About the Rice Diet Program
The Rice Diet is acclaimed for its rapid weight loss benefits and is also used to treat diabetes, congestive heart failure and hypertension. It isn't a fad diet, as it has been around since 1939, and was developed by a medical researcher at Duke University. Today people pay thousands of dollars to spend a month or more at the Rice Diet Clinic in Durham, NC, but if you have neither the time nor the money to do so, you can always follow the basic Rice Diet plan on your own. Does this Spark an idea?
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The Facts
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On the first day on this diet, you must follow the basic rice diet, eating 2 starches and 2 fruits for breakfast, lunch and dinner. On the other 6 days you may eat 1 starch, 1 non-fat dairy item and 1 fruit for breakfast and 3 starches, 3 vegetables and 1 fruit for lunch and dinner. Each starch serving can consist of 1 slice of bread, 1/3 cup of cooked rice or beans or 1/2 cup of cooked pasta. Fruit servings can be 1 medium-sized fruit, half a banana, or 1 cup of sliced or chopped fruits, berries or grapes. Vegetable servings amount to 1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup uncooked and dairy servings can be 1 cup of nonfat milk or yogurt or 1/2 cup of cottage cheese.
Fluid intake should be about 48 to 64 ounces of non-caffeinated beverages per day. It is permissible to drink wine on this diet, but 3 ounces of red wine could be exchanged for 2 fruit servings, so would reduce overall food consumption. Artificial sweeteners must be limited to about 2 packs of sweetener per day, or the equivalent.
On the Rice Diet, exercise is also an important component of the program, as it is with any sensible weight loss regime. At the Rice Diet clinics the preferred form of exercise is yoga, which is also accompanied by meditation and journaling for complete mind-body wellness experience.
Features
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All foods consumed on this diet must be fat-free. The goal is for you to consume 5 grams or less of fat per day, with about 20 grams of protein. You'll also need to limit your sodium intake, as sodium can causes your body to swell up and retain water. Your daily limit of sodium is150 milligrams a day.
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Time Frame
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Patients at the Rice Diet Clinic are advised to spend from 4 to 6 weeks at the facility, where they adhere strictly to the Rice Diet regime as well as exercising daily and being counseled to support them in their weight loss goals. If you are following the program on your own you can set your own time goals, but you may wish to plan to spend no more than a month or so trying to follow the diet as it is a very strict plan.
Benefits
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Patients on the Rice Diet report losing around 5 lbs. per week or 20 lbs. per month. The diet will also improve your health, as reducing the amount of fat in your diet will lower your cholesterol and reducing salt can lower your blood pressure. Lower weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels will reduce strain on your heart, making you look and feel much healthier.
Risk Factors
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If you suffer from a chronic illness such as diabetes, you should definitely consult your doctor before beginning the program. Patients at the Rice Diet Clinic lose weight under medical supervision, a wise precaution for any serious dieter. In fact, if you have any type of chronic condition such as heart disease, high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease, you should make sure your doctor understands and approves of the diet and advises you of any modifications you may need to make or precautions you should take.
Consult your doctor, as well, if you are taking any types of medications, as this diet should not be followed by anyone taking diuretics of any type. Blood-thinning medications such as Warfarin may need to have their dosages adjusted, as may medications for hypertension and diabetes, particularly as you lose weight on the diet.The diet can also be difficult for dieters to stick to. The food can be pretty bland, and takes time to prepare. It isn't very convenient for the busy dieter--the strict rules pretty much preclude your being able to eat out for the entire time you're on the diet. This diet is great for people with a lot of willpower, time, and a high tolerance for monotony, but if you are just looking to drop a few pounds in a relatively painless fashion you may need to look elsewhere.
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