning meal: boiled oatmeal without milk – 210 g, a spoonful of honey, avocado and unsweetened coffee.

Snack: pine nuts or walnuts 60 g, green apple, tea, lemon circle.

Daily meal: brown rice 150 g, the same amount of stewed vegetables.

Second snack: casserole of cottage cheese, semolina, banana 150 g, herbal tea.

Evening meal: peeled seafood 200 g, two cucumbers and one tomato.

Fourth day

Morning meal: oatmeal in milk 200 g, fresh raspberries, blackberries, blueberries or strawberries – 100 g.

Snack: 100 g low-fat unsweetened yogurt, a teaspoon of honey and freshly brewed black coffee.

Daily meal: baked lean fish 250 g, sauerkraut 130 g

Second snack: salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, seasoned with low-fat sour cream 200 g.

Evening meal: 200 g baked chicken without skin, sprinkled with 30 g Parmesan cheese, plus two cucumbers.

Fifth day

Morning meal: mashed potatoes in water 200 g with the addition of 30 g butter, one boiled egg, one cucumber.

Snack: green tea and two kiwis.

Daily meal: mushroom soup with barley 260 g, a toasted slice of bread or croutons and 10 g of cheese.

Second snack: homemade casserole with cottage cheese, raisins and yoghurt 150 g.

Evening meal: 200 g baked hake and 100 g seaweed.

Sixth day

Morning meal: a beaten omelet of two eggs and 150 ml of milk, freshly brewed black coffee.

Snack: grapefruit or pomelo.

Daily meal: baked potatoes 150 g with mushrooms 100 g, baked chicken 70 g.

Second snack: kefir or low-fat drinking yogurt 200 ml, one green apple.

Evening meal: low-fat cottage cheese 150 g without added sugar, two apples baked in the oven.

Seventh day

Morning meal: millet porridge in water 200 g with butter 30 g, a glass of black tea without sugar.

Second morning meal: kiwi and banana.

Daily meal: stewed vegetable casserole + 20 g cheese – 250 g, boiled chicken fillet – 100 g.

Second snack: boiled shrimp 200 g, carrot or tomato juice 200 ml.

Evening meal: steamed fish cutlet 150 g, boiled white rice 100 g, one tomato.

New Year’s Eve dinner with the family

Holiday recipes from 8 chefs

How to make a meal plan – Lifehacker

Sitting on diets is very difficult, both physically and mentally, and the benefits from them are often very short-term.In order for a useful habit to gain a foothold, you cannot immediately rush into battle and sweep aside everything that is not useful, but so beloved and familiar: you will still break loose and indulge in all the hard. Also, keep in mind that not all diets are suitable for some sports. For example, the same keto diet is not suitable for those doing intense interval training, triathlon, or middle and long distance running, as all these activities consume a lot of carbohydrates.

Before deciding on a specific menu, you should not only consult with your doctor or nutritionist, but also gather more information about what processes the diet is based on and whether it can be combined with your workouts.

So, trainer and nutritionist from Biodynamic Wellness (California) Anna Robertson offers a fairly simple and common for many people adaptation of the daily diet for those who are involved in jogging or any other sport that includes a sufficient number of cardio loads (aerobics, step aerobics, intervals and functional training) and does not include muscle building.

Menu option for one day

Breakfast

For example, your usual breakfast consists of a cup of coffee with cream and sugar (optional), as well as a plate of oatmeal with 2% fat milk.

Anna advises replacing sugar with a natural sweetener – honey or maple syrup. For her second breakfast, she offers a multi-egg omelet cooked in coconut oil – a great source of protein and healthy fats.

Lunch

Anna’s proposal – salad with protein and vegetables plus a slice of dried whole grain bread.

Snack before running (training)

Anna advises to give preference to natural food, which will always be bioavailable.For example, the so-called Trail Mix, a mixture of nuts and dried fruits, is an excellent source of carbohydrates to quickly restore lost energy. For a longer run (10 km or more), an apple with almond butter (or other nut butter) is suitable. A snack like this will provide you with the right fats and carbs.

On long runs

Electrolytes are suitable for fluid and mineral replenishment and do not need to be purchased from specialist stores.For example, drinking water with a pinch of sea salt can help replenish fluid and mineral deficiencies. If you don’t really feel like drinking salted warm water, you can add a little more citrus juice or cranberry juice there.

Snack after running or training

Increase your protein intake within 30 minutes of your run. For those who have run 10 km, it can be the same apple with nut butter or cream cheese (Philadelphia, mascarpone).A snack like this will help replenish the amino acids needed for muscle recovery, while the combination of fruits and fat will raise blood glucose levels to fuel your cells. For those who have run more, you need more impressive reinforcement, which will provide proteins, carbohydrates and fats. One option is an egg or tuna salad served on a toasted slice of whole grain bread.

Dinner

Dinner should always contain proteins, carbohydrates and fats.Our body absorbs animal proteins much better than plant proteins (sorry vegetarians), as they are rich in nutrients. Healthy fats: coconut oil, olive oil, or avocado oil. An example of a full meal is brown rice, quinoa, or sweet potatoes plus meat (whatever you like) and steamed vegetables. You can also afford a glass of chilled white wine.

“After supper”, or If you really want to eat after 18:00

If you really want to eat, take fruit or berries.Berries are literally packed with antioxidants and vitamins, they help get rid of free radicals and support body detoxification. And the one who ran 10 km or more deserves a chocolate bar (preferably dark chocolate with 75% cocoa).

Meal Planning

Meal Planning is easy, especially if you have a weekly workout plan and can roughly calculate your calorie expenditure during workouts. For example, in preparation for the Ironman 70.3 (half) my husband traveled an average of 70 km (sometimes 50 km, sometimes all 100 km) during cycling. As a result, he spent about 1,500 kcal, and I knew that on this day you need more varied food than on days of rest or days with a pool.

