Ornish diet known as well as “Eat more and lose weight” is a nutritive regime supplied by tremendous scientific proofs but promoted through accessible for everybody advice about healthy life and slimming. Due to followers of the diet consumption preliminarily vegetable foods, rich in fibers and poor in fats help not only the healthy way of life but slimming too. The author of the diet, Dr. Dean Ornish is a well-known figure in the medical sphere, most because of his great success in preventing and the opposite development of atherosclerotic changes in the blood vessels only using this diet-something impossible without operation or medicines so far. This is possible in combination of dietetic regime and regular physical activity which makes the most effective and mighty mechanism of the body for melting of fats, says Dr. Ornish.

What you may eat

The diet doesn’t limit calories but foods which one can consume. They are divided into three categories-according to their consumption all the time, sometimes or they are forbidden.

The next products may be accepted always:  when you are hungry and when you are sated:

-leguminous,

- fruits -all: from apples to water-melon and from raspberries to pine-apples,

-cereals,

- vegetables.

These foods must be consumed moderately :

- defatted dairy products –this includes defatted skim milk and yogurt , white cheese and cheese;

- eggs’ yokes;

-defatted or with low calories products.

These foods must be avoided at any price

-meat of any sort-red or white, even poultry (if you can’t refuse meat at all, at least reduce its eating) and fish.

-butter and its products such as margarine and dressings for salad;

-avocado;

-olives;

-kernels and seeds;

-usual dairy products;

-sugar and sugar products-honey, maize syrup and fructose syrup;

-alcohol;

-all meals cooked out of home contained more than two grams of fat in a portion.

If you manage to keep this regime, you’ll take less than 10 % of your daily calories of fat without counting the grams of fat or calories. It is recommended frequent eating in small portions, because this nutritive regime makes a person feel hungry more often than usually. Thus, you’ll be sated quicker and eat bigger amount of food without worrying about calories.

To the nutritive regime of Dr.Ornish 30 minutes of moderate intensive sport every day or 1 hour three times weekly are recommended. Besides, he recommends to use alternative techniques for controlling stress such as meditation, massage, psychotherapy or yoga.

How the diet works

Dr.Ornish is an adherent of the idea that human metabolism didn’t change since the stone epic to nowadays, then a person didn’t know when or whether he will eat later on because the nutritive sources were poor. That is why in order to survive the human organism used to keep the spare energy in the form of fats which he’ll use later. Nowadays, however, most people have a permanent access to foods. But the body isn’t adapted to this new regime of nutrition yet.

Because metabolism of a modern man gets slower  when he consumes less calories than usually , the person on diet often reaches a stop in his weight soon after starting new low calories diet. For more people spare kilograms melt during the first week or two weeks of a new regime but after that the arrow of the scales freezes. The weight is kept the same, frequently during the week and sometimes longer.

According to Dr. Ornish foods rich in fibers make absorption of sustaining substances slower in the nutrative system I that is why a person feels sated longer with small portions of meals in comparison with the other diets. Besides, complex carbohydrates don’t challenge rising of blood sugar. Its level in blood stays constant so is our condition.

Exercises to Ornish Diet

Another main moment in the regime is physical activity. Ornish recommends long and moderately intensive regular physical activities which speed metabolism.

Dr.Ornish recommends sorts 5 times a week -30 minutes each or 3 times a week for 1 hour.

In addition to restrictive diet and regular physical activity the means of relaxation from everyday stress, for example, meditation is recommended.

What the experts think 

Most experts give a positive mark of Dr.Ornish’s regime. In fact, his positive researches, shown the opposite development of atherosclerotic slags, are impressive. It can make slower and even turn over the cordial disease, to reduce the risk of cancer, to help controlling the diabetes and high blood pressure, so the adherents of the regime say.

On the other hand, however, the diet demands keeping of absolutely new nutritive habits which many people accept as drastic changes. The nutritive regime of Dr. Ornish is exceptionally strict and it doesn’t allow consumption of many different foods. A small amount of fat makes meals not tasty and not attractive for people on diet. Besides, the diet doesn’t make difference between so-called “good” (poly-monosaturated) and “bad” (trans and saturated) fats.

Time to think

Vegetarians or those who are ready to be for a long time maybe the most reliable followers of this nutritive regime. The recommendations about smaller and more frequent nutrition demands from people on diet to change their day plan as a whole which is not possible for many of them. On the other hand Dr.Ornish diet undoubtedly will help you to lose weight and bring you other benefits as well.

The exemplary menu of Ornish Diet

Breakfast: Wholemeal cereal snack with low-fatted yogurt and a glass of orange juice

Lunch:

Variant 1: Baked potatoes with low-fatted cheese or white cheese and dressing from steamed broccoli

Variant 2: Green salad and fresh fruit for dessert

Dinner: Sandwiches with tomatoes and low-fatted white cheese or wholemeal pasta with vegetables