The Pritikin diet is a low-fat regimen that promotes eating whole grains, vegetables, and fruit over animal protein, eggs, processed grains, and sugar.
The Pritikin diet is basically the opposite of another popular program, the Atkins diet. While the Atkins regimen is high in fat and protein and low in carbohydrates, the Pritikin program is low in fat and protein and high in whole-grain natural complex carbohydrates. Pritikin believes the reason a large number of Americans are overweight is because they do not eat enough complex carbohydrates, such as whole-grain corn, rice, and wheat.
The Pritikin diet is based on a wide variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, beans, and low-fat dairy products. There are four levels to the Pritikin diet, each based on calories. Individuals pick the level they want based on how overweight they are, how much weight they want to lose, and how quickly they want to. The number of calories per day for each level are 700, 850, 1,000, and 1,200. In his book, “The Pritikin Permanent Weight-Loss Manual,” Pritikin lists two weeks of sample menus for each level.
The general guidelines of Pritikin Diet are:
- one to three pieces of fruit a day, including one citrus fruit
- a serving of orange or yellow vegetables two or three times a week
- several large servings a day of green vegetables, either raw or cooked
- two small servings a day of whole-grain products, such as bread, cereal, rice, or pasta
- three servings a day of protein-concentrated foods, such as fish, poultry, and non-fat milk, yogurt, or cottage cheese
An important component of the Pritikin program is exercise. Pritikin encourages many types of exercise routines, but aerobic exercises like walking, jogging, swimming, and indoor machines that simulate these activities are recommended for optimum weight loss. The suggested routine should include 5-10 minutes of warm-up, 20-30 minutes of workout, and 5-10 minutes of cool-down.
Unlike the Atkins diet, the Pritikin Diet program can be easily followed by vegetarians, including vegans.
Tags: Atkins Diet, Pritikin Diet
