Oprah
Winfrey
In her early fifties now, Oprah looks amazingly great. Her experience with weight has lead to what is now known as Oprah Weight Loss plan in Oprah’s boot camp. This is a 12-week program that involves a fairly structured dieting as well as comprehensive weight loss excersize.
In her website she goes to length to pitch on making a firm decision to manage your weight. Infact a key approach to Oprah’s diet is that one needs to be decisive on losing weight permanently.
A firm decision to permanently lose weight is not unique to Oprah’s weight loss only, it is key in any weight loss plan. A problem an individual will encounter is how to get that firm decision from deep within themselves.
Oprah’s
eating plan is a combination of moderation i.e portion control, as well
as low carbing. She notes that "one piece of anything will
not kill you; it’s the second and thirds and fourth that become the
problem." Lean proteins two fruits daily and ad libitum
greens make up most of the eating plan.
Carbohydrates, specifically refined carbs which she refers to a "white stuff" are considered poison. Note that whole grain carbohydrates are allowed. But in the first month into the weight loss program you completely eliminate carbs and then reintroduce them gradually in the second month. This is a strategy even used by Atkins diet.
Carbohydrates are considered to be the body’s primary fuel. However highly processed or refined carbohydrates are known to result to hormonal imbalance that increase fat deposition and as well as induce hunger by widely fluctuating insulin. Tactful useful of carbs in weight loss diet is used widely to induce weight loss. Oprah’s diet further recommends keeping fat low, eliminating alcohol and encourages drinking of water.
Modeled after Bob Greene’s diet, Oprah’s weights loss plan is also highly based on weight loss exercise. Weight loss exercises are particular physical activities that target mainly the burning of body fat and consequent weight loss.
Though many of us are quiet aware of health benefits of exercising, few ever allocate regular time for it. Infact a common excuse is lack of time. Oprah exposes such excuses as "little lies you telling yourself . . . (that) go against (the) law of self preservation."
Obviously the simple logic is that the healthier you are, the more you can give to the people that need you like your spouse, your children, your boss etc. So creating time to be healthy is not so absurd. Oprahs weight loss plan starts with basic training for those that are not fit. It is set to increase fitness level and act as an introduction to exercising. Quite commendable strategy as most overweight people are severely unfit and easily find an intense work out punishing not to mention the high risk of injuries. This introductory stage consists mainly of walking.
The exercise regime then graduates to cardios and strength training. The cardios start at 30 minutes and are increased with two minutes, weekly. Oprah points out that one of the biggest mistakes in losing weight is staying at the same level
Included in the regime twice a week is a circuit training similar to one used in Jennifer Lopez diet. Oprah says she learnt of this technique from John Travolta’s trainer Steve Mayes.
Circuit training is an intensive training that combines both a cardio and strength training in the same routine. For example, every five minutes you alternate between treadmill and some floor movements like sit-ups, squats etc.