Dr. Howard M. Shapiro wrote the "Picture Perfect Weight Loss" book and he is a weight loss adviser to the New York police and fire departments.
The Basics of Picture Perfect Weight Loss
On this program, dieters are shown food images with their calorie content information provided to them. The major part of the program consists of comparing high-calorie foods with low-calorie foods in terms of photographs. Shapiro states that by eating more food, we can still lose weight, if we know which foods contain the most calories.
Visual content forms the foundation of the program, and each week dieters will find substitutions for higher calorie foods, for one meal. It is important for dieters to keep a food journal, for at least seven days, to increase awareness about food choices. The recent versions of the book have a complete 30-day plan.
Recommended Foods
- Low-fat baked goods and cereals
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Low-fat pasta dishes
- Seafood
- Low-fat yogurt
- Pickles
- Low-fat foods are usually allowed so that dieters can eat more food for a lower calorie intake, and still lose weight
Sample Diet Plan
Breakfast
French toast, stuffed with berries and light cream cheese
Coffee, tea or diet cocoa
Lunch
Creole-style red bean soup with shrimp
Mixed greens with vinaigrette
Afternoon Snack
Fresh mango
Dinner
Cajun-style snapper
½ cup Zucchini with tomatoes
1 Grilled acorn squash
10 French fries
Evening Snack
Baked apple
Exercise Recommendations
Exercise recommendations are given in earlier versions, but not in the 30-day plan.
Pros
- Requires no calorie counting
- Dieters do not need to give up their favorite foods
- Provides necessary tools to dieters for creating a self-sustaining weight loss plan
- Contains many meal examples and recipes
- Flexible and not restrictive
Cons
- Promises fast results, which is unrealistic for most dieters
- Recommends many high sodium foods
Conclusions
Dieters can eat a larger amount of fruits, vegetables or other low-fat foods, or a small serving of a high calorie food. The diet is good for those who want to increase their awareness about the calorie contents of food.
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