Low Carb Menu Plans Were the First Published Diets

The word diet was derived from an ancient Greek word diaita. A word that was not originally used to focus on choosing to eat one food over another but to represent the healthy lifestyle that comes with the proper application of food, drink and exercise. Dietary research suggests that the Ancient Egyptians paid the lower-class workers of the Pyramids of Giza in beer, bread and onions, which are considered the three staples of the Egyptian diet. Although the elite ancients had an expanded diet of vegetables, grains, dates and fine wines, the overall Ancient Egyptian diet provided proper nourishment for the masses.

The easier a diet is to follow, the better the chances you have of sticking with it. Listed below are some of the successful, as well as some less successful fad dietary plans throughout the years:

• LIQUID DIET - Early mentions of an alcohol diet can be traced to William the Conqueror, who after becoming severely overweight later in life chose to follow a liquid diet consisting mostly of alcohol. He lost enough weight to resume riding his favorite horse and returned to battle.
• CHEYNE MEATLESS DIET - One of the earliest dietitians was George Cheyne. An obese English doctor, Cheyne wrote An Essay of Health and Long Life in 1724, in which he outlined the meatless diet of milk and vegetables that he followed to restore his own health. Cheyne also advised would-be dieters to exercise, get plenty of fresh air and avoid eating luxury food.
• PETERS LOW-CALORIE DIET - In 1918, American doctor and author Lulu Hunt Peters published a best seller entitled Diet & Health: With Key to the Calories that presented the concept of counting calories as the best form of weight loss. The once overweight medical columnist directed her publication at women who wanted a newfound body image as "thin was suddenly in".
• FLETCHERISM - Fletcherism was a dietary lifestyle, where food is consumed only when hungry and in small amounts. The key component involved extensive chewing of one's food between 32 and 100 times per mouthful.
• SLEEPING BEAUTY DIET - First mentioned in Jacqueline Susann's novel Valley of the Dolls, The Sleeping Beauty Diet recommended that dieters take sedatives to miss mealtimes. Elvis Presley supposedly tried the diet in the 70s but obviously regained any pounds that he lost.
• FRUITARIANISM - Fruitarianism is a subset of dietary veganism where no animal products are consumed. The diet consists almost entirely of fresh fruits in the botanical sense and sometimes allows followers to eat nuts or seeds, but no grains.
• ZONE DIET - Another diet that Hollywood celebrities embraced was the Zone Diet created by biochemist Barry Sears. The low-carbohydrate fad diet requires structuring every meal around specific macronutrient thresholds for protein, fats and carbs.
• MEDITERRANEAN DIET - Considered to be a heart-healthy approach for dietary intake, the Mediterranean Diet varies between countries and regions surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. Basically, the diet encourages fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains, fish and good fats like olive oil, but with little dairy or meat.

Fad diets have been firmly entrenched for decades having promoted diverse ways of promising weight loss. Although some do deliver a quick fix with short-term results, none offer a long-term plan for maintaining your target weight like a personalized menu plan. To learn more about your dietary needs, contact a Metabolic Research Center near you.