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The Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet  

Theory:

Do you ever experience symptoms such as a frequent focus on eating, a lack of satisfaction or the desire to eat again a couple of hours after eating, a sense of fatigue or tiredness, unexplained feeling of anxiety or anger, a heightened emotionality? 

If so, it is possible that you are suffering from a carbohydrate addiction.  Within a few minutes of eating carbohydrates, a carbohydrate addict’s body releases far more insulin than is necessary, and this excess insulin remains in the bloodstream. When insulin levels in a body fail to drop, the brain levels of the chemical serontonin consequently fail to rise, and thus a carbohydrate addict may not feel satisfied after eating, but still crave more sweets and starchy foods. 

The Carbohydrates Addict’s Diet is an weight loss program designed by carbohydrate addicts for carbohydrate addicts.  The diet plan requires no weighing and measuring, and no calorie counting and exchange plans.  The diet program emphasizes the regulation of insulin release.

Diet Guidelines

Guideline #1: Eat Complementary Meals Daily

In general your complementary meals should consist of average servings (about 3 to 4 ounces) of meat, fish, or fowl, or two ounces of cheese, and roughly two cups of vegetables or salad. Many successful dieters choose breakfast and lunch as their complementary meals, but the choice is yours (A comprehensive list of complementary foods is included in the book).

Guideline #2: Eat Reward Meal Every Day

Once a day at your Reward Meal, you can eat any food you desire.  All foods are allowed at the Reward Meal, and quantities are not limited, though your Reward Meal should be nourishing and well-balanced. Fruit and fruit juices, potatoes, rice, pasta, sweets, and snacks foods are only allowed during your reward meal. (You will likely eat far less than you would have if you have been eating three consecutive carbohydrate-rich meals).

Guideline #3: Complete Your Reward Meal within One Hour

If you are still eating 75-90 minutes later, the amount of insulin released will increase to compensate for the original low insulin release. It is essential that you limit your reward meal to 60 minutes

Guideline #4: Consume All Alcoholic Beverages During Your Reward Meal

Be sure to finish your drink, and your meal, within the 60-minute time limit. 

Guideline #5: Absolutely no between-meal snacking is allowed

Even small quantities of carbohydrates can stimulate insulin release – and a few nibbles of potato chips or a single piece of chocolate can produce powerful cravings for more carbohydrates. One piece of fruit, eaten other than during your Reward Meal, can reverse the whole metabolic process that is emptying your fat cells. Remember the Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet will cut your desire to cheat or to snack between meals.   

Sample Meal Plan for the Carbohydrate’s Addict’s Diet

• Breakfast – Carbohydrate Addict’s Complementary French Toast, Cappuccino Slush, tea, coffee, or diet soda
• Lunch – Baked fish with Lemon and Herbs, steamed cauliflower or spinach with butter or low-cholesterol margarine, Carbohydrate Addict’s Complementary Bread, coffee, tea or diet soda
• Dinner – Your Reward Meal: in short, you get to eat anything you want

Dr. Rachael F. Heller and Dr. Richard F. Heller. 1991. New York: Signet Books  

Information provided on this website is not meant to replace the services of your physician, but only to act as an educational tool. The diet summaries are by no means a substitute for reading the actual diet programs, but rather are synopses of basic principles meant to pique your interest and help you select a diet. Be sure to consult your physician and read the entire diet book before beginning any weight loss program.