THE DIET: The 5 Day Miracle Diet by Adele Puhn, M.S., C.N.S.
THE CLAIM: Follow this diet for five days and you will miraculously lose the cravings that make you overeat.
WHAT YOU EAT: Puhn believes that most people are in a constant state of low blood sugar, which makes them crave sugary foods, such as cookies and cakes, or high-glycemic foods, such as pasta. Her plan: Stick to foods that are low-glycemic — which take longer to process — and eat them every two hours. After five days, Puhn claims your blood sugar will be so rock-steady that you'll stop having cravings, be able to make wiser food choices and have more energy.
WHAT TO KNOW: First, you can't rely on the glycemic index to prevent overeating because, according to Carolyn O'Neil, M.S., R.D., executive producer and senior correspondent for CNN's Food & Health Unit, "A true sugar crash only happens in a few people who are particularly sensitive." For most people, a little sluggishness or a need to overeat just means you're hungry.
More importantly, this diet doesn't teach you to eat in moderation. Instead, Puhn provides a list of foods you're supposed to avoid, a list of ones you're allowed to eat and an eating schedule for when to eat them. Besides being boring, this regimen doesn't prepare you to deal with your hunger when sanctioned snacks aren't near at hand. You may end up caving to cravings.
WHY READ THE BOOK: Even if you learn how to eat healthfully, you may not lose weight if you haven't dealt with the emotional reasons that caused you to begin and continue overeating. Puhn comes closer to the real source of overeating by devoting much of her book to psychological triggers or what she calls "fathead issues." Her clients demonstrate how you can better achieve your goals if you conquer your fathead issues.
TAKE-AWAY LESSON: Puhn recommends small, nutritious snacks every two to three hours, which will make you feel less hungry and thus, less likely to reach for fatty and/or sugary snacks. "Eating every couple hours is a well-founded recommendation," says Susan Kleiner, Ph.D., R.D., a regular columnist for Physician and Sportsmedicine and a nutrition consultant to professional athletes and sports teams. Because your brain has a constant supply of food, you'll probably feel more energetic, too.
However, you don't need to eliminate certain foods in order to maintain a healthy blood sugar level. Kleiner says, "A responsible eating program — one you can do forever — should show you how to include all foods in a moderate and healthy manner. There are no bad foods."
This article was obtained from: http://www.phys.com/b_nutrition/02solutions/diet_debunker/5day.html
