Rice Diet

People who have given up on all the weight loss and diet plans, have something to look forward to and try. The rice diet is one of the many diet plans for rapid weight loss and is effective! Those who need a hardcore health, rice diet program provides exactly that but the effectiveness can only be benefited if it is followed strictly. This program basically outlines healthy eating, exercise and provides classes and workshops for stress management and techniques like yoga, meditation and personal medical supervision. The rice diet was developed by Walter Kempner, Germany, who joined the Department of Medicine in Duke's University to investigate the effects of diets on diseases including hypertension and diabetes only to find lesser health problems in people having rice as their staple diet. He developed this Kempner diet consisting of rice, fruit juices, vitamins and iron supplements to help people with these health related problems. Since then, 1939, rice diet plan has been used widely against problems of obesity, diabetes, heart diseases, hypertension and renal disorders.

Talking about the weight loss program, dietitian Kitty Rosati and her hubby, cardiologist Robert Rosati, wrote The Rice Diet Solution based on the rice diet program to lose weight. It is said to reduce 20 to 30 pounds in the first month. It recommends use of low sodium and low-fat foods along with rice.

The diet basically consists of 3 programs or sub-diets. Let's take a look at the 3 weeks/one month program which allows ricers to eat only 30 foods in different combinations.

Basic Diet (Calorie intake: 800 calories)
Breakfast: 2 starches (Bread, cooked rice or cooker beans, pasta), 2 fruits
Lunch: 2 starches, 2 fruits (Banana or any other fruit)
Dinner: 2 starches, 2 fruits

Lacto Vegetarian Diet (Calorie intake: 1000 calories)
Breakfast: 1 starch, 1 non fat dairy (milk, yogurt or cottage cheese), 1 fruit
Lunch: 3 starches, 3 vegetables (cooked or raw), 1 fruit
Dinner: 3 starches, 3 vegetables, 1 fruit

Vegetarian Plus Diet (Calorie intake: 1200 calories)
Breakfast: 2 starches, 1 fruit
Lunch: 3 starches, 3 vegetables (cooked or raw), 1 fruit
Dinner: 3 starches, 3 servings of protein (or dairy), 3 vegetables, 1 fruit

• Week One
  Monday: Basic Diet
  Tuesday-Sunday: Lacto Vegetarian Diet
• Week Two
  Monday: Basic Diet
  Tuesday-Saturday: Lacto Vegetarian Diet
• Week Three and Onwards
  Monday: Basic diet
  Tuesday-Friday: Lacto Vegetarian Diet
  Saturday, Sunday: Vegetarian Plus Diet

Dieters are also recommended to take calcium, iron, vitamin D and more precisely multivitamin supplements along with the given diet plan. Also, low sodium (150 mg) intake mainly in the form of less or almost zero salt is recommended along with fat intake only up to 5 gms or less.

Reviews

The American Dietetic Association (ADA), suggests that diets like rice diet work only on a short-term basis and fail to be effective in the long-term. The dieters often get bugged and bored of feeding on the same kinds of foods since the diet lacks variety. Also, as I mentioned previously, supplements need to be taken cause the diet fails to provide the nutrients which otherwise would be gotten. The ADA, dispels the myth of rice being effective in weight loss. Having said that, losing weight is possible only if the dieters are strict in following it and they regularly exercise, because we all know that working out is as much important as following any diet plan.

Having got to know one more diet plan, this one can show you how to eat and live healthier than being effective for weight loss. It's quite restrictive in terms of proteins and fruits so follow it only if you find it flexible. See ya!