Ornish Diet - The Bottom Line - Does it Work For Weight Loss?
Dr.
Dean Ornish is a cardiologist who has written two books about losing weight - Dr.
Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease and Eat More, Weigh Less.
His plan began as a treatment plan for heart patients who desperately needed to get their dieting habits on track.
The results were both lowered cholesterol and a healthier heart, but also weight loss.
The Ornish Diet is almost completely vegetarian, it concentrates on removing fats and cholesterol from your diet by consuming mostly whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables.
The Ornish plan recommends 10% fat, 20% protein and 70% carbs.
Exercise is important if you plan on losing the weight and keeping off, as this plan claims to do.
Dr.
Ornish's diet also removes many empty calories from sugars and fats.
Combine both of these with the exercise as recommended and it would be difficult not to lose weight.
Ornish diet lists "Eat Freely" foods, "Eat Moderately" foods and "Banned" foods.
Providing you follow these guidelines, you can eat all you want without counting calories or portion sizes.
(Note: Banned foods include, all fats and oils, nuts, seeds, avocados, as well as refined carbs like sugar, white flour and white rice.
) The book comes with hundreds of satisfying and innovative vegetarian recipes.
What we like about this diet.
It promotes the consumption of whole, organic foods.
The diet is abundant in carbohydrates, which is a no no, in many of today's modern diets.
There is no calorie counting.
The book provides plenty of recipes for great meals.
The cost of the diet is reasonable.
The food is not overly expensive, probably due to the lack of stopping in the meat department.
What we dislike about this diet.
The diet is very strict to follow.
It is mostly all vegetarian, which makes you wonder about the lack of amino acids required for muscle building.
The omission of nuts, a valuable healthy fat, which critics believe are heart protectors, seems to extreme.
These restrictions make it very hard to eat out, which adds preparation work time and brown bagging to your day.
How healthy is this plan? Dr.
Ornish is an expert in his field and his plan has been proven with both heart disease and weight loss patients.
A vegetarian lifestyle isn't easy for most people, but some health conditions could dictate a need to make this lifestyle change.
Exercise should be an important part of any diet or lifestyle and Ornish has not overlooked this.
Since fish and meats have been almost banished from this plan a supplement of Omega-3 Fatty Acids might be needed while following this plan.
While the plan is hard to follow, you will lose weight in a reasonably healthy manner.
The Bottom Line.
This diet is quite a challenge to stick to, which could mean a high failure rate.
If you are one who can make extreme cut backs on meats, fish you will enjoy and get fit on this plan.
Any diet that strictly excludes any single group of food makes a lifestyle change a rocky road.
There are nutrients in all foods that your body depends on.
A plan with all nutrients in moderation appears to be a better way to go.
© 2008 - 2009 Which Weight Loss
Dean Ornish is a cardiologist who has written two books about losing weight - Dr.
Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease and Eat More, Weigh Less.
His plan began as a treatment plan for heart patients who desperately needed to get their dieting habits on track.
The results were both lowered cholesterol and a healthier heart, but also weight loss.
The Ornish Diet is almost completely vegetarian, it concentrates on removing fats and cholesterol from your diet by consuming mostly whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables.
The Ornish plan recommends 10% fat, 20% protein and 70% carbs.
Exercise is important if you plan on losing the weight and keeping off, as this plan claims to do.
Dr.
Ornish's diet also removes many empty calories from sugars and fats.
Combine both of these with the exercise as recommended and it would be difficult not to lose weight.
Ornish diet lists "Eat Freely" foods, "Eat Moderately" foods and "Banned" foods.
Providing you follow these guidelines, you can eat all you want without counting calories or portion sizes.
(Note: Banned foods include, all fats and oils, nuts, seeds, avocados, as well as refined carbs like sugar, white flour and white rice.
) The book comes with hundreds of satisfying and innovative vegetarian recipes.
What we like about this diet.
It promotes the consumption of whole, organic foods.
The diet is abundant in carbohydrates, which is a no no, in many of today's modern diets.
There is no calorie counting.
The book provides plenty of recipes for great meals.
The cost of the diet is reasonable.
The food is not overly expensive, probably due to the lack of stopping in the meat department.
What we dislike about this diet.
The diet is very strict to follow.
It is mostly all vegetarian, which makes you wonder about the lack of amino acids required for muscle building.
The omission of nuts, a valuable healthy fat, which critics believe are heart protectors, seems to extreme.
These restrictions make it very hard to eat out, which adds preparation work time and brown bagging to your day.
How healthy is this plan? Dr.
Ornish is an expert in his field and his plan has been proven with both heart disease and weight loss patients.
A vegetarian lifestyle isn't easy for most people, but some health conditions could dictate a need to make this lifestyle change.
Exercise should be an important part of any diet or lifestyle and Ornish has not overlooked this.
Since fish and meats have been almost banished from this plan a supplement of Omega-3 Fatty Acids might be needed while following this plan.
While the plan is hard to follow, you will lose weight in a reasonably healthy manner.
The Bottom Line.
This diet is quite a challenge to stick to, which could mean a high failure rate.
If you are one who can make extreme cut backs on meats, fish you will enjoy and get fit on this plan.
Any diet that strictly excludes any single group of food makes a lifestyle change a rocky road.
There are nutrients in all foods that your body depends on.
A plan with all nutrients in moderation appears to be a better way to go.
© 2008 - 2009 Which Weight Loss
