Diet Programs And Meals- The Gesta Diet by Levi Reiss

The Gesta Diet was created by Madeleine Gesta, a dietician. Its first phase lasts for ten days, and is followed by a stabilization phase that also lasts ten days. During the phase phase your organism cleanses itself of toxins. Every day you eat 4 portions of glucides, 2 portions of protein foods, and 1 portion of lipids. The diet rules are quite complicated, they change from day to day and you have to pay strict attention to your watch. Let's take a look at an example, focusing on the clock.

Start day one and day eight by drinking two glasses of water before leaving bed. It is felt that the prone position helps eliminate fats. For breakfast drink a bowl of hot chocolate made with skim milk and pure, unsweetened cocoa. Eat an orange or a grapefruit during the morning, or 15 minutes before enjoying a hot chocolate. Lunch is well defined; there is even a list of acceptable vegetables that accompany the fish or meat whose portions are also specified. Two hours after your lunch eat a yogurt with a teaspoon of honey. At four in the afternoon drink a mixture of water and honey. At seven o'clock drink three small bowls of vegetable bouillon. Twenty minutes later eat three little bowls of the vegetables used in making the bouillon. Eat another yogurt with a teaspoon of honey before going to bed.

The initial phase includes three other daily menus, each one as detailed as the first. While you won't need your watch as much as on days one and eight, don't throw it away. During the stabilization phase you are restricted to 4 eggs, 2 portions of red meat, a bottle of wine or 4 ounces (125 grams) of chocolate per week. Put the accent on fish and lean meat, and keep the portion size at about 7 ounces (200 grams). The biggest advantage of the Gesta Diet is that it lasts only 10 days. The biggest disadvantage is its complexity as shown by our simplified examples.

Here are two sample menus:

Menu 1 (Phase 1, days 2 and 9)

Breakfast: Hot chocolate with honey. 2 grapefruit. 2 glasses of bouillon.

Lunch: Nothing.

The mid-afternoon snack is a yogurt with honey and a glass of hydromel, a mixture of water and honey.

Supper: 200 grams of sole. 300 grams of celery and tomatoes.

The evening snack is a yogurt with honey.

Menu 2 (Phase 2)

Breakfast: An orange. Hot chocolate with honey.

Lunch: A slice of roast beef. Ratatouille. A yogurt.

The mid-afternoon snack is a yogurt with honey and a glass of hydromel.

Supper: Half a bowl of lentils. Half a bowl of unrefined rice. An artichoke. A yogurt.

Some information in this article comes from a fascinating new book, La Bible des Regimes, written by Jenny de Jonquieres and published by Amerik Media. Her book describes over 80 diets and weight reduction programs. Each diet is presented with 5 menu plans, a detailed discussion of its advantages and disadvantages, and lots more. La Bible des Regimes is only available in French at present.