Types of Low-Fat Diet Plans

Many types of diet plans are available to put healthy eating habits into practice. This is especially true for people who need to lose weight or patients who are suffering from illnesses that require special diets. Low-fat diet plans come in different forms. Some are high in fiber, low in carbohydrates or high in protein. Before engaging in these types of low-fat diets, it is important to consult with a physician for safety reasons.

Ornish Diet

• Dr. Dean Ornish developed the Ornish Diet in his book, "Eat More, Weigh Less." This eating plan falls under the category of a low-fat diet, in which a person consumes less than 20 percent of his calories from fat. It is ideal for vegetarians. Foods allowed in the Ornish diet include dried, canned and baked beans, grains, oatmeal, tomatoes, potatoes, egg whites, fresh herbs and fresh fruits. Food products to stay away from include nuts, seeds, white rice and refined carbohydrates. The Ornish diet has two sub-diets, the reversal diet and the prevention diet. The reversal Ornish diet is for people suffering from heart disease. The reversal diet helps reverse the effects of the disease and lowers risks of heart attack. The prevention diet is for those who do not have a heart disease but have high cholesterol levels.

Scarsdale Diet

• The Scarsdale Diet was one of the most popular low-fat diets in the 1970s. It is a two-week diet plan that is low in fat and carbohydrates and high in protein. For the first two weeks, patients should follow the diet strictly. After this two-week period, patients have the freedom to break from the diet plan. This is to prevent the body from getting used to the diet. Meals consist of fruits and vegetables with unlimited servings of lean protein. Snacks are not recommended, except for carrot and celery sticks. While on the diet, patients should not drink alcoholic beverages. Drinks allowed include water, coffee, diet sodas and tea.

Karl Lagerfeld Diet

• The Karl Lagerfeld diet is a diet plan created by Dr. Jean Claude Houdret for fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld. This diet helped Lagerfeld shed 92 lbs. in about a year. The Karl Lagerfeld diet consists of low calorie intake from lean proteins and vegetables and spreads in three phases. In the first phase, the ideal calorie intake is 800 to 900 calories. This increases to 1,000 to 1,200 in the second phase and to 1,200 to 1,600 in the third phase. People who undergo this type of diet plan must work with a dietitian in order to ensure proper nutrition, especially during the first few weeks of very low calorie intake.