Editor’s Note: Tonic does not endorse this diet but recognizes its national appeal.
They used to be public enemy No. 1 for dieters everywhere: carbohydrates — poo-pooed by calorie-counters everywhere for being a highway to thigh weight. But now, there’s a diet that says a little carbohydrate can go a long way.
Sort of.
The F-Factor Diet, cooked up by New York- and Miami Beach-based dietitian Tanya Zuckerbrot, M.S., R.D., is so named for its emphasis on eating some kind of fiber at every meal. Fiber is the zero-calorie, non-digestible part of a carbohydrate, FoodConsumer.org tells us.
“Unlike most diets that tell you to cut out certain food groups like carbohydrates or fats, The F-Factor Diet has you focus on what foods to add into your diet in order to lose weight,” Zuckerbrot writes on her website. “From Day 1, you’ll be eating protein, fats and carbohydrates.”
The key to Zuckerbrot’s detailed plan is that by eating fiber, you’ll feel fuller longer, reducing your risk of snacking or overeating. The first week calls for an average of 1,000 calories a day, with 35-55 grams of fiber in the form of cereals, crackers, fruits and vegetables.
Zuckerbrot says her diet is “more than just a weight loss program,” adding that those who follow her detailed, three-stage program can expect an improvement in their hair and skin, energy levels and cholesterol. She also says the diet helps lower risk of diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. Of course, following just about any kind of healthy, well-balanced diet will do all that for you. (Check out our feature story about Justin Willoughby, who dropped over 570 pounds on diet and exercise alone.) But for those who need a detailed, spoon-fed program to get their mind, heart and body in gear, Zuckerbrot’s diet is another option.
FoodConsumer says Zuckerbrot’s plan is possibly the first to emphasize fibrous foods over fat (such as in the Atkins diet) or protein (like in the South Beach diet.) Her book The F-Factor Diet was released in 2007, but dieters everywhere are seizing on it now, thanks to her appearance on The View this week.
But what do you think? Have you tried this diet? If so, let us know how it worked.
Photo by not a hipster via Flickr.