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Diets

The ‘Perfect 10’ Diet Balances 10 Hormones to Help You Lose Weight and Feel Great

If you want to lose weight but don’t want to follow a low-carb diet or a low-fat eating plan, you might consider the Perfect 10 Diet as an option. Created by Michael Aziz, MD, the Perfect 10 Diet aims to optimize your hormones and speed up your metabolism so  you can shed pounds without feeling hungry. Although the idea of looking like a “perfect 10” may sound appealing all on its own, this diet’s benefits are anything but skin-deep — as long as you follow the eating plan correctly.

According to The Perfect 10 Diet ($12.31, Amazon), the key to losing weight is balancing 10 key hormones that control weight and health. These hormones include: insulin, glucagon, leptin, human growth hormone, thyroid, testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, and cortisol. In order to get these hormones back in harmony, Dr. Aziz emphasizes a consistent “nutrient load” of 40 percent carbs, 40 percent fat, and 20 percent protein. But like most diets out there, a major weight-loss transformation won’t happen overnight; it involves a process of three stages before you can see the promising results you want.

The first step is known as the “initiation stage” to jumpstart your weight loss, and it involves eating three nutritious meals per day with the option of one or two snacks. Grains and alcohol are not included in this part of the diet. In the second stage, however, you can add one to three servings of whole grains. You can also imbibe small amounts of alcohol. By the time you get to the final stage of maintenance, you can consume three to four whole-grain servings per day. Eating sweets sparingly is also given the OK.

While the diet doesn’t slash any major food groups in the sense that, say, a low-carb diet might, it’s worth keeping in mind that certain types of food are encouraged far more than others on the Perfect 10 Diet. For instance, the diet recommends limiting processed food products — from cakes to salad dressing to artificial sweeteners — and opting for natural, organic foods instead. It’s also important to note that red meat is limited on this particular eating plan. Healthy meals on a typical day in the diet might include a veggie omelet with rye toast, a grilled chicken salad, and salmon with broccoli. A couple of nutritious snacks like nuts or berries in between those meals might help give you a boost if you feel like you need it.

If you’re wondering how to balance your carbs, protein, and fat properly to fit the specific nutrient requirements, you’ll be happy to know that the book includes more than 70 diet-friendly recipes. An added bonus: Tasty dishes like garlic-cheese stuffed mushrooms and pistachio dark chocolate are included in the mix. So if you’re worried about being bored while on a meal plan, you can feel confident that will not be the case with this one!

Remember: Always talk to your doctor before starting any new diet.

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