New York Diet Vs. Other Low-Carb Diets

The Ultimate New York Diet written by Personl Trainer David Kirsch, is a follow up to his Ultimate New York Body Plan. The author claims that following the diet plan for 2 weeks results in a weight loss of up to 14 pounds. Does the diet plan work? Many who have tried it say that it does. However, it has mixed reviews, some loved and others hated it. Nevertheless, both sides do agree that it works.

The diet plan is similar to other low carb diets like The Atkins Diet Revolution and The South Beach Diet. However, it is a little different in the fact that exercise is required; calories are restricted to 1,000 calories a day spread over five meals, and no eating after 7pm.

The author himself states that he does not like crash diets but realizes that people will often forego proper eating until an event such as a wedding or reunion comes around and then they want to lose weight quickly. He created the diet as a way to lose weight quickly but still eat healthy.

Comparing the three diet plans side by side, they share many of the same similarities. They are all low carb diets, dairy and starches like pasta and bread are excluded during the first two weeks with carbohydrates added back in during the last two weeks except for the New York Diet.

Two of the three diets include a weight management program during the last phases of the diet meant to teach the dieter how to maintain their weight loss for life.The New York Diet Plan is only meant to be used for two weeks.

The basics of The Ultimate New York Diet:

Five meals a day every three hours- 7am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm, and 7pm. The first two weeks is very strict, no alcohol, bread, starchy carbs, dairy products or fruit. Fat is limited to 1 tbsp of oil per day as a salad dressing. Nuts and protein shakes supplement for meals if time is limited. Daily exercise is 90 minutes broken up into 10-minute increments spread out over the course of the day.The diet is meant for quick weight loss for a short period of time and not as a lifestyle.

What you can eat: egg whites, fish, meat, vegetables, herbal or green tea (no caffeine)

Reviews:

Those who dislike the diet said that although they did lose weight it is too restrictive with the reduced calories and they were still hungry. They would not use the diet again.

Those who did like the diet said it worked and they lost weight in a short period of time. They said they would use the diet again.

The Atkins Diet Revolution:

Phase 1 is induction lasting two weeks. Alcohol, dairy, starchy carbs, sweets or fruits are not allowed during the induction phase. Limit of 20 grams of carbohydrates from vegetable sources per day, no caffeine and no alcohol. Vegetables are not limited except for corn, peas, carrots and potatoes. Three meals a day and three snacks make six small meals a day.

What you can eat: whole eggs, chicken, beef, pork, bacon, all vegetables except corn, peas, carrots and potatoes. Olive oil, real butter, mayo, cream cheese, pork rinds and real cream are allowed in place of the normal low-fat substitutes. Fats are allowed because with the reduced carbs the body begins using the fat as fuel instead of the carbs.

After the first two weeks, good carbohydrates are introduced a little at a time. The daily intake is raised from 20 grams a day to 50 grams a day and increased until the person stops losing the weight. Once the weight loss stops this is what the daily carb intake will need to be for weight management to avoid gaining back the weight they have lost.

Reviews:

Most people like the diet because they can still eat most of their favorite foods with the exception of the starchy carbs. They agree that the first two weeks is tough but after that, their sugar cravings disappeared and they lost weight very quickly.

The South Beach Diet:

Phase 1 is a two week period were you are allowed to have lean protein, seafood, skinless white-meat poultry, and lean cuts of beef, high-fiber veggies, low-fat cheeses, eggs, low-fat dairy, avocados, nuts, seeds, and extra-virgin olive. This diet is similar to The Ultimate New York Diet in that it uses low-fat protein but is not as restrictive and does not focus on calories.

Phase 2 introduces good carb sources such as whole wheat breads and cereals, whole-wheat pasta and brown rice. Whole-wheat tortillas, pita breads, and low-sugar fruits are also allowed.

Phase 3 is the weight maintenance program. This combines the two phases for a lifelong weight maintenance program. Desserts and sweets are made from altered recipes for a healthier version of family favorites.

Which diet is better for you? It is all a matter of choice. Atkins and South Beach are both low carb and integrates a weight maintenance program to help you keep the weight off for life. The New York Diet is a short term quick fix to lose a few pounds fast. It just depends on your individual likes and dislikes. If you are a person who likes to eat steak and eggs for breakfast then the New York Diet will be too restrictive. The Atkins or South Beach diet would be a better choice. If you do not mind restrictive diets and need to lose a few pounds quickly then try it.

Resources:

Personal experience

http://www.theultimatenewyorkbodyplan.com/

http://www.southbeachdiet.com/sbd/publicsite/how-it-works/how-it-works.aspx