When Tricia Cunningham finally lost patience with her 300 pound body, she decided that the only trick left in the book was to try and do it backwards – that is, eating dinner for breakfast and breakfast for dinner. Everything is simply reversed.
This had two important outcomes: First, she reportedly lost 170 pounds and second, she wrote The Reverse Diet with nutritionist Heidi Skolnik.
Most people live such hectic lives that they hardly have the time for a decent breakfast. They step out of the house feeling starved and drained of energy. Then, at the end of the day, the feeling of sacrifice catches up with them and they compensate by overeating at dinner time.
This kind of eating is totally wrong because the body needs its fill of calories in the morning when it is ready to start its day’s work. It needs very few calories when it is ready to fall asleep because the day’s activities are over. This understanding forms the basis of The Reverse Diet .
The Reverse Diet is structured in three phases. The hallmark of each of these phases is a list of healthy foods. Lots of fruits and vegetables, healthy seafood, chicken, turkey, eggs, garlic, spices and herbs are on the menu. The only items that are shown the door are processed foods, sugar, salt, caffeinated beverages and alcohol.
The author even allows the intake of red meat in small portions for breakfast.
Fortunately, the book also addresses the psychological aspects of losing weight. For instance, the author speaks about goal setting and the need for a positive body image in order to lose weight.
In order to give her readers a helping hand, the author produces her daily meal plans. This is just a rough guide that readers may follow. Delicious menus and recipes are provided.
The Reverse Diet review
The author brings to life the old adage of eating breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper. The principle has many followers and it is a proven success strategy for losing weight. Many people who put on weight ate guilty of snacking at night. By starving your body at night, you not only give your body a break but also initiate a period of semi-starvation.
Pros:
- A proven weight loss technique
- Emphasizes the importance of healthy foods
- Recommends doing away with processed foods
- Contains useful psychological tips to facilitate weight loss
- Based on the personal experience of the author
- Includes menus and recipes
Cons:
- May be difficult to implement in full measure
- No exercise program
In conclusion
The theory is right and the diet plan is based on rock-solid principles. By providing fuel in the required amounts to your body, you allow it to function at its peak efficiency while cutting down on fat storage.
However, the program is deafeningly silent on exercises. Without the exercise component, the diet is seriously limited in its applicability. Even so, the basic principles of sensible and healthy eating must be implemented by all of us, regardless of weight issues.
