Pritikin Diet

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"Even though it’s been around for over three decades now, the premise of the Pritikin diet is spun around many of the commonsense healthy eating habits that are still recognized today."

Read the Pritikin Diet Review

At a Glance

By Myatt Murphy

The Pritikin diet has evolved over the years, but its’ basic gist is this: Dieters have a “fat instinct” that drives them to consume fatty and/or high-calorie foods. By eating the right types of foods, as well as structuring when you eat and how often you exercise, dieters can stop that “fat instinct” from taking over your eating habits.

There are no phases or levels to follow. Dieters simply eat 6-7 smaller meals a day, choosing from a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grain foods and small amounts of lean meat. Foods are grouped into three categories: “Better”, “Better Still” and “Best”. Dieters can eat foods from any of the three categories, although they are told to expect more results by choosing wisely—the “best” foods tend to have more water and less fiber, offering the “best” results” of the three. At the Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa, they divide food into different categories: Go, Caution and Stop.

In addition to eating specific foods, the diet also encourages exercise, mostly in the form of walking at least 30-45 minutes daily.

Cost: Average to extreme. Following the diet’s low-fat, high-fiber menu of plenty of veggies and whole grains really doesn’t cost much more than what you might already be spending on food. However, if you’re planning on visiting the Prikitin center, the starting rate for a 7-day stay is around $4,500.
Meals Provided: Yes and no. You can follow the recipes that are in many of the Pritikin books, or, they do sell their own line of frozen foods—soups, lunches, dinners and desserts—direct from their center. They also have their own soup line that’s available in select grocery stores.
Diet Duration: The Pritikin program is meant to be a lifetime commitment.
Fitness Requirements: Definitely. The program insists that dieters do some sort of exercise 30-45 minutes each day—walking seems to be Pritikin’s #1 recommendation.
Time Commitment: Middle of the road. You may save some time not having to count portion sizes at every meal, but those saved seconds get gobbled up devoting at least 30 minutes of your day to exercise.
Eating Out: Hard to do. The diet’s incredibly low in fat and high in vegetables, which can make it very difficult to find a combination of the two on the menu—unless you like all your food steamed.
Alcohol: The diet recommends abstaining from drinking, but does offer guidelines if you can’t avoid it—4 drinks weekly for women and 7 drinks weekly for men.
Vegetarian-Friendly: 100%! The diet is practically based around nothing but fruits, vegetables and plenty of whole grains.
Strict/Flexible Eating Plan: Fairly strict. Even though there are certain foods that you can eat in unlimited amounts, the program definitely separates foods you should eat from foods you shouldn’t.