Duke Diet: Encouraging A Healthy Mind and Body

The Duke University diet program has been in existence since 1969, but they have recently added an online program that makes the Duke Diet available to a much wider range of dieters. They also operate 27 fitness centers, and a weight loss residential program that allows people to focus strictly on their bodies and losing weight for one to four weeks while staying at their Durham, NC facility.

There are four focuses of the Duke Diet, which are;

1. Managing Medical Issues
2. Nutrition and Diet
3. Behavioral Modification
4. Fitness/Exercise
5. The Good

The Duke Diet works for many dieters because it is an entire lifestyle change. It includes guidelines for different aspects of life and can help dieters figure out the reasons behind their weight gain as well as help them lose weight. The diet also helps dieters find mental and emotional balance that is necessary for overall health as well as weight loss. Issues like emotional eating are addressed as well as guilt about eating unhealthy foods and finding the motivation to keep following the plan even when it’s difficult.

Another positive aspect of the Duke Diet is that the amount of calories that each person is allowed to eat each day depends on their individual body size and activity level. Dieters choose from a list of foods that encompass all food groups and there are many choices available for each meal. The exercise regimen is also personalized for each participant in the diet program and their individual health issues and activity level. Most of the people who follow the Duke Diet have a very low activity level, so they may start out with a pedometer and a certain number of required steps they are required to take every day.

The Bad

The Duke Diet requires careful meal planning and cooking, which may be too complicated or restrictive for some dieters. Dieters choose from a low carb or regular version of the Duke Diet and are required to only eat the foods that are listed. The allowable portion size is listed along with the food and should be followed for best health and weight loss results.

It is difficult for most people to make many drastic lifestyle changes all at once, especially if they are using the online program and have a limited amount of support from friends and family. The Duke Diet is not a quick fix. It requires a large amount of commitment and most dieters only lose a couple of pounds per week when they follow this plan. Slow weight loss is healthy, but it is not motivating to most people.

The Duke Diet works for many people because it combines healthy eating with behavioral changes and exercise. It can be difficult to make so many major life changes at once, so dieters who are using the online program are encouraged to seek support from their friends and family as well as the Duke Diet website’s online community.