The CarbLovers Diet Review

In an effort to make dieters less frightened to eat carbs -- a fear started by the many low-carb diets that have become so popular in recent years -- "The CarbLovers Diet" sets out to prove that carbohydrates are not the enemy when it comes to losing weight. In fact, eating the right types of carbohydrates is exactly what you should do when trying to drop pounds, since they can help curb your cravings, preserve lean muscle tissue (which can keep your metabolism from dropping) and control your blood sugar levels (so your body stores fewer excess calories as unwanted body fat.)

The premise hinges on resistant starches. According to research, different types of starches digest at different speeds. Resistant starches, found in the kind of foods recommended in this diet (including cold/cool potatoes and firm raw bananas), pass through the body without being digested, similar to fiber. According to the book, the average person eats roughly 4.8 grams of resistant starches daily. The CarbLovers Diet increases that amount to 10 to 15 grams through various carb-based recipes.

The diet really has only five ground rules: 

1) Eat at least one resistant starch-rich food (they call these foods CarbStars) at every meal, 

2) CarbStars should make up about 25 percent of every meal (with the rest of your calories coming from lean meats, low-fat dairy products, healthy fats, fruits and vegetables), 

3) be smart with your portion sizes, 

4) never deprive yourself (meaning you can indulge but in moderation), and 5) build a power pantry (which means stocking your home with plenty of CarbStar foods).

You begin the program by following a strict seven-day CarbLovers Kickstart Plan, which allows only 1,200 calories a day divided among four small meals. The book says you can expect to lose about six pounds within the first week. Then you begin the second portion of the program, a 21-day Carb Immersion Plan. This portion of the plan raises your daily caloric intake to 1,600 calories divided among five small meals.

Even though you'll be eating less than usual, you may appreciate that the book offers a colorful picture of every meal. Dieters we spoke to thought that this approach made the meals seem more desirable, encouraging them to stick with the program.

The program will probably remind many dieters of the same calorie-restrictive, nutrient-dense, fiber-rich diets they've tried in the past. What's more unique, though, is its honest approach to weight loss. It reaffirms that eating the right types of nutrient-packed foods in moderation, as well as getting enough exercise, will burn calories, shed fat and help you achieve your weight-loss goals.

Is the Diet Healthy?
For the most part, yes. Many of the foods that the book recommends are natural, unprocessed foods that are rich in nutrients. In addition, the book urges dieters to monitor what they are eating and watch their portion sizes.

The fact that exercise is part of the weight-loss equation -- and not simply recommended (so that it can then be skipped) -- is also impressive. The workouts are in line with what actually works to help promote lean muscle growth and burn additional calories.

What Do the Experts Say?
"The program follows the basic formula that most diet books tend to use, asking dieters to change their dietary habits, eliminate certain unhealthy foods and reduce their caloric intake to between 1,200 to 1,600 calories to see faster results, but at least it incorporates the right types of foods that are healthy for you," says registered dietician and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association Andrea Giancoli.

"They also add in a couple of extra tools, such as hinging the diet on eating more resistive starches, that may give you a little bit of a boost," says Giancoli, "However, while there's some good research about resistive starch helping with satiety, fat oxidation and calorie reduction, they aren't magic. What weight loss really comes down to is eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly, which are two components that are definitely in place in the book."

One thing that Giancoli wishes were more stressed in the book is the importance of exercise. Even though the workout program is more comprehensive than many diet books, "exercise and nutrition is a marriage when it comes to a healthy lifestyle that must always go together," says Giancoli, "While I'm happy that they include it, I would have liked to see a greater push for exercise."

One reason she suspects exercise might not have been emphasized more is the low-calorie diet during the first week of the program.

"It's difficult to exercise on just 1,200 calories, and dieters' energy levels could be low," she says.

Giancoli also felt the portion sizes for the snacks were too small and thought the inclusion of more more water-based vegetables would have been helpful.

"There's a good amount of vegetables on this diet, but including more watery versions such as broccoli, zucchini [and] lettuce would allow dieters to feel even more full," says Giancoli, "When dieting, what's helpful to many people is feeling they can indulge in certain types of foods, and vegetables are always a smart way to give dieters that option."

Giancoli did, however, appreciate the sincerity in the success stories that run throughout.

"The examples they have in the book of women who have lost weight are reasonable amounts, instead of the crazy amounts of weight that some diet books try to claim," says Giancoli, "That honesty could be very useful to let dieters know what to expect from using the program, so they feel right in line with its expectations afterward."

Who Should Consider the Diet?
Anyone looking for more freedom with the types of foods they eat, as well as an honest and challenging exercise program that will yield better results than most diet book programs on the market.

Bottom Line
Even though it follows the usual game plan of most diet books (i.e., using a hook to repackage the same weight-loss strategies you've seen time and again), the diet is a fresh approach that may help you rethink how to eat better and exercise more.

source

Foods
What you can have: bananas, oatmeal, potatoes, beans, peas, fruit, broccoli, cucumbers, cold-water fish, pork tenderloin, Brie and apple slices, Greek yogurt, peanuts, steak, macaroni and cheese, penne pasta and Hershey's Kisses. What you can't have (for the first seven days): liquid calories. Beyond that, no single food is denied on this diet.