Therefore, knowing your training schedule, energy consumption and goals (lose weight, gain weight or stay with the same weight), you can safely start drawing up a plan.

The weekly meal plan does not at all involve preparing meals every day.There are many dishes that retain their taste very well for 2-3 days. Cottage cheese, dried fruits, fruits, berries and vegetables do not require cooking at all.

Create a meal plan for the week. Sit down and think about what you would like to cook or taste. Estimate how long it will take you to cook and choose the best options.
Look for new recipes. A varied food is not only tasty, but also healthy, as this way your body gets more of a variety of nutrients.For this, there are special recipe aggregators where you can find almost everything! An example is yummly.com plus Pinterest. We should also mention the greenkitchenstories.com website with incredibly beautiful photos and recipes for delicious vegetarian dishes.
Aim to eat the same meal no more than twice a week. We’ve already talked about diversity! It does not have to be something completely new; simpler modifications are quite suitable.
Try to prepare meals that you can eat the next day. This applies to cereals and soups. The first option is suitable for item number 3, and the second can be used as a basis for different dishes, varying the additions.
Count calories. To achieve your goal, you need to know the “entrance” and “exit”. There are also quite a number of different web services and mobile applications for calculating calories.
You should always have alternatives. This is in case someone in your family ate a prepared meal or you were unable to get to the prepared meal due to busyness or other reasons.

In addition, you can look at examples of breakfasts for professional athletes – from simple oatmeal to a full breakfast for a cyclist, which includes pasta, coffee, toast with jam, scrambled eggs and ham, dried fruit and fresh juice.

Set the right goals, watch your diet and try to make it as varied and healthy as possible!

Mobile apps for finding recipes

Yummly

Foodily

appbox fallback https: // apps.apple.com/ru/app/id475603520

Green Kitchen

Mobile apps for calculating calories

MyFitnessPal

My Diet Diary Calorie Counter

appbox fallback https://apps.apple.com/ ru / app / id414169919

appbox fallback https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.medhelp.mydiet&hl=en&hl=ru&gl=ru

Fat Burning Meal Plan • Nutrition Blog

The most difficult thing in losing weight is to make the body burn stored fat deposits.The daily diet in this matter plays a major role, since without it, even regular physical activity will be ineffective. In order to form a slim and fit figure, you need to do the following:

Draw up a detailed meal plan for burning fat for a week, making your menu as varied and healthy as possible;
Work out a sports training program, including aerobic and strength exercises for 40-60 minutes 2-3 times a week, which will allow you to speed up your metabolism.

If sports activities are simple, nutrition is different. You will have to study the features of a rational diet for weight loss and its principles, because it is important to eat not just right, but so that excess weight begins to go away.

Nuances of the dietary diet

The first and most important thing to compose a daily menu is to calculate the optimal ratio of calories and BJU for your weight and physical activity. The Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences established the norms of energy requirements per day for a healthy adult with normal weight, which were published on the website of the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection (Rospotrebnazdor).According to them, the physiological need for energy is:

About 1800 kcal per day for women;
For men, the minimum requirement is about 2100 kcal per day.

If your calorie content is above the norm and you are overweight, it is recommended to gradually reduce the energy value of food by 500 kcal so that the body has time to adapt. The minimum daily calorie content should be at least 1000 kcal. Having achieved the desired result, you should adhere to proper nutrition and increase the calorie content to normal levels.Women with a sedentary lifestyle and low physical activity can consume about 1400-1500 kcal as their main diet after losing weight.

About BZHU (proteins, fats, carbohydrates)

Your diet plan for burning fat must be balanced, otherwise the excess weight will return as soon as you finish the diet.

First, it is necessary to reduce the amount of carbohydrates to 30-35%, since they are a source of energy, and our goal is to force the body to produce energy from its own fat reserves;
Second, increase the amount of polyunsaturated fats (vegetable oils, fish, nuts, seeds).But animal fats must be excluded, for example, pork or lard, butter, as well as sausages and semi-finished products;
Third, enrich your diet with dietary animal proteins (poultry, beef, rabbit). Don’t forget about plant proteins, which are abundant in legumes (chickpeas, soybeans, beans, lentils).

Eliminate spices, reduce salt and replace sugar with natural sweeteners or add fruits and berries to meals.

Short meal plan for the week

The most important rule for effective fat burning is to consume most of your calories in the morning. The same goes for serving size. The menu might look like this:

First and second breakfasts – granolas, cheese cakes, oatmeal, cottage cheese balls, pancakes, cottage cheese casseroles with berries, baked apples. The first breakfast should be more satisfying, that is, the portion can reach 300 g, and the second – 150-200 g;
Lunch – pilaf with chicken meat, bulgur or buckwheat with a steam cutlet, pearl barley with turkey;
Afternoon snack – salad with meat or fish paste, boiled vegetables with feta cheese, omelets with herbs.It should be light, a portion can be 150-200 g;
Dinner – protein, may consist of egg pancakes with herbs, chicken skewers with steamed vegetables, grilled turkey.

Take a look at the sample Grow Food menus and even taste them to see that the diet can be healthy, satisfying and delicious!

Angel diet: features, duration, reviews, menu

Supplement

One special meal “angels”, of course, are not limited.To improve your dietary results, consider an exercise plan: aerobics and strength training at least twice a week. Food + sports + … The third missing link in the pursuit of model parameters is the weekly drainage body massage.

