Stillman Diet

Submitted by Nick on February 7, 2011

Stillman Diet

The Stillman diet created by physician Irvin Maxwell Stillman in 1967 was one of the earliest forms of low carb diet. Here’s a little about the Stillman diet plan. Stillman designed a high protein diet for rapid weight loss among overweight patients. Thus, the Stillman diet menu allows the dieter to eat unlimited amounts of lean meat, poultry such as chicken and turkey without skin, seafood, and egg whites. Dieters may also consume low fat dairy products such as cottage cheese and other types of non-fat cheese.

The Stillman diet recommends that you cut out all oil and fats such as butter, margarine, and lard. You cannot fry or cook your food in oil, and you can only broil, bake, steam or boil your food. On a Stillman diet, dieters are encouraged to eat six smaller meals instead of three main meals.

Another essential rule of the Stillman diet plan is drinking eight glasses of water. The Stillman diet is a low carbohydrate diet, so there is a risk of dehydration. Since the Stillman diet is a ketogenic diet, it is essential that the dieter consume plenty of fluids to wash away excess build up of ketones in the urine.

Apart from water, dieters may also consume beverages such as tea, coffee, and diet soda drinks.

Stillman diet recipes include condiments such as salt, pepper, garlic, and Tabasco sauce to flavor the meat. However, it does not recommend using condiments containing oil.

The diet does not include fruits and vegetables, potentially stripping the body of essential nutrients. In the absence of starchy foods such as bread, rice, pasta and so on, the body does not receive dietary fiber and essential vitamins and minerals. On the other hand, the diet does necessitate the use of vitamin supplements to cover any nutritional gaps in the diet. Stillman diet also opposes alcohol and any kind of sugars. Even healthy fats such as mono saturated fats from olive oil are forbidden.
How does the Stillman diet plan work? Stillman diet results show rapid weight loss in overweight individuals. The diet claims that individuals may lose seven to fifteen pounds in the first week of diet. Dieters must remember that a major portion of this weight loss attributes to loss of water retention. In subsequent weeks, dieters may lose up to five pounds per week. The Stillman Diet works because in the absence of carbohydrates, the body must break down stored fat to create energy. The high protein diet ensures that the dieter receives the necessary amount of proteins, without having to access stored proteins in the body. The body has to work twice as hard in order to break down digestible carbohydrates, burning additional calories. Although Stillman diet seems successful in drastic weight loss, there are disadvantages to this diet. In fact, Stillman himself suggested changing to a low carbohydrate diet once the dieter reached closer to his/her diet goals. Before you decide on following any diet, it is advisable to consult your doctor or dietician about the pros and cons of your chosen diet.
The Stillman diet created by physician Irvin Maxwell Stillman in 1967 was one of the earliest forms of low carb diet. Here’s a little about the Stillman diet plan. Stillman designed a high protein diet for rapid weight loss among overweight patients. Thus, the Stillman diet menu allows the dieter to eat unlimited amounts of lean meat, poultry such as chicken and turkey without skin, seafood, and egg whites. Dieters may also consume low fat dairy products such as cottage cheese and other types of non-fat cheese. The Stillman diet recommends that you cut out all oil and fats such as butter, margarine, and lard. You cannot fry or cook your food in oil, and you can only broil, bake, steam or boil your food. On a Stillman diet, dieters are encouraged to eat six smaller meals instead of three main meals. Another essential rule of the Stillman diet plan is drinking eight glasses of water. The Stillman diet is a low carbohydrate diet, so there is a risk of dehydration. Since the Stillman diet is a ketogenic diet, it is essential that the dieter consume plenty of fluids to wash away excess build up of ketones in the urine. Apart from water, dieters may also consume beverages such as tea, coffee, and diet soda drinks.

Stillman diet recipes include condiments such as salt, pepper, garlic, and Tabasco sauce to flavor the meat. However, it does not recommend using condiments containing oil. The diet does not include fruits and vegetables, potentially stripping the body of essential nutrients. In the absence of starchy foods such as bread, rice, pasta and so on, the body does not receive dietary fiber and essential vitamins and minerals. On the other hand, the diet does necessitate the use of vitamin supplements to cover any nutritional gaps in the diet. Stillman diet also opposes alcohol and any kind of sugars. Even healthy fats such as mono saturated fats from olive oil are forbidden.
How does the Stillman diet plan work? Stillman diet results show rapid weight loss in overweight individuals. The diet claims that individuals may lose seven to fifteen pounds in the first week of diet. Dieters must remember that a major portion of this weight loss attributes to loss of water retention. In subsequent weeks, dieters may lose up to five pounds per week. The Stillman Diet works because in the absence of carbohydrates, the body must break down stored fat to create energy. The high protein diet ensures that the dieter receives the necessary amount of proteins, without having to access stored proteins in the body. The body has to work twice as hard in order to break down digestible carbohydrates, burning additional calories. Although Stillman diet seems successful in drastic weight loss, there are disadvantages to this diet. In fact, Stillman himself suggested changing to a low carbohydrate diet once the dieter reached closer to his/her diet goals. Before you decide on following any diet, it is advisable to consult your doctor or dietician about the pros and cons of your chosen diet.