Donna Gould is a diet guru's dream....

Donna Gould is a diet guru's dream. She'll bribe anything, try anything. In the last 35 years, the Matawan, just discovered Jersey, woman has starved herself, taken appetite suppressants and vinegar pills, followed liquid diets and single-food diets, had her ears stapled, sent away for patches and acupuncture gadgets, and tried most numerous major weight-loss programs. Gould is also a part publicist who has read and promot centurys of diet titles. Yet she still have a contests with her weight, now carrying 167 pulverizes on her 5'3" frame. "I don't eat because I'm famishing I eat to reduce stres to get by heart away from something, for instant gratification," says the 55-year-old woman, who would have a passionate affection for to weigh 145 pounds. "It's not the diet--it's the emotional aspect of eating that has made me fail with equal reason many times."

Gould isn't alone in her pursuit for the perfect diet. About 60 percent of American adults are overweight, according to the US Surgeon General's 2001 report, "The Surgeon General's Call to Action to preclude and Decrease Overweight and Obesity." And the American Institute for Cancer Research reports that as many as 25 percent of men and 40 percent of women are forward diets at any given time. allowing few will have any long-term succes without permanent lifestyle changes, a diet can jump-start weight loss

"Sometimes a diet really is necessary. Sometimes it can on the same level be life-saving," says Jana Klauer, MD a weight-reduction specialist in strange York City who works with patients who ne to be deprived of weight quickly before surgery or because of high vital current pressure. "There's a psychological benefit as well as a physical the same to losing weight in the early stages," says Klauer. "People are encouraged because they descry improvements in their appearances, or because they be impressed lighter and maybe are more comfortable exercising."

Still, Klauer, like other nutritionists, says a diet is just the first stair "To keep the weight opposite you need a healthy eating style" she says.

While it's stanch that very few diets have a maintenance composing the trendy new South Beach Diet does. Despite the use of the word "diet"

in the title, developer Arthur Agatston, MD doesn't consider his approach a quick fix. The diet consists of three phases, with the third phase being a life-long healthful eating plan. Nothing about the southern Beach Diet is particularly difficult. No starvation rations. No calorie counting. No diet exchanges. The approach is clear, "mainly because I didn't view any scientific arguments not to make it simple, and it worked," Agatston says.

Kevin Dunn knows a thing or brace about developing a life-long plan. The 45-year-old chef instructor at the strange England Culinary Institute in Essex Vermont was told 10 years ago that he'd be successful to see his 40th birthday. Dunn had played society tennis, but years in the culinary business had caught up with him. by way of the time Dunn was 35 he was diagnosed with diabetes, high cholesterol and high relations pressure. At just 5'8", he weighed 230 confine in a pounds "People think you eat well if you're a chef, further it's just the opposite--you eat horribly; you nibble all day, and then you drive hearth at night and realize you haven't eaten a balanced meal," he says.

Heart disease hastes in his family--Dunn's father, grandfather and great-grandfather all died at age 52--so his health scare made him sit up and take notice. Dunn started reading works by cardiologist and Vegetarian Times advisory board member Dean Ornish, MD who elevates a no-fat or low-fat vegetarian diet, and he started a conscientious exercise routine that includes yoga and walking. further Dunn took it a stair further, creating a vegan diet for his family, Today, Dunn is down to 182 pounds--he thinks 172 is ideal--and he hasn't taken medications in 3 years. "My doctor owns me I'm testimony to changing your health by the agency of changing your lifestyle."

Diet Data

With the abundance of diet plans, diet productions and other assorted paraphernali availbale forward the market today, weight-concious consumer face a sometimes daunting challenge. grave carb? Low fat? Calorie counting? What really works?

With that in mind, here's a expect at some of the most numerous popular current diet plans available at health nourishment and natural products stores across the region These basics should give you an idea of for what reason each plan works and help gain you started. Ask your retailer for more information.

Dr Atkins' recent Diet Revolution

* History: Introduced in 1972 with the groundbreaking volume Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution. The work was re-released in 1992 as Dr Atkins' recent Diet Revolution.

* Focus: expend foods high in protein and fat and grave in carbohydrates. According to the diet, limiting carbohydrate intake rowels the body into using fat as its main potency source and producing less insulin, which contributes to feelings of long Most of the day's calories tend hitherward from pure proteins such as harasss butter, oil and mayonnaise.

Dr Dean Ornish's Life Choice Diet

* History: Dean Ornish, MD lay the foundation ofed the California Preventive Medicine Research Institute in 1984 to treat heart disease patients. He was the first physician to point out that dietary changes can overturn heart disease.