Very Low-Fat Diets For Weight Loss: The Life Choice Diet

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The Life Choice Diet

Author Dean Ornish, MD, suggests people make lifetime changes that include very low-fat eating habits, exercise, and stress management.

Basic concept

Ornish promotes low-fat vegetarian eating to reverse or prevent heart disease. Exercising and managing stress are equally important in this lifestyle program.

How it works

There are two versions of the Life Choice Diet. The "reversal diet" is for people who have diagnosed heart disease or high cholesterol levels. Because you are trying to reverse damage to your body, you must follow strict guidelines. The "prevention diet" is less structured. You still eat a diet very low in fat, but you have more flexibility in what you can eat.

Guidelines for both versions of Ornish's diet include eating a vegetarian diet high in complex carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in their natural forms). About 10% of your calories come from fat in the reversal diet. You may have more fat in the prevention diet as long as your weight or your cholesterol levels don't begin to rise. Oils are limited to 3 teaspoons a day. Mostly, you eat foods that have less than 3 grams of fat per serving, and stay away from saturated fat and sugar.

On the menu

• High-fiber grains, legumes (beans and peas)
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Nonfat dairy products
• Egg whites
• Small amounts of alcohol

Off the menu

• Meat and all animal products
• Caffeine
• Nuts, seeds, olives
• Chocolate, coconut
• Avocado
• Oils, except for small amounts of canola oil for cooking

Last updated:	February 23, 2007
Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Reviewed By:	Ruth Schneider, MPH, RD - Diet and Nutrition, Rhonda O'Brien, MS, RD, CDE - Diabetes Educator
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman, MATC