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Dr. Atkins
This program is on the decline in recent years, partly because Dr. Atkins himself was clinically obese when he died recently. Not good PR! This one recognizes metabolism problems, but recommends eating a lot of protein, since protein is harder to metabolize and therefore turns into fat slower than carbohydrates. This is a case of blaming the food, (bread is bad for you?) rather than blaming the patient. Problem with this is that the high level of saturated fats that are usually found with protein is the basis of most degenerative disease (i.e. heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis). Doctor's Advice that increases your risk of disease. Result: short term success, long term problems.
Dr. Sears (The Zone)
This one takes you deep into the secret laboratories of science to discover the "problem hormones" that have some how rebelled within you to cause you to gain weight. This is a typical medical approach to disease - let's find the silver bullet, the single nutrient, the magic pill, the genetic defect that has suddenly appeared in the 20th Century to bedevil us and make us fat. Dr. Sears has spent his life studying hormone responses, so naturally that is his answer to everything. Much the same way that Linus Pauling suggested every ailment could be cured by vitamin C - if you just took enough of it. We like to say "if you give a man a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail."
The Zone has a lot of good science in it, although you need a Ph.D. to understand it, but any book that says and I quote: "eating carrots, lima beans, papaya, popcorn, etc. could be dangerous to your health" has clearly lost touch with reality outside the lab. Doctor's Advice that makes you confused.
Dr. Agatston (South Beach)
Another "phasing" diet (different rules for each phase) based on the Glycemic Index, the faulty science that created the anti-carb craze. Why not just learn one system, rather than having to go through 4 different ones? South Beach focuses on eliminating fruit as well as the obvious fast foods and refined carbs that we all need to avoid. Fruit? Nature's perfect food? Avoid it? That's just plain crazy. South Beach recently added bananas to its recommended products list. It is moving in the right direction however they continue to recommend artificial sweeteners such as Aspartame, Splenda and saccharin. These are not healthy choices, ergo, this is not a health program. Doctor's Advice that makes you artificial.
Dr. Scarsdale Medical Diet
The Scarsdale "Medical" Diet dates back some 30 years or more and was one of the first Doctor's Diets to achieve national prominence. It was based, as are so many others, on low calories (800-1200) and a very specific short-term meal plan. This diet originally came with a warning not to stay on it for more than 2 weeks, since it would undermine your health. Doctor's Advice that makes you sick? What a concept. Result: short term results, long term problems.
If you're sick, go see a doctor. But if you're just overweight, come see us. Keep Slim, a healthy weight control program that everyone can understand and everyone can stay on.
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