Introduction

I am a retired medical doctor with past weight problem. I have tried many different diet programs. I have read, studied, research many dietary, fitness and medical resources. Finally, after searching and trying, I lost 46 pounds in a little over a year in my own way. My main objective is to share my experience and knowledge with anyone who might be interested. I don't have recipes to share, but I will advise you on when, what, and how to eat. If you understand how energy is consumed, burned, and stored, then you can eat almost anything and still lose weight.

There are many different diet programs. They all work in the beginning, because all they have to do is to reduce your calorie intake and recommend exercise. Almost none of them work in the long term. Several medical studies have found that low-carb diets can yield faster weight loss results than traditional diets--but after a while, the results from all diet programs are about even. It doesn't matter if the strategy is low carb with high fat (Atkins diet), high carb with low fat (most vegetarian diets), or any diet in between, you will still lose weight if you take in fewer calories than the body needs. This is because our bodies are very efficient at burning whatever energy is available. The difference is some programs can sustain longer weight loss for a few people. But most only lasts for a short time, and you will gain the weight back when you stop the plan.

The best diet is one that you can stick to, and that is not easy in the long term. In general, people initially lose 5 to 10 percent of their weight on any given diet, but ultimately gain it back, often with some additional pounds as well. A government review found that two-thirds of U.S dieters regained all the weight they had lost within a year, and 97 percent had gained it all back within five years. To achieve long term weight loss is a complicated issue and a balancing act. Good eating choices, with the right kinds of carbs, lean meats, and good fats, coupled with adequate exercise, are the accepted principles. You can't starve yourself, because in the long run, you will gain weight. Even healthy foods should be taken in moderation. Knowing when and how to take the right kinds of foods is also very important, and can help weight loss to last for a long time.

There are so many diet programs, your head will spin if you try to understand them and choose one to follow. The ultimate question is: Which program is healthiest, makes the most medical sense, is most effective in keeping the weight down, and has the longest lasting effects? I have tried the Atkins, cabbage soup, and South Beach diets, and they all made me lose weight--but not for long. Afterwards, I read more diet, nutrition, and exercise books, and researched medical and scientific articles. I came to understand that what I need is a lifestyle modification of good eating choices and regular exercise, just like every other diet program advises.

So there ought to be ways to make weight loss easier and more successful. Athletes and vegetarians are the groups of people who don’t have nearly as many weight problems as the general population. I want to think and do more like an athlete does. I want to lose weight mainly by increasing exercise and training like an athlete, but not necessarily like an Olympic hopeful. Although vegetarians tend to eat a lot of high glycemic foods (foods that rapidly increase the body's sugar levels), like bread, rice and pasta, they are very often consumed with a large volume of vegetables, so that glucose is absorbed slowly, similar to low glycemic foods. Vegetarian diets tend to be low in fats, so total calorie content is also low. That is why vegetarians have fewer weight problems. If most of the simple carbs in vegetarian diet are replaced by lean meats and unsaturated fats with equal or lower amount of calories, then it will make a very good weight loss diet for non-vegetarians.