Day 1:

Breakfast: cup of coffee / green tea

Snack: one apple (or any other favorite fruit)

Lunch: 2 hard boiled eggs, 1 large fresh tomato, green salad, optional – 2 medium jacket potatoes

Dinner: large grilled beef steak, green salad

Day 2:

Breakfast: cup of unflavored coffee / tea, whole grain toast

one apple: 15 one apple:

Lunch: large beef steak, green salad, 1 fresh tomato, cup of green tea

Dinner: bowl of any soup

Day 3:

Breakfast: cup of plain coffee / tea, whole grain toast

Snack: a glass of natural yogurt

Lunch: large steak, green salad, a glass of any fresh juice

Snakes n: 2 hard boiled eggs, 2 slices of lean ham.

Day 4:

Breakfast: cup of plain coffee / tea, whole grain toast

Snack: handful of nuts

Lunch: large steak, green salad, cup of green tea

Dinner 2 hard boiled eggs, 2 slices of ham.

Day 5:

Breakfast: grated raw carrots with lemon juice

Snack: one banana

Lunch: grilled fish, 1 large fresh tomato, a cup of unflavored black coffee

: steak, green salad, glass of freshly squeezed fruit juice.

Day 6:

Breakfast: cup of coffee without additives / tea

Snack: glass of natural yogurt, one banana

Lunch: chicken breast, green salad, cup of black coffee without additives

Dinner: steak, green salad

Day 7:

Breakfast: cup of unflavored coffee / tea

Snack: one banana

Lunch: steak, green salad

green dinner: salad, a few slices of hard cheese.

Post-factum

Exit the angel’s diet with great care. Don’t pounce on food! Gradually increase the size and calorie content of your portions. This way you can keep the effect longer.

Ducan’s diet: pros and cons, menus, nutritionist review :: Health :: RBC Style

Who is Pierre Ducan
How the Ducan diet works
Stages of the Ducan diet
Sample menu
Effectiveness of the Ducan diet
Harm of the Ducan diet
Arguments for and against the Ducan diet
Nutritionist Comment

The material was commented on and checked by Alexandra Razarenova, a nutritionist, nutritionist, therapist, a member of the Russian Union of Nutritionists, Nutritionists and Food Industry Specialists.

Who is Pierre Ducan

The creator of the popular diet is not a nutritionist, but a general practitioner. Pierre Dukan was in general practice when an obese patient came to see him in 1970. The man admitted that for the sake of losing weight, he is ready to give up any food except meat. The doctor developed a diet based on lean meat, non-starchy vegetables, and a minimum amount of fruit. A prerequisite was the refusal of sugar.

Ducan argued that such a diet is best for natural metabolism: primitive man ate meat, seasonal vegetables and fruits.Sugar in our understanding was inaccessible to him and therefore it should be abandoned now.

After 30 years of experimentation and observation, Pierre Dukan released the book I Can’t Lose Weight, which became a bestseller in 32 countries. The new method promised the ability to lose 5 kg in one to two weeks, without limiting oneself in the amount of food [1].

Celebrities who openly praised the new method added popularity to Ducan’s designs. Jennifer Lopez and Gisele Bündchen used the diet to lose weight after pregnancy and childbirth.Welsh singer Catherine Jenkins claims to be in shape by feeding on Ducan’s plan [2], [3].

In 2012, the French Council of Physicians indicated that the nutritionist had violated ethical principles by making medicine a commercial enterprise. In 2014, Pierre Ducan was excluded from the register of doctors for advertising and promoting the method [4], [5].

How the diet works

Dukan’s diet implies a protein diet with a minimum of carbohydrates and fats.The scheme includes 100 products that can be eaten in any volume in the first weeks [6].

The method largely repeats the ketogenic diet and other low-carb meal plans, where the body is rebuilding itself to receive energy from fat and protein. The high protein content of food helps balance the production of insulin and reduces the production of ghrelin, the hormone of hunger. Saturation comes faster and we eat less [7], [8], [9], [10]. However, the Ducan diet restricts not only carbohydrates but also fats.The safety and benefits of this approach are not supported by research.

Before you switch to a Ducan meal plan, you need to calculate your “correct” weight. This can be done using a special calculator. The calculation is based on data on height, maximum and minimum weight, age, structural features of the body. The calculator was developed by Pierre Dukan, so the result should be scientifically verified and a doctor should be consulted.

How to Calculate Ideal Weight: Three Science-Based Methods

Dukan’s diet is divided into four phases:

Attack
Interleave
Clamping
Stabilization

Noticeable weight loss begins already in the attack phase, which motivates you to continue eating according to the Ducan method.The reason for the rapid weight loss is dehydration, as due to the lack of carbohydrates, the body loses fluid. However, experts do not confirm the long-term effectiveness of the method and the health benefits of the diet. Let’s figure out how the diet works and why it has many contraindications.

Stages of the Ducan diet

The diet consists of four parts, the duration of which depends on the calculated “correct” weight. The first two stages are aimed at losing weight, and the final ones are aimed at consolidating the achievements.During the attack, only high protein foods are allowed. Then add non-starchy vegetables, limited fat, and extra carbohydrates.

The duration of the attack, alternation and reinforcement depends on how many kilos you need to lose in order to achieve the “correct” weight. The final stage, which must be adhered to constantly, combines the diet of the fixing phase and weekly protein days in an attack pattern.

Dukan’s diet consists of four stages

1. Attack

The phase lasts from two to seven days. If you need to lose 20 kg or more to achieve the “correct” weight, the stage may take longer. The meal plan includes 68 protein foods and a few additional ones:

meat: beef, veal, venison and other game, pork, lean and soy bacon, liver, kidneys, tongue
poultry: chicken fillet and liver, turkey, mallard, quail, lean turkey and chicken sausages
fish and seafood: no limit, including canned tuna in water
vegetarian proteins: seitan – vegetable protein, meat substitute made from wheat gluten, vegetarian burgers and soy products, tofu and tempeh
eggs: chicken, quail, duck eggs
low-fat dairy products: milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, ricotta – no more than 1 kg per day

The daily diet must include 1.5 tablespoons of oat bran and at least 1.5 liters of water.You can also add a tablespoon of goji berries, sweeteners, shirataki noodles, and unlimited dietary gelatin.

