The Theory

• A person's metabolism usually burns 70 percent of the calories they eat in a day, while the other 30 percent is burnt off by physical activity. Dr. Peter M. Miller, the doctor who created this diet, explains that in order for an overweight person to lose weight, their metabolism has to function efficiently. Through food choices and smaller more frequent meals, the diet can change your body chemistry so that you are naturally burning more calories.
  
  

The Diet Plan

• Rather than starving yourself indefinitely, the Hilton Head Diet changes the way you eat. Instead of simply cutting calories, the daily calorie intake is divided into five small meals a day. Spreading these meals out over the day keeps your blood sugar levels more stable and keeps you from getting hungry during the day. The diet plan consists of six weeks of weight loss followed by a two week period of maintaining the weight. You can repeat this cycle until you are at your desired weight. During the weight loss period, you can eat three meals and two snacks throughout the day. The total calories consumed should not be more than 1000. This is an extremely low amount of calories, but Dr. Miller insists that this is necessary for the weight loss period of the diet. On weekends, 200 to 250 calories can be added on both days to boost metabolism. During the maintenance stage of the diet, individual calorie needs are determined by the plan.
  
  

The Food

• This diet is different from most other popular diets because it actually encourages carbohydrates. In fact, it is called a low-fat high-carb eating plan. The calories from fat in each meal should be no more than 20 percent. You are also required to drink at least five eight ounce glasses of water every day. Also, no salt is permitted during the weight loss stage, which can be quite a challenge.
  
  

Exercise

• Physical exercise is also required by the Hilton Head diet. Dr. Miller suggests two twenty minute walks daily. Then, two of these exercise sessions are substituted with twenty minutes of muscle toning exercises.
  
  

Results

• A study done at the University of South Carolina kept subjects on a similar diet. When they were contacted later, 70 percent of the subjects that had lost weight on the diet had kept it off. Though the diet may promote long term weight loss, there is some debate over whether the caloric intake is enough. Anyone who consumes this few calories on a daily basis has to be careful to get enough of their daily nutrients and servings of fruits and vegetables. Some may find it necessary to supplement the diet with vitamins.