066 Your Last Diet [7 June 2010]

Last week I promised more information on the Ideal Protein diet.

The Ideal Protein Diet is not another fad diet. Since it was developed over 20 years ago for French athletes, it has been successfully used by over 6 million clients around the world. The method consists of a four phase protocol; weight loss in the first two phases followed by transitional and maintenance phases. The program has a beginning and an end.

The diet is supervised by a trained health professional, called a Coach, who screens potential clients for suitability and monitors their health and weight loss progress throughout the program. The diet is safe and beneficial for people with diabetes, hypoglycemia, high blood pressure, and many other conditions. (Type I Diabetics, teenagers, and some other people will use a modified diet called the Alternative Plan which does not keep the body in a ketogenic state.) The diet is not recommended for children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and people with certain medical conditions.

The key to burning body fat while maintaining (or increasing) muscle mass is the high quality protein foods that are an essential part of the protocol. The protein contains a balance of all 8 essential amino acids for maximum assimilation. A wide variety of protein foods are available so people with food allergies can be accommodated.

The Ideal Protein diet succeeds where most other diets fail because it controls high blood insulin levels, resulting in safe effective fat loss. Muscle mass is preserved and the acid/alkaline balance is maintained. Ketosis, the metabolic state in which body fat is burned for energy, is perfectly normal and healthy (not to be confused with the serious condition of ketoacidosis).

Another advantage (at least to me!) is that strenuous exercise not only is not required but is strongly discouraged while on the protocol. During the first 3 weeks, until enough enzymes develop to burn body fat more efficiently, even moderate exercise will create a demand for more calories than you are consuming from both your diet and stored fat, and may result in loss of muscle mass. After the first 3 weeks reasonable exercise is permitted and during maintenance is encouraged.

But the best news about this diet is that it will show you how to keep the weight off. After reaching your weight loss goal, the method re-educates your pancreas to produce the right amount of insulin needed. Sticking to your newly formed good eating habits will enable you to stay at your desired weight for life. Thus the Ideal Protein Diet could be “Your Last Diet” – the last one you ever need to be on for the rest of your (slender) life!

This article is intended for educational purposes only; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.