Every day you need to devote 20 minutes of physical activity.

2. Alternation

The period of gradual achievement of the correct weight takes from a month to a year. The diet from the previous phase alternates every other day with a more gentle and extended menu – 32 types of vegetables are added:

spinach, kale, lettuce and other green vegetables
broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts
bell peppers
mushrooms
celery
asparagus
artichokes
zucchini
tomatoes
green beans
bow
pumpkin and spaghetti pumpkin
turnips
cucumber
carrot
beets

A teaspoon of olive oil is allowed for salad dressing or cooking in a pan and two tablespoons of bran.The period of physical activity is 30 minutes.

3. Fixing

The duration of the stage is calculated on the basis of ten days for each lost kilogram. The goal is to prevent a return to the starting weight. You can mix any of the products from the first two steps, as well as add a limited amount of fat and carbohydrates:

fruits: berries or sliced melon (100 g), medium apple, orange, pear, peach, nectarine, or two kiwi, plum or apricot
two slices of whole grain bread per day
cheese, 40 g per day
starchy foods, 225 g per day: pasta, corn, beans, beans, rice or potatoes
meat: roast beef, pork or ham once or twice a week

Twice a week you can have a festive meal: starter, main course, glass of wine and dessert.One day a week should be protein (food according to the attack pattern). Bran – 2.5 tablespoons, physical activity – 25 minutes.

4. Stabilization

The final step to help maintain the “correct” weight. There are no strict dietary restrictions, but you need to follow several principles:

products from the consolidation phase should be taken as the basis of nutrition
save one protein day per week
walk at least 20-30 minutes a day
drink 1.5 liters of water and eat at least 30 g of bran per day

The last step involves following your meal plan on a 100-food list all the time, with a few minor additions.

Menu for initial steps

Attack

Breakfast : low-fat cottage cheese mixed with bran and cinnamon, coffee or tea, water. Skim milk and sweeteners can be added to tea and coffee at any meal.
Lunch : chicken breast in a pan, shirataki noodles in broth, diet gelatin, iced tea.
Dinner : steak and shrimp, diet gelatin, coffee or tea, water.

Interleave

Breakfast : scrambled eggs from three eggs, tomato slices, coffee, water.
Lunch : Fried chicken and salad with French dressing, Greek bran yogurt, iced tea.
Dinner : baked salmon fillet, steamed broccoli and cauliflower, diet gelatin, decaffeinated coffee or tea, water.

Clamping

Breakfast : omelet of three eggs with cheese (40 g) and spinach, coffee, water.
Lunch : A serving of turkey with two slices of whole grain bread, 80 g of cottage cheese mixed with bran and cinnamon, iced tea.
Dinner : Pork in a pan and grilled zucchini, a small apple, decaffeinated coffee, water.

Effectiveness of the Ducan diet

No diet alone has a long-term weight loss effect, and diet can be harmful to health. After a temporary weight loss, people return to their previous state, and sometimes they recover more strongly than before the change in diet.A safe and effective way to achieve the desired weight and maintain health and good physical shape is with the help of specialists to choose a suitable lifestyle and dietary regimen that can be observed on a regular basis [11].

There are many scientific publications that are devoted to the effectiveness of diets high in protein and low in carbohydrates [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17], [18]. However, there are few qualified studies according to the Ducan method.

In 2015, Poland summarized the data of 50 women aged 19-64 years who followed the Ducan nutrition plan and consumed about 1,000 per day.calories, including 100 g of protein. The study participants lost 15 kg in 8-10 weeks [19].

In January, the U.S. News & World Report – one of the top three weekly US weekly on economics, politics and health – published a ranking of 23 diet experts. Ducan’s diet came in last on the list, receiving 1.9 points out of 5. Experts rated the diet’s effectiveness at 2.5 and the health benefits at 2. According to doctors, there is no evidence that losing weight according to the Ducan method can be long-term and safe, while the list of products is unreasonably limited, and the dietary rules are too complex.One expert openly called the diet “idiotic” [20].

The diet is effective in the first few weeks. There is no scientific research to support sustained weight loss, and the long-term health effects of diet have not been studied.

There are many questions about the effectiveness of the Ducan diet

Harm of the Ducan diet

The diet is believed to be suitable for healthy people over 18 years of age.The method is not recommended for chronic gastrointestinal diseases, metabolic disorders, hormonal disorders, pregnancy, breastfeeding.

The diet has all the disadvantages of low-carb diets, as well as a few specific side effects, since many healthy foods are excluded from the meal plan.

Rapid weight loss

The main disadvantage of the Ducan diet, according to British nutritional experts, is that it can be harmful to health [21]:

Initial weight loss occurs due to dehydration
The diet is not balanced, so you need to take additional vitamins
It is necessary to remember about the daily amount of water and the obligatory portion of oat bran to provide a minimum of fiber

Risk of developing diseases

Due to the lack of vitamins and useful microelements, the diet can provoke [22], [23], [24]:

osteoporosis
problems with the digestive system and gastrointestinal tract
diseases of the heart and blood vessels
hormonal disorders
disorders of the nervous system

Prolonged use of the Ducan diet can lead to health problems

“Ketogripp”

When changing the diet, a painful condition is possible, which is characteristic of the initial stage of diets with a large amount of protein. The reason for feeling unwell is the change in metabolism, as the body is rebuilding itself to receive energy from fats and protein. Fatigue, increased hunger and thirst, problems with attention and sleep, mood swings, headaches, indigestion and tachycardia may be felt for several days.

