3 Apple a Day Diet

Background

The 3-Apple-a-Day Plan: Your Foundation for Permanent Fat Loss was created by Tammi Flynn, a registered dietitian and Group Training instructor at Gold’s Gym in Washington.

Flynn discovered that when one of her clients ate an apple before each meal without changing anything else, she was able to break a weight loss plateau. Flynn experimented with this approach with her other clients and witnessed incredible results, with typical weight losses of seventeen pounds in twelve weeks.

Three Apple Diet Basics

The foundation of the 3-Apple-a-Day Plan involves eating an apple before each main meal. The idea is that the fiber in apples makes you feel full and the sweetness satisfies cravings.

In addition to eating apples dieters follow a food plan that is very similar to the South Beach Diet with a relatively low intake of carbohydrates and reduction of saturated fats. Refined sugars are to be eliminated while low glycemic index carbohydrates are emphasized.

Dieters are advised to consume 4-5 small meals daily, which should be based on healthy foods that are low in fat. Each meal or snack should also contain a source of lean protein because this has been shown to reduce appetite and improve weight loss.

In addition to eating three apples a day dieters are advised to include six servings of other fruits and vegetables. This will allow you to reduce your intake of calories without experiencing hunger.

Recommended Foods

Apples, low fat cottage cheese, low fat yogurt, eggs, chicken breast, turkey, lean beef, salmon, oatmeal, brown rice, broccoli, lettuce.

Sample Diet Plan

Look for other healthy/low carb meal ideas here.

Exercise Recommendations

A combination of weight training and cardiovascular exercise is recommended. The book includes a 12 week beginners exercise program.

Costs and Expenses

The 3-Apple-a-Day Plan retails at $14.95.

There may also be additional expenses due to the requirement to buy apples, other fresh produce and high protein foods.

Pros

• Eating an apple at the beginning of each meal will promote the feeling of fullness and reduce the tendency toward overeating.
• Apples contain soluble fiber, which can help reduce cholesterol levels.
• Apples contain flavonoids that help prevent heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
• Meals are balanced with a combination of lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables.
• A high intake of lean protein reduces appetite and maintains muscle mass while dieting.
• Encourages the intake of fresh fruit and vegetables.
• Easy to follow. No counting or measuring.
• Includes over 100 recipes.
• Encourages exercise.

Cons

• Meal plans are not very exciting and dietary boredom may occur.
• Dieters may become tired of eating apples with every meal.
• Eliminates many foods and does not provide any allowances for including favorite foods occasionally.
• May be difficult for vegetarians to follow the recommended meal plan.

Conclusions

The combination of eating an apple before each meal and the recommended meal plan will reduce appetite which is likely to produce weight loss for the majority of dieters. Apples are also a great source of fiber, which has many potential health benefits.

Some dieters may become bored with eating apples three times a day. Additionally the meal plan does not allow for cheats, which may make this plan difficult for some dieters to follow as a lifestyle approach to weight loss.