Do You Lose Fat if You “Eat To Live?”
With a name like Eat To Live, this popular diet already has a few advantages in the market. First of all, it’s true: you have to eat to live. People looking for an effective fat loss plan might feel like they “live to eat,” so maybe this is the plan that can turn it all around. There’s a sense of urgency in the name, too, like if we don’t get on this diet we might…die? Well, testimonials on the diet’s main website include claims that the program not only helped followers with fat loss, but cured their diabetes, calmed symptoms of epilepsy, stopped migraines, and more, so maybe they’re on to something. How does this diet work? How successful is it? You be the judge.
The Basic Premise
Eat To Live is the brainchild of Dr. Joel Fuhrman, a family physician from New Jersey and former member of the U.S. World Figure Skating Team. Fuhrman has made nutrition and natural healing his specialty, frequently publishing and speaking on nutrition-related topics. His second book on nutrition, Eat To Live: The Revolutionary Plan for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss, came out in 2003. Dr. Fuhrman’s website touts the plan as a “high-nutrient eating style” and a “viable solution for people who need a quick and safe way to lose dramatic weight.”
So what, exactly, is the Eat To Live Diet and how does it promote fat loss? It’s a six-week plan emphasizing vegetables, fruits, legumes and nuts. The focus is on the nutrient-to-calorie ratio in the food, meaning foods with higher nutritional value and lower calories get the highest marks. Using this ratio pretty much disqualifies most meat and dairy, though the diet is flexible and doesn’t restrict any food group outright. Followers of Eat To Live are encouraged to start thinking about salad as a main dish rather than a side. There are no limits on portion size or calories for recommended foods.
The idea is to get all of the necessary nutrients for a healthy body in as few calories as possible. Foods that are rich in fiber make people feel full without packing in a lot of calories, so fiber is one of the stars of this strategy. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the main sources of phytonutrients (plant-derived nutrients that may have a range of extra health benefits), and many antioxidants. These are substances that help get rid of the destructive garbage known as free radicals in our cells. Saturated fats are to be avoided as much as possible.
In his official blog, Dr. Fuhrman claims that switching to the Eat To Live diet lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol levels by 33 percent, compared to cholesterol-lowering medications (statins) at 26 percent. That is a pretty major claim. Of course it’s important to remember that these numbers come from the results of two different studies, meaning there has never been a single controlled study comparing the two courses of action, and LDL levels are only part of the picture in terms of cardiovascular health. In other words, I would take these numbers with a grain of salt.
Because even he admits that Eat To Live is a demanding plan, Dr. Fuhrman offers a less-intensive option called Eat For Health, which is more of an educational program than a diet. Fuhrman suggests starting by learning the strategies in the Eat For Health books, then trying the Eat To Live plan. An online membership community acts as a supplement to the guidebooks.
Upside
Benefits of membership in the online community include an Eat To Live e-book, forums, newsletters, teleconferences and support groups.
The nutritional benefits of Dr. Fuhrman’s plan are certainly real. Most nutrition experts agree that a diet rich in whole grains and high-fiber fruits and vegetables is beneficial to the heart and the digestive system and may reduce the risk of certain cancers.
Downside
Eat To Live doesn’t claim to be a vegetarian diet, but eating animal products is definitely not encouraged. Meat and dairy just don’t make the cut when it comes to the ratio of nutrients to calories, so they don’t fit into Dr. Fuhrman’s plan. If you are a major cheese lover or you can’t go without the occasional steak, this is not the diet for you.
Whether you go for the Eat To Live diet or the Eat For Health tips, you have to buy a book or two. The suggested three-volume set (Eat To Live and Eat For Health parts 1 and 2) will cost you $50. A membership in the Eat To Live online community costs $34.95 for the first six weeks and $7.95 per month thereafter—$118.43 per year—or $99.00 for the first year and $90 per year thereafter.
Bottom Line
With its emphasis on fiber-rich vegetables, whole grains, and fruits, the Eat To Live diet is definitely a healthy choice. Staying on the Eat To Live program is likely to result in significant fat loss over time, but it may be hard to stick with, especially for non-vegetarians. Even vegetarians who are fond of dairy may struggle with the strict food limitations.
For people who want a fast, targeted fat loss plan with more food choices, I recommend Fat Loss 4 Idiots. It offers a wide variety of foods and customized plans with no calorie or carb counting. FL4I subscribes to the theory that your body must be "tricked" into burning fat rather than going into "starvation mode" and holding on to it. Fat Loss 4 Idiots clearly defines the ultimate eating schedule to speed up fat loss. FL4I’s satisfying food recommendations keep your metabolism up and running so you are always burning calories, and you get three “free” days after being good for only 11 days. Read more about this easy-to-follow plan that has worked well for me here.
More Dieting Tips:
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Atkins: The Low-Carb Diet That Started it All
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Can the South Beach Diet Really Get You Ready for Swimsuit Season?
Can Psychology Really Help With Fat Loss?
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