Scientists suggest that avoiding this diet could lead to future health problems. And because the diet is limited, most people eventually stop eating according to the plan – they get bored and uncomfortable sticking to a list of 100 foods and the rules for their rotation.

The Ducan Diet is presumably suitable for most healthy people, but has serious contraindications. Such a diet can provoke diseases of the cardiovascular, digestive and nervous systems, as well as hormonal disorders.

Key facts about the Ducan diet:

For

Ducan’s method helps to lose weight quickly
in the first two weeks you can skip calories and eat allowed foods with almost no restrictions
A large amount of protein dulls hunger and helps to eat less
diet provides for compulsory physical activity

Vs

Rapid weight loss occurs due to dehydration of the body
, the list of foods is limited, so the body does not receive the necessary nutrients.During protein days, there are no vegetables in the diet, at the next stages the amount of carbohydrates is limited to
The fiber content in the diet is below the daily norm – 5 g instead of the recommended 25-38 g
there is no scientific evidence that such nutrition leads to sustainable weight loss
no data on long-term health effects of diet

Doctor’s comment

Alexandra Razarenova, nutritionist, nutritionist, therapist, member of the Russian Union of Nutritionists, Nutritionists and Food Industry Specialists

“The Ducan Diet is one of the most famous ways to lose weight.And this diet was tried in due time by most of the patients who come to me for consultation.

A reasonable question arises: why, then, do they need the professional help of a nutritionist-nutritionist? The answer is simple: most of those who have lost weight returned to their old eating habits, which means, to their original weight within a few years. Unfortunately, this is the flip side of most diets that people resort to in pursuit of slimness. And the Ducan diet is no exception.

But this is not the most important argument, because of which I would not recommend resorting to this diet.

The main harm of this type of nutrition is the lack of essential macro- and micronutrients for a long time. The lack of vitamins and minerals can be compensated for with special biologically active complexes, but this does not replace the natural intake of natural macro- and microelements. Such deficiency conditions lead to a decrease in immunity, a deterioration in the work of all organs and systems of the body.

Dukan’s diet increases the load on the excretory system, the liver, therefore it is categorically contraindicated for people with chronic renal and hepatic insufficiency, for pregnant and lactating women, for those with impaired protein metabolism, gout, urolithiasis and cholelithiasis.And also during exacerbation of chronic diseases – gastritis, ulcers, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, pyelonephritis.

Dukan’s diet is a serious stress for the body, the potential harm from it greatly outweighs the benefits, and the result is very unstable in the long term.

Follow the principles of optimal nutrition, have adequate physical activity, and watch your sleep and drinking regime. The desired result will not be long in coming, and your health will be in order. ”

What is protein and why is it important?

Protein is one of the three macronutrients, along with carbohydrates and fats.

It has the following roles in your body:

Repair and Maintenance: Protein is the main component of your muscles, bones, skin and hair. These tissues are constantly being regenerated and replaced with new protein.
Hormones: Chemical messenger proteins allow the cells and organs of your body to communicate with each other.
Enzymes: Most enzymes are proteins, and the thousands of chemical reactions that take place in your body are controlled by them.
Transport and Storage: Certain proteins help transport important molecules to where they are needed. For example, the protein hemoglobin carries oxygen to the cells in your body.

Protein is made up of smaller units known as amino acids.

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Of the 22 amino acids, 9 are considered “essential”, that is, they must be consumed with food, because your body cannot produce them.

It is important to note that some foods contain better protein than others, depending on their amino acid profile.

Generally speaking, animal products are considered “complete protein” because they contain all the essential amino acids in the optimal amounts your body needs. These include eggs, dairy products, meat, fish and poultry.

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Plant proteins do not provide enough of all essential amino acids, but they can be combined with other plant sources to provide complete protein.Beans, legumes, grains, soybeans, nuts, and seeds are examples of plant foods that are high in protein.

While protein quality is important, protein intake is key.

Many researchers believe that current protein guidelines may be too low to remain truly healthy over the long term.

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Summary Protein has several important functions in your body.It is made up of individual amino acids, including many that your body cannot create on its own.

Effects of Protein on Weight Loss

Research shows that increasing your protein intake can have a dramatic effect on your appetite, metabolic rate, weight and body composition.

Appetite and fullness

Eating more protein can help suppress hunger and appetite for several hours after meals.

Protein increases the production of hormones such as PYY and GLP-1, which help you feel full and satisfied.In addition, it helps reduce levels of ghrelin, also known as hunger hormone. ”

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In a controlled study of 12 healthy women, the high-protein diet experienced higher GLP-1 levels, greater satiety, and less hunger than the low protein diet.

Because of these effects on appetite and satiety, higher protein intake usually leads to a natural reduction in food intake.

In another study, when 19 healthy young people were allowed to eat as much as they wanted on a 30% protein diet, they ate an average of 441 fewer calories per day than on a 10% protein diet.

Interestingly, another reason protein is so satisfying appears to be due to the significant increase in metabolic rate that occurs during its digestion.

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Metabolic Rate

Higher protein intake can increase the amount of calories you burn.

Protein digestion appears to increase metabolic rate by an impressive 20–35%, compared with a 5–15% increase in carbohydrate or fat digestion.

Several studies have shown that when people eat high protein foods, they end up burning more calories in the hours after eating.

In a study of 10 healthy young women, following a high-protein diet for one day was shown to increase the metabolic rate after eating almost twice as much as a high-carb diet for one day.

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Weight Loss & Body Composition

It’s no surprise that protein’s ability to suppress appetite, promote satiety, and boost metabolism can help you lose weight.

