7 Rules Diet

• The 7 Rules Diet is the culmination of Dr. John Berardi's research into weight management and performance enhancement. Dr. Berardi is a Ph.D. biochemist and nutritionist from Canada who works with a range of clients, from athletes to stay-at-home mothers and children. One thing that his clients have in common is that they follow the 7 Rules.
  
  The 7 Rules is a carb-restricted diet that emphasizes a healthy, balanced approach to nutrition. The 7 Rules are:
  
  1. Consume small meals every two to three hours
  2. Consume lean protein with every meal--meat, fish, chicken, or eggs
  3. Consume fruit AND vegetables with every meal
  4. Consume carbs from only fruit and vegetables
  5. Consume at least 25 percent of your daily calories from fat--animal fats, natural fats (avocados and coconuts), and oils (fish, flax and olive).
  6. Drink only zero calorie beverages--limited to just water and green tea if possible
  7. Consume only solid meals--no liquid nutrition
  
  Dr. Berardi asks for 90 percent compliance, so if you are eating six meals a day (42 meals per week), you can have a "cheat" item during four of those meals. "Cheating " means either eating something that is not permitted under the rules or skipping a planned meal.
  
  

Refined Physique Transformation

• Refined Physique Transformation was developed by Canadian strength coach Christian Thibaudeau. Thibaudeau makes his living training bodybuilders and performance athletes, so he has a vested interest in developing systems to help dieters get into shape in record time. Refined Physique Transformation contains several different templates you can choose from, depending on your body-fat percentage at the start of the diet. Regardless of your level of leanness, Refined Physique Transformation is a low-carb approach. The lowest recommended carb intake is under 30g a day, and the highest 0.55g per pound of body weight (usually no more than 130g of carbs, which is still fairly low). Thibaudeau recommends green veggies with every meal, keeping health as a foremost concern. Unlike the 7 Rules, however, Refined Physique Transformation contains "carb-up" periods scheduled every five to 14 days, during which the dieter is asked to consume tons of natural carbs to refill muscle glycogen and prompt further fat loss.
  
  Whether you choose to follow the 7 Rules or Refined Physique Transformation, both plans prove that low-carb diets can be well-rounded and healthy approaches to eating.