Banana Diet Plan - Steps For Weight Loss That Are Easy To Follow

New Diet Takes Japan by Storm

A unique diet gaining popularity in Japan is the stress-free weight loss plan, called the Morning Banana Diet. The Banana Diet is perhaps the world's most effortless diet to stick to, except in Japan due to a banana shortage resulting from the popularity of this diet.

Dole Company in Japan has needed to escalate banana imports to Japan by a whopping 25% compared to the same period last year. And even with the increased distribution throughout Japan, grocers are still struggling to meet demand.

The decrease in supply has caused banana prices to soar to new levels. Even so, with more and more celebrity endorsements of the Banana Diet and more than 600,000 copies of diet books sold in Japan, increased demand for the fruit shows no imminent sign of slowing.

How does the Banana Diet Work?

The discipline requires dieters to begin the day with a raw banana and one glass of room-temperature water. Afterwards, the dieter is free to eat whatever they want for the remainder of the day, with the exception of sugary sweets. Desserts with meals are not allowed and only one snack in the mid-afternoon is permitted. Alcoholic drinks are discouraged and early dinners before 8 o'clock pm are recommended. The plan also encourages plenty of rest because plenty of sleep is believed to increase metabolism and reduce stress.

Exercise and the Morning Banana Diet

The approach to exercise is probably the most appealing part of this diet. The Banana Diet does not strictly encourage exercise, unless the dieter prefers, and then recommends that the dieter exert himself or herself in the least stressful way possible.

Steps of the Morning Banana Diet

1. Eat a banana and lukewarm glass of water for breakfast.
2. Eat anything you like (within reason) for lunch or dinner, as long as it's before eight o'clock p.m.
3. A three o'clock, a snack is recommended - but nothing too sugary.
4. No desserts recommended after meals.
5. Get plenty of rest.

Morning Banana Diet Books

Since the release of the book detailing this new diet, the Morning Banana Diet books have sold more than 730,000 copies. A popular TV personality appeared and told of her experience with the diet. She lost fifteen pounds in only six weeks on the diet, and the following day, there was a banana shortage across stores in Japan, according to Japanese publications.

Banana Shortages in Japan

Japanese women, many in their twenties, thirties and forties are shopping for bananas in their local grocery stores, but few are able to find any. The demand is astronomical and few bananas are available recently in Japan because Japan is the origination spot for the Morning Banana Diet.

The popularity of this diet is sweeping Japanese women by storm. At a time when weight loss is so important to young women, some women that weigh merely one hundred pounds have been seen scouring markets in nearby towns for bananas, even though their weight is already so low. The impulse to lose excessive weight due to this craze has some researchers worried about women's health.

The elevated popularity of the banana has resulted in sales mounting by as much as 70 per cent in the past week alone in some supermarkets, influencing prices such that they have increased causing importers to purchase more of the fruit, leading to the shortage.

A spokesperson for the Dole Japan Company said that this is the first time in recent history that bananas have been so hard to find in the region.

Researchers Probe Sudden Weight Loss Trend in Japan

So why do young women feel the need to diet and lose more than even before? Researchers pinpoint the influx of diet-crazed teenagers and the growing trend among Japanese women to satisfy weight loss and body image goals due to mass media publications that display overly thin models.

Dieting trends are growing more and more popular in Japan and women are subjecting their bodies to excessive dieting in order to adhere to the beauty image that they see in magazines and movies. These diet-crazed women have perceived body image as adherently important to self-esteem and thin females are perceived as being more beautiful than heavier women. Japanese teens are desperate to satisfy the weight loss need.

The Morning Banana Diet has had positive feedback in recent months, causing more and more popularity among young Japanese women.

History of the Banana Diet

The banana mania started in March of this year with the announcement of Morning Banana Diet, which claimed that by consuming only bananas and room temperature water for breakfast, one could lose weight regardless of what is eaten the rest of the day.

Proponents of the diet love it for its straightforward approach to busy women's lives and dieting, plus the reported success.

Consult a Professional

As with any diet plan, including the Morning Banana Diet plan, it is recommended that you consult a health care professional before embarking on a new diet plan.

Mediterranean Diet - Pros and Cons

Over the past several decades, the Western diet has shown to cause obesity and a host of cardiovascular health problems. For health and weight loss reasons, many Americans are researching the pros and cons of a Mediterranean diet in an effort to lose weight and improve overall health.

The Pros of a Mediterranean Diet

A growing body of studies and documentation shows that a diet low in carbohydrates and the Mediterranean diet are not only safe, but also successful diet plans for losing weight.