Several high quality studies have shown that increasing protein intake promotes weight and fat loss.

In a six-month diet study of 65 overweight and obese women, the high-protein group lost an average of 43% more fat than the high-carb group.What’s more, 35% of women in the high protein group lost at least 22 pounds (10 kg).)

Usually, when you decrease your calorie intake, your metabolism slows down. This is in part due to the loss of muscle mass.

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However, research shows that higher protein intake can help protect against muscle loss and increase metabolic rate.

In one large review of 24 studies involving over 1000 people, high protein diets were found to be more effective than standard protein diets for losing weight, preserving muscle mass, and preventing metabolic slowdown during weight loss.

It is important to note that a standard or high protein diet can be effective for everyone.

But interestingly, one European study concluded that, based on different types of genes, high-protein diets would be particularly effective for losing weight and maintaining weight in 67% of the population.

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Summary: The ability of high protein diets to reduce hunger, increase satiety, boost metabolism and protect muscles makes them effective for losing weight and improving body composition.

Other Benefits of Protein

In addition to its positive effects on weight, protein can help improve health in several other ways .:

Increase Muscle Mass: Studies have shown that higher protein intake can increase muscle size and strength when combined with weight training.
Reduce muscle loss with aging: Many people lose muscle as they age. One study found that supplementing with a daily protein shake helped protect muscle health in healthy older men and those with age-related muscle loss.
Strengthen Bones: Increased protein intake can promote bone health. In one study, older women with the highest intakes of animal protein reduced their risk of hip fracture by 69%.
Improve Wound Healing: Studies have shown that a high protein diet can accelerate the healing of wounds associated with surgery or trauma, including pressure sores.

Summary: Research shows that high protein intake can help build muscle, protect against bone and muscle loss during aging, and improve wound healing.

How much protein should you eat every day?

The optimal amount of protein to consume per day is somewhat controversial.

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Based on a DRI of 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight or 0.8 grams per kilogram, a 150 pound (68 kg) person would need about 54 grams per day.

While this may be enough to prevent an overt protein deficiency, many experts believe it is too low for optimal health, including maintaining muscle mass.

Studies have shown that older adults, in particular, require more protein than DRI, and it has been concluded that 0.6 grams of protein per pound or 1.3 grams per kilogram may help prevent age-related muscle loss.

In addition, diets that double the DRI at 0.75 grams of protein per pound or 1.6 grams per kilogram have been found to accelerate weight and fat loss, improve body composition, and protect muscle during weight loss.

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However, increasing your protein intake beyond this does not seem to provide additional benefits.

One study found that men who ate 0.75 grams of protein per pound, or 1.6 grams per kilogram, lost slightly more fat and had similar muscle gains compared to a group that consumed 1.1 grams per pound. or 2.4 grams per kilogram.

A high protein diet for weight loss and general health should provide about 0.6-0.75 grams of protein per pound of body weight, or 1.2-1.6 grams per kilogram, and 20-30% of calories per day …

For a 150 lb (68 kg) person, this provides a wide range of approximately 82-110 grams of protein per day, depending on the amount of calories consumed.

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What’s more, it’s important to distribute your protein intake evenly throughout the day, rather than consuming most of it in one meal. This allows your body to make the most efficient use of protein.

Summary: A daily intake of 0.6–0.75 grams of protein per pound of body weight or 1.2–1.6 grams per kilogram may promote fat loss and protect against muscle loss during weight loss and aging.

How to Eat a High Protein Diet

A high protein diet is easy to follow and can be customized to suit your dietary preferences and health goals.

For example, you can eat a low-carb, high-protein diet to help control your blood sugar.

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If you avoid dairy products, you can eat a dairy-free diet rich in protein.

Even a vegetarian diet can be high in protein if it includes eggs or dairy products, as well as a lot of legumes and other plant proteins.

Here are some basic guidelines for a high protein diet:

Keep a Food Diary: Create a food diary using an app or website that provides protein values for thousands of foods and allows you to set your calorie and macronutrient goals.
Calculate Protein Requirement: To calculate your protein requirement, multiply your weight in pounds by 0.6–0.75 grams or your weight in kilograms by 1.2–1.6 grams.
Eat at least 25-30 grams of protein with a meal .: Research has shown that consuming at least 25 grams of protein with a meal can help you lose weight, maintain muscle mass, and improve overall health.
Include both animal and plant proteins in your diet.: A combination of both can help make your diet more nutritious overall.
Choose High Quality Protein Sources: Focus on fresh meats, eggs, dairy and other proteins, not processed meats like bacon and meat dinners.
Eat Well Balanced Foods: Balance high protein foods with vegetables, fruits and other plant foods at every meal.

Summary: Calculating your protein needs, tracking your intake in a food diary, and planning a balanced meal will help you achieve the best results with a high protein diet.

Sample High Protein Meal Plan

The sample below provides about 100 grams of protein per day. However, you can adjust the portions to suit your needs.

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Monday

Breakfast: 3 eggs, 1 slice of whole grain toast with 1 tablespoon of almond butter and a pear.
Lunch: salad with fresh avocado and cottage cheese and orange.
Lunch: 170 g steak, sweet potatoes and grilled zucchini.

Tuesday

Breakfast: smoothies with 1 scoop of protein powder, 1 cup of coconut milk and strawberries.
Lunch: 114 g canned salmon, mixed herbs, olive oil and vinegar, and an apple.
Lunch: 114 g grilled chicken with quinoa and Brussels sprouts.

Wednesday

Breakfast: oatmeal and one cup of plain Greek yogurt with ¼ cup of chopped pecans.
Lunch: 4 ounces (114 g) chicken mixed with avocado, red bell pepper and peach.
Lunch: All meat vegetables, chili and brown rice.

