news

The Best Life Diet author Bob Greene is best known as Oprah's personal trainer. This diet emphasizes swapping unhealthy foods for healthier ones and making positive behavior changes. Here's what you need to know about the Best Life diet.

The book is available for approximately $16. The web site, bestlife.com, requires a monthly membership fee of around $20. While you do not need to join the Web site in order to follow the diet, the Web site does offer additional content not found in the book. The only additional cost is grocery store items you choose to purchase in order to follow recommended meal or snack plans, or for preparing recipes.

This diet relies on making permanent lifestyle changes, such as being more active and not eating late at night. There is a focus on portion control and controlling caloric intake. It is not a low carb diet, but it does require switching out "bad" carbohydrates, such as white bread, in favor of "good" carbs, such as whole-grain bread.

Greene refers to the first four weeks of this diet as phase 1. He says the purpose of this introductory phase is to lay the groundwork for adapting the program as a lifestyle rather than considering it a short-term diet. During this time, Greene recommends the following simple changes: Move more, stop eating late at night, eat three meals and one snack each day, and drink plenty of water. You should not expect to lose a large amount of weight during this initial phase; depending on your current habits, you may not actually lose any weight.

Phase 2 of this diet lasts for at least four weeks, or much longer if you have a significant amount of weight to lose. During this phase, Greene builds on the guidelines of phase 1, adding a number of food "switches" that will allow you to lose weight, including the total elimination of six "unhealthy" foods (e.g. soda), for which he provides healthier alternatives. Additionally, you will learn to use a hunger scale to help you eat only when your body needs fuel and stop eating before you feel full. Portion control is an important aspect of this phase. More exercise is recommended.

Phase 3 of the is considered the maintenance phase. You will continue to follow the guidelines set forth in the previous phases. You will continue to eat balanced meals and Greene encourages the addition of more vegetables to your diet. Certain foods, such as high-fat meat, are to be eliminated or signficantly reduced. You are allowed to incorporate what Greene refers to as "Anything Goes" calories, which allots a number of calories for special treats such as chocolate or popcorn. Lastly, daily exercise is required on phase 3.