Mediterranean Diet Cuts Cancer Risk

Research shows that a Mediterranean diet can cut the risk of developing cancer by a whopping twelve percent. And the health benefits of adopting a Mediterranean diet are achieved by embracing two aspects of the diet. By consuming a diet richer in "good" fats, such as those that are found in olive oil instead of fats found in packaged chips, cookies and cakes have a greater effect on health and reduce cancer by nine percent. Also, by making changes to the diet such as consuming more beans, peas, lentils and less meat could cut cancer risk by an astounding twelve percent.

By uncovering this data, researchers have given health conscious individuals an easy way to diet and maintain a healthy lifestyle. The pros of the Mediterranean diet are numerous, while the cons are minimum. By making a few painless changes to a diet, people can reduce the risk of cancer by following the Mediterranean diet plan over a period of only a few years.

Scientists Probe the Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet

In a recent publication in which nearly twenty-six thousand Greek adults were studied over a stretch of eight years, researchers documented the dietary evidence. Dr. Dimitrios Trichopoulos, who presided over the study and is a professor of the prevention of cancer and epidemiology at Harvard University, stated that the results indicate the importance of diet in reducing the risk of cancer. Trichopoulos continued by stating that among the twenty-six thousand people whose diets were carefully monitored, the adults who more closely adhered to the Mediterranean diet were the individuals who were expected to have a less chance of developing cancer.

Health Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet and Low-Carbohydrate Diet Plans

Indeed, more data points to the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet in Achieving Weight Loss.

Newly published findings were complete after a two-year study from Harvard University in which more than three hundred modestly obese Israeli individuals in their middle ages were studied. The data was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, and documented that a Mediterranean diet and low-carbohydrate plan were found to be a beneficial alternative to low-fat diets. The study was funded by the foundation of the renowned Dr. Robert Atkins, who was a strict champion of the low-carbohydrate and high-protein diet regimen.

But researchers caution that before people add meat and butter in an effort to achieve a low-carbohydrate menu to their diet, be sure to keep this in mind: for weight loss goals, calories are more important than adding new foods to your diet strategy, according to Gary Foster, who is a well-known proponent of obesity research at the Temple University's Center for Obesity Research and Education.

Also noted from the Harvard study is the fact that men obviously have more muscle than do women, therefore, it is easier for men to lose weight.

The Health of the Mediterranean Diet

Among some of the primary explanations is believed to be the greater amount of olive oil used in the Mediterranean diet. Dissimilar to the American diet, which is high in animal fats, olive oil is known to lower cholesterol in the blood. It is also well known to reduce blood sugar levels and blood pressure. Analysis indicates that olive oil helps to prevent peptic ulcers and is also productive in the management of peptic ulcer disease, which may also be a beneficial factor in the sought after prevention of cancer. Also, the Mediterranean diet is high in red wine, which is believed to be a positive factor in the diet because of its overwhelming source of antioxidant properties.

The Traditional Mediterranean Diet

Because many countries are geographically near the border of the Mediterranean Sea, there are varying characteristics that create the benefits of the Mediterranean diet. The traditional Mediterranean diet includes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes, which are processed but only minimally. Also, this diet is rich in olive oil, fish and poultry. Red meats are consumed in moderate amounts.

The prescriptive Mediterranean diet is scant in saturated fat with only eight percent of the total number of calories derived from saturated fat.

Consult a Dietician

If you or a loved one is considering the Mediterranean diet, learning more about the pros and cons of the Mediterranean diet or embarking on a more healthy lifestyle, it is recommended that you consult a professional dietician.

Gaining Popularity - The Big Breakfast Diet

By eating a large breakfast of 600 calories that is rich in carbohydrates and protein, dieters are capable of losing more weight and maintain the diet to bring about long-lasting results. According to a newly released study conducted by the Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond findings indicate that a quantity of dieters who ate a 600 calorie hearty meal in the morning, while following in the day ate well-rounded meals that consist of 640 calories dropped an average of twenty-one percent more pounds over a range of four months. The diet allows participants to ingest 22 grams of fat, 58 grams of carbohydrates, and 47 grams of protein totaling 1,240 calories for the whole day.

Most of the general public do not pause when starting a popular dietary regimen. But consistency is demanding. And the notion behind the "Big Breakfast" diet is that by consuming a greater than average menu immediately upon waking up, there is a smaller possibility to impromptu eat.

