We’ve all heard of Bob Greene, Oprah Winfrey’s diet guru. He has his own diet plan called The Best Life Diet. The secrets that he shared with her to improve her health, he also wants to share with you.
The first thing you might notice about The Best Life Diet is that it’s not a diet. Diets tend to focus on temporary weight loss by depriving you of the foods that you like. This diet is a lifestyle change and the goal is long term weight loss by changing your whole view of food and your approach to physical activity.
Let’s face it, most of us want quick fixes when we look in the mirror and see those extra pounds. But, the truth is that there is no quick way to lose weight and keep it off. Sure, you may lose ten pounds but as soon as you return to your old habits, those ten and a few more will creep back onto your frame.
Becoming educated on what foods are helping you and what foods aren’t is one of the goals of the Best Life diet. We become aware of the calorie packed foods that we sometimes eat without even thinking about. Finding out what those foods are and how to substitute them out for healthier ones is a part of the process.
So how to get started?
This diet has three phases. Phase One is not the typical first phase. Here, the first phase lasts for a maximum of four weeks. It is designed to train you to swap your unhealthy eating habits for ones that are conducive to losing weight in a healthy way. You are allowed to find your groove, so to speak, and get on board with making better dietary choices.
During this phase you will eat three meals a day along with a snack. As with any diet, exercise is strongly encouraged. You’ll also be taking daily vitamins to make sure you’re getting the nutrients that you need and eating less than two hours before bedtime is prohibited.
So on to phase two. Again, this phase lasts for four weeks and now we start getting into thinking about some of the reasons that we started eating so poorly to start with. Becoming overweight didn’t happen overnight and many people engage in “emotional” eating as an escape hatch. Becoming aware of this behavior is key to stopping it.
You are encouraged to weigh yourself each week to check your results. If the weight is not coming off (one to two pounds a week), the issue may be with portion control that is out of control or not enough exercise.
Phase Three is all about maintenance. You have learned to eliminate unhealthy foods like soft drinks, fried food, processed snacks and other foods that raise bad cholesterol and increase health risks. In their place, you are eating whole grains, low fat dairy, lean meat and fish. Incorporated into this phase is regular time for eating your favorite, albeit not necessarily healthy foods (pizza, cake, cookies, etc.). This way you can have your health and eat your cake too.
To learn more about The Best Life Diet check out Bob Greenes book or look online at his website. You’ll find help, inspiration and recipes to keep you going.
Looking for more information on the best weight loss plan for you? Visit www.HealthyLiving411.com to find advice and dieting reviews.
