Diet Plans And Menus - The Mincavi Diet by Levi Reiss

The Mincavi Diet was created in 1984 by Lyne Martineau. This diet was inspired by the Canadian Food Guide. It offers five weight loss programs, varying from 1400 to 2000 calories daily. On your initial visit to a Mincavi center you will be assigned a program based on your sex, your age, your body mass index, and your level of physical activity. Your program may be adjusted in function of your weight loss. Here are some of the diet principles.

Put the accent on fruits and vegetables. Depending on your program, you will consume 4 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. But you are allowed to eat as many vegetables as you want. Dark green vegetables are said to be the best. Eat 4 to 7 servings of good fats such as olive, canola, and walnut oil each day. Eat 3 to 7 servings of cereal products daily. Eat 90 to 150 grams (from 3 to 5 ounces) of protein every day including 2 to 4 servings of dairy products, and some meat or meat substitutes. Drink a minimum of three glasses of soy beverages weekly. Eat fish, the best is fatty fish, at least twice a week. Keep a daily food consummation journal and bring it to meetings with professionals. Spend 30 to 60 minutes a day in athletic activities. Go to Mincavi meetings that are held once a week in some locations.

The Mincavi Diet presents several advantages. It is easy to follow and is well adapted to families. Its meals are balanced and may be eaten in restaurants and at home. The company sells prepared foods. The disadvantage is the need to count the number of portions.

Here are two sample menus, both are in the 1400 calorie range :

Menu 1

Breakfast: Banana and chocolate waffles.

Your mid-morning snack is a yogurt and 15 (half an ounce) milliliters of nuts.

Lunch: Cabbage soup. 4 crackers. 5 milliliters of non-hydrogenated margarine. Spinach and parsnip loaf. The mid-afternoon snack is an apple.

Supper: Vegetable juice. Green salad with 30 milliliters of salad dressing. Chicken tournedos. A kiwi.

Menu 2

Breakfast: French toast. 15 milliliters of natural syrup. 150 milliliters of strawberries.

The mid-morning snack is a yogurt.

Lunch: Sole. Green salad. 45 milliliters of dressing. Low-calorie jelly. Two slices of cantaloupe.

The mid-afternoon snack is a peach and 30 milliliters of almonds.

Supper: Tomato soup. Calves liver. Baked potato. 5 milliliters of non-hydrogenated margarine. Peas and carrots.

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 more than 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 available only in French at present.