by Joshua Anderson
Another popular method for losing weight and going on a diet is following the Engine 2 diet. In the Engine 2 diet plan you can lose weight and reduce cholesterol within a span of just around 28 days, as mentioned by the author of the book Engine 2 Diet, Rip Esselstyn. Under the Engine 2 diet plant you have to only follow the preplanned meals which are made from the ingredients mentioned in the diet plan. The meals are easy to make and can be prepared quickly. The ingredients for making the Engine 2 Diet food are available only in stores providing natural foods. If you strictly follow the planned Engine 2 diet and the exercise regime described in the Engine 2 diet plan you can easily lose weight within 28 days flat. It is always advisable to take the help of friends and others who have followed this plan and also those who wish to follow the Engine 2 diet plan.
Whole grains, nuts and seeds, vegetables and fruits, all are sources of low-fat protein and are the main ingredients to be consumed while following the Engine 2 diet. The author himself agrees that it is very difficult to follow this diet. You are used to the regular diet of eating so many different varieties which you have followed for so many years, which makes following the Engine 2 diet a bit difficult. To make the diet more interesting chicken and fish have also been included which can be eaten in the initial stages of the plan. Whole grain crackers and whole grain pastas, as also tofu, soy yoghurt and vegetable burgers are allowed. In this diet every 1000 calories you consume will have just less than 2.5 grams fat content. You are not allowed to add oil while making these foods. Sugar used will also have to be the natural sweetener only.
In the Engine 2 diet plan you are required to consume less salt. This diet is a vegetarian diet and concentrates mainly on plant proteins. People usually tend to consume dairy products, meat and eggs which are considered as rich sources of protein. Proteins which exist in the form of chains are actually made up of around twenty amino acids out of which only eight amino acids can be ingested from the food that we eat. These amino acids are important for our body and as per the Engine 2 diet plan the plants also can give us the necessary amino acids. Carbohydrates provide energy and fuel to the body and our body absorbs at least 70 percent calories from the carbohydrates that we consume daily.
There are plant varieties that may have a higher content of one or the other amino acid, but a well planned diet will include vegetables that complement each other, thus giving the body all the amino acids it needs. This protein is safer than the protein obtained by eating flesh foods. The rate of your heart beat, your digestion, exercising, breathing, etc are all given the energy they need from the carbohydrate in your diet. There are two kinds of carbohydrates - complex and simple. Both are sugars and when digested are changed into glucose.
Carbohydrate remains in the blood as glucose, but in the muscles and liver, the carbohydrate is stored as glycogen. The body knows what it needs. Therefore, any excess carbohydrate is stored as fat. It is the complex carbohydrates that are health-friendly. These are found in vegetables, beans, sweet potatoes, fruits and different whole grain cereal breads. These complex carbohydrates release sugar in a controlled manner into your body’s system, thereby allowing the body to make full use of it as a fuel, and you feel energetic throughout the day. Research has proved beyond doubt that plants can give you all the fat you need.
Our body can obtain high and instant energy from simple carbohydrates. But these simple carbohydrates get converted into fat and get stored in our body and make us look fat. Such fats are very dangerous to our health and well being. A number of fruits and vegetables do contain good fats like poly saturated or mono saturated fats. Soybeans contain a great 41% fat content, whereas, vegetables such as spinach contains 11%, bell peppers contain 6%, broccoli 8%, and fruits such as strawberries contain 5% fat content. Good fats are available in fruits and vegetables and these are very good sources of fat for the body.
In a case study given by Esselstyn the author of the book Engine 2 diet, he states that a gentleman, Tony Gonzalez beat breast cancer so that he could win more than a thousand triathlons. Martina Navratilova, a hugely competitive tennis champion was on a plant based diet. Even Salim Stoudamire, NBA player, Dave Scott went on to win the famous Iron man triathlon in Hawaii. They too were on a plant based diet. From this study we can realize that the best nutrients can be obtained from plants. Essential calories can be obtained from different plants. Good nutrients obtained from the plants are always slowly released into our body system. Very essential supplements like Vitamin B 12 can be richly obtained from fortified soy milk.
Consequently, the energy that plants which are high in fiber and packed with nutrients provide is consistent all through the day, instead of periodically giving you a high. It would be better to substitute fish oil with ground flaxseed, walnuts, soybeans, and green leafy vegetables. These are all rich in omega-3. You could also try omega-3 supplements from plankton. Butter, margarine and sour cream do make food tasty but the inherent danger in eating foods which have these, is something that you will need to seriously think about if you want to enjoy good health.
When we start eating only plant based foods we find it a bit difficult to get used to the tastes as, right from childhood we already have developed tastes. And when we try out something different we may find it a bit difficult to adjust. But once you get to know the benefits of eating plant based diets, you may want to stick on to the plant diet for a long time. These diets can actually make you feel fitter and energetic and then you no longer have to cling on to the non vegetarian diet at all, once you realize the wisdom and happiness in eating a plant based diet.
About the Author:
The
Engine 2 Diet is a new and exciting dieting program. The author, Joshua Anderson, has been experimenting with many diets. After getting very excited about the
Engine 2 Diet, he had to tell everyone. Click a link above to find information on the book, and how to get started.