Big Breakfast Diet Helps Dieters Lose Weight

If skipping breakfast is one of your weight-loss strategies, you need to reconsider your strategy. Nutritionists have always stated that breakfast is essential for physical and mental health, and this recent research shows that by eating in the a.m., one can indeed shed pounds. A 1992 study at Vanderbilt University found that women who changed their diet to include breakfast lost 28% more weight over a 12-week period than women who skipped their morning dish. Also, a full 78% of the 3,000 people enrolled in the National Weight Loss Registry, an ongoing tally of adults who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for more than a year, paint the picture of themselves as breakfast eaters.

How is the Big Breakfast Diet Different Than Low Carbohydrate Diets?

"Big Breakfast" diet is breaking ground in the battle to drop pounds. The American Dietetic Association spokesperson, Joan Salge Blake, RD, stated the findings embrace "perfect sense". The dissimilarity between ordinary dieting with a low-carbohydrate food choices is that subsequently the dieters on the "Big Breakfast" arrangement progressively lost weight meanwhile low-carbohydrate dieters began to re-increase the pounds that they had earlier dropped.

The new program is not typical by any means. Omitting breakfast is an epidemic weight-loss strategy, yet it has been shown that skipping breakfast is not a sound prescription to start the day. Breakfast is absolute for eliminating cloudy-minds and keeps an individual feeling sharp and ready to start the day. Plus this new trial shows that by eating a hearty meal first thing in the morning, individuals can indeed drop pounds.

What is The Big Deal About the Big Breakfast Plan?

According to the results of a analysis conducted at Vanderbilt University, among the women who had earlier skipped their early morning meal then changed their routine to include breakfast, twenty-eight percent more weight was lost. The issue was investigated by scientists who studied these women for a twelve week time frame. Also, beyond seventy percent of the participants enrolled in the trial kept the weight off for more than twelve months.

This new approach to dieting was spearheaded by Dr. Jakubowicz of Virginia Commonwealth University. She has been suggesting the "Big Breakfast" diet and began presenting its benefits well beyond 15 years ago. The results of this diet are only now getting national attention. Dr. Jakubowicz recommends that traditional low-carb diet boosts appetite and slows metabolism down, so women on this diet may lose weight for a while and then increasingly gain weight again.

The Big Breakfast Plan Helps to Combat Obesity

A discussion with 96 obese women, who are physically passive, showed that big breakfast diet is really more productive that mere low-carb diets.

Those on the "Big Breakfast Diet" perceive smaller hunger sensations prior lunch and all day," says Daniela Jakubowicz, MD, an endocrinologist in Caracas, Venezuela, and a clinical professor at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, who led the study. She is presenting her findings this week at ENDO 08, the 90th yearly assembly of The Endocrine Society in San Francisco.

A Simple Way to Lose Weight

"Big Breakfast" diet is an incredibly simple way to lose weight. Dr. Jakubowicz expressed that a customary low-carbohydrate diet increases appetite and reduced metabolism, which means that women on a low-carbohydrate diet may initially lose weight, but later gain the weight back. Indeed, a study conducted on obese women who are infrequently exercise exhibit that big breakfast diet is more effective that low-carbohydrate diets.

A well-rounded breakfast consists of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dairy such as skim milk or low-fat cheeses, and protein such as an omelet or hard-boiled eggs, low-fat meats or fish, or peanut butter. And by eating a hearty breakfast at home, it reduces the probability of eating fast-food on the road later as your hunger becomes more of a nuisance.

For further reading:

• http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,368462,00.html
• http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20080617/big-breakfast-diet-helps-shed-pounds?src=rss_facs

Low Carb Diets and Weight Loss

In the last few decades, many of the longest lasting diet crazes have been low carb diets. Some of the more popular low carb diet plans include the Atkins and South Beach diets. Many people have successfully used these diets to maintain a healthy weight.

For those that are constantly researching diet plans, you will notice the fact that the low carb diets are still popular even though they have been in the news for some time now. These plans are not a fad that will fade any time soon.

Low-Fat Diet Plans

After decades of education that points to the benefits of low-fat diet plans, Americans are now the fattest people on earth and getting fatter each year. More worryingly, the occurrences of diabetes is also increasing. As a result, it is believed that over 30 million Americans have taken up some sort of low carb diet.

Low carb diets, a common term which means low carbohydrate diets, are diet plans that are designed to promote weight loss while at the same time attempting to reduce the amount of carbohydrates in a diet. The reason many people begin a low carb diet is because the consumption of carbohydrates is linked to obesity and increased insulin levels, which can lead to diabetes. There is not a consensus among nutritionists regarding the effectiveness and safety of a low carb diet, yet many rely on the seemingly strong evidence that lends truth to the claim that a low carb diet can actually promote weight loss.

Are Low-Carb Diet Plans Boring?