Thursday

Breakfast: Spanish omelet with 3 eggs, 30 grams of cheese, chili, black olives, salsa and orange.
Lunch: leftover meat, vegetables, chili and brown rice.
Lunch: 114 g halibut, lentils and broccoli.

Friday

Breakfast: One cup cottage cheese with ¼ cup chopped walnuts, diced apples and cinnamon.
Lunch: 4 ounces (114 g) canned salmon mixed with healthy mayonnaise on sprouted bread and carrot sticks.
Lunch: Chicken meatballs with marinara sauce, zucchini spaghetti and raspberries.

Saturday

Breakfast: 3 egg frittata, 30 grams of cheese and ½ cup diced potatoes.
Lunch: chicken meatballs with marinara sauce and apple spaghetti.
Lunch: 85 g fajitas shrimp with fried onions and bell peppers, guacamole, 1 cup black beans on corn tortilla.

Sunday

Breakfast: pumpkin protein pancakes with ¼ cup chopped pecans.
Lunch: One cup of plain Greek yogurt mixed with ¼ cup chopped nuts and pineapple.
Lunch: 170 g grilled salmon, potatoes and fried spinach.

Summary: Eating a high protein diet should include moderate to large portions of protein, balanced with healthy sources of carbohydrates and fats.

Potential Side Effects of a High Protein Diet

High protein diets are safe and healthy for most people.

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Contrary to popular belief, higher protein intake does not cause kidney problems in people with normal kidney function.

What’s more, a study found that when people with overweight, diabetes, and early kidney disease ate a 30% protein weight loss diet for 12 months, their kidney function did not deteriorate.

On the other hand, people who already have moderate to advanced kidney disease usually need to reduce their protein intake to maintain their remaining kidney function.

Diets high in protein may also contribute to the formation of kidney stones in susceptible individuals.One study found that this is mostly true for large amounts of animal protein rather than plant protein.

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In addition, people with liver disease or other serious medical conditions should consult their doctor before starting a high protein diet.

Summary: high protein diets are safe and healthy for most people, but they can cause problems for people with certain diseases or health conditions.

Summary

Protein is an essential nutrient.

Higher protein intake is associated with positive effects on appetite, weight, body composition, aging and overall health.

To get the most out of a high protein diet, spread your protein intake throughout the day, select high quality sources, and balance your intake of healthy fats and carbohydrates.

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Last update –
November 3, 2021, last checked by an expert
September 27, 2021 90,000 weight loss diet plan

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Expert opinion

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At different times, low-carbohydrate, protein, kefir, onion, Japanese, French, Kremlin, Chinese and many other diets became popular. Which diet is right for you? Which one can be used constantly, and which one can be used only as an emergency, ambulance in order to lose weight by 3-4 kg in a couple of days? What are the contraindications for each diet? Proper nutrition is not always a strict diet, not the absence of goodies in the diet, not exhaustion of oneself.This is a lifestyle that needs to be approached consciously. … For weight loss, it is enough to reduce consumption by 10-15 percent. Loss of 1 kg per week is considered normal and mildest. Refusal of breakfast or dinner. List of foods for proper nutrition. When drawing up a healthy eating plan, it is imperative to include the following products in the menu: Sea fish and seafood Fish oil reduces the risk of cholesterol plaques, heart attacks and strokes. The most effective diet for fast weight loss: a selection of the best systems and techniques with descriptions, rules, advantages, possible difficulties and contraindications…. The most effective diet for fast weight loss: a selection of the best systems and techniques with descriptions, rules, advantages, possible difficulties and contraindications. The most effective diet for weight loss at home. Having decided to lose weight, women revise their diet. There are two options: to balance the diet and exercise regimen, and bring the weight back to normal in the mode of minus 0.5-2 kg per week, or lose weight quickly on one of the extreme, but effective diets. Below are examples of the average diet of a healthy diet for every day for a child, woman and man.In each case, you need to make allowances for your level of activity and your own taste. Everyone should avoid large amounts of sugar, soda, starchy foods, convenience foods, and fast food. You need to eat fractionally up to 6 times a day, and get the bulk of food in 1 half of the day. Female. On average, a woman needs to eat about 1800 – 2000 kcal. The fair sex has a slower metabolism than men, and therefore gains excess weight faster. The basics of proper nutrition for weight loss. Proper nutrition is based on the following principles: Diversity of the diet…. It is better to think over the menu in advance, making a plan for the week. In addition, you need to think over several backup options if you suddenly do not have the right ingredients at hand or you simply do not want to eat some kind of dish. It is better to take food with you to work and study. Constantly dieting, periodically arranging stomach holidays is impossible. Failure to follow the principles of good eating behavior leads to health problems. … Losing weight will take place without stress, since you do not have to strictly follow the menu, calculate products by grams.Periodically, you need to monitor the daily calorie content and arrange fasting days no more than once a week. Want to know more? The training diary will allow you to create your own training plan and keep a record of all the exercises performed according to various parameters. With the help of a diary, you will be able to track the dynamics of loads, regularity, and also assess the increase in strength. In addition, you will find out how many calories you burned during your workout. Key features. Such control is especially relevant in the process of losing weight.Using the scale, measuring tape and the My Healthy Diet app, keep track of and measure your progress and your nearness to your goal. The application allows you to keep track of 16 basic anthropometric indicators, such as: weight, chest, waist, hips and others. The principles of healthy eating, wholesome and unhealthy foods, how to lose weight? These and other important questions in our article on healthy eating. … food should be varied and balanced. Of the protein products, preference is given to meat of red fatty varieties (beef, lamb), fish (desirable wild, not farmed, which is grown outside the will), eggs, dairy products.Completely exclude fast carbohydrates (sweets, sugary drinks, white flour products). This diet is not a food plan with a clear definition of the amount of food. A balanced menu for everyone is unique, their own. What different organisms need depends on different factors. Menu for 1500 kcal. This slimming menu is best for people with high physical activity or intense sports. Such people need a nutritious breakfast of wheat porridge / cottage cheese and apple juice.Next comes a snack from a large banana and berry cocktail (for example, from black currant rich in vitamins and minerals).