A common complaint about these diets, however, is that they are so boring. Many dieters complain that "there's not enough variety," or "it gets so monotonous," or "there's nothing to eat." Fortunately for people who are motivated to keep with their low carbohydrate diet plan in order to meet their goal of achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, there are ways to add flavor and diversity to one's weekly menu.

There is no reason that low carb dieting has to be boring. In fact, low carb dieting is not about eating a bland diet of raw vegetables and red meat, but instead it is about enjoying really delicious, really diverse foods.

Add Variety

The low carb diet is now considered as one of the most commonly used plans among dieters. It is therefore no doubt that as many people were drawn to it, many companies have developed services by providing recipes and quick-food choices in super markets designed especially for people committed to these plans. There are a number of ways to make these diet plans more exciting.

In addition, there are many cookbooks that cater to these diet-conscious menu seekers. For example, Cajun Clark, Internet presence and cookbook guru, has released his Sweet & Sassy! cookbook. This is not for the faint of heart, but it is for novice to advanced dessert makers, or anyone who wants to get to someone's heart through their stomach.

The low carbohydrate diet is not just a fad. History has shown it is a way of life, and a smart roadmap toward a healthy lifestyle.

Researchers Test Health Effects of the South Beach Diet

As the obesity epidemic continues to spiral out of control in the United States and around the world, millions of men, women, and young people are looking for safe and effective ways to shed excess pounds. Fueled by dieters? desperation, the weight loss industry has ballooned into a multi-billion dollar per year behemoth. It seems like a new fad diet or weight loss system is introduced every time you turn around

When it was first introduced, the South Beach Diet was unfairly lumped in with more extreme low-carb regimens, such as the Atkins diet. However, although the South Beach Diet shares some basic principles with the low-carb philosophy, it represents a much more balanced ? and medically sound ? approach to weight loss.

In fact, the underlying components of the South Beach Diet aren?t new at all. They bear a striking resemblance to the Mediterranean diet, a traditional way of eating that researchers say help accounts for the very low rates of disease and obesity in Greece and other Mediterranean countries.

The growing acceptance of this approach to weight loss has prompted many researchers to reassess the South Beach Diet in recent years. This week, we?ll take a look at a few recent studies that have scrutinized the health and safety of this approach. 

Researchers Single Out the South Beach Diet as a Good Choice for Weight Loss

A recent study conducted by scientists at the University of Connecticut sought to test the efficacy of the South Beach Diet as compared to standard low-fat diet approaches. In the study, the researchers assigned overweight men and women to two groups. Each group was directed to follow either a low-carb or a low-fat diet for a period of 50 days. After the initial period, all of the participants switched diets. This dual study design allowed the scientists the ability to carefully compare all aspects of both approaches.

Virtually all of the dieters lost more body fat on the low-carb regimen than the low-fat diet. The low-carb approach ? which approximated the guidelines of the South Beach Diet ? was found to be especially effective for men. However, both men and women on the low-carb regimen lost substantial body fat in the upper body area.

The preliminary results of the study also seemed to indicate that the low-carb diet approach was more effective in reducing and reversing several of the cardiac risk factors associated with obesity.

South Beach Diet Identified as Best for Heart Health

Although many dieters seek out new eating plans as a way to shed excess pounds, their doctors are often equally ? if not more -- concerned about a diet?s impact the health risks associated with obesity. While low-carb diets have long been proven to be effective as weight loss tools, concerns linger about their overall effect on health.

According to the results of a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, the South Beach Diet succeeds on both of these measures. It is low-carb enough to help dieters achieve steady weight loss, but it also avoids the risks associated with more extreme regimens.

Based on extensive analysis of several popular plans, the South Beach Diet was found to be one of the most effective ways to not only lose weight, but reduce the risk of obesity-related heart problems. In fact, this diet was shown to be more effective than even the government?s low-fat Food Pyramid at promoting weight loss and heart health.

Study Finds Wide-Ranging Health Benefits with South Beach-Like Diet

In addition to its effectiveness as a weight loss tool and heart-health booster, researchers at the Columbia University Medical Center in New York found that the Mediterranean diet from which the South Beach approach draws its principal components had a number of other positive side effects, as well.

Among the most significant health benefits that were identified, it was found that this way of eating substantially reduced the risk of Alzheimer?s disease and also lengthened average life spans in the population that was studied. Preliminary results also indicated that the diet may also improve cognitive and neurological function throughout the lifespan, particularly for elderly men and women.

If you?re interested in the health and weight loss benefits of the South Beach Diet, talk to your doctor or a licensed nutritionist for a complete explanation. Please come back next week for more late-breaking weight loss news.