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diet plan for weight loss

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More protein, less carbohydrates In the past few years, high protein / low carbohydrate diets have been actively promoted as an effective means of losing weight. … Third, there is speculation that a high-protein / low-carb diet has a stronger effect on insulin levels (6Trusted). Hyperinsulinoma and / or insulin resistance is thought to contribute to the deposition of subcutaneous fat, increasing hunger, increasing the likelihood of developing glucose intolerance or diabetes in some populations.The best diets to keep you healthy. In this article, we are going to tell you about a surprisingly light diet – protein-carbohydrate. This diet will ensure proper weight loss for both beautiful ladies and representatives of the strongest half of humanity. Correct weight loss with a protein-carbohydrate diet consists in alternating the use of protein and carbohydrate foods every day, thereby the body removes excess fluid without burning muscle mass. Those who plan to apply a protein-carbohydrate diet on themselves, you need to know that this diet involves a systematic diet.Protein-carbohydrate alternation is a special diet that is sought after by athletes and even professional bodybuilders. This diet eliminates only the fat layer without affecting the muscles. As a result, a person loses weight, but retains a beautiful relief on the body. What is protein-carbohydrate alternation. The BUCH diet was originally created for athletes. … allows you to improve metabolism; goes well with physical activity. How protein-carbohydrate alternation works. The BUCH diet is one of the most effective.It aims to improve metabolism and reduce the amount of fat consumed, which leads to weight gain. Health. Diets. 03/25/2011 at 16:37. Protein and carbohydrate diets. Protein and carbohydrate diets are designed for people with different eating habits. These diets have one thing in common: they will help you lose weight without unnecessary effort and restrictions on food. We also find out what a protein-carbohydrate diet is. Cosmo.ru edition. Tags: Health. Slimming. Diets. Proper nutrition. Slimming diet. ADVERTISING – CONTINUED BELOW.How a protein diet works. Protein diet ensures stable and fast weight loss. How does a protein diet work? It minimizes or eliminates carbohydrates from the diet. Carbohydrates are the main suppliers of energy to our body. Diet. Constellation of Beauty “Constellation of Beauty” is a chain of stores in the best shopping centers in Russia. … If all of them are present in a protein molecule, the protein is considered complete. You can get this protein from animal products: meat, milk, eggs, cheese and fish.Animal protein is absorbed by 80%. … Dinner involves a reduction in carbohydrate food and, conversely, an increase in the proportion of protein. And in order to provide the body with fats in this reception, you can eat sea fat fish with avocado salad and herbs. Snacks will help to fill the lack of substances, during which it is better to eat fruits containing vitamins and minerals, cottage cheese or protein bars. How the Protein Diet Works A protein diet ensures consistent and rapid weight loss. How does a protein diet work? It cuts to a minimum or floor…. Protein vs carbohydrate: which diet is better. How a protein diet works. Protein diet ensures stable and fast weight loss. How does a protein diet work? … A protein-carbohydrate diet (or a carbohydrate-protein alternation diet) includes foods rich in both carbohydrates and proteins, but not everything and not in any quantity. Eat more protein, focus on carbohydrates in the morning. Eat something for breakfast that will give you energy for the whole day, and completely eliminate carbohydrate foods from dinner. Nutrition program and a list of foods on a high-protein diet for a week for weight loss.Useful properties and contraindications to protein intake during the protein weight loss system. … Protein: how much and when to eat to lose weight. How to select products. The best protein diets. High protein diet program for a week. Risks of a high protein diet. There is no hard and fast line between a normal protein diet and a high protein diet (HPD). But, as a rule, if more than 35% of the daily calories are protein foods, they talk about a high-protein diet. The usual daily diet of an adult should be 30-35% protein.Protein or carbohydrates: what a proper breakfast should look like. The first meal is different for each person. Some people prefer to eat oatmeal with scrambled eggs for breakfast, others – cottage cheese with fruit, and still others – sandwiches with butter and a cup of cappuccino. What is the best option to start the morning with maximum benefits for the body? … Despite the fact that slow carbohydrates are more important than fast carbohydrates, it is not entirely correct to consume them exclusively during the first meal.Investigation: Protein Diets. What diet should you choose to reach your desired weight and size as quickly as possible? Unfortunately, we do not always trust a specialist to solve this difficult issue. In anticipation of the beach season, we will deal with the rumors and speculations that are shrouding popular protein diets. Author: Tatiana Gaverdovskaya. … Bran, water and dairy products will help you survive carbohydrate starvation. 2. The most difficult part of losing weight on a high-protein diet is to maintain the achieved results. … Many people think that because protein diets are low in carbohydrates, they are good for diabetics.Indeed, in diabetes mellitus, it is recommended to slightly increase the protein content in the diet and reduce the calorie content. Protein vs carbohydrate: which diet is better. Finding out if there is something in common among popular diets designed for people with different taste preferences. And at the same time we will find out if they can be mixed. 10.02.2021 13:53. @carodaur. How a protein diet works. … A protein-carbohydrate diet is, in essence, just proper nutrition. A protein-carbohydrate diet (or a carbohydrate-protein alternation diet) includes foods rich in both carbohydrates and proteins, but not everything and not in any quantity.Eat more protein, focus on carbohydrates in the morning. Eat something for breakfast that will give you energy for the whole day, and completely eliminate carbohydrate foods from dinner.